Principal's Report

Before you sit down and read the newsletter for the week, grab a tea/coffee/hot chocolate or something else if that’s what helps you get through. It’s a little longer this week! 

BUT, it’s full of important and exciting news – I promise!

Importance of School Contributions

You may or may not be aware, but government schools are not fully funded. This means we often face very tight budgets while striving to provide the best possible education for our students.

School Contributions are a way to help bridge this funding gap, which will allow us to enhance student educational outcomes in 2025.

I encourage as many families as possible to contribute through school contributions as it directly impacts the resources that support the quality of education we can provide our students. If paid in full, the contribution amounts to a less than $1 per day.

Last year, we received 45% of the total school contributions.

The $400 School Bonus provided by the government this year should assist with extracurricular costs, such as camps and uniforms. However, it cannot be used to fund core curriculum and essential resources that are critical to supporting our students. We encourage contributions at any level to help us provide the best learning and wellbeing environments for all students.

Car Park and Road Safety 

I am highly concerned with the number of students and parents walking through the carpark during pick up and drop off times. It is important that students enter and exit the school through the pedestrian entrance gates. 

During pick up time, we have several of our support staff finishing for the day. Could we all please act safely by not using the car park as a walkway.  

Colour Fun Run 

Thank you to all of our volunteers who made the day possible! Thank you to our Parents’ and Friends’ Association for your excellent organisation and for driving interest in the event. Thank you to all of those who donated and those who spent time gathering the donations. And Thank you for supporting your child’s participation in the event and for no doubt laundering their clothes after being covered in colour. It was an incredibly fun afternoon!

What an outstanding result! The money raised from events like this impact the teaching, learning, and wellbeing environments of our students. We will have more to share about the impact of these funds in the coming weeks. 

Music Soiree

Last Tuesday, we held our Music Soiree at the school. It was a wonderful evening showcasing musicians of all ages sharing the pieces they’ve been busy practising. All our students should feel proud of themselves for having the courage to perform in front of an audience of their peers and many parents. I was especially proud to see students giving their Personal Best in their performances. Just as impressive, our students in the audience were giving out Appreciations to their peers – showing two of our Marlborough Agreements!

Grade 5/6 Camp

It’s almost here! Our 5/6 Camp will take place from Wednesday, 6th November to Friday, 8th November. I look forward to attending and sharing this camp experience with our senior students.

Curriculum Day 

Just a reminder that we have a curriculum day this Friday, 1st November. TheirCare has availability for the day, but bookings must be made in advance. You can get to the booking through our new website if you don’t already have the application or link saved. 

Policy Updates            

Please find the following updated policies on our website in the coming days:

• Bullying Prevention 
• Student Engagement and Wellbeing
• Child Safety 

Working Bee

Thank you to everyone who gave up part of their weekend last Sunday to help improve our school. We look forward to ‘beautifying’ the areas that have been cleared and newly mulched with native plants.

We have been working on a variety of projects to enhance the façade and welcoming grounds of our school. We hope these ongoing efforts help our students and families feel proud to be part of Marlborough.

Primary Maths Science Specialist

Another win for our school!

We’re excited to announce that our application for the Primary Maths Science Specialist Initiative has been approved. This is an incredible opportunity for our students and teachers. Through this initiative, we’ll select two teachers to be trained as maths (and science) specialists over the next two years. This specialised training, funded by the Department of Education, includes dedicated time out of the classroom and will significantly enhance teaching, learning, and engagement in mathematics.

In their new roles, these two teachers will be involved in researching the best educational practice in mathematics, coaching, and mentoring teachers across the school, helping to raise the overall engagement and achievement in mathematics. They will also work closely with the leadership team to build a cohesive, school-wide curriculum, ensuring sustainable improvements that benefit all students.

We look forward to sharing more updates in the coming weeks!

English Curriculum Updates 

Over the past two weeks, the Department of Education has been releasing resources for the updated English Curriculum. This is an initiative we have been diligently working on as a school throughout the year. It is exciting to know that your children's teachers are ahead of the curve, having developed and implemented this curriculum long before others received the recent updates. Much of what has been released confirms that our teaching practices are at the forefront of evidence-informed literacy instruction.

Community Website Quotes 

I would love to hear from you if you would like to share any of your thoughts about the school. I am hoping to publish some of these on our new website to strengthen our position in our local community. If you would like to send a quote, could you please email marlborough.ps@education.vic.gov.au and include COMMUNITY QUOTES in the subject. 

If you got to the end, thanks for hanging in there. Enjoy the weekend and the public holiday to come! 

Warmly,

Tim Mulhall

Principal