International Maarif Schools of Australia eNewsletter

Dear Maarif Parents,

We had the honour of gathering for a very special evening yesterday, one that brought our hearts together as we reflected on the teachings and example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAV). We were privileged to welcome our newly appointed Consul General, Ms. Belgin Ergüneş, our esteemed Director, Mr. Necmi Uzun, and several distinguished guests who joined us for this meaningful occasion.

The evening was a moment of reflection on the values that shape us as individuals and as a society. We were reminded of the importance of character building, as inspired by the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAV). His life, characterized by faith, morality, and wisdom, serves as a timeless guide for us all. At Maarif, we are deeply committed to instilling these values, believing that individuals who embody virtues such as compassion, reliability, and integrity contribute positively to their families, communities, and humanity as a whole.

During the program, we also expressed our condolences for the recent tragic loss of our students from Gambia Maarif Schools—Zeina, Zahraa, and Banin, along with their mother, Muna Katbay—who were martyred in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks. Our hearts are with the Maarif family, and we ask the world to work towards ending such suffering and injustice.

As we gathered in solidarity, we prayed for peace and hope, especially for those enduring hardship, oppression, and conflict, such as the people of Gaza. We must remain united, compassionate, and hopeful, believing that, together, we can overcome adversity.

The success of our children at night was worthy of praise. Their narrations of our Prophet's life, hymns, and plays made the audience both cry and laugh, taking them on a journey to reality. We congratulate all our staff: Ayşe Açıkkol, Ergul Uybadin, Fisun Benlisoy, Hatice Kocalar, Özge Akçelik, Muhammed Ordukaya, Reyhan Er, Meyra Bicer, Seyma Akdemir, Muhammed Talha Sen, Tutku Sahin, Ülkü Türkmen and Zeliha Uzun. I would like to thank our Director, Mr. Necmi Uzun, who is the organizer and manager of this this wonderful program. We look forward to the next one.

The evening concluded with a heartfelt moment as we bid farewell to our Director, Mr. Necmi Uzun, who has served our school with dedication over the past five years. We thank him for his commitment and contributions and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. A plaque of appreciation was presented by Mr. Hank Hakan Evecek on behalf of the school staff.

May this special occasion continue to inspire us to lead lives of compassion, empathy, and unity.

Wishing you a wonderful school holiday!

Best regards,

Screen_Shot_2023_02_20_at_11.07.07_am.jpg

Dr Zeynep Yaseen

Principal

Dear Maarif Families,

What a fantastic term this has been! It has been filled with learning, creativity, and community spirit. We have had excursions which were a great opportunity for students to explore the world beyond the classroom, sparking curiosity and real-world learning. The Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb would have to be the highlight, taking students on an educational journey over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as they learnt about the history of Sydney and one of our city's great icons.

Students in Years 5 and 6 participated in a Growth and Development Workshop which is part of the PDHPE program. It was an excellent way to introduce them to key topics around physical, emotional, and social changes that occur during pre-adolescence.

I would like to congratulate students who have completed the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge this year. These students will be receiving their certificates soon. We would like to see a lot more students participate in the challenge next year as the challenge promotes reading for pleasure, improving literacy skills, and exposing students to a wide range of literature.

Parent-Teacher-Student 3-way Interviews have been conducted today which has been a valuable opportunity for reflecting on students’ progress so far this year. These discussions have set the stage for continued growth as we move into the next term.

We concluded the term with our amazing ‘Peygamber’e Özlem 2’ event which brought tears and laughter to our audience. Our students showcased an exceptional performance to commemorate and celebrate Mawlid al-Nabi. Congratulations to our staff and students for making this night one to remember.

Looking forward, Term 4 is always a busy term, and it will be particularly important to keep eyes on our newsletter communications. It will also be a busy part of the year preparing for 2025. I would like to extend my gratitude to all parents and carers for your ongoing support. It is your partnership that helps create a vibrant, nurturing environment for our students to thrive. We wish you a wonderful holiday break and look forward to seeing you all back for the final term of the year.

