Dance Concerts Sell Out

Photos / Nina G Photography

Huge support for MAGS Dance saw three sold-out shows this week. 
The very popular annual dance assessment concert was held at the Raye Freedman Arts Centre at EGGS. 
Director of Arts Co-curricular Ms Cesan said, "The audience was treated to a variety of dance styles and themes in a highly entertaining programme, with performances by MAGS classes from all year levels and performance groups interspersed with some very thoughtful and inspired choreographies by Year 13 and scholarship students.
"There were dances inspired by 25 years of girls, a reimagining of sports, tributes to Michael Jackson, and to one of the first Hip Hop dance films, and even to the legacy left by some of our 2024 students. Styles of Bollywood, Siva Samoa, Fosse Jazz, 70s Jazz, Hip Hop Ballet and contemporary dance were all on display – all performed with conviction, style and polish.
"A highlight was a stunning performance of 2024 scholarship recipient Khalen Quensell’s new choreography for her 2025 scholarship submission about her connection to her Tongan cultural identity 
Ms Cesan added, "The final item by an exuberant Year 13 class took inspiration from Greek mythology and the idea of the Alpha Male, and was both entertaining and well performed by this very diverse class and was a great way to finish what was a fantastic night of dance."
You can see more photos from the show here

Changes to the School Year

Parents and students should be advised that the dates for the end of the school year have been changed. This only affects Junior students.
Junior Prizegivings will now take place on Friday, December 5, at 9.30am for Year 10s and at 12.30pm for Year 9s. Students are dismissed for the year after their respective prizegivings.

Wearable Art Winners on Display at Art Expo

Last Thursday, our Wearable Art team had an amazing night at the TOI Wearable Art Competition held at the Aotea Centre as part of the nationwide ShowQuest.
You can seen these amazing works up close at the MAGS Student Art Expo on August 2, where all the garments will be on display.

At the TOI Wearable Art Competition, MAGS won six awards: 
Awarded for both Excellent Garment Construction & Creative Concept:
Kintsugi (3rd from left at top) – Year 11 Team: Leonna Banzuela, Jasmine Walker, Alice Bui, Eileen Shin, Lachie Gardiner
Awarded for both Outstanding Stage Presence Award & Powerful Storytelling:
Birkin Bombshell (2nd from left at top) – Year 11 Team: Emily Duke, Isla Nimmo, Olivia Appleton
Awarded for Powerful Storytelling:
Grandmother Clock (left at top) – Year 13 Team: Phoebe Newcombe, Lucy Couling, Maya Woolford, Ella Williams, Ashlea Target, Macy Li
Taniwha o Te Moana (right at top) – Year 9 Individual: Mika Neeley
TIC Mrs Gauntlett said, "Many of our garments were hand-crafted from donated or recycled materials, and every piece was sculpted and sewn by hand.
"From our club of 50 students, 26 were selected to attend the event. We spent the day in a professional photo shoot, rehearsals, and, finally, walking the runway."
Out of 220 entries from across Auckland, MAGS submitted nine incredible creations. 

More Art Expo News

MAGS Alumni – We Want Your Work!
Are you a former MAGS student working in a visual medium? We’d love to include your art in this year’s Expo alongside current student work. It’s a great chance to share your creative journey, reconnect with the MAGS community, and inspire the next generation of artists.
You can become part of a special one-off event celebrating the creativity of our current students and recent graduates. The Expo will showcase a vibrant mix of painting, photography, ceramics, digital posters, and technical design. Many works will also be available for purchase.
Submissions close Sunday, June 30. Submit your work here

Parent Volunteers Needed
We’re also looking for parent volunteers to assist with set-up, supervision, and pack down on the day. Even an hour or two makes a big difference!
If you’re able to help, please contact Christine Cato at [email protected].

