MBS Paanui Newsletter Term 4 Week 1

MBS PAANUI – NEWS

‘Together we care, we learn, we succeed’

‘Aroha, Ako, Angitu’

Term Four – Week 1 – Issue 10

Student Inquiry Theme 2025

 ‘Ko wai ahau?’

‘Who am I?

Term 4 Curriculum Focus Area

Health and Physical Education

Concept: ‘Let’s get healthy!’

Statement – ‘Our Health is important to us’

Term 4 2025

Calendar Dates

13th – 15th October – Year 6 Camp 

16th October – Piiwaiwaka Trip to the Auckland Zoo

17th October – Whole School Assembly Room 5

20th – 24th October – Niue Language Week 

20th October – Opening of Niue Language Week ‘Raising the Flag’ 9 am 

21st October – Cross-country Zones

23rd October – Niue Language Whole School Assembly Closing 2 pm 

23rd October – Save Day ‘Cross Country Zones’

23rd October – Expected NZEI Strike! – School Closure (Refer to Letter from the School Board at the end of the newsletter)

24th October – TEACHER ONLY DAY! – School will be closed for instruction

27th October – Labour Day – Public Holiday – School Closed

The School swimming pool will be open for our students after Labour Day!

30th October – NE Visits 9 – 10.30 am 

31st October – School Athletics Day 

3rd November – BOT Meeting 5.30 pm (New Date and Time)

4th November  – NE Visits 9 – 10.30 am 

5th November – Save Day School Athletics Day

6th November – NE Visits 9 – 10.30 am 

7th November – Welcome Newsletter

7th November – Whole School Assembly Room 12 

Saturday 8th November – MBS Pohutukawa Festival – PTA 9 am – 2 pm 

10th November – Poowhiri 9 am

11th November – PTA Meeting 

17th – 21st November – Athletics Zones TBC

26th November – Student Leaders Trip ‘Rainbows End’

1st December – Kea Whaanau – Top Town ‘End of Year Celebration’

2nd December –  Whole School Prize Giving 9.15 – 11 am 

3rd December – NE Visits 9 – 10.30 am 

4th December – Year 6 Graduation 9.15 – 11 am 

4th December – Year 6 Graduation Dinner 5 – 7 pm 

5th December – NE Visits 9 – 10.30 am 

5th December – Te Puea Marae Re-dedication of Marae 60th Year  – 7 am Flag Raising and Poowhiri at 11 am 

8th December –  BOT Meeting 5.30 pm (New Date and Time)

8th December – End of Year Reports sent home and Meet 2026 Classroom Teacher

8th December – Kea Whaanau Top Town – End of Year Celebration Save Date

9th December – Volunteers/Parent Helpers Thank you Morning Tea 

11th December – Last day of School Finish at 1 pm and Final Newsletter

12th December – SCHOOL HOLIDAYS START!

SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday 8th November 

9 am – 2 pm 

Term 1 2026

Calendar Dates

2026 Term 1 Dates

Monday 2nd February – First day of School 2026

Friday 6th February – Waitangi Day – School Closed 

Thursday 12th February – Whaanau/Parent Picnic 3 – 5 pm 

Thursday 19th February – Parent Information Evening 5.30 pm 

Thursday 2nd April – Teacher Only Day – School Closed for instruction

Friday 3rd April – GOOD FRIDAY – PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Term 1 School Holidays – Start Monday 6th April 2025

Tumuaki/Principal Message

Ni Sa Bula

Welcome back everyone to Term 4! A warm welcome to all of our new students and whaanau.

Student Inquiry Term 4

Our students returned back to school this week and were keen to learn, engaging in our new Student Inquiry about ‘Being Healthy’ and focussing on achievement outcomes through the Health and Physical Education Curriculum. We celebrated World Cerebral Palsy Day and wore green on Monday 6th October to acknowledge this day. Whaea Vaotane (Va) is a teacher aide at our school and was able to share her own experience about Cerebral Palsy and the challenges she faces every day. Whaea Va takes ballroom dancing as a hobby and performed a special item for the whole school. We are very proud of Whaea Va and she is definitely a role model at MBS who continues to support many of our students with their learning. As the weather gets warmer we would like to remind our parents and whaanau to ensure your child wears a sunhat for Term 4 as we are a sun smart school. 

Swimming Pool Term 4

Matua Bo our amazing Caretaker has been busy setting up the School Swimming pool to be ready for our tamariki after Labour Weekend. It is important that all students have the opportunity to learn the basic swimming skills and we have the priviledge of having our own swimming pool on site where each child is taught water safety and specific swimming skills. The students will be given friendly reminders to bring their swimming gear to school and a written note must be provided if your child is unable to swim. 

Maangere Bridge School Board

Our new School board members met on Monday 6th October as part of Whakawhanaungatanga and this also included electing a presiding member/Board chair. On behalf of the Board I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and announce our newly elected Presiding Member/Board Chair is Justis Kamu. 

