Dear Students, Parents, Carers and Families,

I would like to begin by congratulating Paul Wilson, our PE teacher, whose outstanding coaching and support played a key role in his wife Vanessa’s recent success. Vanessa had the incredible honour of representing Australia at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where she competed in the Women’s Marathon Finals and finished an impressive 38th overall, the top Australian female athlete in the event. This is a tremendous achievement, and Paul’s contribution as her coach is something we are extremely proud of. His passion and expertise are already shaping a strong sporting culture at Maramba PS, and we look forward to seeing this impact grow.

Years 3 and 4 Camp

On Thursday, September 18 and Friday, September 19, our Year 3 and 4 students attended the Mount Evelyn Discovery Camp.

During these two days, students took part in a variety of exciting activities, including:

Archery
The Flying Fox
The High Ropes Course
The Giant Swing

We were so impressed by the enthusiasm, teamwork, and positive attitude shown by all students as they challenged themselves and supported one another.

Everyone had a fantastic time and is already looking forward to their next camp adventure!

A big thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers, Raelene and Claire, and to staff members Katherine, Andrew, Jamie, Daniel, Pari, and Robert for making this experience possible.

2026 Curriculum Days

To support our Maramba families with planning ahead, please note the following student-free days. On these dates, our staff will be participating in professional learning:

27 January – Statewide
6 March
5 June – prior to the King’s Birthday weekend
13 July – first day of Term 3
27 November

Families who require childcare on these days can contact TheirCare to arrange supervision via their website: https://theircare.com.au/

Updated Policies on the Website – We Value Your Feedback

We have recently reviewed and updated a number of our school policies to ensure they reflect current practices and continue to support a safe and positive learning environment for all members of our community. These policies are now available on our school website https://www.maramba-ps.vic.edu.au/

We encourage families to take a moment to read through them and share any feedback or suggestions you may have. Your input is an important part of our review process and helps us make sure our policies meet the needs of our school community.

Please submit any feedback by Tuesday, 14th October.

✨ Student Spotlight – Chelsea ✨

We are extremely proud to celebrate Chelsea in this edition’s Student Spotlight. Chelsea has been awarded a scholarship to attend an independent school in Year 7, a recognition of her exceptional talent and dedication.

Chelsea is a remarkable writer who demonstrates a natural gift for creativity and expressive flair in her work. Her ability to bring ideas to life through words is truly inspiring, and we are excited to see all that she will continue to achieve in the future. Chelsea is also a part of Maramba's High Ability Program along with Harper, Rudrani, Nika, Kaylee, Ivy Snow and Ashlee.

Congratulations, Chelsea!

Australian Mathematics Competition Success

Late last term, our Grade 4 students took part in the prestigious Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC), organised by the Australian Maths Trust. This national competition challenges students to apply problem-solving and reasoning skills in creative and complex mathematical situations.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their enthusiasm and effort in taking on this challenge. A special congratulations goes to Lucas C, who achieved a High Distinction, placing him in the top 5% of students in the country—an outstanding achievement! Congratulations also to Katya, who received a Distinction, placing her in the top 20% nationally.

All other participants: Joseph, Ivy, Toby, Jevaan, Frankie, Farleigh, Grace, and Shivansh also performed admirably, achieving results within the top half of students across Australia.

These students are part of our school’s Maths Extension Group, which meets for two hours each week. They are selected for this program based on their aptitude and demonstrated ability in mathematics, as identified by their teachers.

We congratulate all of our participants for representing our school with excellence and enthusiasm in this prestigious national competition!

Grade Placement for 2026

We have begun our planning for 2026. At this point, we have not yet assigned teachers to year levels for next year.

Our goal is to create classes that maintain:

- A balance of academic levels (students performing at, above, and below grade level)

- A harmonious social and behavioural mix (students who will work well together with minimal disruption)

The process of placing students in grades is quite complex and time-consuming. The wellbeing of our school community, including all students and families, is our top priority.

Placement Process

Student Input: Teachers will ask students to nominate friends for 2026. Every effort will be made to ensure each child is placed with at least one of their nominated peers.
Teacher Insights: Classroom teachers will assess students’ learning needs, strengths, and areas requiring support, as well as any social or behavioural considerations. This information is used to guide the development of balanced class groups.
Specialist and Leadership Review: Specialist teachers will review proposed class lists, and the leadership team will finalise placements.
Transition Sessions: In the final weeks of Term 4, students will participate in a number of transition sessions in different groups, with the final session spending time in their new classrooms for 2026. Families will be notified of placements.

Parent Considerations

Initial Conversations: Your child’s classroom teacher is the best starting point if you would like to discuss their individual needs. However, please note that requests for a specific teacher cannot be considered.
Additional Information: Occasionally, there may be important circumstances we are unaware of, such as health, emotional, or learning needs, significant peer or sibling relationships, or changes at home. If you wish to share any information that should be considered during the placement process, please email the school office at maramba.ps@education.vic.gov.au by Friday, 31 October 2025.
- Please note this is not an opportunity to request a specific teacher, and late submissions will not be accepted.
- Requests regarding friendships are not required here, as these have already been collected by teachers.

Once class lists are finalised, changes will only be made in the rare case of an administrative error. Adjusting placements after finalisation is extremely difficult, as it can require multiple changes across classes.

We thank you for your support and understanding as we work to create the best possible learning environments for all students in 2026.

Foundation Transition 2026

This week marked the exciting start of our 2026 Foundation Transition Program – Footsteps into Foundation!

Our soon-to-be Foundation students had a wonderful time meeting some of their future classmates and exploring the classrooms where their learning journey will begin.

During the session, they listened to The Brave Bear by Nick Bland and created their very own bear masks. Starting school can feel a little daunting at first, but we know our new students will show courage and do their very best as they take this important first step!

Upcoming Transition Sessions

Thursday, October 16 – 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm
Thursday, October 23 – 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm
Thursday, October 30 – 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm

Parent Opportunities During Transition

While the children participate in their activities, parents are invited to take part in the following sessions:

Thursday, October 16 – Second Hand Uniform Shop (run by Friends of Maramba)
Thursday, October 23 – School Nurse Information Session with Hayley Beeston
Thursday, October 30 – Reading Session with our Literacy Learning Specialist, Mrs Whyte

Assembly and Newsletter Dates

Newsletter	Friday 10th October
Assembly	Thursday 16th October
Newsletter	Friday 24th October
Assembly	Thursday 30th October

Kind regards,

Moniba Ehsan and Stephanie Sharp

Principal and Assistant Principal

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the Students and Staff who will celebrate their birthdays this week and next week.