Mercury Bay Area School eNewsletter

MBAS Calendar

Kia Ora tātou – Greetings to you all

As we reach the midpoint of this term, I am pleased to share some updates and insights into the ongoing happenings at Mercury Bay Area School. It has been a busy and productive time for everyone, and we are excited about the achievements and growth we have witnessed.

Academic Excellence:
Our senior students are in the middle of external NCEA exams and we wish them all the best. We look forward to celebrating the success of our Junior and middle years at the prize giving’s in a few weeks time.

Parent-Teacher Collaboration:
We appreciate all the communication we are receiving from home. We love to get updates from whanau around positive experiences as well as those who provide us with the opportunity to address concerns early.

Upcoming Events:
As we look ahead, there are several exciting events on the horizon:

We have the upcoming Thames Valley Athletics and Whangamata Sports exchange. I wish our students all the best who have put their hands up to compete.

Organisation for the Year 9 camp is nearly complete. I know this will be a lot of fun and a great personal learning opportunity.

Gratitude:
I extend my gratitude to the entire school community – teachers, students, parents,whanau and support staff – for their dedication and commitment. Together, we are creating an environment where learning flourishes and character is nurtured.

As always, I remain open to feedback and suggestions as we strive for continuous improvement. Feel free to take up my offer of sitting down and having a discussion.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Warm regards,

Ross Dunn

Principal
Mercury Bay Area School

2023 MBAS School Magazine

Only a couple of weeks left to reserve your copy of this years
MBAS School Magazine pay for it online or at the office.
Still only $35!

Trophy Return

Please make sure you return all 2022 Middle Years Trophies to the office as soon as possible. Thank You.

M3 - Simple Machines

M3 has been investigating building simple machines and this week we have made paper planes to look at flight. They have learned about words associated with flight: gravity, thrust, aerodynamics, speed and lift.

M6 and M7 Service Day

Wednesday was service day. M6 and M7 went to the food tech room to do some baking for teachers and other staff as a thank you for all they do for us. What an amazing experience for both M6 and M7, it started slow and steady then 10:30am hit and it was all go. There was a lot of tuakana teina happening. Our tamariki had loads of fun packaging and delivering their baking to the staff.

Our teachers loved and appreciated the kindness of our students. Thank you whanau for your support with making today happen.

We had an awesome day on Thursday, welcoming our new 'year 7's' for next year into Hei block and all our new 'Year 9's' into the senior part of the school. The students all had a chance to experience a little taste of what it will be like next year. Here are some photos from the day:

On Thursday of last week Mr Wilson took a group of International students to Hamilton for Laser Tag, Extreme edge rock climbing, some retail therapy, and some Maccas on the way back, a great time was had by all. On Monday this week the same group of students travelled to Driving Creek in Coromandel town for a zipline experience and icecream and pizza at Kuaotunu on the way back, again a great time had by all, evidenced by the attached images.

On Wednesday Sean, Nico and Regan Crosland took 9 of our International Students Sea Kayaking for the day in Hahei. The weather was great and the kids loved it. We visited Cathedral Cove for lunch and a swim and even sailed the kayak along the coast visiting the blowhole and a number of coastal caves. A huge thanks to Regan Crosland who went to school here at the bay with Sean and who took a day off work to assist on the trip.

TVSS Volleyball

After weeks of training our teams headed off to the TVSS Junior Volleyball tournament in Katikati. Special thanks to Chris Tulou for your time on Monday's with the students. The boys team finished 4th overall and the girls 5th.

Team pictured: Back - Bianca Raynel, Holly Simpson, Lila White, Ella Simpson, Zac Frederickson, Sarah-Kate Lusby, Riley Rangi-Isaac, Ridge Rameka, Jesse Hayward, Taingarunui Hinds, Oliver Anderson, Blake James-White.
Front - Millie Gold, Tayla Ferrier-Kerr, Lotti Harrison, Samantha Chamberlain.

Equestrian

Our Equestrian team attended a show jumping tournament at St Peter's in Cambridge a couple of weekends ago.

Tahlia Osborne and Boh Boyd placed 1st and second in their rounds and Ella Simpson placed 4th in one of her rounds. Lucy Thackray did super well for her first ever show jumping outing coming a healthy 10th out of a massive 22 in her class. MBAS came third over all which was a fantastic effort for the Equestrian team.

Tertiary Tidbits

Are you looking for a fresh start in 2024? Career Choices Day gives you the opportunity to come onto our Hamilton City Campus, talk with academic staff, check out different subjects and industries, and find out how you can get your study journey started. We can even help get your enrolment sorted on the day.

There will also be campus and accommodation tours, lots of fun activities and prizes throughout the day – bring your whānau and friends; all are welcome.

Also, if you've already decided to join us next year, this is a great chance to sort out your Student ID Card, understand your timetable, and find your way around so you're ready for your first day.

Check out the details below and click the button to register your place.

Date: Saturday 2 December 2023
Time: 9am-1pm
Venue: Hamilton City Campus
Parking: Free parking is available around the campus

We look forward to seeing you there.

Register HERE.

Sports Weekly

Mercury Bay Secondary School Rugby AGM

Mercury Bay Secondary School Rugby notice of AGM meeting

Tuesday 21 November 6pm at MBAS School Library

New and existing Committee members are welcomed for the 2024 Season

Y5-8 Basketball

Wednesday School Gym

Year 5/6 2.15pm - 3.30pm
Year 7/8 3.3pm - 5pm

Must wear shoes

Wellbeing Whispers

Parent Tips for Mobile Phone Health and Safety for Kids

With the age at which children get a phone becoming younger and younger, how can you, as a parent, ensure your kids practise mobile phone health and safety?

