Macedon Primary School Newsletter

Hello everyone,

Activities Week

It was so lovely to see the students out and about around Macedon last week.  The hikes in the local area, numerous activities in Middle Gully and the Cable Street pine plantation allowed us to get our student outside and having fun in the local bush setting.  We’re so lucky to live in this environment and have these amazing experience literally at our front gate.  Thank you to all of the teachers who completed all of the planning and paperwork that goes into these kinds of activities.

Interschool Sports – Mt Macedon PS

As a part of our activities week we invited the grade five and six students from Mt Macedon PS down to our school to join in with orienteering on Wednesday morning.  Mt Macedon then stayed for the afternoon to play some interschool sport against our students.  It was a lovely afternoon and it was so nice for our students to get a chance to play sport for their school.  The relationship between our schools is a strong one and we were lucky to be able to meet up before the end of the year.

2021 Class Lists

The 2021 classes are now finalised and we will be holding a “meet the teacher” session for all students on Wednesday 16 December.  In this session the student will be grouped in their 2021 classes and will spend the morning getting to know their new teacher.  The students will also be sent home with a class list at the end of the day so you will have the information before the end of the year.

Reports

The teachers are putting the final touches on the reports this week ready for distribution next week.  This year we did our best to deliver our teaching and learning program under trying conditions.  As you will know we adjusted our usual program to reflect the recent periods of remote and flexible delivery.  As a direct result of the adjusted program we will be providing a simplified written report for the parents and carers of each student for Semester 2, focusing on what progress has been made and what has been achieved by each child. 

Reports will include:

·         a personal comment on student participation and engagement in the learning program offered;

·         a description of the areas of the Victorian Curriculum we taught in English and Mathematics

·         student achievement information in the form of a progression point

·         progress shown from the last time these curriculum areas were reported on; this is represented by a line between the previous dot and the current dot (prep student will not have a dot from the previous report)

We are not reporting on all the other curriculum areas in this reporting cycle due to insufficient evidence.

Matt Forrest

Principal

Pictured: A photo of the grade 6's drawing with their Foundation buddies.

We ask that children do not attach candy canes to Christmas Cards. The school has a Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy that states that students not bring food to school that are high in sugar. Please keep the sugar treats to the weekends.

Tickets are due back by Wednesday 16th December

Please support our PFA Christmas Raffle.  After what has been a difficult year, the PFA are hoping to go out on a high with their annual fundraiser. Thank you to Daphne Porter for making 3 magnificent Gingerbread Houses, which will be raffled at the final assembly on Friday 18th of December.

Tickets are $2 each, a book of tickets was sent home last week.

Extra tickets are available at the office. All proceeds go to Macedon Primary PFA for the students of Macedon Primary.

***School hats are available for sale at Beleza in Gisborne***

Although it may still be cold, Victoria’s UV levels are on the rise so please check the daily local sun protection times to see when you need to be SunSmart.  The sun protection times are a forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology for the time of day UV levels are forecast to reach 3 or higher in your location. At these levels, sun protection (hat, clothing, sunscreen, shade and, if practical, sunglasses) is recommended for all skin types

When outdoors, whether that be for the two hours of permitted exercise in metropolitan Melbourne or if you’re lucky enough to be allowed outside for longer, to  check the sun protection times and use sun protection accordingly. For more information for families please check out https://www.sunsmart.com.au/communities/parents

We were excited to purchase some new 'mushroom' stools for the library. The money raised from the Scholastic book club enabled us to buy these beautiful stools and some wonderful books for the children to enjoy. Scholastic book club will return to normal in 2021, thank you for all your support this year!

The Ranges Music Network will be bringing some Christmas cheer to the school yard at lunch on Thursday Dec 17 with a Christmas Recording Session!  All students are welcome to join in some holiday favorite songs like Jingle Bells, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town and Frosty The Snowman.  We'll quickly rehearse things and then do a live recording session with a 3 piece band -- and send home some recordings that the whole family can enjoy over the holiday season!  We can't wait to have some fun and have a few laughs with you before the end of term.

Goldfields Library are pleased to announce this year's Summer Reading Challenge. 'Hang Out and Read this Summer'

The challenge opens on Monday 14 December 2020 and runs right through to Friday 22 January 2021.

The Summer Reading Challenge aims to encourage school aged children to read for pleasure over the long Summer break, enjoy stories in many forms. and to continue developing great reading skills learnt at school.

This year's challenging is also open to families with pre-school aged children so that young families can enter the challenge and enjoy stories together.

Challengers will be in the running to win great prizes including book vouchers, book sets and Lego sets. Sign up at any of our libraries (including agencies) or download a Challenger Booklet here www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au/src

For more information contact tammy@ncgrl.vic.gov.au or phone 5449 2700

Wednesday 25th November at 6.30-7.00pm  at Ash Wednesday Park Smith St Macedon sees the start of the annual Macedon Ranges Summer Orienteering Series. This is a popular introduction to navigation sports for the family and for fitter people looking to add interest to their regular walk or training run. The events take up to an hour (all in daylight) and use a map of each local town. One can participate individually or in a group in short, medium or long courses. Power walkers have the added interest of a score course, in which control points are of different values,

Adults $5 Children $3 

Beginners course and coaching available

Dates and locations for the pre Christmas events are:

Wed 4th Dec 82 Stewarts Lane Sunbury

Wed. 11th Dec. Riddells Creek lions park Main St Riddells Creek

Wed. 16th Dec. Barry Doyle Rotunda  Piper St    Kyneton 

www.centralhighlands.weebly.com/

www.victorienteering.asn.au/