I would like to welcome both existing and new families to Marangaroo Primary School for 2026. It has been a wonderful start to the year, with students returning to school enthusiastic, settled and ready to learn. The positive tone across classrooms and playgrounds has been evident, and I would like to sincerely thank our families for the support you have provided in ensuring such a smooth beginning to the year.

At Marangaroo, we remain committed to providing a safe, inclusive and high-expectation learning environment where every child is known, valued and supported to achieve their personal best. In 2026, we will continue to strengthen our focus on high-quality teaching, positive behaviour support, and strong partnerships with families. When schools and families work together, students thrive — academically, socially and emotionally.

I am looking forward to working in partnership with you throughout the year. Together, we will ensure that 2026 is a year of growth, achievement and opportunity for every student at Marangaroo Primary School.

Open Afternoon

We will be holding our Classroom Information Afternoon on Thursday 26 February. Following reflection on last year’s format, we have made some minor adjustments to better support families who have more than one child attending Marangaroo Primary School.

To allow parents and caregivers to visit multiple classrooms, the afternoon will be structured into two 15-minute classroom sessions. Families will be able to attend one session and then move to a second classroom if required.

The schedule for the afternoon is outlined below:

3.15pm – 3.30pm: Families meet in the undercover area. Members of the Administration team will outline whole-school processes for 2026, including key information regarding attendance, behaviour and communication procedures.
3.35pm – 3.50pm – Session 1: Parents and caregivers attend their first classroom session.
3.55pm – 4.10pm – Session 2: Parents and caregivers attend their second classroom session (if required).

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing important information about the year ahead.

NAPLAN

All students in Year 3 and 5 will sit the NAPLAN testing from 11 March – 23 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 2026, please email Marangaroo.PS@education.wa.edu.au or phone the school on 9462 9999, with your request to withdraw your child.

School Board Nomination

The School Board provides a link between the school, families and community, and are consulted before policies are implemented that impact the school community. At the final School Board meeting in 2025, the tenures of Catherine Smith (Board Chair) and Alison Moss (Community Representative) concluded. Neither Catherine nor Alison are seeking re-election, which means there are currently two vacancies on the School Board. Late last year, a call for nominations was made; however, no nominations were received. I am therefore inviting interested parents and community members to nominate for these positions. 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, 6 March. If more nominations are received than positions available, an election will be held. This will take place at the school board meeting on Tuesday 10 March at 3.15pm. This School Board Chair will also be determined at this meeting. I would like to sincerely thank Catherine and Alison for their valuable contributions and commitment to Marangaroo Primary School during their time on the Board.

P & C

The P & C Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was scheduled to occur on Monday 23 February has been re-scheduled. The new date for this meeting will be on Monday 23 March at 6.30pm in the staffroom. At this AGM all executive positions are declared vacant and nominations will be called for 2026. The executive positions to be filled are: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. If you are interested in contributing to the Marangaroo P & C and would like to nominate for a position on the P & C executive, I encourage you to attend the meeting.

School Closures for Semester Reports

Recently, the Department of Education announced that schools have the option to adjust the school day to provide dedicated time for teachers to meet with families to discuss student progress and reporting. As part of this process, I have consulted with staff. They have indicated a preference for one full day each semester to meet with families to discuss their child’s progress and end-of-semester reports.

The proposed dates for these reporting days are:

Friday 12 June (Term 2, Week 8)
Friday 4 December (Term 4, Week 8)

On these days, teachers would be available to meet with families to discuss student progress and achievement. The normal school timetable would not operate, and students would not attend school on these days. Families would need to make alternative arrangements for their children.

Before any changes are implemented, the proposal must be discussed with the School Board. The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday 10 March. I am seeking feedback from our school community to help inform this discussion. If you would like to provide comment on the proposed changes, please email me at Adam.Beilken@education.wa.edu.au by Friday 6 March. All feedback received will be tabled at the Board meeting. The outcome of the discussion will be communicated to the school community in the M Chat newsletter on 31 March.

If the proposal is endorsed by the School Board, Kids Academy has indicated that they may be able to offer care on the proposed dates. To determine whether this is a viable option, an Expression of Interest (EOI) form link is attached below. If you are interested in accessing care on these days, please complete the EOI form by 6 March.

EOI OSHC on Proposed closure days

School Review

Last year, the school undertook the 1 Year return visit that was a recommendation from the Public School Review that occurred in 2024. I have received communication from the Public School Review team and our 1 Year visit in 2026 will be occurring on 30 April (Week 2 of Term 2). 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 April. I will keep the community informed about the School Review Process in upcoming newsletters.

Staff Carpark – Student Drop Off and Collection

I have recently observed a number of parents and caregivers using the staff carpark during morning drop off and afternoon collection times. For safety reasons, the staff carpark is not to be used for student drop off or pick up. The area is heavily used by staff vehicles and delivery services, and additional traffic creates unnecessary risk for both adults and children.

When dropping off or collecting your child/ren, please use the designated areas:

The horseshoe
The Golf Course carpark
Street parking available on Addington Way

Your cooperation in following these procedures helps ensure the safety of all members of our school community. Thank you for your support.

E Bikes/Scooters on School Site

The safety of students is our priority and under WA laws, only individuals aged 16 and over are permitted to use eRideables or eBikes with the motor engaged. From 2 February 2026 (first day of Term 1), the Department of Education is introducing a ban on the use and storage of eRideables and eBikes on public school grounds by students under the age of 16. This ban supports student safety and aligns with road safety laws.

Please be advised that from the beginning of this Term, if a student under 16 brings an eRideable or eBike on Marangaroo Primary School grounds, the device will be confiscated, and parents will be contacted to collect the device. Thank you for your support in keeping our students and school community safe.

Important Dates

20 February – Year 6 student leaders attending the GRIP leadership conference

25 February – Year 6 students attending Team Building day at Ern Halliday

26 February – Open Afternoon 3.15pm – 4.10pm

6 March – Kookaburra’s Assembly

Adam Beilken

Principal

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