Paaunui Newsletter Week 1 Term 1 2024

Mangere Bridge

School Newsletter

Together we care we learn we succeed.

MBS PAANUI – NEWS

‘Together we care, we learn, we succeed’

‘Aroha, Ako, Angitu’

Term One – Week 1 – Issue 1

Student Inquiry Theme 2024

Tuhono O Mua, Tuhono Whaanau, Tuhono Hapori

‘Making Connections’

‘Connections with the past/history, our Planet Earth / our community, ourselves and special celebrations’

Term 1 Curriculum Focus Area: New Zealand Aotearoa Histories and Social Science

Tumuaki/Principal Updates

Kia Ora Koutou, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Kia Orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Namaste and warm pacific greetings.

Nau mai, Haere mai

Welcome back to all of our students and whaanau/families, parents and caregivers. It has been a great start to the term with our Staff Teacher Retreat held in January and also our Whaanau Picnic for parents to meet their child’s kaiako/classroom teacher. We have had many new whaanau enrol their child at MBS and welcomed them at our Poowhiri. It was great to have manawhenua and Te Hiaroa Whaanau supporting as well. This year our student inquiry theme is all about ‘Making Connections’ ‘Tuhono O mua, Tuhono Whaanau, Tuhono Hapori’. In Term One our akonga will use the ‘Understand, Know, Do’ model from the Curriculum Refresh ‘Te Mataiaho’ to explore Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories focusing on the ‘Treaty of Waitangi’ as well as exploring our local histories. We look forward to other special events this term with a core focus on improving and shifting student achievement. There is a Parent Information Evening on Thursday 15th February where our leadership team and teachers will share more about our school values and expectations. If you do have any questions about your child’s learning or other concerns please see your child’s classroom teacher. I look forward to getting to know our new whaanau as well as our current families at MBS. You are welcome to make a time to meet with me for a chat or just pop in to say hello. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Ngaa mihi nui, Fa’afetai tele lava, Fakaaue

Mrs Mata’utia

Welcome to our new students and new staff

Nau mai Haere mai!

Welcome to all of our new students and staff who started this year.

Valerie KATOA, Shiphrah KAVENGA Rm01

Nathan CAMPBELL-SIGLEY, Matilda JOHNSON, Momo KAMIYA, Alexander PRADER, Hans SEGISMAR and Joash SINGH Rm02, Koloti FONUA, Manahere FRAMHEIN, Angelique HAMILTON, Braxtyn HOUGH, Vaughan MANUEL, Connor MCKNIGHT, Kitana MOKOTUPU, John NIELU, Manutoipule PETERU, Louis SCOTT-DAVIES, Ihaka WHAANGA HAKARIA Rm03

Evie DE STIGTER, Sadie KING, Sariyah MARSH-PAPANUI, Lincoln MCKNIGHT Rm04, Minki SMIT, Kora WHAANGA Rm06, Jaxon KATOA, Denis MITITELU and Lakshita RANA Rm07, Thea DE STITGER Rm11, Levaula KAMU, Imogen MCKENZIE and Junior TUPOU Rm12, Tuitu’u FOLAU and Mary TEULILO Rm13, Tiare NAPA, Jone SMIT and Sean TUPOU Rm14, Karalina BEUKES Rm15 and Lia KAVENGA Rm15, Audrina KAVENGA Rm16 and Jacob EDWARDS Maunga Pikitia Rm18

The following are our new kaiako/teachers.

Whaea Winona Hamilton is in Maunga Pikitia Room 18, Alan Waith is in Room 4, Whaea Aileen Jack is in Room 6, Whaea Princess Hirovanaa is in Room 15.

Important Term 1

Calendar Dates

Tuesday 6th February – Waitangi Day (School Closed)

Thursday 15th February – Parent /Whaanau Information Evening 5.30 pm (Auditorium)

Friday 16th February – Kaahui Ako Disco 5 – 7 pm at Te Papapa Primary

Te Hiaroa Whaanau Hui – TBC

Wednesday 6th March 6 pm – MBS Community Hui for all Māori Whaanau/families

Wednesday 20th March 6 pm – MBS Community Fono for all Pasifika Whaanau/families

Friday 29th March – Good Friday (School Closed)

Monday 1st April – Easter Monday (School Closed)

Tuesday 2nd April – (School Closed)

Last day of Term 1 – Friday 12th April

MBS Whaanau Picnic Day

On Thursday we held our Whaanau Picnic day as an opportunity for parents to meet and greet the kaiako/teachers. It was great to see many families attend and connect with each other at the beginning of the year.

