International Maarif Schools of Australia eNewsletter

Dear Students, Parents, and Carers,

As we begin the second term of the academic year, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all back to International Maarif Schools of Australia.

The first term was a time of challenges and adjustments for all of us, as we navigated the complexities of new building. Despite these obstacles, I am proud of our students, teachers, and staff for their resilience, dedication, and hard work. Together, we have demonstrated that we can overcome any obstacle when we work together.

As we move into the second term, we added new classrooms for Primary School to provide a high-quality education that meets the needs of our diverse student population. We will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Our teachers will continue to employ innovative teaching methods and leverage technology to enhance the learning experience.

I am excited to share with you some recent changes and additions to our staff at International Maarif Schools of Australia. We have hired some new staff members who join our ever-growing school community. I am pleased to announce that on the commencement of Term 2, the following team members have joined our school: Ms Dogan as a Turkish Teacher for Years 3-6, Mrs Keselik, our Year 5 Classroom teacher, Ms Faisal as PA to Principal, Mr Guzel, as an Admin, Mrs Benlisoy as a Turkish Teacher for Years 1 & 2, Ms Kocalar as a Numeracy Learning Support, Ms Acikkol as Turkish Teacher Aide for Years 1 & 2, Ms Sakalaki as a Teacher Aide, Ms Din as a Teacher Aide, Ms Ucar as a Turkish Teacher Aide, Ms Barakat as an English Teacher, Mr Almadi as a Science and TAS teacher. We are delighted to welcome these talented teachers to our team and look forward to the contributions they will make to our school community. Their skills, knowledge, and experience will undoubtedly enhance the quality of education we provide to our students.

I would like to remind our students that the second term presents an opportunity to build on the progress made in the first term. It is an opportunity for them to set new objectives, challenge themselves, and aim for greatness in all spheres of their academic and personal lives.

Parents and guardians, your support and involvement are crucial to your child's success. I encourage you to stay engaged with your child's education, to communicate regularly with their teachers, and to help them stay motivated and focused.

Finally, I want to thank everyone in our school community for their ongoing cooperation and support and partnership. I have no doubt that working together, we will make the second term a success.

Dr Zeynep Yaseen

Principal

Screen_Shot_2023_02_20_at_11.07.07_am.jpg

Dear Maarif Family,

Welcome to Term 2! I hope families have had a wonderful school holiday break. It is pleasing to see students have settled right back into learning and are enjoying being at back at school.

Term 1 was indeed a very busy and productive term for Primary School where Kindergarten students learnt new routines, exciting excursions took place, where we had NAPLAN testing for Year 3 and 5 students and celebrated Harmony Day.

This term has commenced with a great start with the Year 4, 5 and 6 camp. There are many more events coming up which you can find in the 'Important Dates' section of the newsletter.

I am pleased to inform you that we are in our second year of PBIS – Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports program with students being explicitly taught the behavioural expectations in all areas of our school. Students have been responding well to the new Maarif ‘Values’ cards we have introduced this year which are school-wide values that are aligned with the school vision. Please be on the look out for more information about our PBIS program that will be shared with you soon.

As part of the NSW Curriculum Reform, this year we have commenced the implementation of the new K-2 English and Mathematics Syllabuses. They are essential to establish foundations for future learning success, particularly the development of oral language, reading and writing skills, and mathematical knowledge and skills. The curriculum reform aims to strengthen and streamline what is taught in schools and is an opportunity to engage and re energise what we teach and how we teach it.

I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and look forward to a rewarding term ahead.

Warmest Regards,

Mrs Reyhan Er

Primary School Coordinator

Our Student Leadership Team have been selected for 2023. Congratulations to these students!

