We would like to invite you all to a “Meet the Teacher” opportunity on Wednesday, March 1st. We need to be clear that this is not a time to talk about your individual child’s achievement or needs, but rather an opportunity to get to know how the class works, get to know the teacher a little better and also meet some of the other parents of students’ in your child’s class.
You can make an appointment with your child’s teacher at any time to talk about their progress. Monday or Thursday afternoons are usually the best as we have meetings on other days. Please click http://mbasprimary.weebly.com/
1.30 - 2.00pm In the library. Ms Surtees and I will be hosting a session about the “big picture” of our primary school, the vision and how we are working towards achieving it. This session is suitable for any parent regardless of the level of the primary school that their child in.
From 2.15 onwards we will also be there with activities, resources etc in relation to helping your child at home.
2.15 - 2.45 the Year 1 and 2 teachers will be hosting a session in their rooms for their parents.
2.45- 3.15 - the Year 3 and 4 teachers and Whaea Jean will be hosting a session in their rooms for their parents.
3.15 - 3.45 - the Year 5 and 6 teachers will be hosting a session in their rooms for their parents.
It would be really helpful for us to know how many people to expect, so we would appreciate you filling in the appropriate form below to RSVP to this event.
Meet the Teacher - Library Session 1.30pm - 2.00pm https://goo.gl/forms/VopVPhslC
Years 1 and 2 Meet the Teacher 2.15pm -2.45pm https://goo.gl/forms/yUGmSO0fb
Years 3 and 4 Meet the Teacher 2.45pm -3.15pm https://goo.gl/forms/foUCk3oOX
Years 4-6 Roopu Meet the Teacher 2.45pm - 3.15pm https://goo.gl/forms/9LsV5dZM9
Years 5 and 6 Meet the Teacher 3.15pm - 3.45 https://goo.gl/forms/qJgm0Xl16
Thank you for your help - we look forward to seeing you there.
Kind regards,
Anne-Maree McDougall
Deputy Principal
Fabulous job by Nick Hristov, Kal Rabarts-Small, Hannah Murphy and Ms Mahon for this year's swimming sports video.
Please see below for more information regarding art classes after school
I would like to include a brief message in your school newsletter each month. I will include useful links to information that I come across in my work role, and keep you up to date with issues that I see within our school community.
By now your gorgeous children will have settled into their new school year and routine is returning to your homes.
Road safety is hugely important all year round, and throughout February I am getting School Traffic Safety Teams and Bus Monitors trained. The voluntary work that these students do to get pedestrians across crossings safely before and after school is appreciated, especially when it’s hot, raining and windy – and that’s often at the same time in our lovely climate! If your school doesn’t have monitored crossings, please go over the basic safety rules with your children, particularly the young ones. Some examples are:
· When crossing a road, Stop, Look, Listen and Link.
· When travelling in a car, everyone must wear a seatbelt. Make it Click.
· If travelling by school bus, stay seated, keep the aisles clear, quiet talking is OK, and when you get off the bus wait until the bus has moved away before crossing the road.
Parents collecting your children off the bus, or from school, please try to park on the side of the road that your child will be leaving school or the bus. Alternatively, walk to where your child will be so they can cross the road with you.
Drivers, please remember the speed limit passing a stationary school bus is 20kph.
Road Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility
MERCURY BAY DAY CAMP
19 – 21 April 2017
Registrations open Monday 27 Feb 17
Registration forms available from local school offices or at daycamp.co.nz
Teen Leaders and Volunteers needed
Contact daycamp.mercurybay@gmail .com
YEAR 9-13 SWIMMING SPORTS - POSTPONED
After looking at forecasts for tomorrow we have made decision to postpone the swimming sports until Monday where the weather looks much better.
So school as normal tomorrow - and we will see you in your house colours on Monday!
A big welcome to all our returning students and new students who have started this year.
On Wednesday February 22nd starting at 2.20pm you have an opportunity to meet your child’s Learning Coach (Homeroom Teacher). This is specifically designed to share information and get to know each other, it is not a reporting time.
Families of Year 8’s returning to the same class are not expected to attend, however may do so if they wish.
To book a time with your child’s Learning Coach please visit - http://parentinterviews.co.nz/ and enter the code QCABP. Bookings will be open online from 2.00pm Friday, February 10th through to 1.00pm, Wednesday 22nd.
If you do not have access to a computer and are unable to make a booking online, please see Kat at the office or phone her on 07 8665916 ext 846.
Chris Johnston Julie Bougen
Deputy Principal Middle Years Deputy Principal Middle Years
Throughout the year our student art work is loaded online and you are able to take a look around the virtual gallery. A link to last years work is here. http://publish.exhibbit.com/ga
To whom it may concern,
Although caregivers are responsible for getting students to and from school each day, Murphy Buses is contracted by the Ministry of Education to provide bus transport to enable students to attend school. Murphy Buses is required to transport eligible students to their nearest appropriate school. On occasions and depending on loading, this may require eligible students to stand on their way to and from school. However, as part of Murphy Buses contract, we can only transport ineligible students if the following conditions are met:
- There is excess seating capacity after all eligible students have been taken into account
- The ineligible students pay an appropriate fee
- Transportation of ineligible students does not delay the service
- Transportation of ineligible students does not result in bus deviating from designated route
- Permission is obtained by any school affected by the operation of the school run
In addition, the ineligible students must:
- Behave in a socially acceptable way
- NOT harass or bully students
A student is eligible if:
- They live too far away from the nearest appropriate school they can enrol (more than 3.2kms for years 1-8 and more than 4.8km for years 9 and above)
- There is no suitable public transport available.
