MBAS Newsletter, Term 3, Week 4, 8th August 2025

MBAS Calendar

Kia Ora tātou – Greetings to you all

Senior Student Leaders Update

As we approach the end of another busy and exciting week at school, we’d like to take a moment to wish our U15 and 1st XV boys all the very best as they head into their rugby finals in Thames this weekend. We know they’ve trained hard and shown real determination throughout the season—go well, boys, we’re all behind you!

Earlier this week, our Year 3–8 students braved the elements and took to the beach for their Cross Country. It was fantastic to see such great spirit, grit, and support among the students, house leaders and from our senior leadership team. Whether running for a top spot or simply challenging themselves to cross the finish line, every student should be proud of their effort—ka pai to all involved!

Looking ahead to next Tuesday, Year 9–13 students have a big day with our annual Careers Roadshow and Curriculum Open Day. With 24 vendors attending the Careers Roadshow in the hall, there will be plenty of opportunities for students to explore future pathways and ask questions. Alongside this, students will be meeting with different faculties throughout the day to help guide their subject selection for next year—a valuable chance to make informed, confident choices about their learning journey.

Ngā mihi nui,

Senior Student Leaders

Attendance Matters!

We have come to the end of week 4 for our Term 3 and overall attendance is good but we are getting students being hit with coughs, colds, high temps and tummy bugs. In the event of an absence please let us know briefly the reason. 

If your child is attending a medical appointment - doctor, nurse, physio, chiro, osteo, specialist, dentist, counsellor please let us know it is a medical appointment and then it can be marked accordingly and justified. 

If you tell us your child is just attending an appointment and no other information this is marked, explained, unjustified.  It is also important to remind your child, especially if they are older, to sign in at the front office on arrival to school when they are late.  

Please also remember to text in on 021 0255 6802 if you know your child is going to be absent.

Thanks and kind regards
Attendance Officer

Paid Union Meeting for NZEI Members

Road Safety - Yellow Lines

Annual Charity Concert

Charity Concert Tickets on sale now from MBAS front office. This year we are lucky to be having an Art Exhibition as part of the show from our amazing new Visual Arts Teacher Laura Turner. She will be showcasing some work from her Year 7 - 10 Students which will include Photography, Pastel Work and Pottery. Photos attached are from the year 10 series 'Tales in the Shadows' and a work in progress shot of the 'Minecraft Chest' pottery unit. Also added is our updated poster which was created by a Year 12 Music and Art student - the tickets were also created from her using this similar theme.  

MBAS Photo Challenge

Upcoming Primary Art Exhibition

Royal New Zealand Ballet Dance Workshop

Royal New Zealand Ballet Dance Workshop Opportunity for Year 3–9 Students – Limited Spaces Available!

We’re thrilled to share that a special week of dance workshops is coming to Mercury Bay Area School on Monday, 15th September!

These fun and engaging workshops are open to all students in Years 3 to 9 – no dance experience required! Each session includes a warm-up, an introduction to basic ballet positions and travelling steps, and concludes with learning choreography from actual Royal New Zealand Ballet repertoire. It’s an exciting chance for students to explore movement and creativity through dance performed on professional stages!

• MBAS will cover the costs however it is first in first served with limited spaces available.

To enrol, email Dave Mulholland at mulhollandd@mbas.ac.nz.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the magic of dance and performance – we’d love to see you there!

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.

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

Year 3–8 School Cross Country

Students from across the school had been practicing for weeks, building up their stamina, setting goals, and getting ready to give it their best.

The Year 3's were first to take on the course, and they zoomed off with huge smiles and fast feet. For many, it was their very first beach cross country, and they showed amazing spirit, especially as they ran past cheering teachers and parents!

A big shout-out goes to our amazing house leaders and student volunteers who helped younger students, cheered on as marshalls, and made sure the day ran smoothly. Thank you also to the teachers and whānau who came along to support — your cheering made a huge difference!  

Full results here.

Room 19 - Firewise

Michelle the Firefighter came in this week to talk to us about being Firewise!! Do you have an escape plan and a safe meeting place at your house IF there were to be a fire?

M2 - Art

Here's a wee peek at the practice blowing technique we did last Friday. They look very cool and so much fun.