Class Prefects:

KA

Adem Genc | Filiz Tekin

KB

Nikan Basiri | Leyla Agar

KC

Safiyah Kassem | Isa Sanjuan

1A

Hazel Mete | Emirhan German

1B

Sena Alca | Atilla Aydin

2A

Adem Rafiq | Meryem Gecer

3A

Melikhan Mengi | Nilgun Basiri

3B

Teoman Seyrek | Aneesa Samrout

4A

Maryam Serhan | Mikail Inan

4B

Muhammed Kassem | Aleena Khan

5A

Ali Dbouk | Aisha Maaliki

School Captains:

Yusuf Ali Akdemir | Liyana Barham

School Vice Captains:

Isabella Papandrea | Melisa Seyrek

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

	Week 2
KA	Amira Taha
KB	Leyla Agar
KC	Melika Naboulsi
1A	Yusuf Ozdemir
1B	Musa Chehaita
2A	Muhammad Fahme
3A	Ibrahim Karaca
3B	Omar Ghazi
4A	Elif Demir
4B	Isa Ferhan
5A	Halimah Nahle
6A	Zeynep Aksoy
6B	Isabella Goodwin

We are Learning Sight Words!

KA is in the process of learning their first set of sight words. They are familiarising themselves with words like “the, I, my, at, is” etc. to help them read successfully. Some students can put words together to make interesting sentences. Sight words are common words that children recognize instantly without sounding them out. Recognising words by sight helps them become faster, more fluent readers.

Mrs Ulku Turkmen

KA Teacher

The Letter 'F'

We learned all about the letter ‘F’. We learned the sound it makes, how it is written and some words that start with it. We played a flashcard game and found the pictures that start with the letter ‘f’. Everyone had a turn and they had a lot of fun. We also found things in the classroom that start with the letter ‘f’.

Ms Gulden Aksoy

KB Teacher

Big Bad Wolf

In Week 2, KC enjoyed learning about the beginning and middle sounds the letter ‘o’ makes. Students got artistic and painted things that start with and/or have the letter ‘o’ in it. KC was thrilled to make the colour orange by mixing the red and yellow coloured paint together.

In Maths, KC learned about data. Students put on their mathematician hats and surveyed the class on their favourite flavour ice-cream. We discovered that chocolate was the most popular flavour in our class.

For Science and Technology, we are learning about the material world. Students created their own Three Little Pigs house to see which materials used would hold up the strongest against the ‘big bad wolf’ trying to blow their house down. Students discovered that having a strong foundation helped against the blow.

We are looking forward to an exciting and fruitful Term ahead!

Ms Saadet Ugur

KC Teacher

ANZAC Day

Hello everyone, we’re excited to be back for Term 2. We had a great time participating in ANZAC Day activities, where they showed respect and appreciation for our ANZACs. We have also resumed our learning journey with enthusiasm with exciting math games that enhance our number skills and our initial lit program for literacy. We appreciate the ongoing support and positivity from our students and families, and we're looking forward to a fantastic term ahead. Thank you!

Merve Sarikaya

1A Teacher

ANZAC Day

Hi Parents! Welcome back to Term 2. We hope you had a lovely holiday. In class, 1B learnt about why we commemorate and remember ANZAC Day by understanding that it is a national day of remembrance not only for Turkiye but also for the Australians and New Zealanders at home and around the world. The students also learnt that the day, 25 April marks the anniversary of the first big military action that took place on the Gallipoli Peninsula of Turkiye and that it is an important part of world history. The students wore red poppies as a way to remember those fallen by the war. Lest we forget.

Ms Derya Karaman

1B Teacher

Inspiration Exists All Around Us

Last term, students investigated the unique qualities and details of a vase of flowers as a still life arrangement as the initial investigations for their own artmaking in sketching and printmaking. By considering this arrangement, students developed a greater understanding of concepts relating to balance, harmony and contrast in shapes and colours. Students were intrigued by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh who interpreted similar kinds of themes in their artworks.

Ms Maryam Faisal

2A Teacher

Exciting Start to Term 2!

Welcome back to school everyone! We hope you had an invigorating and refreshing Term 1 break and are now ready to jump straight back into your studies and extracurricular activities.

This term is set to be a magnificent one, with so many exciting events and activities lined up for everyone to get involved in.

For the last two weeks, Year 3A are focusing on learning patterns. To fill the classroom with exciting learning, students were engaged in creating their very own fraction pattern with their friends. Armed with little whiteboard and marker, students were eager to showcase their creativity in designing unique patterns using fractions. The room buzzed with activity as everyone went about their work, eagerly helping one another out and exchanging ideas. As they worked on their patterns, the students honed their mathematical skills, learning how to add and subtract fractions on the fly. The finished patterns were a sight to behold, with each one reflecting the personality and creativity of the student who designed it. Overall, it was a fantastic learning experience that had everyone engaged and inspired.

