MBAS Newsletter, Term 3, Week 2, 25th July 2025

MBAS Calendar

Kia Ora tātou – Greetings to you all

"He aroha whakatō,
He aroha puta mai"
If kindness is sown,
then kindness you shall receive.

Kia ora rā e te whānau,

We have another busy term…

Ngā rā hei maumahara - Dates to remember

• 5/8 Yr1-2 Firewise
• 7/8 Yr 3-6 Cross Country
• 11/8 Maths Week & Whole School Assembly
• 20/8 School Colour Run - www.schoolfunrun.co.nz
• 25/8-29/8 Museum visits ‘Our Town’
• 26/8&27/8 Art Exhibition
• 8/9 Whole School Assembly - Primary Leaders & Yr1-2 Museum Conservation Week inclass sessions
• 15/9-21/9 Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

Te Whakatupu Tāngata Ngākaupai - Growing Good People
Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi- With your contribution, and my contribution, we can all thrive

Buddy classes and play leaders are an important aspect of our primary years, especially during the cold and wet days in terms 2 and 3.  Well established buddy class routines mean that teachers and students are able to share their learning, skills and expertise no matter their age.

Play leaders are really important during wet break times when students can’t go outside to play.  It can make all the difference just having an older student in the class supporting, playing alongside or just being present.

Te Whakatupu Tāngata Ākongapai - Growing Good Learners
Mauri mahi,  mauri ora - Do the mahi, get the treats

We hope you enjoyed reading your child's mid-year report at the end of last term.  An aspect that was common across all year levels in our primary years was the amount of effort students are putting into their learning.  We are now well into the grind of the new mathematics and statistics, and English curriculums and the new learning content and delivery.  We can all be proud of how our staff and students have navigated this new learning and adapted to the changes.

Te Whakatupu Kaiaratakipai - Growing Good Leaders
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini - Success is not the work of one, but the work of many

As we all know, leadership does not just show up because you have a set ‘title or position’, leadership shows up in our thinking that forms our actions.  In our classrooms, that can look as simple as reading to a younger student.

Tēnā koutou e tautoko mai ana! Thank you for your support! 

Yes, the colour run is back!  Thank you everyone that is getting behind this fundraising event to support our kura!  We really appreciate you!  If you haven’t signed up already, here is the link funrun.co.nz.

Further details:

There are posters up around the primary years.  One is all of the prizes on offer, and the other is a promotion that is running this year. One family will win a $20,000 Webjet eGift Card to travel with. To enter, students need to create a profile page at the Fun Run website and raise at least $1 online for the school.

Straight after we launched the Fun Run, Sponsorship Booklets were handed out and Parent Letters were emailed out by Leisa (MBAS Sports Co-ordinator) to every student. Students could look through the prizes to select their favourite; which they could make their personal fundraising target.

Parents just need to create an online profile page which is vital, because students order their prize through the online portal. Even if students raise all of their money in cash they should still be ordering their prizes online. Plus, creating an online page is the only way to access online fundraising, and the only way to enter the $20,000 promotion.

Attendance Matters!

We encourage regular attendance at school.  However we are also aware that circumstances do prevent your child attending school on any given day.  When you notify the school of your child's absence please give a brief reason particularly when referring to an appointment. If we are not told the reason for absence is a medical appointment and only given the information that it is an appointment this is then duly recorded as an E which is explained but unjustified as per the Ministry requirements.

Red Nose Day for Cure Kids

In the Spirit of Red Nose Day, Mr Fairweather got slimed! Mr Dunn had a lucky escape.
A total of $858 was raised for Cure Kids. What an awesome effort!

Upcoming Primary Art Exhibition

Instrumental Music Lessons – Spaces Available!

We’re excited to announce that there are spaces available in our school’s instrumental music programme for 2025! Lessons are offered in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and bass, with opportunities for students to grow their musical skills and creativity in a fun and supportive environment.

