MBAS Newsletter, Term 3, Week 6, 22nd August 2025

MBAS Calendar

Kia Ora tātou – Greetings to you all

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Whānau,

We are well into Term 3, now in Week 6, and it’s a great time to reflect on what we've accomplished and what's on the horizon.

First, I want to acknowledge the challenges we've faced with the amount of illness circulating in our school community. It's been tough on both our students, staff and parents/caregivers alike. I appreciate everyone's efforts and understanding as we do what we can in managing through this period. Thank you for your continued support in keeping our school healthy and safe.

It has been a truly impressive few weeks for our school community. The Colour Run fundraiser was an incredible success, and I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and supported this fantastic event. The vibrant energy and community spirit were on full display.

Following that, our charity concert was a wonderful evening that showcased the immense talent of our students. Thank you to everyone who supported this event and celebrated our performers. It was a true testament to the dedication and creativity within our school.

Looking ahead, it's a significant time for our senior students as they begin to make their subject selections for 2026. These are important choices that will shape their future pathways, and I encourage students and parents to have thorough discussions about these options. Please take the time to consider these decisions carefully. We have staff available to help guide these conversations and ensure students make informed choices.

Finally, I am thrilled to share that our calendar is packed with some fantastic upcoming events. A particularly significant highlight is the Ahurei "Cultural Festival", which we are proud to be hosting this year. This festival is a celebration of culture and community, and it's an honor for our school to welcome a large number of the schools on the Coromandel Peninsula for this special occasion.

Ngā mihi,
Ross Dunn
Principal/Tumuaki

Attendance Matters!

If your child is absent please remember to let the office know :)  Some of you are great at letting your teachers know but the office also needs to know too. All we need is your child's name and a brief reason.  Telling us they are absent for an appointment is recorded as an E - explained, unjustified unless you let us know what type of appointment it is e.g medical, specialist etc then its recorded as justified.

2026 Y11, 12 and 13 Students Course Selection

Course selection for 2026 are underway with last week's çurriculum open day and careers roadshow kicking things off.  Our 2026 Senior Course Guide was also published on our website last week for students and whānau to explore together and plan for next year's learning programme.

https://mbas.ac.nz/years/senior-years-11-13/courses

Our video that explains NCEA and University Entrance is also worth viewing and can be found in our course guide.
Links to our digital Senior Years Course Selection forms will be emailed out to all current Year 10, 11 and 12 students and whānau next week.

Spirit Week

Paid Union Meeting for NZEI Members

Primary Art Exhibition - Next Week!

Cultural Festival - 29th August

MBAS Photo Challenge

Colour Run - A Fantastic Effort By All

Congratulations to everyone who has fundraised you are all so amazing! It was so much fun for everyone.

We have raised in total $18,953.45
The fun run people take a fee and we will know the full final amount in the coming week.
Now is the time to start redeeming your prizes from the booklet. 
Prizes can be redeemed up until the 5th September.
Mercury Bay kids you rock!!

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PhotoLife Sports and Cultural Photos - Schedule

Photolife Sports and Cultural Photos

4th and 5th September, find your team on the schedule here

Room 19 - Capacity

Learning about capacity: full, half full, and empty. What can we see?

M3 - Fractions

This is the Year 4's working hard at their fractions. They know how to add and subtract simple fractions and have now begun to learn about equivalent fractions.

M4 - New Game

This is the start of us learning a new game - on the command of whakamauī and we move quickly to the left leaving our rākau in place for our neighbour to grab. On the command of whakamātau we all move quickly to the right and try to grab that rākau again before it falls. It’s quick paced game of fast reflexes and we already have some very skilled players.

Y7-8 Speech Finals – A Celebration of Young Voices

On Wednesday, our Year 7 and 8 students gathered for the much-anticipated Speech Finals, an event that showcased not only the courage of our speakers but also the thoughtfulness and passion behind their words.

The competition brought together the best from each class, with topics ranging from global issues to everyday experiences, all delivered with confidence and flair.

After a closely contested final, Ian Choi was crowned the Year 8 winner with his powerful and engaging speech on Video Game Scams. Ian’s speech highlighted the dangers hidden behind online gaming platforms and encouraged us all to think more carefully about how we use digital spaces. His ability to mix humour with practical advice impressed both the judges and the audience.

In the Year 7 competition, the top honours went to Jimmy Flanigan, whose speech on The Impact of Spreading False Information was both timely and thought-provoking. Jimmy’s examples of how misinformation can affect communities—and even the world—left the audience reflecting on their own responsibility when it comes to sharing news and stories.
Both Ian and Jimmy spoke with clarity, confidence, and conviction, embodying the very best of public speaking.

Congratulations to all of our finalists for their hard work and bravery in taking the stage. You should be proud of what you achieved. A big thank you also goes to the teachers and families who supported our students throughout the process.

