Scholarship Exams Open up Opportunities

At a special Scholarship Assembly today, our 2024 Dux Ryan Shen spoke about the benefits of, and strategies for, sitting Scholarship Exams.
Ryan is more than qualified to speak about Scholarship Exams, having earned six Scholarships last year (and being named an Outstanding Scholar) and five the year before as a Year 12.
He said one of the best things about Scholarship was that it allowed you to study areas of interest rather than a fixed course such as NCEA. Scholarship had enabled him to explore "niche areas" of subjects, and that had helped to guide his course of study at university. 
Ryan, who was also a Deputy Head Prefect and a NZ Football representative last year, said time management was crucial, and encouraged students to balance their pursuits so they weren't focusing too much on one particular area, be it sports or academics. Reading widely, staying in touch with current affairs and having conversations with teachers all helped to contribute to useful knowledge.
One of the benefits of sitting Scholarship for Ryan was that it helped improve his writing and clarity of thought. This helped him when he had to write essays for his successful application to Harvard, where he begins studying in August.
He urged students to sit at least one Scholarship paper in Year 12 to familiarise themselves with the process, and then they could prepare for "the final push" in Year 13 with more Scholarship subjects.

Book Your Three-Way Conferences 

Bookings are now open for Three-Way Conferences (3WCs).
These 15-minute conferences will take place in Week 9 this term with students' Mentor Teachers on either Thursday 26th of June (10.00am - 6.00pm) or Friday 27th of June (9.00am - 12.00pm).
This is considered to be one of our significant annual events and ALL students are expected to attend a 3WC, along with their parent(s)/guardian(s).
There are no classes scheduled on Thursday the 26th or Friday the 27th of June while the 3WCs take place.
Parents were emailed details about the 3WCs earlier today. You can read the 3WC booking instructions here

Save the Date for Student Art Expo

Save the date!
The MAGS Student Art Expo is on Saturday, August 2, 9.30am-4.00pm in the F.W. Gamble Hall, free of charge.
Our usual 'MAGS Art Show’ is taking a break this year which has provided a perfect opportunity to highlight just our student work.
The Art Expo event will celebrate painting, photography, ceramics, digital design posters and technical design products – many of the works are available to buy.
We will also be featuring the artwork of some of our recent student graduates who are continuing with their art. We look forward to sharing our fabulous student work with you, our community. See you there!

Spelling Bee Winners

Our top spellers at MAGS, are from left, Stephanie Zhang (1st Seniors), Adriana Hillen (2nd= Seniors), Julianna Chloie Galanida (2nd= Seniors), Aditi Duptala (2nd Juniors), Dee Jangam (1st Juniors). Absent: Isobel Knowles (2nd= Seniors).

The inaugural MAGS Spelling Bee was a great success, despite a couple of shortened lunchtimes that caused delays.
In Term 1, over 70 students and teachers competed in the first round. They were tasked with spelling 40 words – 20 from a list they had been given to memorise and 20 unsighted words. Year 9 mentor Mr Gibbs was the only contestant to spell all 40 words correctly. 
This term, oral rounds were held for the top spellers from Round 1 in the F.W. Gamble Hall to find a junior, senior and teacher winner. To add some extra excitement, the rounds were all themed. 
To win, a contestant had to be the last person standing in their round and they would then be given a championship word, which they had to spell correctly to win.
Our senior winner, Year 12 Stephanie Zhang, was the only one with a chance at a championship word, winning with ‘pantomime’ in the Redemption Round. The runners-up were Julianna Chloie Galanida, Adriana Hillen and Isobel Knowles. Many of the teachers fell in the first round. Ms Jerabek got a chance at a championship word, but ultimately Mr Brown prevailed in the 'Colours' round by correctly spelling ‘mulberry’.
The juniors provided the most excitement with two students, Year 9 Dee Jangam and Year 10 Aditi Duptala, making it through to Round 9. Both students had multiple chances to win by correctly spelling championship words but eventually Dee Jangam set herself apart by spelling the word ‘zephyr’.
The student winners were presented with beautiful trophies crafted by the Product Design Club, plus a bar of chocolate, and $25 vouchers for Event Cinemas and Whitcoulls. Runners-up won $10 Westfield vouchers and some chocolate. The teacher winner received a cute bee pen, some chocolate and an extra-special trophy that featured a crocheted bee. 
The event was promoted, organised and run by capable and passionate student leaders: Year 12s Francesca-Eti Tonu’u, Isobel Knowles, Peggy Taylor and Vedika Chugh, along with TIC Miss Barlow.
Miss Barlow said, "A massive thank you to Ms Laxon, Ms McEwan and English HoF Ms Glucina, who helped run the finals."

