MBAS Newsletter, Term 4, Week 3, October 24th 2025

MBAS Calendar

Kia Ora tātou – Greetings to you all

Middle Years Update

We had the pleasure of celebrating a truly special moment at our Lifers Assembly on Wednesday, where our newest and youngest students came together to recognise and honour our longest-serving students. It was a heart warming occasion, and a great reminder of the sense of connection that runs through our school community.

As we settle into Term 4, we want to remind families of the importance of strong attendance and engagement, especially for our Middle Years students. This final term includes important assessments and learning experiences that prepare students for a smooth and successful transition into their next year level.

A few key dates for your calendar:

Year 8 Opening Evening
We invite all current Year 8 students and families, along with incoming 2026 Year 9 students, to join us for our Opening Evening on Thursday, October 30th at 6pm in the Library. Come along for an information session, a school tour led by our wonderful student leaders, and enjoy a sausage sizzle!

Year 7 & 8 Athletics Day
Taking place on Thursday, October 30th, this is a great opportunity for students to get active, show their house spirit, and have fun outdoors.

Year 9 Camp
A reminder that our Year 9 Camp is coming up from December 2nd to 5th.

Looking Ahead
Our Year 9 students will soon begin considering their subject choices for 2026, with detailed information and guidance coming out in the coming weeks. They are also encouraged to start thinking about applying for 2026 leadership opportunities, which will be advertised soon.

Wishing everyone a fantastic start to the warmer weather and a positive final term!

Attendance Matters!

We have had a couple of varied weeks with the strike action.  Please keep in mind though, the importance of our students arriving on time to start their day and thereby minimising disruption to their classrooms and lessons. We are also noticing an increase in the number of absence texts we are sending out daily. There are some options to let us know if your child is going to be away.  You can phone in, text in or email.  If these methods don't work for you for any reason then please reply to the absence text. Here is our data from the start of this term.

Year 8 Information Evening

Upcoming Teacher Only Day

Please note: Friday 14th November is a Teacher Only Day

School will not be open for Tuition

MBAS 2025 Magazine - Order Now!

2026 Primary Production

Mercury Bay Primary is holding a production in 2026 called Maui Unmasked. We need volunteers! I (Freya Marra, Primary Arts Coordinator) am putting together a committee. We need set designers and construction, costume design and production, lighting and sound technicians, backstage help, stage manager, and choreographer. Most of this will take place during school time with some out of school time commitment needed but we can work around you. The production is scheduled for Term 3 of 2026. Please reach out to marraf@mbas.ac.nz if you have any questions or can help.

Uniform Shop

Remember we have a Second Hand Uniform Shop on-site

Open every Thursday 8.30am-9.30am

Lifers and 2026 Leaders Assembly

On Wednesday afternoon we gathered as a kura to recognise one of the most heart warming traditions at Mercury Bay Area School: the celebration of our Lifers - those student who have been a part of our school for the entirety of their educational journey. They started with us in new entrance as a Year zero or Year one and are completing that journey next week in their final days in Year thirteen. This seamless, 13 year unbroken path—from the sandpit to the final Year 13 classroom—is the truly special character of an Area School. Our lifers haven't just attended a school; they have literally grown up within one continuous whānau. They are the keepers of our collective institutional memory, having witnessed every playground fad, seen every canteen special (and complained about the removal of the good ones!), and they hold the entire history of MBAS within their own personal timeline. They are the living thread that connects our youngest students to our oldest, knowing every classroom, every teacher, and every corner of this campus. Their amazing thirteen-year longevity here speaks volumes about their resilience, loyalty, and their deep connection to this community. They have been a fundamental part of our kura for 13 years.

Our Lifers this year: Cameron Lee, Katelyn Mokaraka, Leaham Hurlock, Lachlan Robertson, Jay Lorimer, Darcey Grigsby, Cerys Green and Reuben Davis.

We also welcomed our incoming  2026 Senior Student Leaders.
Congratulations to the following students:

Head Student - Isabella White
Head Student - Joseph May
Deputy Head Student - Malia Herbert
Deputy Head Student - Liam Morgan
Communications Leader - India Percival
Academic Leader - Laila Dunn
Sports Leader - Tyron Cummings
Wellbeing Leader - Miranda Coleman
Arts Leader - Phoebe McDougall
Enviro Leader - Naomi Bell
Cultural Leader - Brooklyn Jade Mark
Student Leader - Isobel Roche
Student Leader - Savahna Hull
Student Leader - Elizabeth Till
Student Leader - Tom Lamason
Student Leader - Angel Scobie 

M1 - Time

Finishing off our chapter on learning time by creating sundials. We have discovered that sundials don’t work super well on cloudy days! We will try again later.