New Break Times

10.30 – 11.00 am – Brain Break

12.00 – 12.40 pm – Lunch Break

1.30 – 1.50 pm – Re-Fuel Break

This year our school timetable has been reviewed and now consists of three new breaks for our students and staff. The rationale is supported by Pasi Sahlberg’s research around ‘The Big Picture of School’ and how school timetables can be structured and planned where students are engaged and given opportunities for ‘movement, play and exploration’. The redesign of our school day now provides 4 blocks and 3 breaks. The first break is called ‘Brain break’ 10.30 – 11 am, ‘Lunch time break’ 12 – 12.40 pm and ‘Re-fuel Break’ 1.30 – 1.50 pm. So far we have had positive feedback from some of the students and teachers. The first two breaks allow time for our students to eat for 10 minutes before they go out to play. The last break allows our students to re-fuel, have a drink and play before finishing off the day in the last block. We will update this information on our school website.

School Hours

Learning at school begins at 8.50 am and finishes at 3.00 pm. Our kaiako/teachers are on site from 8 am onwards and the classrooms are open at 8.30 am for children to get ready for the day. Our school caretaker opens the gates early in the morning however due to health and safety we would like to remind our whaanau/parents and families that we are unable to supervise your child/children until 8.30 am. We encourage children to arrive at school from 8.15 am onwards. If your child is arrives late to school or is absent please contact the school office. If you have any other further quesitons please contact the school.

Friendly Reminder

Wear a Pootai/Sunhat

We ask all of our tamariki/students to wear a pootai/sunhat for Term 1 to ensure they are protected and sun smart. As the weather is getting warmer we encourage all tamariki/students to bring a water bottle to school everyday to keep dehydrated.

MBS Board Paanui/News

School Board updates – changes to membership and a new Presiding Member/Board Chair

The Board would like to pay tribute to Simon Hughes who is stepping down after four years as Presiding Member/Board Chair. Simon has led the Board with much care and aroha and we are thrilled that he will be staying on the Board for the remainder of his term.

The Board also wants to thank Dale Munro who sadly left the school after eight years of dedicated service and will no longer be the Staff Representative on the Board. We have valued Dale’s clear insight into the working of the school. We know she will be missed by the whole school community. We look forward to welcoming a new staff representative early in 2024.

We also acknowledge Hamish Peart, Deputy Chair, who stood in as Acting Presiding member at the end of 2023. Hamish will be leaving the School Board in April as his family are moving out of the area. We wish them all the best for their big move and thank Hamish for all of his hard work. We will be seeking a Parent representative to fill this vacant position soon.

Nicola Owen has been elected as the new Presiding Member/Board Chair. Nicola was appointed to the Board by selection in 2023 and brings experience of governance in the voluntary, legal, disability and education sectors. Her daughter Helena is in Te Ara Puueru – Year 4 in Te Hiaroa and the family has made Maangere Bridge their home since 2012.

KiwiSchools Connect

KiwiSchools Connect is the school app that will enable us to stay connected as a school community and keep up-to-date on important information, news, events, and announcements.

To download the app, simply visit our school website and click on the “Get the KiwiSchools Connect Mobile App” button. This will take you to the app’s download page, where you can select your device type (iOS or Android) and download the app. Once downloaded, select Mangere Bridge School and adjust the categories you wish to subscribe to in the settings.

With the KiwiSchools Connect app, you will have easy access to the school calendar, be able to receive push notifications for important announcements, and communicate directly with the school regarding absences and general inquiries. We believe that this app will significantly enhance the communication between our school and whanau, and we encourage you to download it.

As always, we appreciate your continued support of our school and your child’s education. If you have any questions or require further assistance with downloading the app, please don’t hesitate to contact us.