Warm Regards,

Mrs Reyhan Er

Primary School Coordinator

Peygamber’e Özlem Gecesi 2

What a lovely night it was! We would like to start by thanking our teachers, special guests, parents, students, and families for joining the wonderful evening. Your presence helped make it an unforgettable night for all.

The evening continued with a beautiful performance by our students, who commemorated the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). As they represented the meaningful stories from his life, one quote resonated deeply: “The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.” The actors delivered their roles with passion, and the choir's harmonious voices filled the hall, creating a truly uplifting atmosphere. The event was a blend of emotion and humour, filled with both laughter and reflection. This unforgettable night will surely remain in the hearts of all who attended.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our director, Mr. Necmi Uzun, for his unwavering dedication and the time he has devoted to Maarif. Over the past five years, his hard work has created countless unforgettable events and cherished memories. Thank you for your commitment and the countless hours you’ve poured into the workplace we all call home. We wish you the best in your future endeavours and hope to see you again at Maarif.

Parent Teacher Interviews

On Friday, 27 September 2023, the Term 3 Parent-Teacher Interviews were held at the International Maarif Schools of Australia.

This event provided a valuable opportunity for parents to connect with various subject teachers, gaining insights into their child’s academic progress and receiving personalised feedback directly from them.

We firmly believe in fostering open communication between the school and families to ensure a holistic approach to education. These interviews play a valuable role in strengthening the partnership between home and school, allowing us to work together to support each student’s individual needs and overall well-being.

Parents who were unable to attend the interviews, are encouraged to reach out and arrange a meeting with subject teachers. We look forward to continuing to work closely together.

Exciting Climb on Sydney Harbour Bridge

It was a BRIDGE-TASTIC way to wrap up the term! On Monday, 30 lucky students and selected staff members had the incredible opportunity to climb the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. This unforgettable experience allowed the participants to enjoy breathtaking views of the city and learn about the bridge’s fascinating history.

Climbing the bridge was both exhilarating and educational, as guides shared interesting facts and stories about this landmark. The sense of accomplishment felt by everyone on the experience was truly remarkable.

A big thank you to everyone involved in organising this fantastic event!

We look forward to more adventures in the future!

This week, Maarif staff enjoyed a creative social event by participating in a Turkish Mosaic Lamp Making Workshop. Over 2.5 hours, staff embraced the art of mosaic, designing their own unique lamps while learning about this beautiful Turkish tradition. The workshop offered a relaxing atmosphere, enhanced by Turkish tea, coffee, and delicious treats, creating a perfect blend of creativity and culture. Everyone left with their own handcrafted mosaic lamp, a lasting reminder of the enjoyable and artistic experience.

Well done to the students who have been selected as 'Student of the Week'. These students are selected for academic achievement and for modelling our school values.

	Week 9	Week 10
1A	Razan Ali Hussain	Zachariah Abbas
1B	Elisa Sencan	-
2A	Esma Youssef	Omar Deeb
2B	Elifsu Cifci	Timurhan Mengi
3A	Narin Ince	Medina Jawas
4A	Nilgun Basiri	Sayid Kudusov
4B	Said Berk Akdemir	Irem Badem
5A	Ali Baran Dede	Musa Kassem
5B	Maryam Serhan	Amira Al Salem
6A	Talia Barham	Aisha Maaliki

Also congratulations to these students for receiving an award.

Exploring Sound

1A students have been exploring sounds with pantry items. We spoke about liquids and solids and how sound changes if it’s one of the two. The students investigated which sounds were loud and which were soft and why this was the case. The big advantage of learning sound levels is to modulate one's voice. The loud and soft sound teaches how important voice modulation is and how it helps in making your speech more impactful. When they experiment with sound, children are hearing but also feeling rhythm, learning about movement and connecting with emotion. This is why sound is also important for children with a hearing disability. They can benefit greatly from components of sound other than the auditory.

Mrs Ulku Turkmen

1A Class Teacher

In Geography, 1B has been busy exploring natural, constructed, and managed features of the environment. We’ve had some great discussions around what these features look like in our daily lives, and the students have shown a solid understanding of the differences. Our class then took a deeper look into national parks, talking about their importance and how we can help protect them. The students were enthusiastic about identifying the ways we can care for these natural spaces to ensure they remain safe and healthy for future generations.