M3 - Reading Fluency

In M3, we are practicing our reading fluency, we have three focuses, which are rate, expression, and accuracy. This week, our focus was rate, and our buddies gave us feedback. We know that to improve, we need to keep on practicing.

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9LMBW - Y9 Literacy Mind, Body and Well-being

This class is about exploring the connections between your mind, body, and overall well-being. Students have been exploring how physical activity, mental health practices, and emotional awareness contribute to a balanced lifestyle. Alongside activities like yoga, mindfulness, and fitness challenges, students will develop key literacy skills by journaling their experiences, reading relevant texts, and participating in group discussions.

We were fortunate to have Shaz, our school nurse, come into class to share a presentation on Vaping. Students then made some quizzes around the information and some anti vaping posters. Thanks Shaz!

Y10 Visual Arts

Year 10 Visual Art students have been exploring photography conventions, focusing on the theme “Finding Beauty in Winter.” Their work highlights the use of light and depth of field, showing great progress in their technical skills. The year 10 Art students will be showcasing their "Tales in the Shadows" series at our annual charity concert in Week 6, on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st August from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

3 Steps for Life

This week the Level 1 and 2 General Studies students had hands-on experience with the St John staff doing the 3 Steps for Life programme. It was a FREE one-hour CPR and AED education programme, designed to give all New Zealanders the confidence and awareness to act when someone suffers an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Y13 Outdoor Education - Whirinaki Forest

Our Year 13 Outdoor Education students completed a three-night tramp through the spectacular Whirinaki Forest, joined by seven of our new international students who quickly became part of the team.

The trip began with weather warnings and a big decision for the group – spend a wet night in tents or push on an additional 8km to reach a hut. The students chose the hut, hiking the last hour in darkness with heavy packs. Spirits weren’t high when everyone was asked to carry firewood, but their efforts were well rewarded when we arrived at Central Whirinaki Hut. The fire provided much-needed warmth and a chance to dry out as we settled in for a stormy night.

With the weather clearing, the following days brought stunning views, good company, and a sense of achievement after an unforgettable challenge. The trip was a fantastic experience of resilience, teamwork, and enjoying New Zealand’s backcountry at its best.

TV Secondary School Badminton Champs

Thames Valley Secondary School Badminton Champs was run over two days with Seniors playing Friday and Juniors playing Tuesday. Just under 420 games played with a great spread of players across all schools. 250 participants !!Congratulations to Zhandro Jumapao who won the Senior Singles on Friday in a game in which he dominated his opposition.

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Sports Fixtures

All the best to Mercury Bay U15 and 1stXV teams in the finals tomorrow in Thames, we wish both teams all the very best and hope you take the wins.

Sports Results

Basketball
MB JG 11 v Paeroa SG 54
MB JB 85 v Thames JB 13
MB SB Devo 63 v Thames SB 54
MB SG 26 v Thames JG 46
MVP Millie Gold
TWOM 60 v MB SB 75

Rugby Semi Finals
U15 boys v HPC White - win by default
Girls 1st XV 0 v HPC 46
Boys 1st XV 41 v Waihi 10

Football
MBAS Junior Boys (mixed) lost to Te Awamutu HS Junior Boys 4-2

Netball
Yr 7 & 8
1st vs 2nd TRS Shoot'n Stars (24) vs TRS Court Crushers (23)
3rd vs 4th Coro Stingaz (21) vs Marlins (14)
No scores for below as Tsunami defaulted
5th Te Puritanga o Hei 6thTsunami
7th vs 8th MBAS Coastal Comets (14) vs WS The Flames (10)
9th WS The Networks

C Grade
Marlins College (19) vs MBAS The Panthers (4)
MBAS Blue Magic (4) vs Marlins Black (11)
HME (5) vs MBAS Sharks (16)
Coro Ferns (6) vs Marlins College (17)
The Panthers (2) vs Sharks (9)

B Grade
CAS Senior A (21) vs Mercury Bay Stars (38)
MBAS Senior A won by default to Placies Ladies

Netball Prizegiving

Plane Build Weekly Log 06.08.2025

Plane Build Log 6th August 2025 - Wing Construction, Mid Fuselage Section, Cabin Vents, Landing Gear, Roll Bar. Open the photos below to see the full log.

Tertiary Tidbits

If you are intending on studying a degree that is relevant to a PwC business area, this scholarship may be for YOU - Applications are now open.