Can Drive Nets Huge Haul

Interact put together a committee of Year 12s to organise a can drive in support of Rotary Westhaven’s upcoming annual Cans for a Cause that helps Auckland City Mission.
The committee, made up of Amelia Knell, Eliza Rodger, Katie Somerville, Jack Tyler, Amy Burnett, Connor Corby, Lachlan Paul, Eva Yarrow, Rachael Sang, Ziya Rajpara and Gabby Tavita, did an excellent job promoting the drive and facilitating collections.
TIC Miss Barlow said, "Amelia, Eliza, Katie, Jack, Connor and Lachlan went above and beyond, taking time out of their study-from-home day on Tuesday to count, package and transport the cans ready for collection, an endeavour which took nearly two and a half hours. 
"MAGS collected 39 boxes in total, containing a whopping 2363 items, which is just amazing and the most successful can drive I can recall seeing during my time at MAGS. 
"I am very proud of how well the Year 12 committee has led this and how the school has rallied behind and contributed so generously. Several Interactors have also volunteered to spend two hours on their weekends at supermarkets to continue collecting cans alongside the Rotary. What a great start to Cans for a Cause!"

River Studies Boost Knowledge

The Year 12 Geography students recently visited the Waitākere Awa/River to gather data to support an internal assessment. 
Their aim was to investigate differences in river behaviour from its upper course at Cascade Kauri to its mouth out at Te Henga/Bethells Beach. 
In between, they visited the education group at Matuku Link where the students learnt about river ecology (including the one-metre-plus ōrea/longfin eels!) and wetland restoration. 
Data was gathered on water clarity and velocity, river depth and width, sediment samples and slope profiles.  
HOD Geography Mr Hobbs said, "We tend to find knowledge about how rivers operate is often overlooked so we are stoked to provide students the opportunity to understand them more. 
"Understanding the various positive impacts that rivers have on people and ecosystems means that our society can hopefully continue to manage them effectively for generations to come.”

Coming up in the Arts

Wednesday, June 4
4.30-6.30pm
Board Show and Market Evening
E Block and MN Undercroft

Thursday and Friday, June 5 & 6
Frankenstein
6.30pm, PA02
For tickets, email [email protected]

Thursday, June 5
NZ Chamber Music competition
RFAC, Time TBC

Wednesday, June 11
The Big Sing choral competition
Auckland Town Hall,Times TBC

Wednesday, June 18
Contemporary Music concert
Time TBC, School venue TBC

Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24 & 25
Annual Dance Concert
RFAC, 7.30pm

Thursday, July 3
Blueprint Dance competition
Due Drop Centre

Sign up for 40 Hour Challenge

Interact and the prefects have partnered to organise the 40 Hour Challenge at MAGS this year. 
Because MAGS fundraised over $5000 last year, we were privileged enough to have a student – Sneha Mandadi - attend the World Vision Leadership Camp over the summer holidays, and on Friday of Week 1, seven of our Year 13 leaders attended the World Vision Youth Conference, where they heard from guest speakers and were equipped to run the fundraiser at MAGS. 
World Vision created the 40 Hour Challenge to raise awareness of people around the world that do not have access to things we take for granted like food, education and a home. This year, the focus is supporting those in the Solomon Islands, who are being adversely affected by climate change. 
The theme for the 40 Hour Challenge is 40 Hour Disconnect, where students are challenged to get off devices for 40 hours over the weekend of June 13-15 to help raise awareness and fundraise for children in the Solomon Islands. 
TIC Miss Barlow said, "The leaders have set a goal to raise $15,000 dollars as a school. A bake sale, where fundraisers can sell their own baking to raise money, will be held at interval and lunch on Monday in Week 7 and a Hype Event will be held in Week 8, where fundraisers who have raised over $50 will receive a free cream pie as part of the popular ‘Pie-a-prefect’ event, where this year sports captains and some Year 11 and 12 leaders will also be under fire.
"Some hardy teachers have volunteered to get splashed, and if we manage to reach our target, Mr Drumm has agreed to join them!"
The link to sign up or donate is here

Come Along to Bubbles and Banter

MAGS is thrilled to invite you to an evening of memories as we celebrate 25 Years of Girls at Mount Albert Grammar at Bubbles and Banter on June 27, 2025, starting at 7pm.