We also explored the harmful effects of pollution, particularly how oil spills can affect the environment. As part of this, we conducted a fun science experiment where we mixed water and oil and observed that the oil stayed on top of the water. This led to an insightful conversation about how such pollution could harm wildlife, especially when oil reaches water sources that animals rely on. It was an eye-opening experience for 1B, and the class really enjoyed learning about how important it is to protect our natural world. Well done, 1B!

Miss Bahar Sevgi

1B Class Teacher

Creative Advertising: Promoting George’s Marvellous Medicine!

This term, our Year 2A students have been diving into George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl, and we’ve had a lot of fun with it! As part of their English lessons, the students put on their "promoter hats" and created their very own promotional brochures, trying to convince farmers to buy George’s magical potion.

Their task was to imagine they were selling bottles of George’s potion to help farmers grow their animals into giants — making the farmers rich in no time! The students used exciting promotional phrases like “Hurry, sale ends soon!”, “100% satisfaction guaranteed!”, and even “Buy one, get one free!”

Students illustrated their brochures with lots of bright colours and eye-catching designs. It’s been wonderful to see their creativity and enthusiasm come together through writing, drawing, and advertising skills!

We’re proud of their hard work and imagination!

2A’s Math Journey: Turning Tallies into Bar Graphs!

During our Mathematics lessons this week, 2A students have been learning how to convert tallies into bar graphs. They have had a great time surveying each other to create tallies of their favourite wheeled objects, ranging from bicycles, roller blades to scooters.

After gathering the data, the students transformed their tallies into colourful bar graphs to visually represent their findings on grid paper. It’s been an exciting way for them to organise information, and present data in a fun, hands-on way.

Well done 2A for grasping these important math concepts and working together!

Mrs Zeliha Mehcur

2A Class Teacher

Creative Collages: 2B’s Marvellous Medicine Bottles

Class 2B recently channelled their creativity into an exciting art project inspired by George’s Marvellous Medicine. Students designed their own colourful medicine bottles, imagining the strange and magical concoctions George might have created. Using a variety of coloured paper and magazine clippings, they crafted vibrant collages, filling their bottles with bold designs and imaginative ingredients. This hands-on activity not only sparked their creativity but also brought their favourite story to life in a fun and artistic way. The final results were as wild and wonderful as George’s marvellous medicine!

Ms Suzan Tarpis

2B Class Teacher

Mad about Maps

During the excursion, students in Year 3A participated actively in the mapping activity where they were taught the BOLTS strategy: Borders, Orientation, Legend, Title, and Scale. It was quite engaging and an interesting experience for the students as they utilized the map provided to explore and discover the Wild Play Garden. In fact, it was an enjoyable activity when it came to education and fun because it related to the mapping skills they were developing while touring the garden.

The Year 3A students also engaged in the program Jump Rope for Heart, an excellent means of developing how to keep a healthy heart through exercise. The idea of being active while skipping made the students very excited, and therefore they had an opportunity to teach each other how to skip; this had a lot of teamwork and fun in keeping fit.

Ms Samira Asad

3A Class Teacher

Aurora Australis Artwork

In our recent art class, students had the opportunity to create stunning artworks inspired by the Aurora Australis. Using a black sheet of paper and different types of coloured chalk and crayon, they explored the beauty and wonder of this natural phenomenon. The students carefully selected and layered their papers to mimic the glowing lights of the Southern Hemisphere’s auroras, experimenting with shading and blending to achieve a mesmerising effect. This activity not only allowed them to express their creativity but also deepened their understanding of colour and composition in art. The final pieces were truly breathtaking!

Ms Melike Tugrul

4A Class Teacher

Grid References

During Mathematics' students have been exploring the concepts of mapping, grid references and writing directions using language which includes north, east, south and west. For this particular task, 4B created their own towns on grid paper. These towns included places of their choice, such as mosques, supermarkets, cinemas and many other places. In addition to the creation of the town, students identified and wrote 5 different routes to a variety of destinations in their town.