We understand there is increasing pressure for children at primary school to have their own mobile phone. And, they can have many benefits, including being able to keep in contact while your child is at a friend’s house. However, there are some dangers, especially for young children, when they are using mobile phones and other devices.

Dangers of Smartphones
Smartphones pose several challenges and dangers for you and your child. These risks include cyberbullying, unprotected use of social networking, access to unsuitable content on the internet, eye strain, decreased attention span, and phone theft.

Cyberbullying
A growing issue, cyberbullying is the harassment of individuals through electronic channels such as mobiles, online forums, gaming chat rooms and social media. Examples of cyberbullying could include hostile text messages, the spreading of rumours, or the sharing of embarrassing photos. As cyberbullying takes place online, it’s a challenge for parents and or teachers to become aware of this issue unless a child speaks up about it.

Unprotected use of social networking
Stranger danger isn’t just an issue offline. Predators can easily hide their identities online while asking probing questions about a child’s friends, family and interests.

Access to unsuitable content
The internet is home to many things, including inappropriate and adult content. Studies have shown that 1 in 10 children between the age of 8 and 11 who go online have seen something nasty or worrying. Even playing age-inappropriate games can expose children to swearing or images of violence.

Eye strain from mobile phones
Too much screen time can lead to burning, itchy or tired eyes in children. While children can better adapt to the high-energy, short-wavelength blue light that devices emit, too much exposure can lead to long term problems. These long term side effects can include headaches, fatigue, blurred vision as well as head and neck ache.

Decreased attention span
Mobile phones, televisions and other devices are rewriting how our brains work – for adults and children alike. It has been proven that children with prolonged access to screens can develop a decreased attention span. This is unsurprising, given that modern technology means their brains are being trained to continually expect and receive new information.

Our Top 3 Tips for Child Safety on Mobile Phones

1. Set boundaries
It’s important to set boundaries and limits with your kids. Talk to them about the boundaries themselves, and your reasons for setting them.

These boundaries could include no phone in bedrooms at night (we recommend a charging station in the kitchen where phones habitually go at bedtime), screen time limits, restrictions on what apps they can use or where they can use their phone etc.

By setting these limits, you can encourage children to still enjoy activities that stimulate their minds in other ways, such as sports, board games or reading. It also allows you to reclaim family time and ensure your child isn’t using age-inappropriate apps.

2. Utilise parental controls & engage with your child’s phone usage
Parental controls allow you to see exactly what sites and apps your child is accessing on their smartphone, tablet or computer. It also lets you see how long they are spending on these devices. Remember, unless your child has brought their own phone, and is paying for their plan, the device and its use and full access still belongs to you.

While there are many parental control apps to choose from, the standard choice is Google Family Link. Free to use, Google Family Link works with both Apple and Android devices.

While you still may want to use a parental control app to check what your child is doing online, it’s always good to engage with them directly as well. By encouraging them to share what they are doing on their phone, you may get a better insight into risks such as cyberbullying or their social network use.

3. Teach your children phone security
By teaching your child a few security measures now, you will help them keep their devices secure in the long run. Examples include:

Don’t connect to public wi-fi as that may give hackers access to your child’s phone and information.
Don’t share passwords with friends or strangers.
Don’t overshare online – once a photo or video is out there, it can’t be taken back.
Keep your phone close in your pocket, bag or on-hand rather than leaving it in public places where it can be stolen.
Password protect the phone so that if it is stolen, personal photos or messages can’t be easily accessed.

Nurses Notes

DENTAL CARE IS FREE TILL YOU TURN 18
YEAR NINE STUDENTS AND ANY NEW SENIOR STUDENTS AT MBAS– A REMINDER THAT
YOU NEED TO REGISTER WITH LUMINO DENTIST

IMPORTANT TIPS ABOUT TEETH AND MOUTH HEALTH

• VAPING CAUSES BAD BREATH, TOOTH DECAY AND GUM DISEASE
• WATER IS THE BEST AND IMPROVES BRAIN FUNCTION AND CLARITY AND IS PREVENTATIVE AGAINST TOOTH DECAY
• SUGARY DRINKS CAN LEAD TO TOOTH DECAY AND GUM DISEASE
• WEAR A MOUTH GUARD FOR CONTACT SPORTS – A BROKEN TOOTH IS DAMAGED FOR LIFE

Community Notices

Fundraising Disco

En Pointe 2023 Dance Show

Super Smash Holiday Cricket

A fun filled day of cricket with your friends! Short and fast festival style games in teams!

Sign up now and come along to an action-packed holiday programme before Christmas. Whether you currently play or want to give it a go, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Just $15 for the day, which includes a FREE Northern Brave T-Shirt too!

Each day will be 9am to 3pm.

Private Tutor Wanted - For Primary Aged Student

One of our primary school whānau is looking for private tuition for their primary aged student. If you are interested please leave your contact details with our admin staff so they can contact you directly.

Youth Photo Competition

Summer Sailing - Registrations Now Open

Registering your sailor for courses is a two-step process:

1. If your child is not a junior member or family member of the club for this year 2023_2024, please click on this link to join. Participants in the junior sailing program must be MBBC/YNZ members either via the family membership or individual junior membership. Click Here for the 2023_24 Membership Form.

2. Once your child is a member of MBBC, click on this link to enter the pertinent details and choose the course(s). You can choose one course in Term 4 and one or more Block Courses during the summer if you wish. Please fill out one form per child and upon sign up you will receive an invoice to confirm your spot. Click Here to Register for a Course.