Welcome to the first official newsletter for 2022!

We have had a wonderful start to the school year, with students settling well into their new classrooms. We have started the school year with 216 enrolments and I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Kindy students, as well as new students and their families across the school. Marangaroo Primary is a welcoming community and I trust you will enjoy your time here. Our classroom doors are open to students from 8:30am with our formal learning programs starting at 8:45am. Recess is from 10:40am until 11am, with lunch play starting at 12:45pm and eating time at 1:05pm. We finish school each day at 2:55pm.

In the week prior to the students starting, the staff spent time preparing the classrooms, as well as engaging in learning of our own. This year, we have a strong focus on 'Explicit Direct Instruction' (EDI), which is a teaching style based on the most up to date research around how the brain develops. We have engaged the support of some experts in this field and will be providing coaching for our staff throughout the year. We're excited to see the positive impact of this approach throughout the coming year and in the years ahead.

At the end of last year, we identified that our 'Caring C' reward afternoons could be more effective in rewarding students who are consistently making good choices in the classroom and playground. At the beginning of the year we revised our approach to this reward system, and have made some changes. We have raised the bar in terms of our expectations around behaviour, which may result in less students attending our reward afternoons, which happen every three weeks. To be eligible, students need to earn three 'Care Coins' over the three week period, as well as consistently demonstrate expected behaviours in the classroom and playground. Our first reward afternoon will take place next Friday 25 February, with students being able to choose between some fun activities such as water play, learning magic tricks, 3D printing and competing in an 'Amazing Race' afternoon, depending on the age of the student. The students who do not qualify for the reward afternoon will be in class, engaging in a lesson provided by one of the teachers.

Last week, our cultural committee organised for the Chung Wah Lion Dancers to come into the school to celebrate Lunar New Year at Marangaroo. This was a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn about cultural celebrations from around the world, and we look forward to bringing more of these types of experiences to Marangaroo this year. If you have any ideas for celebrating different cultures at Marangaroo, please email Karen Rogers, who is leading the cultural committee (karen.rogers@education.wa.edu.au).

Here are some photos from the performance:

In the past week or so, we have been monitoring the disabled parking bays to ensure they are only being used by those with a valid ACROD permit, including the two bays at the golf course gate. Please remember that these bays are not to be used for picking up or dropping off students, unless you have an ACROD permit. We have also been asked by the golf course to inform our community that entry to the golf course requires evidence of vaccination, including the car park.

The Year 3/4 students in Echidnas are looking forward to performing at our first assembly this year, which will be held on Friday 11 March at 9am. With face-to-face assemblies being cancelled, we are looking forward to hosting this online and will send out the link closer to the day.

Unfortunately we had to cancel the proposed open night, however, teachers will be posting some information about the classrooms on Dojo this week. If you have any questions, please speak with the classroom teachers as your first point of contact.

Adrian Keenan

Principal

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