Mrs Ayse Yildiz

4B Class Teacher

Growth and Development Workshop

In Week 9, Year 5 students participated in a growth and development workshop, where boys and girls had separate sessions to discuss the changes they experience during puberty. The teacher guided the students through the challenges they may face, with a particular focus on the emotional changes that occur during this time. It was an informative and supportive session, helping students better understand this important stage in their development.

STEM Lego Preparation

5A students took on a leadership role by helping other classes set up the new Lego sets for next term's STEM programs. They eagerly unpacked the parts, sorted them into trays, and carefully labelled each piece. After all their hard work, they had a bit of fun with the Lego, enjoying some creative play before wrapping up the task. It was a great way to foster teamwork and responsibility, and they couldn’t wait for more hands-on investigation with the Lego!

Mr Mike Liu

5A Class Teacher

5B Takes the Stage: A Puppet Show Spectacular!

This week, 5B took to the stage for their highly anticipated puppet show, and it was nothing short of magical! We transformed the classroom into a mini-theatre, complete with a puppet show stage with spotlights, setting the perfect mood for the performances. After weeks of rehearsals, where students refined their scripts, practised puppet movements, and synchronised their dialogue, it was finally showtime. Throughout rehearsals, we focused on voice projection, timing, and bringing each puppet’s personality to life through expressive movement. Students also worked on smooth transitions and building tension to captivate their audience.

The performances featured a wonderful variety of plots, from "Midas’ Touch" to "The Angry Spy," "Magic Rings," "The Great Obstacle Course," and heartwarming stories about friendship. By the big day, students had built the confidence needed for seamless, engaging performances. The audience was in stitches, thoroughly entertained and in awe of the creativity and talent on display.

After the show, we gathered as a class to celebrate, share positive feedback, and reflect on what we loved most about the performances. We also discussed ways to enhance future shows, exploring ideas for deeper storytelling and even more complex puppetry. It was an unforgettable experience, and we couldn’t be prouder of 5B’s hard work and achievements!

Mrs Fatima Memedoski & Ms Amel Mehana

5B Class Teachers

The Final Personal Show Down

As the term draws to a close, the Year 6 students have completed their final art project—a self-portrait that reflects not only their artistic skills but also their unique identities and creative growth. This project, which has been a highlight of our Visual Arts lessons, allowed students to explore proportion, symbolism, and artistic expression while considering the elements of form, colour, and line. Over the past few weeks, students have researched famous portraits, including works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Pablo Picasso. They were introduced to the concepts of realism and abstract art, encouraging them to experiment with different styles. The final challenge was to merge these styles into a half-realistic, half-symbolic self-portrait that represented their individuality. I am incredibly proud of the creativity and thoughtfulness Year 6 has demonstrated throughout this project. Their self-portraits will remain a lasting memory of their time at school—a snapshot of who they are as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their educational journey.

Here are some photos of some students Self Portraits

Miss Dilara Ozhan

6A Class Teacher

Türkiye'yi Tanıyorum

We introduced Türkiye to our Year 1 students. We talked extensively about its most famous foods, drinks, and the capital of Türkiye. We supported students who had previously visited Turkey by encouraging and reinforcing the Turkish sentences they formed during the discussion.

Year 2

We introduced the topic of fractions to our Year 2 students. We demonstrated the concepts of halves and quarters using shapes and connected them to division. In Turkish class, we learned how to arrange the correct words when forming sentences.

Ms Özge Ilıca Akçelik

Turkish Language Teacher

Year 2

During our Turkish class, we had a reading activity with our Year 2 students. While improving their reading skills, the students also had the opportunity to learn new vocabulary. Throughout the activity, the students practised reading aloud, enhancing their Turkish pronunciation, and read silently to strengthen their comprehension skills.

Year 3

In our Turkish lesson with the Year 3 students, we played a fun game called "Kelimelerce". The students were given random letters and were asked to form words with them. Each student tried to come up with creative and different words from the letters they were given. This activity was both fun and educational, and the students really enjoyed themselves while learning new words.

