Principal Team's Message

Dear Students, Parents, Carers and Families

Welcome back to Term 3! We are excited to be back at school for another full term of learning and fun. I hope everyone had a restful break and that you were able to get out and about to enjoy the holidays. As always, we have a lot of wonderful things happening in and out of the classroom this term, including a whole school production!

NAIDOC Week

This week at Maramba Primary School, our staff and students celebrated NAIDOC Week. 

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year’s theme is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud. The theme honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture – with fire a symbol of connection to Country, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

All classes completed a Wellbeing lesson with a Yarning Circle. Yarning Circles are a collaborative way to communicate and provide a respectful place to be heard and respond. They are used by ATSI communities to come together and each class community used these values to share ideas.

Students also learnt about different aspects of Indigenous culture related to the theme. In Kitchen Garden, Mrs Foley and the student cooked Jonny cakes.  In the tradition of damper and bush bread, “Johnny Cakes” are a staple in any Aboriginal camp.

In PE, Mr Galloway taught students in the Junior school to play Apwerte [meaning stone], a game played on the river flats at Goondiwindi. Senior students played a traditional game called Aurukun, originally played with sticks and a round object. 

The Wellbeing Team along with our Koorie students and friends ran NAIDOC week craft activities during lunchtime clubs.

I thank Mrs Maine for organising all the NAIDOC Week activities this week.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Thank you to all the parents/carers who made times to see their child’s teacher this week. Staff really appreciate meeting parents and greatly value these opportunities to engage with parents to discuss their child's learning and wellbeing goals. If you have not yet had the chance to meet with the classroom teacher, please contact the teacher or the school to organise a suitable time. We encourage you to maintain open communication with your child's teacher regarding any concerns you may have, whether before or after the school day, through a phone call or via Class Dojo and XUNO. 

Kitchen Upgrade

Our kitchen in the old gym building was renovated towards the end of last term and is looking amazing! We are extremely grateful to our Maramba community for all their fundraising efforts that allowed us to partly pay for these much needed renovations. Thank you everyone for continuing to support the school as your generosity makes a significant impact on our school upgrade projects. Maramba Primary School is lucky to have a very active Parents and Friends Committee called 'Friends of Maramba' (FOM). While the main emphasis is on fundraising, FOM also assist the Principal and staff in the running of extra activities that occur throughout the school year. Look out for the Lasagne Day fundraiser they have planned for the 8th of August!

Parent Opinion Survey

The 2024 Parent, Caregiver and Guardian Opinion Survey will be available to complete online from Monday 29 July to Friday 30 August 2024. The survey seeks feedback on school climate, community engagement in learning and teaching practices for student engagement and outcomes. Results will be used to inform and direct our future school planning and improvement. More information about the survey will be emailed next week via XUNO. 

Swimming Begins

Our Years 1-4 swimming program has started at Casey ARC swimming pool. We know our students will have a wonderful time as they continue to improve their swimming abilities. Thank you to all the parents and carers who come along to support and assist at the pool.

Student Spotlight

Congratulations to Shae Logie for becoming a Mathematics Champion! Shae has diligently worked to enhance her understanding in various mathematical areas and has earned multiple trophies on Essential Assessment for her achievements outside of school. Well done, Shae, for inspiring so many of your peers with your positive growth mindset in Mathematics!

Please let Mrs Ehsan know if you have been involved in something fabulous outside of school for our next 'Student Spotlight'. 

Assemblies and Newsletters

Please see the schedule below for our assemblies and newsletters:

Foundation 2025

Our applications to enrol in Foundation 2025 are open now and close on 26th July. Any new families interested in a school tour are also encouraged to book one through contacting the school office. 

Next week, our Snow Queen pantomime takes place on Tuesday, promising delightful entertainment for our students. Tickets to our whole school production also go live on Monday morning which is very exciting!

We hope everyone has a fabulous weekend.

Kind regards,

Moniba Ehsan and Stephanie Sharp

Principal and Assistant Principal