This special complementary event welcomes all past students, parents, staff, and whanau to come together in the W.O.H Gibbs Room for an evening of fun and laughter.  Let’s reminisce, celebrate our achievements, and strengthen the bonds that have shaped our community.
Over the last 25 years the school has changed enormously.  New classroom blocks, dynamic spaces and learning areas have contributed to this. Optional school tours are available at selected times. Take some time to explore, see the school in action and experience the school, both old and new.  
Please register here for this event. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email the school: [email protected]
Registrations close Tuesday, June 17.

Speed Limits Changing Around MAGS

Speed Limits are changing on roads around our school. These changes will happen between June 9-13, 2025.
The Ministry of Transport has approved the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limit 2024, and this updated rule requires Auckland Transport to reverse permanent 30km/h speed limits introduced around schools.
If a gate into the school grounds is on a street where a permanent 30km/h is being reversed, a variable 30km/h speed limit will be installed to replace it. This will extend for approximately 150 meters either side of the school gate and apply for a maximum of 40 minutes at the start and end of the school day.  At all other times the usual speed limit applies.
Variable speed limit signs are either:
Electronic – the 30km/h speed limit applies only when the sign is on (lit up); or Static – the 30km/h speed limit applies at the specified times
You can see the streets the new rule affects here

Board Show and Market Evening Next Week

Sports Update

Orienteering Success in Waiuku Forest

Over 40 MAGS Orienteers headed to the Auckland Individual Champs at Waiuku Forest last week.
It was a stunning forest, with a physically demanding course, containing a mixture of mature pine forest, cutty grass and undulating terrain.
There were some top podium performances: Quinn Harris first in the Junior boys and Tahi Harris first in the Intermediate Boys, Reuben Bruce third in the Intermediate Boys and William Wood second in the Senior Boys.

TIC Mrs Mackinlay-Milne said, "It was particularly fantastic to see so many of the Junior (Year 9) orienteers enjoy and do well in the complex forest environment – their continued skill improvement and dedication to training is encouraging for the future of MAGS orienteering. The cumulation of top placings, resulted in the Boys Captains, Reuben Adye and James Milne, receiving the trophy for the Best Overall Boys Team."

Top placings:

Novices on Podium at AKSS Duathlon

Yesterday, 13 students competed at the Auckland Secondary Schools Duathlon at the Pukekohe Park Raceway.
Seven students raced as individuals and six students entered in teams of two.
The run leg is on the horse racing track, and the bike leg is on the car racetrack. The race conditions were challenging with high gusts of wind on the course. 
There were some positive results across the various age/gender categories from our students.  The highlight was a second-place finish from the Junior Boys duo of Aidan Jarrold (Year 9) and Tom Gaskell (Year 10). They completed their course in a time of 44:31, finishing with a silver medal 34 seconds ahead of third place. Their course consisted of a 3km run, 11km bike and 2.4km run.
We also had podium finishes in some of the less competitive categories. They were:
 
Maddie Earley/Ailsa Taylor: Senior Novice Girls Team – 1st
Jasmine Kaur: Open Bike Senior Girls – 1^st
Olivia Appleton: Open Bike Intermediate Girls – 1^st
Sofia Gough: Open Bike Intermediate Girls – 2^nd
 
Assistant Director of Sport Mr Crossan said, "All students competed well with a number competing in their first ever duathlon. The day would not have been possible without the help of some parents assisting with transport and marshalling. Thanks to Sarah Gaskell, Jo Wood and Steve Gough for their assistance on the day."

Upcoming Premier Sport

Due to the King’s Birthday holiday, there are not many games being played over the weekend but today the Football Boys 1st XI play Westlake Boys High at North Harbour Stadium at 6pm.
On Wednesday, the Football Girls 1st XI host Macleans College at 4pm, the Squash Premier Boys face Auckland Grammar at MAGS at 4pm, and the Hockey Boys 1st XI game is TBC.
On Thursday, the Lacrosse Girls Premiers are at home to Epsom Girls Grammar at 4pm, and the Hockey Girls 1st XI game is TBC.
More sporting fixtures here