About the New Board Presiding Member/Board Chair

Justis Kamu is a proud Samoan married to Arohanui (Cook Islander). He is the father of Levaula a Year 5 student in Room 14 and has another child starting in 2026. He has raised his children in both bilingual and mainstream education and shared how this has helped them flourish and confidently navigate their unique cultures. Justis has had 3 years experience on a previous school board which he states has provided valuable insights into effective governance and also learning the critical importance of a well-supported principal and a strong, empowered staff with positive relationships with pupils and whaanau.

Justis highlighted as an MBS Board Member he will champion this by:

• Supporting our principal and staff to create an environment where all children love to come to school and promote high achievement as an expectation for every pupil.

• Engaging and listening to whaanau to ensure their voices are reflected in board
decisions.

*Committing to serving our MBS community and help shape the school’s future.

We would like to acknowledge and thank Nicola Owen who was the previous Presiding Member/Board Chair for her mahi, time, committment and support for our tamariki, whaanau and staff. 

Refurbishments

The refurbishment is finally finished throughout specific areas of the school and according to the 5 Year Property Plan with the Ministry of Education and approved by the Board. The new autex throughout the classrooms and corridors as well as the brand new carperted floors throughout some of the learning spaces and refreshed toilets makes a huge difference when walking through the school. We are pleased our tamariki have spaces in the school where they can feel proud and have a sense of belonging. 

Term 4  Events

This term our children will be participating in a range of events and end of year celebrations such as Year 6 Camp, Prize Giving, Year 6 Graduation and school trips. As a school we continue to acknowledge and celebrate our Pacific Language weeks and this week was Fijian Language week. Our Fijian staff shared a morning tea with some traditional Fijian foods and some of our tamariki dressed up in their traditional and culture wear for Vinaka Day. We look forward to celebrating Niue Language week in Week 3. 

Poohutukawa Festival

The Poohutukawa Festival is a special event happening this term and is held on Saturday 8th November. Thank you to Whaea Jasmine (PTA Chair) and her an amazing team who have been busy organising this event  which is also a fundraiser to help towards the refurbishment of our school swimming pool. The swimming pool which is over 50 years old has given many of our past and present students the opportunity to learn to swim and take part in fun swimming events where our community come together and connect. We would like to remind all of our parents and whaanau to SAVE THE DATE Saturday 8th November on your calendars where there will be a range of stalls, fun activities, performances from our students and prizes to be given out. We look forward to seeing you there. 

Attendance and Engagement

Finally, we would like to remind all parents that at MBS coming to school everyday counts. Our target goal for 2025 is for 90% of our students to attend school regularly (which is over 90% of the time or 4 – 5 days a week) which contributes towards shifting student engagement and achievement. At the end of Term 3 the Everyday Matters Report from the Ministry of Education shows our school attendance is not meeting the required expectations. Our leadership and pastoral team are continuing to ensure this is a priority for our students and our whaanau. All school boards are required to have an ‘Attendance Management Plan’ by the start of Term 1 2026. We have reviewed our Attendance Management Plan and our current one provides specific processes and steps with a plan to follow up on student absences and ensuring the school is using the correct attendance codes set up by the Ministry. 

Thank you

We would like to thank our parents/caregivers and our whaanau for your ongoing support whether it be volunteering your time as a parent helper, sharing your voice at community hui/fono/neetings or providing feedabck to our staff and school board. We look forward to ongoing community consultation as part of our Strategic Planning over the next 3 years. 

Ngaa mihi nui kia kotou, Fa’afetai tele lava

Fetaia’ioaiga Bernice Mata’utia 

Welcome to all of our new students!

Nau mai Haere mai!

Congratulations to our

Kapa Haka Roopuu

Placed 2nd overall!

YEAR 6 CAMP

Monday 13th – Wednesday 15th October!

Thank you to our parent helpers who are attending the Year 6 Camp. 

Vagahau Niue

Niue Language Week

19 – 25 October

Whole School Assembly

Wednesday 22nd October 2 pm

OUR WHY?

Why do we celebrate Vagahau Niue Language Week at Maangere Bridge School?

• There are 3%  students who identify as Niuean at MBS.
• There are 38%  who identify themselves as Pacific Island at MBS.
• The Niue Language has been clasified as endangered. Preserving the language is important to support connection between New Zealand-born Niueans and their culture and heritage.
• To rasie awareness of the Niue language.
• To involve and encourage our Niuean Parents, children and staff to take part in our learning programmes.
• To promote initiatives to maintain and grow recognition, learning and use of the Niuean language in the home, in education, work, government, media, sports, arts and the community

Friendly Reminder

TEACHER ONLY DAY!

Friday 24th October 2025

School will be closed for Instruction

The Board have approved for the school to be closed for instruction on Friday 24th October (Labour Weekend) where all staff will participate in Staff Professional development. We would like to thank our school community, parents/caregivers and whaanau as we understand that you will need to organise and make other arrangements for your child on that day.  

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

Term 4

Remember to wear a sunhat!

A friendly reminder for all of our students to wear a sun hat for Term 4. If your child does not have a sun hat they can purchase one from the uniform shop. Please remember to label your child’s sun hat. Students who do not have a sun hat will play under a shaded area during break times. We are a sun smart school and continue to promote sun safety. 

Library Paanui/Notice

Community Notices

Letter from the School Board

Re: NZEI Strike