I would like to welcome both existing and new families to Marangaroo Primary School for 2025. I am excited for the year ahead and look forward to touching base with all of you throughout the year. The first 3 weeks have been extremely busy. I have enjoyed getting into the classrooms and meeting families and students. I have seen some wonderful samples of students’ work as I have toured the school and there is some great learning occurring in each classroom.

School Board Nomination

At the last school board meeting, Eric Jones who was the Chair of the board stepped down. As a result, I am inviting expressions of interest to fill the vacant School Board positions. The School Board provides a link between the school, families and community and are consulted before policies are implemented that impact the school community. If you are interested in nominating for the school board, please complete the School Board Nomination Form attached with this newsletter. This needs to be submitted to me either in person or via email (Adam.Beilken@education.wa.edu.au) before 2.30pm on Friday, 7 March. If more nominations are received, than positions available, I will call for an election. This will take place at the school board meeting on Tuesday 11 March at 3.15pm. This school board meeting will also identify the new school board chair. I would once again like to thank Eric Jones for his valuable contribution to the school in his time on the board.

P & C

The P & C are holding their Annual General Meeting next Monday, 24 February in the Staff Room at 6.30pm. At this meeting all positions are declared vacant, and nominations are called for positions in 2025. If you are interested in contributing to the Marangaroo P & C, I encourage you to attend the meeting on Monday evening.

PBS Launch and Open Evening

The school is holding a classroom information evening this Friday, 21 February. This will run in your child’s classroom from 3.30 – 4.00pm. Following this is the official launch of the Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) at Marangaroo Primary School. During this event we will be unveiling the name of the PBS mascot and have activities available for the children. These include face painting, bubbles, foam cannon and a sausage sizzle. It is important to note that children can only participate in these events if a parent/guardian is present. The PBS launch event is scheduled to finish at 5.45pm.

School Review

Last year, the school undertook a school review with the Department of Education. The report recommended a one-year follow-up to ensure its suggestions were implemented. I have just received communication from the School Review Team that the follow up review will take place on Wednesday, 11 June. As part of the school’s self-assessment for the review, we may seek community feedback and perceptions and may ask for community representatives for when the School Review Team attends in June. I will keep the community informed about the School Review process in upcoming newsletters.

NAPLAN

All students in Year 3 and 5 will sit the NAPLAN testing from 12 March – 24 March. NAPLAN is an Australian wide test which gives useful data to the school and helps to inform the schools literacy and numeracy planning.

There is scope however for withdrawals based on parent request. If your child is in Year 3 or 5 and you do not want them to sit NAPLAN in 2025, please email Marangaroo.PS@education.wa.edu.au or phone the school on 9462 9999, with your request to withdraw your child.

Reporting to Parents

At the end of last year, the Education Minister, Tony Buti announced that schools could make changes to the way that they reported to parents at the end of each semester. I held a meeting with the staff at the beginning of the year and the following decisions were made around how reporting will look at Marangaroo Primary School this year:

Teachers will continue to write a comment for English and Mathematics. They will also write a general comment. This is against the recommendation from Minister Buti where schools should only write a general comment.
The content of the English and Mathematics comments will change. These comments will be shorter in length and will focus on 2 areas the children are doing well in and identify an area of focus.

Student Update Forms

Next week, a student update form will be sent home with all students. Can you please review all of the information on this form and indicate any changes. These forms need to be returned to the school and be signed by families regardless of whether there are changes or not. It is important that phone numbers and email addresses are up to date as this is the way the school communicates with families for text messaging and for sending reports.

Important Dates

Attached to this newsletter is the term planner for Term 1. Included with this planner are some important dates throughout the remainder of the year. Please be aware that some of the dates listed in Terms 2, 3 & 4 are subject to change. You will receive updated planners at the beginning of each term which have more firmer dates included. Please be aware that the sports carnival dates in Term 3 are subject to change at short notice depending on weather forecasts.

Upcoming events:

21 February -Parent information night and PBS Launch

24 February – P & C AGM 6:30pm

11 March – School Board Meeting 2.15pm

14 March – Emus Assembly

Adam Beilken

Principal

Chaplains Corner