MBAS Newsletter, Term 2, Week 1, 2nd May 2025

MBAS Calendar

Kia Ora tātou – Greetings to you all

Nau mai hoki mai – Welcome back!
I hope you all enjoyed a refreshing break with your whānau. It's wonderful to see everyone returning with renewed energy and enthusiasm for Term 2. We have an exciting and busy term ahead, full of learning.

Student Achievement
We are proud to celebrate the achievements of our students, both in and out of the classroom. Over the break, several students participated in regional sports events. Congratulations to all who represented our school with pride and well done those who will go on to represent at the next level.

Teaching and Learning
This term we continue to focus on high-quality teaching and learning across all year levels. Our staff are committed to providing rich, engaging experiences that connect to our students' interests and real-world contexts. A special focus this year will be ensuring that our students' learning is aligned with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. Thank you to all the parents/whānau that supported our junior students to participate in the holiday reading log. Building a love of reading into our students is a great start to ensuring success in life. 

Building Community
Our school is strengthened by the support and involvement of our wider community. We look forward to welcoming parents, caregivers, and whānau to a range of events this term, including our upcoming full school assembly and later in the term our student-led conferences. Together, we create a vibrant and supportive learning environment.

Board elections will be taking place this year. I encourage you to participate either by voting or by putting in your name to join the Board and help shape the strategic direction of the school. 

Property and Facilities Updates
Work continues on the development of learning spaces, with upgrades scheduled to begin later this year. It is great to see our refurbished new entrant classes being enjoyed by our youngest members of our school community. 

We are also excited about progress being made in establishing the Boat Building Academy – a new initiative offering incredible opportunities for our students, thanks to community support and offers of generous donations. We are still in need of a possible location and if you have any ideas ask that you please contact the front office. 

Upcoming Events

• Week 2
  -  Mon-Fri Y9/10 Totara Springs Sports Camp
  -  Thur: Y7/8 Problem Challenge
• Week 3
  -  Mon: Y9-13 Cross Country
  -  Fri: Whole School Teacher Only Day (Closed for instruction)
• Week 4
  -  Mon-Tue: Gateway Health and Safety Course
• Week 5
  -  Mon: Whole School Assembly 11:20am
• Week 6
  -  Mon: King's Birthday (Closed for instruction)
  -  Fri: Primary Years Assembly 2pm
• Week 7
  -  Mon-Fri: Y7/8 Totara springs Sports Camp
• Week 8
  -  Mon-Wed: Student Led Conferences
  -  Fri: Matariki (Closed for instruction)
• Week 9
  -  Mon: Whole School Assembly 12.20pm
  -  Wed: Y7/8 Winter Sports

Keep an eye on our school calendar and weekly updates for further details.

Final Word
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust in Mercury Bay Area School. We are proud of the way our students, staff, and community work together to ensure the very best outcomes for all. Let’s make Term 2 another outstanding chapter in our journey.

Ngā mihi nui,

Ross Dunn
Principal

Attendance Matters!

Here is a data list to date of students attending regularly:

year 1  27/45 students 60%
year 2  27/50 students 54%
year 3  48/66 students 73%
year 4  49/63 students 78%
year 5  46/50 students 92%
year 6  53/57 students 93%
year 7  39/74 students 87%
year 8  67/115 students 83%
year 9  61/75 students 81%
year 10 72/94 students 77%
year 11 78/92 students 86%
year 12 87/103 students 84%
year 13 36/50 students 71%

Our year 5 and 6 students have the highest percentage of students regularly attending.

Star Wars Day - Well Done MBAS!

Trophy Returns

Homestay Families Required

Room 30 - Star Wars Day

Room 30 Looking sharp on Star Wars day!

Room 32 - Bus Stop Activity

In groups students rotate around the class each station has a different picture. These pictures are from the war memorial museum. Students were tasked with writing any words down that would describe the pictures or how they think the people in the pictures felt.

There was some interesting knowledge and vocabulary that came out of this like saturated, starving, overcrowding, trenches, perseverance, casualties, allied forces, enemies.

From here we will relook at the Gallipoli landing, leading into our learning of the 28th Maori battalion.

Room 34 - ANZAC Poems

In Room 34 we have been investigating the contributions different people played in World War 1. We have learned of the importance of nurses, the Grey Angels, the many animals used as mascots and of the soldiers themselves.

Here are two poems as a tribute to those who were at war to make our world a safer place.

Lest we forget.

M3 - Library Visit

We had Library on Wednesday morning. We have been focusing on choosing books of interest. The children in M3 like Hannah Montana, Minecraft, Pixies, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Avatar, Bratz, Dragon Girls and Little People Big Dreams, just to name a few!

M9 - Science

This week we explored floating and sinking. We used surface tension to float a paper clip, then we tested a range of objects to see what would float.

Our final challenge was to make a sinking object - our clay ball float by changing its shape. It’s all about the density!