Year 4

In our Turkish class, our Year 4 students created their dream rooms. They carefully placed each item in the room and wrote down the names of the objects. Once they finished their work, they had the opportunity to present their dream rooms and the items in them to their classmates.

Ms Tutku Şahin

Turkish Language Teacher

Year 5

Year 5 learned the concept of "Who&Where" Students reinforced what they learned by forming sentences and participating in activities.

Mrs Ayşe Açıkkol

Turkish Language Teacher

Define Avı

Playing a treasure hunt at school offers numerous benefits for students. Students learn to collaborate, communicate, and rely on each other's strengths to solve problems. Solving clues and riddles promotes critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Working towards a tangible goal (finding the treasure) instils a sense of achievement and motivation.

Year 4 and Year 5 students played a treasure hunt game in their Turkish class. They tried to reach the hidden treasure by following clues placed throughout the school. By reading and understanding the Turkish clues, they moved on to the next clue, getting closer to the treasure step by step. It was a fun experience contribute to a positive school culture and create lasting memories for students.

Here are the videos:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-UCeyEaBaK6_q8VtNKd9oszofe3iP8u0/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16jJ54A0xognAZ3IWQ7ykvTq5zsDZsA4j/view?usp=sharing

Mrs Şeyma Akdemir

Turkish Language Teacher

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,  

(May peace and mercy be upon you)  

All praise be to Allah (SWT), the most merciful and may peace and blessings be upon His beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his family, companions and all those who follow him.  

I am honoured to inform you that Year 4 students are completing the memorisation of Sura Takathur, the students will know the Sura Takathur and recite it fluently by the end of this term In-Sha-Allah.

Mr Usama Mohammad

Primary Religion Teacher

Classroom Music Instrument

As we approached the end of the 3rd term, we continued to work hard to play our musical instruments in harmony with each other. During these lessons, students learn to listen to each other, to work in groups, and to follow the musical rules under the direction of me, their Music teacher as a class choir and orchestra.

Mrs Fisun Benlisoy

Music Teacher

The Student Corner is a dedicated space for students of any year level to showcase their unique work and talents!

Tuvana Aslan - 1A

Rayan El Helou - 1B

Aliza Ahmed - 2A

Sena Alca - 2B

Meryem Gecer - 3A

Aiza Ahmed - 4A

Adem mete - 4B

Azlaan Ishaq - 5A

Mina Ufacikligil - 5B

Vera Bulli - 6A

Maarif_Behaviour_Expectations_Matrix_final_2 _pdf 98.00 KB

School Drop off and Pick Up

Students need to be dropped off at school by 8:45am daily and pick up at 3:30pm.

Parent-Teacher Communication

When communicating with teachers, please try to be respectful of their time and understand that they may not always be able to respond immediately. This means, giving them a reasonable amount of time to respond to your emails or messages, and understanding their work hours.

Please avoid sending multiple follow-up messages when not receiving a response immediately, teachers have many responsibilities.

Written Communications

Written communications to the school, including emails and letters, please include the student's full name and class for identification purposes

Phone & Electronics

Primary School students are not permitted to bring to school, their phones and/or any electronics. This includes smartwatches.

Birthday Celebrations

We love to celebrate our students at Maarif and accept that some families may want to share the special occasion of their child’s birthday with his/her class peers. As a school, we embrace this opportunity however would like to enforce a strict policy of not bringing in food or other edible items for these one-off occasions. It is important we cater to all students including those who have severe allergies by monitoring this closely. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday, we would suggest an alternative to food.

Toys and Valuables

Students are not permitted to bring toys and valuables to school. These include Pokemon cards, fidget toys and weapon-like toys. Students are only permitted to bring in appropriate toys on allocated Show and Tell days. Please check with your child's class teacher if unsure.

Student Lunches

We understand that occasionally dropping off a meal may seem convenient, but we appreciate your cooperation in supporting our efforts to promote fairness and healthy eating for all students by not dropping off fast food for your child. It is no longer allowed at our school. When fast food is brought to school, it can lead to other children feeling left out or upset if they do not have similar meals.

Students are required to be in full summer uniform during Term 4.