In recent times we have had concerns that the inclusion of ineligible students on the bus may cause us to breach the above conditions (typically the seating capacity) and as a result we have made a decision that Murphy Buses will no longer accept “new” ineligible students on our services for 2017 onwards. Murphy Buses will continue to offer existing ineligible fare paying students (ie those who travelled in 2016) the opportunity to travel so they can finish their schooling at their existing school (providing the above terms are met).
We appreciate that this may cause a concern for some parents and schools affected by this decision and we apologise for this.
Note the above change does not affect eligible students (including those who transfer their eligibility under the MoE rules), it is only those students that live too close to their nearest appropriate school that want to catch a ride to another school.
Kind regards,
Matt Juby
General Manager
P: 07 868 6265 F:07 868 6745
P O Box 251, Thames
W: www.murphybuses.co.nz
Please see information in the flyer below. This event is open to non-swim club members also. Non-swim club members will need an 'official time'. Those that compete in the MBAS swimming sports are able to see Leisa McCleery after the swimming sports to get their times.
The pool is now open for public swimming:
Friday afternoons 3.30 – 6pm
Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 5pm.
Also open for early morning lane swimming
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 6-8am
Junior Tennis is starting again on Saturday 11 February. The club membership fee is $20 per child and players need their own racket.
8:30 to 9:30 a.m. – 6 to 9 years old
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – 10 to 15 years old
Sessions run on Sat 11 Feb, Sat 18 Feb, Sat 25 Feb, Sat 4 March, and Sat 11 March
Junior Tournament and Prize-giving on Sat 18 March
Call Lisl for more information on 021-148-6982 or just turn up
Evakona Education is looking for more kind and caring host families to host young Japanese students for short stays (one or two weeks) in March/April.
We are also placing several students that are here for longer stays. Payment for students U18 is $240 per week, and students should have their own room and should receive three meals a day.
Please call Lisl on 867 1178 or pop in to Evakona to pick up a Homestay Handbook and application form.
The Ministry of Social Development’s clients can now use MyMSD to apply online quickly and easily for assistance with school uniform and stationery costs, so they don’t need to visit their Work and Income office.
Applicants can upload verification of the cost, usually a quote from the supplier. If the payment is approved, they will receive notification by text or by email. The approved amount will be loaded to their payment card or paid direct to registered suppliers who can’t receive the payment card. Many of the applications that MSD approves for help with school uniforms and stationery are paid to schools. General information for suppliers is available here on the MSD website -
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/children/school-uniforms-and-stationery.html
A large contingent of keen athletes hit the road early for the Thames Valley Primary Athletics day in Te Aroha. Peninsula Central Cluster made up of students from Mercury Bay, Whenuakite & Coroglen didn't let the warm conditions affect their performance and we came away with some great results for 2016.
8.57am Update from Civil Defence - The potential threat for marine and beach areas has been CANCELLED following the 7.7m earthquake in the Solomons Islands at 6.38am NZ Time. We advise the public who intend to carry out activities in or on the water today, especially along the west coast of both the North and South Islands, that there could be strong and unusual currents for the rest of the day. Therefore, MCDEM advise people to stay out of the water.
8.33am Good Morning - School is open today. We will be monitoring the potential tsunami threat via Civil Defence. We will update this post through out the day should the situation change. It is your choice as parents if you do not wish to send your child to school today. Please note that the Hei 2 Heritage Hunt has been cancelled.
We recommend that families download the Red Cross Hazard App to keep up to date also
https://www.redcross.org.nz/…/disaster-manageme…/hazard-app/
Updated Tsunami Modelling for Whitianga
I have attended a number of meetings recently on the updated modelling work around “worst case” Tsunami situations for Mercury Bay – Whitianga in particular. Two images have been shared along with some information which I have replicated below. The major “take home point” for me is that we will need to review our response to a tsunami alert. I will commence this review early in the new year and will hold some parental forums to gather parent voice for our revised protocol, which we will develop during term 1.
The following information has been shared with me – and now hence with you. I have not edited it at all. It is important to note that there are two significant scenarios – a “near” source event (we would have 1 hours’ notice as a community) – the Tonga-Kermadec Trench earthquake at a magnitude 9 scale; and a “distant” source event – 12 hours’ notice or so – from South America/Japan etc.
“New modelling of tsunami hazards has been completed for Mercury Bay as a part of the Eastern Coromandel Tsunami Strategy, a joint project between Thames Coromandel District Council and Waikato Regional Council
The modelling shows that:
· For the Tonga-Kermadec Trench (just above East Cape): there is significant inundation of Whitianga from a tsunami generated by a large (magnitude 9) earthquake. Despite this, there is limited threat of inundation to the school, due mainly to its distance from the foreshore. An event of this size from the Tonga-Kermadec Trench would be accompanied by significant shaking, and tsunami waves will take around one hour to arrive in Whitianga
· For distant tsunami events (particularly from South America): there is limited inundation around the Whitianga foreshore (Albert Street/Monk Street, Taputapuatea Stream and Brophy's Beach Stream areas). The modelling shows that there is no threat of inundation to the school from distant tsunami events
· A tsunami open day will be held on Saturday 28 January 2017 from 9.30am - 3.30pm at the Whitianga Town Hall. The tsunami project team will be on hand to discuss all aspects of the tsunami hazards and risks to Whitianga, including to the school.
Clearly we will need to consider what our plans will be for an alert. I intend being at the public forum on Saturday 28th and would be happy to meet any parents/caregivers/grandparents at that time too.
John Wright
Principal
We would like to invite you and your child to an information meeting about our learning organisation, teaching structure and programmes in the Middle Years for 2017. All year 7-10 families are welcome to attend. This evening will be of particular interest to students going into years 7 and 9 in 2017.
When: Thursday 10th November at 5.30pm
Where: School Library
