Macedon Primary School Newsletter

25 March - Ride to School Day (see info below)

28 March - Yr 5/6 All Abilities Public Speaking Incursion

31 March - Sushi Day - Orders via QKR! last day to order 29/3

1 April - District Cross Country (selected students)

1 April - Foundation Incursion - Wild Action Zoo

1 April - Yr 1 & 2 Ballarat Wildlife Park Excursion

4 April - Yr 3 & 4 Hanging Rock Excursion

8 April - Easter Raffle drawn at assembly 

8 April - Last day of term 1 (2:30pm dismissal)

TERM 2:

26 April - First day of term 2

29 April - House Athletics (Year 3 - 6) Dixon Field

2 May - SEA Australia Parent information evening, Yr 3-6,  7:00pm

6 May - SEA Australia visit Yr 3 -6

9 May - Yr 5/6 District boys and girls football - Gisborne

13 May - SEA Australia visit Yr 3-6

20 May - SEA Australia visit Yr 3 -6

27 May - Yr 5/6 District boys and girls soccer - Gisborne

10 June - Curriculum Day - (student free day)

13 June - Queen's birthday holiday (student free day)

14 June - Yr 5/6 District Netball - Sunbury 

24 June - Last day of term 3

TERM 3:

11 July - First day of term 3

13 September - School photo day 

16 September - Last day of term 3

TERM 4:

3 October - First day of term 4

18 October - 21 October - Year 5 & 6 Camp - Howqua

31st October - Curriculum Day (student free day)

1st November - Melbourne Cup holiday (student free day)

2 November - 4 November - Year 3 & 4 Camp - Weekaway Lancefield

5 December - 6 December - Year 1 & 2 Camp - Lady Northcote 

20 December - Last day of the year (1:00pm dismissal)

Please be reminded that masks are still mandatory for year 3 - 6. 

The latest announcements regarding the relaxation of masks does not apply to Primary schools. We have had a delivery of masks from the education department, if your year 3 - year 6 child doesn't not have an exemption, they will be required to wear a mask.

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/Pages/coronavirus.aspx

The RAT (rapid antigen test) Program will continue until the end of term 1. We ask parents to continue to test their children twice a week, for example, Monday and Thursday.  We are waiting on our next delivery of RATs, as soon as we have them we will distribute to the students.

Reporting your child’s positive test

If your child was at school when they were infectious you need to report the positive case through the Student COVID-19 Test Portal or you can notify the school in writing or by phone.

You must also report your child’s positive test to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

 Financial support available to people affected by COVID-19:

For more information, visit:

Financial and other support for COVID-19 | Coronavirus Victoria

If you need a payment during coronavirus (COVID-19) - Getting help during coronavirus (COVID-19) - Services Australia

 General advice and support

For general advice and support please call the Department of Education and Training COVID-19 hotline on 1800 338 663.

Advice and further resources about what to do if you test positive to COVID-19, or you have been told you are a contact, are at: Your COVID Checklist | Coronavirus Victoria, or call the 24/7 Coronavirus hotline on: 1800 675 398

Medication for students

We have noticed an increase in students with mosquito bites. If your child requires medication for the relief of bites or suffers from seasonal allergies, please supply the office with the relevant medication and a medical authority form https://macedonps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/medication-authority-form-frm-v1.0-may-2008.pdf. Please note, we cannot administer any medication without prior written consent.

Recess and Lunchtimes

Our students have recess from 11:00am - 11:30

Lunch starts at 1:00pm, the children eat their lunch in the classroom for 10 minutes and then go out to play until 2:00pm

If you wish to collect your child for an appointment during these time, please make sure you still come into the office to sign them out.

Arrangements at the end of the school day

We have seen an increase in children not knowing what their arrangements are at the end of the school day. Can you please make sure your child(ren) understand the arrangements you have made for them after school. We understand that plans can change at the last minute. Please do not email teachers during the day if there is something urgent, they are often teaching and do not check their emails during the day. If you need the office staff to relay messages to your children before the end of the school day, can you please call  or email the office PRIOR to 3:15pm.

Our email address is macedon.ps@education.vic.gov.au or phone number is 54261518.

Credit for cancelled camps / excursions in 2021

Macedon PS has a large number of families who previously paid money over the past year for camps/excursions which were cancelled. As such these families have credit on their accounts. Many of you completed a form last year requesting this money be used for fees/camps/excursions in 2022. If you think this might be you, please contact the office for the amount owed to you, and where you would now like this allocated to (or complete the Parent Payments Family Invoice noting what you would like to use your credit for). You may like to use the money for Curriculum Contributions or voluntary payments if you haven’t already done so, or save it to be used for future camps/excursions. Statements showing what families have paid for and any credit amounts will be forwarded to all families towards the end of term.

Family Invoices

Thank you to the families who have returned your family invoice notices. If you could please return these to the office ASAP it would be greatly appreciated.

Working with Children Check

All parent helpers at Macedon Primary must have a valid working with children check. It is free for a volunteer check, please apply online at https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/individuals/applicants/how-to-apply-1If you have a valid working with check and have yet to provide it to the school, please email a copy or come into the office and we will take a copy.

Vaccination requirements for visitors and volunteers performing work

Only volunteers and visitors working on school sites who have provided information that they have had their third dose or are excepted persons are allowed to work onsite after 25 February 2022. For visitors and volunteers working on school sites that became fully vaccinated after 25 October 2021, the deadline is 15 March 2022.

