50th Celebration!

The countdown is on to our 50th Birthday Celebration this Sunday, 25th October, and we couldn't be more excited. We warmly invite all our families, past and present, to join us for what promises to be a wonderful day of fun, laughter, memories and community spirit. There will be so many fabulous things to see and do, so be sure to visit the dedicated 50th Celebration tab on the newsletter’s homepage for all the exciting details. Our students have also been busy learning a special song to perform on the day at around 1:00pm, and we can't wait for you to hear it! We would also love a few more helping hands to make the day a success. If you can spare just one hour to volunteer, it would make an enormous difference and be greatly appreciated (please click here to complete the form). And remember, the celebrations will go ahead rain, hail or shine! This is such a special milestone in Marlborough's history, and we would love to see as many of our families there as possible to celebrate 50 wonderful years of our school community.

World Teachers Day

This year, World Teachers’ Day is on Friday 30th October. It is an opportunity to say thank you for the incredible contributions our amazing teachers make to our MPS community. We recognise the passion teachers have, and how teaching has extended well beyond the classroom. Personally, I would like to thank all of the teachers at Marlborough Primary School for their hard work and dedication they provide each and every day to ensure the educational experiences at MPS are exceptional. You can get involved by sending a message of thanks to a teacher at MPS who is making, or has made, an impact on your life.

Thunderstorm Asthma ⚡

As there has been an amount of media coverage regarding thunderstorm asthma, we thought it timely to share some information that may help with any concerns you may have. While thunderstorm asthma is a genuine risk, the conditions required for an event are quite specific. It is not simply a matter of having a high pollen count. The highest risk occurs when high airborne grass pollen combines with strong gusty winds associated with certain thunderstorms, often before the storm actually hits. This combination is rare but can happen.

Risk is greatest for people with:

Asthma
Hay fever, particularly grass pollen hay fever
Both asthma and hay fever
Poorly controlled asthma

For families concerned about thunderstorm asthma, the Victorian Government provides a daily forecast: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-risk-forecast. The forecast draws information from the VicEmergency system but only once per day, whereas risk is updated periodically through the VicEmergency website/app as it changes. Families who are at higher risk may wish to:

Install the VicEmergency app.
Set their local area as a Watch Zone.
Enable thunderstorm asthma notifications.
Review their asthma action plan.
Use preventer medication as prescribed, even when feeling well.
Ensure a reliever inhaler is always readily available.

Be assured that if it is a day of high risk thunderstorm asthma, weather conditions will be monitored, and Dept processes will be put in place. All medications are easily accessible and action plans are followed. If you do have any concerns, please feel free to contact the office.

Music Soiree 🎹🥁🎶

Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of attending our Music Soirée, and what a wonderful evening it was! I was so impressed by the talent and confidence of our students, with Harriet, Nathanael, Alaric, and Flynn showcasing their skills on the drums, and Edward, Katherine, Emily, Helenna, Audrey, and Skye performing beautifully on the piano. What stood out to me most was the composure and courage each student demonstrated while performing in front of their families and peers. It takes a great deal of bravery to perform in front of an audience, and they should all be incredibly proud of themselves! It was lovely to see their hard work and dedication shine through. I would also like to extend a very special thank you to our wonderful music teachers, Laurel and Josh, for the time, care and encouragement they have given our students in preparing them so beautifully for their performances. I am really excited about continuing to grow and develop our music program into next year and providing even more opportunities for our students to discover and showcase their musical talents. A huge congratulations to all the students involved. You were amazing!

Working Bee 🐝

A huge thank you to all our wonderful families who came along to our working bee on Sunday, 11th October! We had an amazing turnout, and it was fantastic to see so many people generously giving their time and energy to help spruce up our school grounds, preparation for this weekend's 50th anniversary celebrations. From mulching and weeding to whipper snipping, high-pressure hosing and putting together our gazebos, everyone rolled up their sleeves and made such a difference. There was also time to enjoy some well-earned Zooper Doopers and fish and chips following their hard work! It was another great example of the community spirit that makes Marlborough Primary School so wonderful. Thank you again to everyone who helped make the day such a success. We are incredibly grateful for your support!

Parent / Carer Opinion Survey

A big thank you to all our families who took the time to complete this year’s Parent Opinion Survey. We were delighted to achieve a 39% response rate, which is a fantastic effort.

Your feedback is incredibly valuable and plays an important role in helping us celebrate what we are doing well and identify areas where we can continue to grow and improve. We genuinely appreciate your thoughts and the opportunity to work together to make Marlborough Primary School the best it can be for our students. I look forward to sharing the survey results with our school community when they arrive.

Master Plan

We are now in the final stages of developing our school's Master Plan, which is a very exciting step towards shaping the future of Marlborough Primary School. It has been wonderful to see the ideas and feedback from our students, staff and families contribute to the vision for our school. I am really looking forward to sharing the completed Master Plan with our community and giving everyone a glimpse of what the future could hold for Marlborough. While there are still steps ahead before these plans can become a reality, it is exciting to see our vision for the school beginning to take shape!

On this day…

21st October 1961

Bob Dylan records his first album in a single day at a cost of $400.

20 October 1973

53 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Sydney Opera House. Celebrations included fireworks, music and enormous crowds.

24th October 2003

The supersonic Concorde jet made its last commercial passenger flight from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport to London's Heathrow Airport, traveling at twice the speed of sound

Kind regards,

Nadja Wood

Principal

Wellbeing

Berry Street Education Model

Maroondah City Council: Children and Families Newsletter - October 2026