Having five minutes reading time after recess and lunch is a great way to encourage students to develop the habit of reading. This break not only gives students a chance to unwind before heading back into the learning activity but also provides them with an opportunity to dive into a book or other reading material they may be interested in. It also helps improve reading skills, vocabulary, and comprehension among students through regular practice. Moreover, it is an excellent way to promote literacy and instill a love of reading in students. Overall, incorporating 5 minutes of reading time after recess and lunch is a simple yet effective way to foster a lifelong love for reading among students.

Ms Samira Asad

Year 3 Teachers

Narrative Writing

We have welcomed Term 2 with a flying start! Students have settled in very promptly and are loving our new classroom. 3A and 3B now have separate rooms and whilst some friendship groups have been separated by the new locations, new ones have been forged within these fresh surroundings. Year 3B has been very quick to take on new challenges presented by subject material as well. This week we started to explore the intricacies of narrative writing, number patterns and algebra. Students were surprisingly receptive to these concepts and demonstrated considerable skill in their own attempts at narrative creation.

Mr Aziz Hawlader

Year 3 Teacher

Cricket!

This week students were introduced to their focus sports game of the term, Cricket! Students were introduced to the instructors before beginning to play in three different rotational stations. At the first station students were aiming to throw balls at the wicket with their peers observing whether the ball hit the wicket it and running the ball back. Each student had a turn at trying to get the target. Station 2 was about catching and throwing! Students had to try catching the ball in the large opening of the cone, and then make it even more challenging and catch the ball with the smaller opening on the witch’s hat. Finally, station 3 focused on hand eye coordination where students had to dribble the ball with the cricket bat. 4A thoroughly enjoyed this session of Cricket.

Mrs Ayse Yildiz

Year 4 Teacher

Human Knot Game

Students in 4B are starting off Term 2 drama with a bang! Students can greatly benefit from participating in drama activities as part of their learning. Drama helps students develop their confidence, creativity, communication skills, and empathy. Participating in drama activities such as improvisation, role-play and other theatre games can improve teamwork and problem-solving abilities.

In Drama this week, 4B participated in the human knot game! Students stood in a circle holding hands with two different people who were not next to them. They then used their problem solving and communications skills to work together to untangle the knot of hands without letting go! They did KNOT fail!

Ms Suzan Tarpis & Ms Fatima Memedoski

Year 4B Teachers

Welcome Back to Term 2!

This week students have participated in class activities, that have been educational and interactive. These activities have been aimed at getting to know the students as well as supporting our science program focusing on States of Matter. Students learnt the three states of matter solid, liquid and gas as well as the matter that behaves both like a solid and a liquid. For this example, we explored Slime, and how this is an example of a non-Newtonian liquid. We also attempted to have a science experiment where we made slime with cornflour and water. However, this experiment proved to teach us the importance of science and how sometimes we require to re assess our method to find the desirable outcome. I have a lot of interactive activities in store for Year 5 this term to support their learning, where you can follow us along through our fortnightly newsletter updates.

Mrs Sevim Keselik

Year 5 Teacher

Anzac Day Commemoration

Welcome back to Term 2! We are excited to have students back and hope everyone had a restful Eid and Holiday.

This week in our Drama unit students looked at the ANZAC Day story and key aspects of Anzac Day. This was connected to the concept of commemorating the ANZACs that had fought through the battle. Students also paid respect to ANZAC Day (Remembrance Day) which occurred during the school holidays on the 25^th of April.

Students through the drama unit will look at how to create a role-play of the key War that holds significance to the Australian and Turkish communities. This also connects to our History unit this term where students will be looking at Australia as a Nation and how this war played a key role in developing Australia.

Here are some photos of students' artworks of key symbols of ANZAC Day.

Miss Dilara Ozhan

6A Teacher

Lest we forget

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday break.

Anzac Day was commemorated last week as students took part in completing activities. They all did a wonderful job of reminding themselves the significance of remembering and respecting those that fought and made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy today.

