Principal's Foreword

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Tēnā koutou,

This week we welcomed back our Deputy Principal, Nigel Hunter. Mr Hunter spent Term 1 on sabbatical, visiting boys' schools across the country. In total, he visited 27 schools and has brought back some great ideas that we will look at implementing at JMC.

We also received the sad news of the passing of Earnest ‘Tuppy’ Diack at the age of 94. Tuppy was a much-loved former staff member who dedicated nearly 30 years to teaching at JMC. A talented sportsman, he played 101 games for Otago and one test for the All Blacks. He also gave generously of his time as a coach for both the 1st XI Cricket and 1st XV Rugby teams. His legacy will be long remembered in our community.

On Monday, our Prefects took part in the annual Prefects Unite Day hosted by Otago Boys' High School. It was a fantastic opportunity for our Year 13 leaders to connect with fellow Prefects from the other Otago schools to share ideas, and collaborate on goals.

Tuesday afternoon was our X-Country day. There was a bit of a chill in the air, however, the boys certainly warmed up pretty quickly when the races began. Participation was very high and congratulations to Balmacewen House who had 83% of their house finish and won with a total of 2,534 points.

At this week’s assembly, we introduced new ways to celebrate academic achievement at the College. We acknowledged both past and present students for their outstanding academic accomplishments. Updates to our academic standards have allowed us to award additional academic ties and to launch our new Academic ‘Blues’ Awards. Recipients of this honour will have their names displayed on a new academic board to be installed in the Memorial Chapel.

Next week, on Wednesday and Thursday, Ngā Manu Kōrero will be held at the Dunedin Town Hall. A strong group of our Kapa Haka and Te Reo Māori students will be attending in support. We wish all the best to Noah Konia and Kura Stevens as they present their speeches. In addition, a team of 20 boys has been selected to compete in Te Hautonga. We encourage whānau to come along and support the group on Sunday, June 15.

Lastly, you may have seen in the Otago Daily Times that boys’ schools across the South Island are exploring the possibility of forming a formal affiliation. The aim is to share ideas, support professional development, and create new opportunities for sporting, cultural, and arts collaboration. These discussions are still in the early stages, and nothing is yet firmly in place.

Kā mihi,

John Veitch
Acting Principal