MBS PAANUI – NEWS
‘Together we care, we learn, we succeed’
‘Aroha, Ako, Angitu’
Term One – Week 1 – Issue 1
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Pou Tuuhono Inquiry Theme 2026
‘Dare to Dream’
Term 1 Curriculum Area Focus:
The Arts – Visual Arts
Concept: ‘I can create!’
‘Connecting through Curriculum’
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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, Afio mai
Welcome back to all of our students and whaanau/families, parents and caregivers. It has been a great start for the first week of school with our Poowhiri and welcoming all of our new students.
We would like to acknolwedge all of our students who have started in the Samoan Immersion unit – Iunite Samoa and celebrate this significant milestone together with all of the families and the wider community. We warmly welcome Ms Lisi Seve who is the new faiaoga/teacher in Iunite Samoa and comes with a range of skills, experience in education as well as knowledge and understanding of the Samoan Language, culture and traditions. Mrs Tofilau one of our Deputy Principals will be leading the Samoan Unit and will be supported by the Senior Leadership Team.
On behalf of Maangere Bridge School I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the following people, Our previous and current School Board Members, Our Presiding Member/Board Chair Justis Kamu, Elizabeth Keresoma Lead Advisor from The Ministry of Education, The New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association Network, Dr Rae Si’ilata, Avikaila Tilialo and Martha Aseta from Va’atele Education Consultancy and Reo Moana, Helen Varney Director and Sepora Mauigoa from Tautai o le Moana, Malo Sepuloni from Mangere East Primary School Samoan Bilingual Unit ‘O lou ala i Malo’ and School Principal Stephanie Anich, Te Kura o Ritimana/Richmond Road School Samoan Bilingual Unit ‘Mua i Malae’ and School Principal Jacqui Yearsley, F.A.G.A.S.A Fa’alapotopotoga mo le Aoaoina o le Gagana Samoa i Aotearoa (Organisation for Teaching and Learning of the Samoan Language in Aotearoa), Past and Present MBS Pasifika Team, Our Staff and finally to our Pacific and Samoan Community and parents who have all played a part in this amazing journey over the last 4 years towards finally establishing our very first Samoan Unit. We appreciate your time, resources and ongoing support. Viia le Atua, fa’afetai tele lava.
This year our Pou Tuuhono Inquiry Theme is ‘Dare to Dream’ inspired by our School Vision ‘Aroha, Ako, Angitu – Together We care, we learn and we succeed’. The Curriculum Area we are focussing on is ‘The Arts’ and the strand is ‘Visual Arts’. With our new and revised MBS Inquiry Framework ‘Pou Tuuhono’ we aim to provide opportunities for our tamariki to learn a range of skills. We look forward to our Art Exhibition held in the last week of Term One where our students will share and display their art work for parents and whaanau to view.
Our staff completed two call back days before school started as part of Planning and Staff Professional development with a focus on revisiting our School Values, Norms/Expectations as well as unpacking some of the key priorities from the Ministry of Education which is the New Zealand Curriculum – Te Mataiaho and Attendance with specific school wide targets. As a staff we also had an opportunity for Whakawhanaungatanga and team building through Waka Ama.
We have two important events for all Parents to attend. The first event is our ‘Whaanau Picnic’ held on Thursday 12th February from 3 – 5 pm. The second event is our Parent Information Evening held on Thursday 19th February at 5.30 pm. Please speak to your child’s classroom teacher for more information. You can also access notices through HERO using the App.
Than you again for your ongoing support and partnership as we look forward to having a great year!
Ngaa mihi nui, Fa’afetai tele lava, Fakaaue
Fetaia’ioaiga Bernice Mata’utia
Principal
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Welcome to our new students and new staff
Nau mai, Haere mai, Afio Mai
Welcome to all of our new students and staff who started this term.
Piiwaiwaka (Years 1 – 3)
Logan Westgaard, Taulagi Toleafoa, Samuel Salmon, Harnoor Giran, Kingston Tumu-Tualevao, Layla Makahili, Kalvin Gray Diana, James Avis, Aria Aramoana, Quetin Tuitupou-Vea, Meline Taukolo, Nethuli Akshana, Joseph Leatupue Siloto, Lexi Lemont – Room 2,
Abdulwassi Rasheed – Room 1, Eriapa Ekeroma – Room 3, Aziz Rasheed – Room 4, Francine Cashmore – Room 5, Faatimah Sofiullah, Zaria Clencie, Mele Vaiaku – Room 7
Kea (Years 4 – 6)
Enaria Mosile, Lily McKenzie – Room 11, Katniss Vien Diana, Kobe Viqasi – Room 12, Kalani Fiaui – Room 14, Elaria Fiaui – Room 15, Murray Nofoaiga
Te Hiaroa (Years 1 – 6)
Eketone Kendrick and Pianika Edwards – Maunga Pikitea Room 18
Samoan Unit (Years 1 – 3)
Shailah-Rose Utai, Kitana Mokotuna, Daphne Paneta, Leroy Tanuvasa, Michael Nofoaiga, Taua’ana Sepoleta and Manũtoipule Lale Peteru, Kaiser Rokeni, Isaiah, Aleina and Walter Guttenbeil, Hadazah Taogaga, Ron and Peleti Peleti, Waitoe Fenukitau, Athena Tautolo, Tatiana Fong-Toy Thompson.
Samoan Unit Teacher
Ms Lisi Seve
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ATTENDANCE
Every day counts!
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Attending school regularly is important for every child’s success in building relationships, connecting with their classroom teacher and most importantly to help them in their learning.