9LPMC - Y9 Literacy Course about Polynesian Migration and Celestial Navigation

This week the students of 9LPMC were learning about how ocean currents circulate. Students got right into the hands-on activity! They got to simulate ocean currents with a fun experiment before writing a procedure on how to conduct the experiment.

How To Replicate Ocean Currents

Materials:

• Rocks

• Ice

• Warm Water

• Cold Water

• Red Food Colouring

• Blue Food Colouring

• Trays

Method:

1. Pour blue food colouring into a shallow tray.

2. Add ice to the shallow tray.

3. Add rocks/items to the shallow tray to represent islands.

4. Slowly pour the red warm water into the corner of the shallow tray.

5. Then watch the blue and red warm and cold water slowly merge together to simulate Ocean Currents.

By Liam Tukiri

Second Hand Ball Dress/Suit Shop Sale!

This year we have set up a second hand Ball dress and menswear sale, an opportunity for students to sell previous Ball items and also to buy them.

Some of these items are brand-new. If you are interested in selling an item bring it to Mrs Reader in the room 16 office. You will then be asked to fill out a form that you can put alongside your item and the cost. 

If you are interested in purchasing an item you can come and see me on Wednesday morning, lunchtime and after school or by arrangement. Sales will be cash.

Year 9-13 Cross Country

Monday 12th May pp 20th May

The event will be held on Buffalo Beach and low tide is 12.57pm.

First Race approx 1pm.

Year 9: Athletes must be in Year 9 and under 15

Junior: Under 16 as at 31 December 2025

Senior: Under 20 as at 31 December 2025

Winter Rugby Fixtures

Check out the photos below to see where your teams are playing

Maddie Morgan - 2025 Aquaknights

2025 Aquaknights Zonal Secondary School Open Water Swimming Champs – 19th April

Maddie Morgan represented MBAS on Saturday, 19 April at the Aquaknights Zonal SS OW Swimming Champs held at Mount Maunganui. 

The bad weather and wave swell at the main beach meant that the champs were moved to Pilot Bay at the Mount.

She came 2nd in her gender age group for the 1.4km swim and received a silver medal.  It was a tough swim as it was an ‘in water’ start.

Current Plane Build Log

30th April 2025. Flaperons, Mid Fuselage Section, Fuel Lines, Wing Lights, Parts Prep. Open photos below to see full write up.

Tertiary Tidbits

Upcoming Tertiary In-Person Visits - Term 2

Week 2 - NZDF - Monday 5th May - Puahape (Block 3)

Week 3 - Wintec - Tuesday 13th May - Puahape (Block 2)

Yr 13’s ONLY
Week 5 - Waikato University (Scholarship/Accommodation Info) - Thurs 29th May (Block 2)

Scholarship information

Moneyhub produces a complete list of all scholarships available to 2025 students who intend to study at university in 2026, including tips and must-know facts. You can find out more here

The Ultimate Checklist for Anyone Finishing High School at the End of 2025

You can find out more here

NZ Defence Force Virtual Info Evening

NZDF have scheduled a virtual Force Information Evening for Tuesday, 20th May at 6:00pm. Hopefully, this time works well for any interested parents. The session will run on Teams, with two recruiters who will help answer questions live throughout the presentation. Visitors can register using the link below.

Virtual Force Information Evening | Defence Careers

The registration is on the website under the events tab then online events.

Careers Corner

https://tahatu.govt.nz/

The new careers website is coming! 

It is currently being launched and will replace www.careers.govt.nz - 

With over 800+ careers ideas and 4000+ qualifications, this is your go to for help with your ideas/interests and where they can lead you, it covers everything you need to know about finding and applying for work, about school subjects and NCEA, where and how to study and train as well as all the things in between.

Check it out now and see where it can take you.

Nurses Notes

This is a reminder that MBAS has an agreement with Pinnacle Midlands Health Network and Te Whatu Ora Waikato to provide free nursing services on site.

Earlier this year a letter was sent to parents / caregivers outlining the comprehensive wellbeing review for all consenting year 9 students. These assessments are carried out over the year as part of our nursing service, with the aim of improving the health of our students so that they can come to school well and able to learn.

Your student / rangatahi may or may not yet have had their wellbeing review completed by this stage, as they are seen throughout the year.

If you have previously opted off, this will not be applicable to your young person – this will already be on record. If you have questions or you would like to choose to opt off, please contact your school nurse via email sharon.iseli@pinnacle.health.nz or text to 027 327 3945.

If opt off has been previously notified please ignore this notice, this is to capture any who may have missed the prior communication or are new to our school.

Kind regards,

RN Sharon (Shaz) Iseli | Waikato School Nurse | Pinnacle Midlands Health Network
Email: sharon.iseli@pinnacle.health.nz| www.pinnacle.co.nz

Community Notices

Children's Free Ear Clinic - Whitianga

The T2 Ear Service schedule can be found at the link below:

Children's ear clinic » Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Waikato (waikatodhb.health.nz)

MB Performing Arts - Aladdin Production

Whitianga Run Fest - MBAS Students Run Free

Thank You to our Skool Loop Supporters

Skool Loop - One Stop School Information App