All uniform requests can be made as follows:

Order Submission Only

Primary school parents are to complete the attached uniform order form
Order forms should be emailed to uniforms@maarif.nsw.edu.au or sent to the school office with students if required
Orders will be processed weekly on Wednesdays and uniform items will be sent home with students by the following day
Contact number for uniform-related enquiries 0402 393 844

Attached below is the Uniform Order Form

2024_Primary_School_Uniform_Order_Form.pdf

2024_Primary_School_Uniform_Order_Form _pdf 186.13 KB

Maarif students are expected to wear their summer school uniform during Term 4. Please be reminded of the importance of naming all items of school uniform with your child’s name and class. This means that lost items found around school can easily be returned.

We consider that uniform is important for several reasons.

It provides pupils with a sense of identity and pride in their school.
It enhances the appearance of pupils and therefore the reputation of the school.
It helps to instil a sense of purpose in pupils when they put on their uniform in the mornings.
It helps overcome the worry about “fitting in” with fashions and keeping up with other children. All children feel equal and there is no stress, competition or worry for families about expensive brands/labels.
It overcomes the problem for both parents and teachers about what is suitable attire for school.

We request that our parents and/or carers be extra cautious during school drop-off and pick-up times.

Years 1 - 3 are dismissed from the Front School Gate.

Years 4 - 6 are dismissed from the Side School Gate.

Road_Safety.pdf

Road_Safety _pdf 274.27 KB

Please ensure NSW Government rules regarding road safety are being followed and adhered to at all times. This means:

- Respecting the road rules and signs, and driving within the speed limit of 40km/h in a school zone.

- Parking safely in designated parking areas or in drop off/pick up zones.

- No double parking, as it is dangerous and illegal.

- Three-point turns and U-turns are not permitted in school zones, as not only is it dangerous for students and other vehicles but it also causes traffic congestion.

- Follow the directions of our school crossing supervisors.

- Give way to our School Bus drivers.

Road_Safety.pdf

Road_Safety _pdf 1.68 MB

Thank you for your cooperation.

According to ACARA National Standards for student attendance, parents are required to complete an Application for Leave Form for holidays within the school term or other leave. Applications should be submitted 14 days prior to the leave. The Principal approves this leave as appropriate.

For all student leave requests (1-50 days) an application form should be submitted to the school at least 14 days prior to the requested leave date. Supporting documentation, such as travel ticket or itinerary, should be included with student holiday leave applications.

Holidays taken by students outside of School vacation periods are included as absences.

Families are encouraged to holiday or travel during school vacations rather than in term time. If travel during the school term is necessary, the following considerations apply:

If the Principal accepts the reason for the absence, the absence will be marked as justified leave.
If the Principal does not believe the absence is in the student’s best interests and does not accept the reason, the absence will be recorded as unjustified leave.

The Leave form can be accessed below:

Student_Short_Term_Leave_Application_Form_less_than_50_days_.pdf

Student_Short_Term_Leave_Application_Form_less_than_50_days pdf 263.96 KB

Did you know you can organise your school fee payments into weekly, fortnight or monthly payments? International Maarif Schools of Australia uses Edstart to provide more flexibility and choice for your school fee payments. There are no additional charges for the service regardless of the schedule or payment method you choose. Getting started is easy, simply visit edstart.com.au/Maarif to set up your payments online or call 1300 139 445. If you would like further information, you can also contact our accounts team at accounts@maarif.nsw.edu.au or 02 8316 0655.

InternationalMaarifSchools_Edstart_A4_Flyer_Plus_2.pdf

InternationalMaarifSchools_Edstart_A4_Flyer_Plus_2 _pdf 642.05 KB

Dear Parents/Carers,

We have seen an increase in parents/carers parking in the drop off/pick up zones at the front of our school. Please be reminded that this area is designated for drop-off and pick-up ONLY which means drivers should remain in their cars. We kindly remind all parents/carers to keep the front of our school clear for school buses to park so they can easily collect students and leave promptly.

Thank you for your cooperation.

2024_Maarif_Calendar.pdf

2024_Maarif_Calendar _pdf 3.35 MB

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