Newsletter Term 3 | Week 8 2026
From the Tumuaki/Principal
Kia ora Whānau,
A massive thank you to all the fathers and father figures who joined us for our Father’s Day Breakfast! Special appreciation goes to our house leaders and staff for running the bbq, the fun activities and coordinating our fundraising efforts for the Westpac Rescue helicopter. Together, we raised just over $300 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter!
We also extend a special thanks to Éanna, who works on the helicopter and shared at the event about the good work the Rescue helicopter is doing and they also provided Westpac Teddies for our best-dressed students.
AIMS Games Achievements
Our AIMS team represented Maraetai Beach School with immense pride and grit down in Tauranga this week. A huge thank you to our parent supporters and Mrs Els for making this trip possible! We have some special awards to recognise our AIMS reps, but this will be announced at an upcoming assembly.
Enduro Mountain Biking (placing TBC): Finn Randle and Landon Smith
Cross Country (81st) : Siena Coupe
Orienteering Team (5th Place): Alex Bruinsma, Brody Jackson-Potter, Liam Kelly, Neo Brunton, Harry Vaughan, and Caleb Treanor
Phase 1 Poetry Slam
Our Phase 1 team put on a fantastic Poetry Slam today! All of our finalists showed off remarkable memory, public speaking, and performance skills. Thank you to our teaching staff for supporting our tamariki in developing their literacy skills this year through our structured literacy approach and poetry lessons.
"Tackling Technology" Parent Evening
A huge thank you to Sheridan Eketone and the team at Parenting Place for delivering an amazing "Tackling Technology" presentation at MBS last night! Sheridan provided our parent community with warm, practical, and relatable advice on navigating screen time, connection, and online safety with our tamariki.
Special thanks to Steph White and the Kia Ora Ake team for organising and sponsoring this valuable event for our school community.
For parents who missed it but would like to review the content please click here.
Looking Ahead: Week 9 & 10
Whole School Art Exhibition 2026
Our tamariki have poured incredible effort, passion, and creativity into their visual arts projects this term. Come along and admire their work!
Dates: Tuesday, 15th September – Wednesday, 16th September in the hall.
Parent-Teacher Conferences (PTCs)
Date: Tuesday, 15th September
Early finish: School will finish early at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, 15th September. Please make arrangements for early pick-ups, or complete the online form for supervision for care up till 3pm
Please book your conference times as soon as possible via this link with code 64jmr.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)
Next week is Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, a special nga mihi nui (thanks) to Mrs O’brien and our cultural team for organising some awesome activities to learn te reo Māori at MBS. The theme for 2026 is:Ake, Ake, Ake – A Forever Language. The kaupapa is all about making te reo Māori visible, heard and used in our everyday spaces, including right here at MBS. Get involved, haere mai - come along and enjoy some fry bread - purchase online via Kindo!
Book Week Week 10
Keep an eye out for Book Week details in week 10 and our annual book parade on Wednesday morning on the courts if the weather is good (hall if it is raining), thanks to Mrs Ryan and Mrs Smit for all their mahi behind the scenes! Please also get behind our Scholastic Book Fair run by Ms Locke in the hall.
Quick Reminders
Spare Uniforms: Please ensure your child has a named change of spare clothes/uniform packed in their bag, especially if your child is one that loves playing in the mud or coming home with muddy clothes. We do not have much left on hand, and may need to contact you to drop off more uniforms. At the same time, if you do wish to donate any uniforms this year, please do so via the office. Tina from our PTA and our office team, would greatly appreciate any donation.
Ngā mihi nui - Thank you again for being such an supportive, inclusive, and vibrant school community, as always I am here to korero and listen to your patai (concerns or questions)
Aroahanui,
Lou Reddy
Tumuaki
PTA Update
We want to acknowledge and give special thanks to Michael Kennedy, who has served as our PTA Chair since last year and is now stepping down, and to his wife, Sheree Kennedy, for her invaluable support of the wider PTA team. We deeply appreciate both of their contributions to our school community.
Felicity Strong has stepped into the Interim Chair role and shared the following message:
School Field Upgrade
Following our successful community fundraising efforts across 2024 and 2025, the first stage of our school field upgrade is officially underway!
Holiday Works: Initial drainage works are scheduled to be completed over the upcoming school holidays. This includes installing a brand-new drain to help alleviate flooding issues at the bottom end of the field.
Added Benefit: This project will also resolve long-standing water runoff issues affecting classrooms and the sports shed grass areas, which were causing slips.
A massive thank you to our wonderful school community for supporting our fundraising events to make this project a reality—we couldn't have done it without you!
Looking Ahead
Movie Night: Cancelled due to illness.
Sausage Sizzle: We have a fundraiser on 18 September 2026. Please order via Kindo (final orders by 16 September).
Next Term: We will share updates on the remaining field works—including topsoil, seed, and fertiliser applications—as well as our progress on planning for the senior playground.
Please reach out to the PTA if you would like to join us in upcoming fundraising events—especially our annual Twilight Fun Night (TFN), which will be led by Jenna Pairama and the awesome TFN committee. You can contact us via email at mbspta@maraetaibeach.school.nz.
Thanks,
Felicity Strong
Interim Chair – Maraetai Beach School PTA
School Notices
Looking to attend Maraetai Beach School in Term 4 or in 2027?
Enrol now! Out of zone enrollments for term 4 2026 close 1st October.
Donation and Activity Costs
As a school, we endeavour to provide an exceptional programme whilst keeping the costs as low as possible. If you have any questions with regards to paying these school costs, please contact accounts@maraetaibeach.school.nz; or in regard to the event itself please contact your classroom teacher.