These Speech Finals reminded us that the voices of our young people matter—and that their ideas have the power to make us think differently about the world around us.

Both of these young men will now go to local school's finals.

Bay Bling Academy

Academy Bay Bling was lucky enough to have Carmen Taylor from Rainbow Warrior Life come in to teach the students some complex knotting skills. Students learned how to make a crystal wrap necklace for their rose quartz. Thank you, Carmen, for coming along!

Y7-8 Wood Technology

In Y7/8 Wood technology, students have been designing and building their own taonga Box. Their design had to incorporate a shape and laser cut design which reflects them as a person and their culture. Here are some of the creations from LAE and OXM.

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Good Luck - Winter Tournament Competitors

All the best to our teams and individual competing at winter tournament week

- MBAS Equestrian team at NISS Equestrian championships in Taupo

- Senior A Netball Team at UNISS in Auckland

- Isaiah Johnston at Skateboarding Nationals in Auckland

Thames Valley Rugby Reps - Congratulations

Congratulations on our Secondary School Rugby players for selection into Thames Valley Rugby Representative age grade teams.  We wish you all the best in your campaigns after a great rugby club season.

U16 Girls - Paiggon Kereopa
U16 Boys -  Kyson Mansell, Reice McKinnon, Reo McQueen, Taingarunui Hinds, Ty Willigers,Tyler Ray & Taj Lorimer
U19 Boys - Leon Melde
U19 Girls - Sarah-Kate Lusby

Sports Results

Netball

C Grade
1st v 2nd Hot Mess express (23) vs Marlins College (35)
3rd v 4th Marlins Black (18) vs MBAS Sharks (17)
5th v 6th Coro Ferns (34) v MBAS Blue Magic (12)
7th Panthers

B Grade
1st v 2nd Marlins Womans (70) v MBAS Stars (28)
3rd v 4th (this game was played last week) CAS Senior A (19) vs MBAS Senior A (38)
5th and 6th (incase you wanted to know) Placies Trades (35) v Tairua White (26)

Basketball

Semi Final Results 
Jack Mclean Gym Thames
JG 27 v Thames 34
JB v Thames - no results given

John Wright Gym Whitianga
SG 39 v Paeroa 57
SB 49 v Paeroa 58

Sports Fixtures

Plane Build Weekly Log 20.08.2025

Plane Build Log 20th August 2025 - Mid Fuselage Section, Cockpit roll Bar, Landing Gear. Open the photos below to see the full log.

Tertiary Tidbits

University Course Planning - Y13’s only

Thursday 4th September - VICTORIA - 9am-10am - Puahape

If you are intending/or have applied to either Otago or Victoria, please come see Dylan to help you with your Course Planning.

https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/events/explore-your-study-and-career-options-in-sport-and-exercise/

https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/events/discover-your-path-in-health-science/

https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/events/webinar-improve-nutrition-and-health-outcomes-for-people/

https://www.massey.ac.nz/study/scholarships-and-awards

https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/events/vetmap-2026-online-information-k%C5%8Drerotalanoa/

These websites can help with finding scholarships for Māori learners.

StudySpy (https://studyspy.ac.nz/search/scholarships) – Use the ethnicity filter to search for New Zealand and international scholarships.

Kia Ora Hauora (https://www.kiaorahauora.co.nz/scholarships/) – A database of health scholarships for Māori students (requires registration).

Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (https://www.maoripasifikatrades.co.nz/trainees/) – Scholarships for people aged 16 to 40 serious about building a career in the trades.

Wintec Performing Arts – 2026 Intake Auditions

Is your student passionate about music, theatre, or dance? Auditions for the Wintec School of Media Arts Performing Arts programmes (2026 intake) are coming up soon. This is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring performers to take their skills to the next level in a creative, supportive environment. For audition dates, requirements, and application details follow the QR code or use the contact number listed on the poster.

Careers Corner

Here is a  quick link to each learning area, as well as guides for choosing NCEA subjects, what is NCEA and planning for life after school.

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

FREE Online Information Event (Open to all regions in NZ - About ITC & Full-Time Study)

Get the lowdown on all things ITC - courses, careers, Study From Home options and more – from our amazing team member, Ceri. More information is here:

https://www.itc.co.nz/campus-locations/freeevents/

Adastra Foundation Scholarships

Whakapiki Ake - Yr 9-11                            Register Here

Whakapiki Ake - Yr 12 & 13               Register Here

Duke of Edinburgh Award

We are super excited to announce that we will be offering students in Year 10 - 13 the opportunity to be a part of the internationally recognised Duke of Edinburgh Award starting next year here at MBAS.