Some students have also just gotten back from attending camp this week. More information on this memorable trip will be made on our next issue.

Mrs Asli Tekirdag

6B Teacher

Bayramda Neler Yaptım?

Students in Year 3&4 shared their Eid memories with their friends by writing a paragraph under the title ‘Bayramda Neler Yaptım?’ and by drawing a picture.

Mrs Ayşegül Şeyma Akdemir

Turkish Language Teacher

Turkish Songs

Stage 1 students are having lessons with Mrs Fisun Benlisoy. During the Maths lessons delivered in Turkish, Students engaged in activities that required them to count forwards and backwards to consolidate number patterns. They gained the skill to add in Turkish using Turkish terms.They learnt Turkish songs with actions and learnt the lyrics in the song.

Ms Fisun Benlisoy

Turkish Language Teacher

Station Work

In our Turkish lessons this week, we completed our station work as a class. We completed Maths activities with different resources and rotated around our stations. We really enjoyed the station work activity. We revised our numbers, counted by 5s and worked on addition questions.

Ms Müge Tuğrul

Turkish Language Teacher

Islamic Studies

Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmetullahi wa barakatuh,

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

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others.”

Students were reciting, practising, and memorising chapters (Surah) and Dua’s which was displayed on the smartboard.

We pray that Allah (SWT) allows our students to keep the Qur’an in the centre of their lives and let the Book of Allah be the light of their hearts.

Mr Muhammed Ordukaya

Qur’an and Islamic Studies Teacher

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

Tuvana Aslan - KA

Hamza Kocak - KC

Aneesa Barham - 1A

Muhammad Sobhie - 1B

Esila Bayindir - 2A

Irem Badem - 3A

Zara Ergun - 4A

Halimah Nahle - 5A

National Sovereignty and Children's Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) is a national holiday in Türkiye, and it is celebrated on the 23^rd of April ("23 Nisan"). This day commemorates the first opening of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye at Ankara in 1920.

Our choir and bağlama students were given an opportuntiy to perform two songs at the 23^rd of April celebrations held in Merrylands, Holroyd Park. They displayed a wonderful performance. Congratulations to Miray Durdu who was chosen as a model student in all aspects of school.

Asiya Ulucanli, Aisha Maaliki and Yusuf Ali Akdemir's artworks were selected by our Turkish Committee and entered into the major competition. Congratulations to Asiya Ulucanlı and Yusuf Ali Akdemir for winning the drawing and painting competitions. They were awarded at the festival. Well done everyone!

Flyer_2023_Edstart_Achievement_Awards pdf 295.71 KB

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 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 smart watches.

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.

School Permission Notes

All school permission notes must be returned by the due date that is on the note. In the case where signed notes are not received by the due date, students may not be able to attend.

All permission notes must always be returned to the class teacher and not the school office. Hard copies can be sent in with students or soft copies can be emailed to class teachers directly.

We are no longer accepting cash payments for excursions. Please use the link or QR code provided in the permission notes for payments.

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.

As our school is growing, we request that our parents and/or carers are extra cautious during school drop off and pick up times.

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 also causes traffic congestion.

- Follow the directions of our school crossing supervisors.

- Give way to our School Bus drivers.

Thank you for your cooporation.

Road_Safety.pdf

Road_Safety _pdf 1.68 MB

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

Instagram: @australiamaarif

Facebook: Maarif Australia

Twitter: @AUmaarif

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 in 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

2023_Primary_School_Uniform_Order_Form.pdf

2023_Primary_School_Uniform_Order_Form _pdf 186.13 KB

Maarif students are expected to wear their Summer school uniform during Term 1. 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.

Mother's Day Morning Tea	10 May 2023
National Road Safety Week	15 - 19 May 2023
Food Allergy Week	22 - 26 May 2023
Australia's Biggest Afternoon Tea	25 May 2023
National Sorry Day	26 May 2023
World Environment Day	5 June 2023
Fundraising Event	13 - 16 June 2023
WriteOn 2023	16 June 2023
World Music Day	21 June 2023
Kurban Bayrami Festival	30 June 2023

2023_Academic_Calendar.pdf

2023_Academic_Calendar _pdf 853.94 KB