Lesson Availability:

All instruments except drums are for students in Year 4+ 

Students in Year 3+ can take Drums

We’re thrilled to welcome Kiefer Hernandez to our music team this year as our new piano and vocal tutor. Kiefer is a multi-instrumentalist with a wealth of international teaching and performance experience, bringing fresh energy and a passion for developing young musicians.

Our drum tutor, a former student of our school, is a talented and engaging teacher who students absolutely love learning with. His skill and connection with learners make drum lessons a real highlight of the week!

And on guitar and bass, we’re privileged to have local music legend Stewart Pedley. Stewart’s expertise, industry experience, and rapport with students make him an outstanding mentor for budding guitarists and bassists.

If your child is keen to pick up a new instrument or continue their musical journey, now is the perfect time to enrol.

To register or find out more, please contact the school office.

Let the music play! 

Nāku noa,
Dave Mulholland

MBAS Upcoming School Board Elections

School Fun Run’s Crazy Colour Day - 20th August

SCHOOL COLOUR RUN WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST

Are you Fundraising?

Currently we’re still a long way from our goal, so we need everyone to pull together to help.  The easiest way to help your child raise money is through online fundraising, where students raise an average of $120. Go to schoolfunrun.co.nz, create a student profile page and share your online fundraising link via SMS, Email and Social Media.

If you are currently fundraising, THANK YOU! We hope you will continue to share your link and fundraising for the school.

M1 - Art

Art exhibition prep in full swing! Week 7 is going to be so awesome!

M4 - Solar Energy

It was just the day we had been waiting for - bright and sunny, just perfect for our exploration in solar energy. Some tamariki experienced working with these little solar powered fan kits last year when we explored circuits but for others, it was a new and slightly frustrating experience as we worked out where to attach wires. Finally success was achieved when the little fan began moving! The buzzer wasn’t nearly as exciting as we hoped as it was so quiet and it took a huge effort in positioning the solar panel to achieve success with the lightbulb. Great learning and great perseverance!

M10 - Maths and Fun

We have been learning about statistics and collecting data about us and how we travel to school and making graphs, we even used smarties (chocolate pebbles) for an investigation.
We also had great fun reading the Gruffalo and the Gruffalo's Child, with a special visit from the Gruffalo himself and creating our own monsters.

Year 10 NVA Optical Illusion Art

Our Year 10 students have combined maths and creativity to produce incredible optical illusion artworks. As part of a numeracy-integrated art project, they explored angles, geometric rules, and perspective to design visual illusions that trick the eye. Using rulers, protractors, and a whole lot of imagination, they’ve created striking pieces that showcase both precision and creativity. Keep an eye out for their mind-bending masterpieces on display around the school!

Y13 Outdoor Education Day Walk

Our Year 13 Outdoor Education students recently completed a training walk up to the iconic Kiwi in preparation for their upcoming multi-day tramp in the Whirinaki Forest. This was a great opportunity for students to test their gear and build confidence for the journey ahead. We were treated to a stunning day, with clear skies and incredible views across Whitianga.

Ex Student Visitors and Upcoming Reunion

After 43 years away from MBAS I decided in my 60th year to organise a class reunion. Ron Morgan, my Form 2 teacher, was a big part in putting the whole thing together. Before we got together Ron suggested a school visit, including a talk to some of the senior students about life after school. I jumped at the opportunity.

It was so good to meet the new generation of teachers including Craig Lidgard who I went to school with. Talking to the group was a real pleasure. Starting their big journey in life is very scary but exciting, I hoped I could inspire them with my journey and  offer some guidance. Here are a few of the things I have learnt along the way. Don't listen to the naysayers, if you have an idea no matter how small or silly, run with it. Passion and drive will get you there. Surround yourself with positive like minded people, people who are better  at things you struggle with. When you stand out from the crowd and do well you will have a target on your back, ignore the people who try to drag you down, the real story here is they are trying to bring you to their level. Live life full of adventure, it's not a practice run and give back, this is very important. If I had my time again the only thing I would change is to leave school with better grades.