M10 - Whitebait Connection and Art

A few snaps of some of our learning last week. Our first session with Georgia from whitebait connection - teaching our Ākonga about how much fresh water in the world is actually available to us for drinking and how our awa is being contaminated. Also some art - we are changing the properties of tissue paper with glue to make a plastic type film. We are going to turn these into sun catchers.

Room 32 - Reading

Very engaged readers this week. Whaea Greer was very impressed with how we are using our decoding skills & dictionary to support our learning.

Room 34 - Science

This week, we read as scientists about the 3 most common states of matter and how gelatine works with heat and cold. Did you know the protein particles cling to the water molecules, which makes the woobly jelly consistency.

We brainstormed 5 different elements that fit gas, liquid, and solids. We also looked at how these can change states in different contexts. Oh, and making jelly, of course, which meant taste testing the jelly!

Te Purutanga o Hei Shines at Iwi of Origin Tournament

On Friday, 18th October, our kura and community was proudly represented by Te Puritanga o Hei  at the Iwi of Origin Tournament held at Bruce Pulman Park, Papakura. This exciting event brought together whānau from across the Tamaki Makarau region to compete in a celebration of sport, culture, and iwi pride.

Te Purutanga o Hei entered both Netball and Touch Rugby teams, showcasing not only talent and skill, but also kotahitanga and whanaungatanga on and off the field. Our tauira demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship, determination, and pride in their iwi and kura throughout the day.

The tournament was an opportunity for our tamariki to strengthen their connections with their iwi, engage in healthy competition, and enjoy a day filled with energy and mana. Despite some tough games, our teams held their own and made our school proud with their teamwork and perseverance.

A huge mihi to our kaiako, whānau supporters, and coaches who helped prepare and tautoko our tauira leading up to and during the tournament. Special mention to Matua Dwayne and Matua Ben with helping with preparing our Touch team and Ngahuia Holmes and Angel Waterhouse-George with preparing our Netball Team. Your awhi made all the difference.

Ka mau te wehi, Te Purutanga o Hei! We look forward to returning even stronger next year.

Tēnā koutou katoa. 

On Saturday was a  special day , a day to celebrate not just sport, but our culture, our unity, and our whakapapa. Iwi of origin is about more than competition it’s about connection, teamwork, and pride in who we are.

Sport has always been part of Māori life. Our ancestors were strong, skillful, and full of wairua. Games like kī-o-rahi, poi toa,touch and netball  weren’t just for fun  they built strength, agility, and teamwork. They also carried stories, traditions, and lessons about life.

When we played these games on Saturday , we honoured those who came before us. Every time we pass the ball, chase the kī, or run together as a team, we are continuing the legacy of our tīpuna. We are showing that Māori sport is not only about physical strength, but also about mana, whanaungatanga, and kotahitanga respect, relationships, and unity.

This day reminds us that winning isn’t everything. What matters most is how we play, how we support each other, and how we carry ourselves with pride and aroha. Whether you win, lose, or draw you represent your whānau, your kura, and your iwi with mana.

So today, we gave it our all. We ran hard, played fair, cheer loud, and celebrate our culture together. we show the whole of Tamaki Makaurau what Māori strength, spirit, and unity look like.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui!

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

By Arnika Tout-Bainbridge

Year 12 KAURI Group Assembly

On Tuesday we celebrated the consistent attendance and positive attitude with some of the Year 12 students receiving a certificate and a movie voucher - thanks to the support of Mercury Twin Cinemas. 

Scooter Superstars On The Rise

Brothers Liam & Jacob Foulkes are two young brothers shining at Scooter compettions as they prepare for Nationals.
Liam  competed in the Sonsk8 battle in August and came 1st in the beginner category.

Jacob competed at the Vic King of the bowl scootering comp and came 2nd in the 14 & under category (he is 11).

Both are working hard to get ready for NZ nationals in January 2026 at Bay skate in Napier.  Jacob is hoping to defend his first place in the 11 & under street category and move up the ranks in park category. It will be Liam's first Nationals.

We look forward to seeing them reach their goals

Junior Basketball - Wednesday's School Gym

Year 5-8 Basketball has started.  Please register your child on the link below. See you next Wednesday in the School Gym.

https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/343845

Plane Build Weekly Log 22.10.2025

Plane Build Log 22nd October 2025 - Mid Fuselage Section, Fuel Tank Prep, Fuel Pump Assembly. Open the photos below to see the full log.