In Victorian government schools, parents, carers and other adult visitors  who enter school buildings must be able to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception.

The following limited exceptions also apply: 

• when attending to administer medical treatment to their own child when the treatment cannot be administered by the school 
• when attending to collect their child who is unwell and cannot leave the school building
• when attending for a momentary period that does not involve any sustained contact with staff or students, for example, to collect a completed art project, collecting a packet of rapid antigen test or similar.

Proof of vaccination can be checked by a COVID-19 digital certificate (Service Victoria app or smartphone wallet) or printed copy of a digital certificate or immunisation history statement. 

Have a lovely week,

Julie and Emma

The following awards will be presented at our weekly assembly on Friday at 3:00pm.  The assembly takes place outside the John Curtin Building (JCB). Parents are welcome to attend.

3/4GS - Toby C - for excellent work with fractions.

3/4VW - Teage K - for being a kind and thoughtful class member

3/4VW - Paige B - for great contribution during class discussion

5/6RC - Austin B - for his outstanding performance in the cross country

5/6RC - Eva K - for consistently doing her best across all learning areas 

5/6MS - Evie W-B - for conscientious approach towards all learning tasks

5/6MS - Hamish C - for his kind and caring attitude towards others

Visual Art - Gia L - FKB - for exceptional attention to detail in visual art

Visual Art - Ted P - 3/4MS - for his consistently determined approach to drawing in visual art.

Sport Award - Cooper B - for fantastic improvement in his tennis skills.

STEM - Emile H - FKH - for teaching me some crazy dance moves as part of our lesson on "Learning to code by dancing"

The students heading over to Middle Gully have been using the noughts and crosses stones which have been painted by the Landcare classes we have had this term.

Please remember,  parents or carers are welcome to come and help at Middle Gully from 2:00pm on a Thursday afternoon. Please sign in at the office as a visitor and make sure the office have seen your double vaccination certificate and current working with children's check. If you have younger children with you, please make sure they are adequately supervised and please,  no dogs.

March 24 – 5/6MS

March 31 – 5/6RC 

April 7 – 5/6AB

If you have any further questions or would like to become involved, please contact Mr O -  david.oxworth@education.vic.gov.au

Last week on Friday Macedon Primary held our yearly cross country carnival. Everyone did really well and some students made it into the district level competition. There were a lot of highlights including Polly and Erica tying in 1st place for the 12 year old girls’ race. The preps also did super well for their first time with some of the year 6s running along with them. Thanks to Mr O and all the other teachers and parents who came down to help and support everyone before, during and after the run. The track was in perfect condition for the run, with teachers along it cheering everyone on. 

By Sport captains, Erica and Declan

What an exciting week in visual art! We went over to Middle Gully Reserve and practised our observational drawing. We saw a beautiful ring-tailed possum in a nesting box and the concrete tunnel was full of hundreds of beautiful native mosquitos which some students took the opportunity to draw. Some students simply observed and soaked up nature; which is also a very important part of the artists creative journey.

Mrs Tulloch

This week, Grade 2 and 3 students started to learn about I.o.T (after we probably spent too much time trying to guess what that stood for... 'Incredible onion toes?', 'It's Over There?', 'Interesting optical tools?')... close, but it's the Internet of Things.

This is when you can have a bunch of little gadgets (things) that can talk to each other over a network and achieve lots of different goals, such as a soil moisture sensor that can tell if a vegetable crop needs water and then turn on an automated watering system.

In this picture, we see some professional hand models showing the humidity sensor and warning system they have made (perfect during bushfire season next summer)

Mr Garcia (Digital Tech / STEM)

We are so excited to be able to start having fundraisers and special lunch days again. We are offering hot cross bun deliveries for the rest of term 1 and a sushi day on the 31st of March.

Orders are available through QKR! Orders close on Tuesday mornings at 9am for delivery on Thursday afternoons between 3:00-3:30pm. 

We are also holding a PFA Sushi & Hot Cross Bun lunch on Thursday 31st of March.

Orders are available through QKR! Orders close on Tuesday 29th March No late orders will be accepted

If you would like to help volunteer with either of these activities, please fill out the forms that were sent home earlier in the week or email the office. If you have any questions, please contact Rebecca on 0418504809 or see her at the Carrington Street crossing.

Spaces are filling up for OSHC.  Most spaces are taken up by permanent bookings and we are unable to book casuals in (they will have to be placed on a waiting list).  If you have a permanent booking and do not need the service for After School please advise the program as soon as you know, preferably before 11.00am on the day so we are able to give that space to another child.  For Before School, please call before 6.30pm the day before or email the service on oshp@macedonps.vic.edu.au

Late cancellation fees apply if your child’s place is cancelled after 11.00am.  Further, if you do not cancel your child and they do not attend, fees may still apply.

Fees for 2022

Our rates for 2022 are: $16.00 for Before School Care (7:00am - 8:45am) and $23.00 for After School Care (3:30pm - 6:30pm). All you need to do is call the school 5426 1518 or email oshp@macedonps.vic.edu.au to book.  If the unexpected happens and a casual booking is required within 24 hours, please contact the school via phone, we cannot accept walk-ins after school.  Please note that enrolment forms need to be completed at least one business day before the first session of care.

Please pay through the school via Direct Deposit, using the following details (not BPay):

Account name: Macedon Primary School

BSB: 063-840

Account: 1003 4330

Vicki, Helen, Karen & Marie.