Certificates Presented to International Leavers

Front Row: Matilde De Prato (Italy), Lena Kallis (Germany), Amy Echavarria (Argentina), Ilaria Melchiori (Italy), Jiahui Guo (China)
2nd Row: Ewen Cadiou (France), Lucas Millan Ruiz-Tagle (Chile), Tilda Malmbeck (Sweden), Isabelle Hentzschel (Germany), Federico Aimar (Italy)
Back Row: Daigo Watanabe (Japan), Daiki Kurita (Japan). Absent: Arvid Port (Germany)

Thirteen International students were presented with certificates as they prepared to depart MAGS, with a fond farewell and best wishes for their future from the International Department.
Assistant International Director Mrs Elgueta-Clavelle said, "Some of these students started in July 2024 and others in January this year. 
"They were a great addition to our international cohort and made the most of their time at MAGS." 

Megacrew Defending Title Next Thursday

MAGS' MEGACREW is competing next Thursday to retain their two-time title at the Blueprint Secondary Schools Street Dance Competition.
If you want to support our MEGACREW, the competition begins at 6.30pm, at Due Drop Events Centre, 770 Great South Rd, Manukau City.
Tickets can be purchased here

40 Hour Challenge Tops $7000

MAGS 40 Hour Challenge fundraising has passed $7000 and there is still time to donate here
TIC Miss Barlow said the sausage sizzle and bake sale held in Week 7 raised an impressive $794.64. She added, "Fundraisers were also able to bring their own baking to go towards their fundraising, resulting in lots of extra yummy baking for sale. 

"Hype Day was a highlight of the school calendar for many students with teachers, prefects (including Head Boy and Head Girl), sports captains and even some Year 11s and 12s up for getting a pie to the face or being splashed. Even Mr Drumm got involved!"
On the side, there were sausages and sausage rolls for sale, and our talented music students also put on a show.
Overall, Hype Day raised an incredible $1357.73. As a school, MAGS has now raised $7307, which is the most the school has raised since it started doing the 40 Hour Challenge again a few years ago. 
Miss Barlow said, "The fundraiser was organised from woah to go by the Interact leaders, Prefect Executive team and some of the service prefects, who are to be commended for putting together such a wonderful event and a successful fundraiser. This amount will make a massive difference to those affected by the impacts of climate change in the Solomon Islands."
Donations are still being accepted and the top fundraisers will be announced next term.

Duke of Ed Gold Award

Congratulations to Jamie Snow, who has achieved his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award through dedication, perseverance and commitment to his activities and service.
Jamie, pictured right and above right, also had a fantastic experience on the Spirit of Adventure expedition. His award was formally acknowledged at a special ceremony earlier in June with the Governor-General of NZ.
The following students also achieved Duke of Ed Awards:

Silver (all Year 12): Ethan Hilsden, Kiri Lovatt, Zaria Pollard, Katie Somerville, Eloise Whitehead.

Bronze (Year 11):  Eden Bosman, Daisy Bridge, Tully Cook, Lucille Evans, Olivia Fleming, Miranda Flexman, Benjamin Gladding, Jaimie Harris, Jacob Ng, Grace Oram, Ethan Sams. (Year 12): Pia Vlok, Eva Yarrow.

Save the Date for Careers Expo

The annual MAGS Careers Expo will be held on Tuesday, August 5 from 4pm-7pm.
Students and their families are encouraged to come along to learn about the different course options available at MAGS and gain information about tertiary study and future pathways.
This evening is particularly important for students in Years 10-12 and is a great opportunity to build on conversations had during Three Way Conferences before option choices open up for 2026.

Gumboot Friday Next Term

Gumboot Friday is coming up next Term in Week 3! 
Students can wear gumboots to school on Friday, August 1, participate in interform activities on the bottom field at lunchtime, and come along to bake sales at morning tea on Wednesday and Friday that week. 
For this event, guest speakers from I Am Hope will be coming in to speak to our students to raise awareness about mental health, and provide information about the resources available. 
This event fundraises for free counselling for all New Zealanders under the age of 25, so it's incredibly relevant to all of our Tamariki. 
For more information about Gumboot Friday, click here

Service Leaders Recognised at MAGS

Head Prefects Campbell Buchanan and Khalen Quensell flank MP Melissa Lee, while their deputies are, from left, Bendan Akeli, Sasha Tobin, Tyler Yare, Epeli Prescott and Brooke Margison. Absent: Claudia Wen. 