Donation and Activity Costs have been uploaded onto your Kindo accounts. If you are as yet to set up an account on Kindo, please go to the Parents tab on our website and select the School Shop. Please ensure that you register with the same email address that we have on record for you at school.
Thank you to those parents who have paid their school costs for the year already. If you did not receive a tax receipt for your donation and you would like one, please contact accounts@maraetaibeach.school.nz
Community and Fundraising
Sponsorship - Partner with Maraetai Beach School
We are offering the sponsorship package options to be made available for 1 year from the date of signing and payment for our new sponsors this year.
Sponsorship funds will go directly to supporting the key strategic goals of the school, such as developing existing programmes and implementing a range of new initiatives to empower our student learning and development.
Through our school values - Manawaroa (Resilience), Whakaute (Respect), Rawe (Excellence) and Ngākau Tapatahi (Integrity), our students are given the opportunity to reach their full potential academically, culturally and within the sports arena.
Gold Sponsorship | $600–$1,000 PA
Perfect for consistent, multi-channel local reach.
Digital Presence: Dedicated features on our school website and Facebook page.
Print & Media: Fortnightly newsletter advertising and a prominent spot in the school yearbook.
Events & Perks: Free entry and advertising slots at all major school events.
Community Pride: A Certificate of Appreciation to proudly display at your workplace.
Platinum Sponsorship | $1,000+ PA
The ultimate spot for unmatched, daily local visibility.
Includes all Gold benefits listed above.
Prime Physical Signage: High-traffic, year-round advertising signage placed right on our front fence by the bus bay-putting your brand front and center for commuting locals every single day.
Ready to Join Us as a Sponsor?
We invite you to check out our proposal to learn more. If you would love to become a valued sponsor or want to discuss which option fits your business best, please reach out to us at:
Learning Spotlight
Phase 2
Creativity has been in full swing across Phase 2!
Our students have been hard at work bringing their artistic visions to life for our upcoming art exhibition. Exploring a wide variety of mediums-from paint and pastels to mixed media and sculpture-they’ve experimented with new techniques, expressed unique ideas, and pushed their imaginative boundaries. We can't wait to share their amazing creations with you at the exhibition!
Garden Adventures with Mrs Betts, Mrs Katie & Mrs Hayley!
Our young gardeners have been hard at work making our school garden thrive! Over the past couple of weeks, the children have been rolling up their sleeves, digging into the soil, and tending to our growing beds.
From learning how to care for seasonal vegetables to harvesting fresh produce-like our impressive cauliflowers and greens-the students are getting great hands-on experience with where our food comes from. Check out some of the bright blooms and hardworking faces from our recent sessions in our garden gallery!
We’re always looking for extra hands or garden supplies. If you'd like to get involved or donate seeds, feel free to reach out.
Staff Profiles
Mrs Olivia Smit- Hub 8
My name is Olivia Smit!
I am the team leader for our Intermediate School and the teacher in Hub 8.
I reside with my husband in the beautiful coastal community of Maraetai. I started at Maraetai Beach School in 2023. The intermediate years are my favourite level to teach. I between my husband and myself we have grown-up children.
When I’m not immersed in the classroom, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, riding on my motorbike and getting into home renovation.
Miss Kylie Richardson-Room 3
Kia ora, I’m Kylie Richardson!
I am lucky enough to be one of the teachers at Maraetai Beach School and absolutely love being part of our MBS whānau. My partner, Dan, and I have lived on the beautiful Pōhutukawa Coast for the past nine years. We have three children, Harper, Frankie and Beau, who have all attended Maraetai Beach School, so our family has a very special connection to our school community.
When I’m not at school, you’ll usually find me spending time with my family and friends, heading to the beach, doing pilates or out walking our two dogs, Summer and Lulu.
I feel very fortunate to live, work and raise our family in the Maraetai Beach School community.
Community Notices
Speech & Drama Lessons
Imaginaire Speech & Drama at Maraetai Beach School – Term 3
Give your child the opportunity to build confidence, creativity, and communication skills through our fun, engaging and dynamic Speech & Drama programme at Maraetai Beach School.
At Imaginaire, we love inspiring the next generation of young performers while also supporting students to overcome shyness and express themselves with confidence.
Each lesson includes:
• Public Speaking skills
• Drama and Acting skills
• Improvisation and Impromptu Speaking
• Communication, Conversation, Listening, and Teamwork skills.
Students from Year 4+ also have the option to work towards nationally recognised Speech & Drama exams through Speech NZ.
Class details:
Small group sessions (max 6 students)
30-minute lessons on Thursdays (during school hours)
No-obligation Trial lesson available
Limited spaces available
Secure your child’s place today:
Please contact Nicole at nicole@imaginaire.co.nz for more information.
Or complete our enrolment form here: https://www.imaginaire.co.nz/speech-and-drama/enrolmentform/
Music Lessons
Musiqhub offers guitar, keyboard and drum lessons onsite during school hours.
We The Young returns these September School Holidays, with a festival created especially for children in Auckland’s city centre. This festival of arts, imagination and adventures has over 25 performances, events and workshops, with over half of them completely FREE.
Expect magic, DIY robots, cardboard creations, immersive light worlds, sensory play, circus feats and unforgettable theatrical journeys.
Whether you're a toddler, tween or somewhere in between, there's something for every age, stage and creative spark. And grown-ups, you're invited too.
Sponsors
Thank you so much to our sponsors! We appreciate the support to enhance the learning of our children.