Wow the school is so much bigger now!

See you at the 50th Reunion.
Darren Shields

Girls 1st XV Semi Final

Thursday night saw an evenly matched quarter final game between MBAS/Thames and Whangamata/Waihi girls 1st XV teams.

With no reserves to spare our team of 15 girls had to dig in and work hard. Thankfully there were no injuries and they all stayed the distance playing some great defense against a strong team. Waihi scored 5 trys and kicked 3 conversions from some tough angles by a skilled young lady.

Sarah-Kate Lusby scored the first try for MBAS, followed by Nakiesha Peters, Taikamo Waite and a brilliant run away try by Leah Clow. Sarah-Kate Lusby kicked 2 conversions leaving the final score at 31: 24 to Waihi.

Amazing effort from both teams. At the conclusion of the game the Waihi College 1st XV Boys performed a haka in honor of their school team. 

Player of the day from Waihi/Whangamata was awarded to Sarah-Kate Lusby.

Sports Results

Football
Mercury Bay Senior Boys (mixed) beat Cambridge High School Invincibles 5-1
Mercury Bay Junior Boys (mixed) beat Hamilton Boys' High School Bronze 3-1

Netball 
Year 7/8
Court Crushers 37 - Tsunami 14
The Flames 18 - Te Puritanga o Hei 17
The Networks 10 - Coastal Comets 26
Marlins 13 - Te Rerenga Shoot’n Stars 18
Senior & College Grades
Marlins Black 21 - Marlins College 23
Mercury Bay Stars 57 - Tairua White 11
CAS Senior A 29 - MBAS Snr A 25
The Panthers 14 - Coro Ferns 25
Sharks 20 - MBAS Blue Magic 5

Rugby
U15
MB 43 v Paeroa 38
Best Back - Finn Walls
Best Forward - Raymond Collier
Player of the Day - Cooper Mullins
Paeroa picked - Liam Clothier and Raymond Collier

1st XV
MB 29 v HPC 10
Player of the day Taj Lorimer
HPC pick player of the day Quinn McCleery

Girls 1st XV
Waihi 31 v MB 24
Waihi pick player of the day Sarah-Kate Lusby

Basketball
Friday night basketball
MB JB 35 v THS JB59
MVP Kaino Adams

MB JG 16 v THS JG 44
MVP Boh Boyd

Manaia SB 49 v MB SB Devo 39
MVP Mathis Reece

Coro SB 34 v MB SB 1 79
MVP Tom Lamason

Coro SG 41 v MB SG 32
MVP Angel Scobie

Catch up game Monday night
Hauraki plains College Snr Boys
MB 70 v HPC 49
MVP Ruben Thackray

Sports Fixtures

Thames Valley Rugby Reps

Thames Valley Rugby Rep Season about to kickoff we are proud to see many of our former students and one of our teachers making the Thames Valley, Swamp foxes, Vixens or Jackals teams. Also Cody Muir coaching. Well done Mercury Bay. Congratulations Montana Taogaga, Te Paea Puha, Grace Ngataua, Rangipaeroa Kingi- Takotohiwi, Connor McVerry, Jayden Tegg, Adam Clague, Tyrese Melde, Lucas Lipa, Taine Mason & Cody Muir.

Plane Build Weekly Log 23.07.2025

Plane Build Log 23rd July 2025 - Wheel Fairings, Mid Fuselage Section, Wing Construction, Heater Flap. Open the photos below to see the full log.

Women in Engineering Network University of Auckland

Kia ora! 

The Women in Engineering Network (WEN) Outreach team at the University of Auckland is teaming up with the UoA Rocketry Club  to bring Year 9 and 10 students an out-of-this-world STEM event!