You can find more information regarding PwC Scholarships here. 

To apply use these links: 

PwC  Scholarship; 

Mā  te huruhuru ka rere te manu Scholarship 

You can register for our virtual FAQ session here which is taking place on Friday, 1st of August 4pm-4:30pm. This is an opportunity  to ask questions and find out more about our application process. 

Register using this link:

https://www.aut.ac.nz/live

Missed Open Day? Take a tour!

Campus tours are a great way to find out what Lincoln has to offer.
Join a guided Campus Tour with our Domestic Liaison Team to explore facilities, student life, and support services.
Not nearby? Try our Virtual Tour and discover Lincoln from anywhere. https://lincoln.youtour.nz/

Scholarships - Apply Now

Applications for our flagship scholarships close 15 August

We offer a wide range of scholarships, from financial support to full training and development programmes

Flagship Scholarships include:

• Future Leader Scholarship
• Sports Scholarships: Basketball, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Hockey, Cricket, Elite
• Tihi Kahuraki Scholarship
• Motu Scholarship
• Lincoln University Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships for Excellence
• All Māori and Pasifika Scholarships

Any questions about scholarships can be directed to your school liaison officer, or to our Scholarships Office on scholarships@lincoln.ac.nz

SheENG at Waikato

A three-day, two-night residential programme for young women exploring engineering, who are in YR11 or YR12 this year, is FREE and open to rural secondary school students only. 

This programme, hosted by the University of Waikato, features hands-on workshops in cutting-edge labs, mentorship from current students, talks from industry leaders, and fun social events, offering a true taste of university life and studying Engineering at tertiary level.

Please use the link below for all information and how to apply.

https://www.waikato.ac.nz/study/upskilling/sheeng/

Careers Corner

Choosing NCEA subjects

Te kōwhiri marau NCEA

It can be tricky choosing which NCEA subjects to study. Follow the link below to guide you to some steps to help you decide. 

https://tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/doing-ncea/choosing-ncea-subjects

Nurses Notes

THIS IS THE SEASON OF COLDS, FLU AND RSV

THIS IS THE SEASON OF COLDS, FLUES AND RSV. PLEASE KEEP CHILDREN AT HOME IF THEY ARE UNWELL AS THIS SPREADS EASILY TO OTHER CHILDRENOUR BODIES HEAL MUCH QUICKER IF WE HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO RECOVER AND PLENTY OF REST
Key points about respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection

• RSV causes infections of the respiratory tract (the parts of the body related to breathing)
• the symptoms are similar to a cold
• most tamariki (children) fully recover without problems
• in some pēpi (babies) and young tamariki, the virus can cause serious illness
• these pēpi and young tamariki may need to go to hospital
• RSV spreads very easily - wash hands regularly and stay away from people who have coughs and colds

How RSV spreads. RSV is very easy to catch. You can catch RSV by touching a surface with infected droplets on it. Infectious droplets can spread through the air after an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.Tamariki often catch RSV at school or daycare. They can take it home to their baby siblings, who can get very sick from RSV.Almost all Tamariki get an RSV infection by the time they are 4 years old.How serious is RSV infection?Older Tamariki have symptoms similar to a common cold. But pēpi and very young Tamariki can get very sick and need to go to hospital. In this age group, RSV can also cause bronchiolitis and pneumonia.Signs and symptoms of RSV infectionThe symptoms of RSV infection include:

• a runny nose
• coughing
• noisy breathing
• trouble breathing
• sneezing
• fever
• loss of appetite or difficulty feeding

In very young pēpi with RSV, the only symptoms may be:

• a blocked nose
• being irritable
• decreased activity
• noisy breathing
• trouble breathing

Someone can pass on RSV for up to 10 days after symptoms begin.When to get medical help for your childCall Healthline on 0800 611 116 or see a health professional if you think your child has RSV.See a health professional urgentlySee a health professional urgently if you are worried or your baby or young child:

• is under 3 months old
• is having trouble breathing
• is having less than half their normal feeds
• has fewer wet nappies than usual
• looks unwell
• is vomiting

This information has come from https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/rsv#main-content - please see website for more details

Community Notices

CoroCine Opening Night Fundraiser

TV Badminton Jnr Champs

Mercury Bay Library

Oscar Explorers - After School Care

Skool Loop - One Stop School Information App