Students leaders from MAGS, Elim Christian College and Marist College were recognised for their service work among their peers and the wider community by local MP Melissa Lee on Monday.
The event in the W.O.H. Gibbs Room was coordinated by Albertian Oscar Duffy (2020-24), who is working as a Youth MP with Melissa Lee.
Oscar invited leaders from each of the three schools to speak about the values behind their volunteer work, what they were doing, and what projects they could collaborate on in the future.
Participants from the three schools, including all of MAGS' Prefect Executive, were presented with certificates at the end of the event.

Board of Trustees Elections

The boards of all state and state integrated schools are required to hold elections every three
years, and this will be happening again in 2025.
Our board is made up of seven parent vacancies, the Headmaster, a staff rep elected by the staff, and a student rep elected by the students.
The current board have made the decision to appoint Election Pilot as the Returning Officer for our election and for the election to be provided online.
Nomination and voting forms will be sent to all eligible voters by email directly from Election Pilot. If we don’t have an email address, nomination and voting papers will be sent by post so no one will miss out. Contact details will only be used for the provision of election services for Mount Albert Grammar School, and details will be deleted 60 days after the election date as required by legislation.
If you have any questions about the election process, please contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or [email protected]
We will continue to keep you updated through the various stages of the election process. Our election date is Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

More Changes to Train Schedules

Train schedules will be disrupted through the upcoming school holidays as Auckland Transport and KiwiRail use the quieter time on the network to perform track maintenance on parts of the Southern Line and prepare to build a third platform at Henderson Station on the Western Line.
These upgrades are part of getting ready for the City Rail Link opening in 2026, to ensure the network can run faster, more frequent trains.
You can see all the changes here

Sports Update

Victorious Coach Welcomed Home

On Monday, the Hockey Boys 1^st XI welcomed home their coach, Dylan Thomas, at the Auckland International Airport.
Dylan was part of the successful Black Sticks hockey team that won the Nations Cup by beating Pakistan in the final 6-2. 
Dylan, pictured left against Pakistan, scored three goals, including one in the final. His tournament will be remembered for an incredible solo goal v Korea in the semi-final. Dylan was named player of the match on two occasions and played a prominent role within the team throughout the whole week.
The Hockey Boys 1^st XI were at the airport to celebrate the Black Sticks' win, meet the team in person and collect some signatures.

Underwater Hockey Teams Strike Bronze

Last weekend, the MAGS Junior Open and Senior Open Underwater Hockey teams competed at the Northern Zone championships, which included teams from their usual Auckland competition as well as from the Tauranga/Rotorua region.
The Junior Open team are mainly players who are new to the sport this year and did a great job at their first tournament. They played a double round robin against strong Glendowie and Howick sides as well as an invitational team from various Auckland schools.
They had two 6-2 victories against the invitational team but lost to Glendowie 19-0 and 12-0, and Howick 7-2 and 15-0. They finished the round robin as third seed and played off against the invitational team for bronze, again defeating them 6-2 and securing the bronze medal. 
The Senior Open team would also end up playing off for third and fourth. They finished the round robin with three wins (Mahurangi 6-0, Howick 8-0, Taupo 6-0) and two losses (Glendowie 2-1, Tauranga 5-2) placing them as the third seed. They would play Glendowie in their semi-final and unfortunately would go down 2-0 in another close game. They would also win a bronze medal, defeating Mahurangi 6-1 in their final game.
Swim Administrator Mr Robertson said, "Congratulations to James Jeromson and Guy Neeley, who were named MVPs for their respective teams and to all those selected to trial for the Northern Under 18 squad later in the year.
"A big thank-you to our coaches, Paige Tyson-Taylor, Ryan O’Connor, Flynn Lakeman and Samuel Twhigg, for their efforts over the weekend and the season so far."

Upcoming Premier Sport

With the school holidays upon us, there are few games on in the coming week but tonight the Football Boys 1st XI are away to Macleans College at 6pm.
Tomorrow, our Netball Premiers play Marist College at Auckland Netball at 9.30am, and the Rugby Boys 1st XV is at home to Auckland Grammar at 2.30pm.

More sporting fixtures here