 Date: Saturday 9th August
 Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
 Location: Rosmini College, 36 Dominion Street, Takapuna

 Students will design and launch their own model rockets!
 Free pizza and snacks provided - because every good mission needs fuel!

This is the perfect chance for younger high school students to dive into science and engineering in a fun, hands-on environment. They will learn the basics of rocket design and aerodynamics, take on engaging STEM challenges, and meet awesome UoA engineering students who are passionate about what they do.

 What’s included:

• Build and launch your own model rocket
• Interactive STEM challenges
• Inspiring talks and demos from UoA Engineering students
• Free pizza + tasty snacks
• A fun and inspiring day you won't forget!

(Spaces are limited – register early to secure your spot!

SIGN UP HERE!

Also feel free to share this event to your friends and anyone else you think may be interested!
Don’t miss this chance to aim high and shoot for the stars, and see you there!
For any questions please contact Ella at ewil853@aucklanduni.ac.nz
Events are held at The University of Auckland's Faculty of Engineering 20 Symonds Street unless specified otherwise

Tertiary Tidbits

Ngā Rā Tūwhera | Wintec Open Day

Explore your future study options at Ngā Rā Tūwhera | Wintec Open Day! This annual event hosts people from around the Waikato region and beyond across our City and Rotokauri campuses in Kirikiriroa, Hamilton.

Wāhine in Trades and Engineering

Discover your future in trades and engineering! Join us for this opportunity to hear from an inspiring group of wāhine excelling in areas of trades and engineering and how you can discover career options in these fast-paced, fulfilling industries.

Follow the link for more information and to register:

https://www.wintec.ac.nz/about-wintec/events

Careers Corner

What is NCEA?

NCEA is the qualification most ākonga study for at secondary school in Aotearoa. The assessments you do in Year 11, 12 and 13 are the first steps on your journey to find a career that’s best for you.

To find out more, follow this link: https://tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/doing-ncea/how-ncea-works

Leaving School Magazine

Available online now at  www.oliverlee.co.nz/leavingschool-issue33 

The 32-page magazine is packed full of information that will be helpful to your students in Years 12–13 as they plan for their futures after finishing high school. 

Included in this issue are profiles on 18 young people making successful careers for themselves including: Agronomist, Architect, Auditor, Automotive Refinisher, Biomedical Graduate, Builder, Collision Repair Technician, Electrician, Entrepreneur, Forester, Geospatial Analyst, Heavy Automotive Technician, Marketing Manager, Optometrist, Radiation Therapist, Sales Representative, Sport and Recreation Graduate and Systems Accountant.

Also included in the magazine are tips on applying for a Student Loan in 2026, preparing a great CV,  Interview Tips, details on Accommodation and Scholarships available at the University of Otago in 2026 and dates for the Open Days at Polytechnics and Universities in August and September.

Nurses Notes

Waikids Children’s Free Ear Service- WHITIANGA

• The Ear Service will be parked up across from the cinema in the Lee St Carpark
• For enquiries regarding this service or to book an appointment for the 5^th or 6^th Aug , contact the Children’s Ear Clinic on 07 838 3565
• All children must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian, otherwise a consent form must be completed.
• The Ear Nurse can provide advice on: glue ear assessment and management, wax/foreign body removal, grommet checks, treatment of discharging ears
• Please note clinics may be cancelled without notice due to unforeseen circumstances. Clinic will be closed for staff breaks. These will be noted on clinic door.

 The Term 3 Ear Service schedule can be found at the link below:

Children's ear clinic — Waikato

Community Notices

Winter in Whiti Markets - 26th July 9am - 1pm

Check out the Winter in Whiti Markets tomorrow at the CoroClub Hangar 9am-1pm

Pop down and support our student Zach with his 100% Organic Fruit Snacks

Take a Kid Hunting

Let's Get Becs To Belgium!

 Mercury Bay Museum Fundraiser

Mercury Bay Library

Oscar Explorers - After School Care

Skool Loop - One Stop School Information App