There are three levels to the Award - Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level has four specific sections that participants need to complete activities in (plus a fifth one at Gold level). These activities take place outside of school time and get verified by coaches/members of the community then checked off at school by the Award Leader. We will support students and help them to navigate the sections and assist with the Adventurous Journey.

• The total cost of completing an Award will differ depending on the activities and Adventurous Journey you select.
• Registration Fee - Bronze $95, Silver $95, Gold $125. You can not complete Gold until Silver is completed.
  
• If cost is a barrier to you, speak to your Award Leader (Mrs Reader) about our participant assistance fund which can help with registration fee and Adventurous Journey.

Registrations for this opportunity will be announced and available before the end of Term 3 and payment due in Term 4. We will begin the Award in March 2026.
More information can be accessed on the website https://dofehillary.org.nz or by emailing readerd@mbas.ac.nz. 

Wellbeing Whispers

The following is the first in a series of our school newsletter articles from our Wellbeing Team, focussing on technology developments and the impact on our young people - with specific focus on what parents and caregivers can to reduce the harmful effects that can come along with it.   

Dopamine, Scrolling, and Our Teens: What Parents Need to Know
In recent years, parents and educators have become increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are designed with powerful algorithms that keep users scrolling. While this may look harmless on the surface, the underlying impact on the brain’s reward system—especially the chemical messenger dopamine—is becoming clearer through research.

How Algorithms Hook the Brain
Every time a teenager scrolls to a new video or image, there is the possibility of receiving a “dopamine hit.” Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that signals reward and motivates us to repeat certain behaviors. Social media apps use algorithms that feed content matched precisely to a user’s interests, creating unpredictable but frequent bursts of novelty.

This pattern is particularly powerful because the brain’s reward system reacts most strongly to unexpected rewards. Just like slot machines, the uncertainty of what’s coming next keeps teens scrolling for far longer than they intended. Studies show that this continuous stimulation can alter the frequency and balance of dopamine signaling in the brain, making ordinary experiences feel less rewarding in comparison.

What the Research is Saying
Neuroscience research is beginning to reveal how these patterns affect developing brains:

• Reduced baseline dopamine sensitivity: When dopamine release is artificially triggered too often, the brain compensates by reducing its sensitivity. This means activities like reading a book, spending time outdoors, or even chatting with friends may feel “flat” compared to the quick buzz of a scrolling session.

• Shifts in attention and impulse control: Over time, constant dopamine spikes from screens are linked to difficulties in concentration, self-regulation, and decision-making.

Impact on mood and resilience: Some studies have connected heavy use of algorithm-driven apps with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and reduced enjoyment of real-world experiences.

Long-Term Implications
If this cycle continues unchecked, teens may find it harder to experience joy in everyday life. Simple pleasures—playing sport, laughing with friends, or achieving a goal—can seem less satisfying compared to the instant, ever-changing rewards of online feeds. Over time, this can reduce motivation, increase irritability, and contribute to symptoms of burnout or low mood.

What Parents Can Do
While the pull of these platforms is strong, there are practical steps families can take to protect teenagers’ mental health (and our own if we know we are prone to scrolling binges!)....... and restore some balance:

• Limit screen time: Agree on daily limits for recreational app use, and encourage breaks during long sessions.

• No phones in bedrooms: Keeping devices out of bedrooms helps reduce late-night scrolling and supports healthy sleep.

• Charge devices overnight in a central spot: A kitchen or living area charging station keeps devices away from bedsides.

• Turn off WiFi at night: This simple step reduces temptation and signals that nighttime is for rest.

• Model healthy habits: Teens notice how adults use technology. Setting your own limits on screen time can make these rules easier to accept.

• Encourage real-world activities: Sport, music, art, or simply time outdoors all provide dopamine in natural and healthy ways, reinforcing balance in the brain’s reward system.

In Summary
Dopamine itself is not the problem—it’s essential for motivation and pleasure. But when app algorithms hijack this system, they can train the brain to expect constant, artificial stimulation. By setting boundaries at home and encouraging meaningful offline activities, parents can help their teens rediscover joy in the real world and build resilience for the future.

Nurses Notes

School Health Service – Registered Nurse Clinic

Nurse available Monday to Thursday

For appointment just pop into the Rangimarie Centre

Or email nurse@mbas.ac.nz or text to 0273273945 for an appointment time.

Look forward to seeing you if you have any health needs or questions.

Community Notices

CoroCine Opening Night Fundraiser

Bring A Kid To Bowls

New Saturday Morning Group at the MB Library

This is a social space for the young and young at heart to work on their stitching personal projects in a social setting and help each other.  The group will be monitored but not instructed. Parents/guardians can check in with the librarians if it is appropriate for their child to work independently.

Kauaeranga Valley Christian Camp

TV Badminton Jnr Champs

Mercury Bay Library

Oscar Explorers - After School Care

Skool Loop - One Stop School Information App