Principal's Report

I will start this report by saying thank you. It was pleasing to see so many of you at our Family Fun Night last week. I know the students had an enjoyable evening with the variety of games put on by our teachers. 

I hope you enjoyed the chance to meet or catch up with different MPS families. I spoke to several of our new families who have felt welcomed into the community. It really is a special place to be involved in.

Finally, a thank you to our Parent's and Friend's Association and all of the generous volunteers for organising and supporting the event on the night. These events really are impossible without your efforts. 

NAPLAN

As NAPLAN approaches, we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to support students throughout this period. We encourage all students, wherever possible, to participate in this testing. Given the diverse opinions surrounding this test, particularly in the national media, I encourage you to maintain a positive outlook on students' participation and to support them without adding any extra perceived pressure. It is essential to remember that these tests provide a snapshot in time and may not always accurately reflect a student's current status. As a school, we use the collective data as one way to measure our progress on strategic goals and to understand where we might best focus our efforts in the coming years.

You can find more details about NAPLAN in the Parent’s Information Guide.

Student Clubs

Student clubs are back! Our 5/6 students (and their teachers) have worked hard to create a variety of clubs that all students across the school can participate in. These clubs run at lunchtime offering different opportunities each day. I encourage you to have a discussion about these clubs with your child/ren to see if they have any interest in the activities. These clubs provide an opportunity for students with similar interests to connect. This term, the clubs include: cheerleading, soccer, arts and crafts, gardening, basketball, and lego. 

Please see the timetable on the School News page in the newsletter. 

Student of the Week

You might notice that our student of the week award has had some minor changes. They will still be awarded at assembly on Friday; however, they have had a facelift! We have also framed these rewards around our school values: Respect, Responsibility and Inclusivity. This means that students who receive the award have demonstrated exemplary behaviour aligning with the values we uphold at Marlborough. We believe this adjustment not only celebrates individual achievements but also reinforces the importance of embodying our shared values within our school community.

Wellbeing Hub

A friendly reminder to explore the invaluable resource at your disposal—the Marlborough Wellbeing Hub. This hub serves as a fantastic tool to bolster the wellbeing of both our students and our broader community. You can access a number of excellent resources, including apps, podcasts, organisational links, videos and more, all aimed at supporting the wellbeing of your child/ren.

Additionally, the Wellbeing Hub provides insightful information about the various wellbeing programs we implement at the school. We encourage you to take advantage of this resource to support the overall health and happiness of your child/ren.

School Council Elections 

A final reminder that the nomination process for the school council will end on Thursday the 7th of March at 4:00pm. 

Interested teachers, parents and members of the school community should consider nominating for school council.  You do not have to have specific expertise in education. The only prerequisites to being an effective school council member are the ability to attend meetings plus the time to serve on at least one council committee (Parents & Friends, Finance, Buildings & Ground, Marketing and Promotion), an interest in Marlborough students’ education, and the enthusiasm to work with other parents and teachers in the best interests of the entire Marlborough Primary School Community.

*Please note, a school councillor’s term is for the duration of two years.

Friendoleaders 

This Friday, we will be introducing our Friendoleaders at our assembly. These leaders are viewed as an important support for all students across the school. They will undertake the URStrong Friend-o-leader training and provide peer mentoring to support students with their friendships during play times. 

Families have been contacted to give notice to those students who have received a position. 

School Contributions

The contributions we receive as a school go a long way in providing our students with the resources to give them the very best opportunity to thrive. These contributions go towards curriculum resources, books, technology, first aid materials, and many different extra supports. We ask that if you can contribute, please do. This truly makes a big impact on the support and resources we can provide our students in our classrooms.

Warm regards,

Tim Mulhall

Principal