As Parents/Caregivers and whaanau it is your responsibility for ensuring your child attends school everyday. As a school we will continue to work together in partnership so that our students are engaged and learning.
It is vital that all students are arriving at school on time to help them settle into class and prepare for the school day. We also understand that there may be times where lateness occurs.
If your child is going to be late or away, it is important that you notify the school.
If a student is absent for 20 or more consecutive days without any notification to the school, they will be withdrawn according to the Ministry of Education guidelines.
All schools are required to have an Attendance Management Plan AMP set up at the start of Term 1 2026 and to be reviewed by the School Board. This will be accessible on our school website.
Finally, as a school we are committed to providing a rich learning environment where every student is valued, engaged and has a sense of belonging through our School Values ‘Kotahitanga, Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga and Rangatiratanga’.
Our aim is to intentionally shift and improve student attendance this year. We ask that you please let us know if you are facing challenges with getting your child to school. We are here to support your whaanau because we know that ‘Everyday Counts!’ and attendance matters.
Ngaa mihi
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2026 Calendar Dates
Term 1
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Monday 2nd February – First Day of School and Poowhiri 9 am
Friday 6th February – Waitangi Day (Public Holiday) – School Closed
Monday 9th February – Board Hui 5.30 pm
Thursday 12th February – Whaanau Picnic 3 – 5 pm
Thursday 19th February – Parent Information Evening 5.30 pm
Friday 20th February – Whole School Assembly 2 pm ROOM 1
Wednesday 25th February – Samoan Fono 3.15 pm and Pacific Island Fono 5.30 pm
Wednesday 4th March – Maaori Whaanau Community Hui/Meeting 5.30 pm
Friday 6th March – Whole School Assembly 2 pm ROOM 11
Wednesday 11th March – MBS Community Hui/Meeting 5.30 pm
Tuesday 17th March – PTA Committee Meeting 6 pm
Friday 20th March – Whole School Assembly 2 pm ROOM 3
Tuesday 24th March – New Entrant Visits 9 – 10.30 am and
Tuesday 24th March – New Entrant Induction Meeting with Parents 9 am
Thursday 26th March – New Entrant Visits 9 – 10.30 am
Friday 27th March – Splash Day – Swimming Sports
Tuesday 31st March – New Entrant Visits 9 – 10.30 am
Tuesday 31st March – ART EXHIBITION 2 pm – 6 pm
Wednesday 1st April – ART EXHIBITION 8 am – 2 pm
Wednesday 1st April – Purple Day – International Awareness Day of Epilepsy
Wednesday 1st April – Last Day of Term 1 Finish 3 pm
Thursday 2nd April – Teacher Only Day! – School Closed for Instruction
Friday 3rd April – GOOD FRIDAY Public Holiday – School Closed for Instruction
School Holidays Start 6th – 19th April
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Whaanau Picnic
Thursday 12th February
3 – 5 pm
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The purpose of our annual Whaanau picnic is not only a time to connect and eat together but it a way of building relationships with other whaanau as part of Whakawhanaungatanga.
What will the day look like?
Families can come between 3 and 5 pm and eat within your child’s whaanau team ‘Piiwaiwaka, Kea, Te Hiaroa and the Samoan Unit’. There will be sports equipment available for our tamariki to play with and we will also open up the swimming pool (weather permitting). Parents will be responsible for their child or children on this day. It is an informal event and an opportunity for getting to know other families as well as meeting the teachers who will be there to say hello to their students and parents. Thank you to our PTA who have kindly volunteered their time to support with a sausage sizzle and iceblock sale.
Who: It is for all our families who attend Maangere Bridge School
Time: 3 – 5 pm
Where: On the grass area outside by the auditorium and in front of the swimming pool.
Please contact the school office if you have any paatai/questions
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‘New Playground Markings’
Thanks to our School Fun Run
Fundraiser.
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We were excited to have new playground markings ready for the start of the year. The School Fun Run Event held annually raises funds which goes towards purchasing resources that our students will benefit from. It was agreed that the money raised would be used to touch up the old playground markings and create some new ones to allow our students to enjoy and have fun learning especially during the break times. Thanks to Whaea Jenny who played a part in choosing some of the markings and it’s great to see our children active and moving outside.
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Friendly Reminder
Wear a Pootai/Sunhat
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We ask all of our tamariki/students to wear a pootai/sunhat for Term 1 to ensure they are protected and sun smart. Due to the warm weather we encourage all tamariki/students to bring a water bottle to school everyday to keep dehydrated.
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Parent Information Evening
Thursday 19th February
5.30 – 7 pm
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We will be having our Parent Information Evening on Thursday 19th February. We will start in the auditorium at 5.30 pm where our senior leadership team will share some important information. The teachers will then split into their whaanau teams to share specifically about the team’s expecatations and other important information. If you have a child in more than one team you can decide which one you will attend. We look forward to you attending this event and there will be an opportunity to ask any paatai/questions at the end. Fa’afetai tele lava.
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SAVE THE DATE!
SPLASH DAY!
Swimming Sports
Friday 27th March
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TEACHER ONLY DAY!
Thursday 2nd April
School will be closed for instruction!
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The school will be closed for instruction on Thursday 2nd April this Term for our Teacher Only Day. This will be an opportunity for staff to participate in Staff Professsional Development with the Ministry of Education. We hope this notice provides time for Parents/Caregivers to plan other arrangements for your child due to the school being closed. Ngaa mihi
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Learning at school begins at 8.50 am and finishes at 3.00 pm. 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. If your child arrives late to school or is absent please contact the school office. Ngaa mihi
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