Tertiary Tidbits

UniPrep is in January – apply now!
UniPrep, our free summer programme for school leavers, is just around the corner. If you know students who would benefit from experiencing university life and building a strong foundation for their studies, now’s the time to encourage them to apply – spaces are filling quickly.

Date: 15 January to 13 February 2026

Location: AUT South Campus, Manukau

Find out more about entry requirements and what’s involved

Book a campus tour
We were delighted to welcome many of your students to AUT LIVE last term, but we know some couldn’t make it. If your students are considering AUT and want to visit our campuses, we’d be happy to show them around and discuss their options. Share the link for booking campus tours or course counselling (available online or in person), with your students and school community so that we can continue to support them after they have finished exams.

At Ara Institute of Canterbury, two of our Sustainability and Outdoor Education programmes (SOEP) are aimed primarily (but not limited to) towards secondary school leavers. We are now taking applications for these programmes which start in Feb 2026.

Certificate in Outdoor and Adventure Education: Level 4. Full time 12 months.

Academic entry criteria NCEA level 1 (80 credits including 10 literacy and 10 numeracy)

Further information: Certificate in Outdoor and Adventure Education (Multi-skilled) (Level 4) - Ara

Successful completion of this programme will gain entry into the Diploma in Outdoor and Adventure Education Level 5: Diploma in Outdoor and Adventure Education - Ara

Bachelor of Sustainability and Outdoor Education: Level 7. Full time 3 years.

Academic entry criteria: University Entrance: NCEA Level 3 (60 credits at level 3 and 20 credits at level 2 or higher) which must include 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three approved subjects.

OR Successful completion of the Certificate in Outdoor and Adventure Education

Further information: Bachelor of Sustainability and Outdoor Education - Ara

This is the only degree of this type available in Aotearoa New Zealand.

In conjunction with the 30 years anniversary of the Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts.  Meet our whānau at Toioho ki Āpiti to discover more about learning alongside some of the leading practitioners and educators in Toi Māori.
15 x $5,000 scholarships available for this as well.

Please Register here

Careers Corner

Click the link below to access the online publication:

https://oliverlee.co.nz/leavingschool-issue34/

Nurses Notes

Whooping Cough

We currently have an outbreak of Whooping Cough or Pertussis in NZ and we have cases in our area Key points about whooping cough (Pertussis) -Please watch this short video below - Whooping cough is particularly dangerous for Hapu Mamas, Babies, Young Tamariki and Elders. It spreads person to person. https://youtu.be/fg3pd-II-jQ

• Whooping cough (pertussis) causes bouts of intense coughing and trouble breathing.
• Each bout may last for 2 or 3 minutes. The cough may go on for 3 months.
• It can cause serious illness and sometimes death in babies, young children and older adults.
• Whooping cough spreads very easily from person to person.
• Vaccination makes you less likely to get whooping cough and makes the illness milder if you do get it. 
• A  whooping cough epidemic has been announced in Aotearoa New Zealand (November, 2024) so watch out for signs. If you're a hapū māmā (pregnant person) it's important you get a free vaccination. 

Public health alert 22 November 2024 - There are high levels of pertussis cases and hospitalisations in Aotearoa New Zealand. As a result, the National Public Health Service and the Public Health Agency have declared a national whooping cough epidemic.Whooping cough is affecting all age groups and ethnicities, with some hospitalisations amongst young babies and older people. Many schools are being affected across the country.It's very infectious (easily caught), so it's important that as many people as possible are protected from catching it. Young children (less than a year old) are particularly at risk of severe illness and hospitalisation with whooping cough and it's recommended that they (and their whānau) get vaccinated against whooping cough. Read more about the free childhood immunisation programme in Aotearoa New Zealand, what's available and when they should be given. If you're pregnant you can get a free Boostrix vaccination from 16 weeks. Others in your whānau are advised to get vaccinated against whooping cough as well but not everyone is eligible for a free vaccination. Read more about who is eligible and where you can get vaccinated. This information has come from healthily where you can follow the links - https://healthify.nz/health-a-z/w/whooping-cough

Homestay Families Needed

Community Notices

Waikids Children's Free Ear Service

The Term 4 Ear Service schedule can be found at the link below:
Children's ear clinic — Waikato

TV Basketball Coaches

Expressions of Interest

Mercury Bay Library

Hot Water Beach Surf School and Pauanui Surf School

Mercury Bay Museum - Spooky Halloween

Oscar Explorers - After School Care

Skool Loop - One Stop School Information App