From Our Principal

Maraetai Beach School is a full primary (Years 1 to 8).

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. 

Hello everybody and warm greetings to you all.

My name is Mark Keenan and I have been the Principal here at MBS since the start of 2015. Maraetai Beach is a growing school with a school roll that sits between 430-480 students. Maraetai Beach School has been educating children in Maraetai since 1879. The school sits on the headland above Te Pene Point - an area of significance to Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki . From this position our school looks out over the safe waters of Maraetai, to the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. We are lucky to be surrounded by beautiful beaches and regional parks. Looking after our environment is very important to us.

Our school’s purpose is to ‘grow a community of successful lifelong learners’ through our school values named‘Tō Tātou Ara’. Our school values promote resilience (manawaroa), excellence (rawe), integrity (ngakau tapatahi) and respect (whakaute). Our school strategic plan sets the direction for our school. 

Here at Maraetai Beach School, we want every child to achieve their potential and be the best they can be. We want all our children to be engaged, confident and resilient learners. We recognise that every child is unique and brings with them a range of talents that need to be nurtured and grown in a safe, secure and challenging learning environment.

Our 2019 Education Review Office (ERO) Report found the key strengths of our school were: 

• strategic stewardship that is focused on equity and excellence for students

• highly effective leadership that collaboratively develops and pursues the school’s vision and goals

• a strong culture of evaluation, inquiry and knowledge-building

• a responsive, bicultural curriculum and effective pedagogy that is underpinned by high expectations for student success. 

We have very strong parent and community involvement and highly value these partnerships. Our students are a very special group, friendly, confident and strongly motivated to learn.

Maraetai Beach School is proud to be a PB4L School ( Positive Behaviour for Learning School), Gold Travelwise School and Silver Enviro School. The school is also a member of the Howick Coast Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.

He waka eke noa - We are all in this together!

Mark Keenan

Principal
P.Grad.Dip.Ed.Ld.,B.Ed.,Dip.Tchng