Macedon Primary School Newsletter

9 March 2022

School Values: Respect, Responsibility, Creativity, Integrity, Teamwork

Principal's Report

Dear parents and carers,

I have recently met with a representative from the Victorian School Building Authority about the $369 000 minor capital works grant we were awarded in 2020.  It has taken longer than expected to get to this point, however,  a builder has been awarded the project the paperwork being finalised shortly.  I expect to have a site meeting with the builder and architect in the coming weeks and start the process of getting the works underway.  I will keep you all updated about this exciting school improvement project, and we will be sharing the construction progress in the newsletter and social media.

Friendship Lessons for our Students - URSTRONG – Friendology

This week the Year One and Two classes focused on learning the skills of making new friends.  The students were asked what feelings come to mind when you think about making new friends.  If I answer this myself, I can honestly say sometimes it feels quite awkward when meeting new people.  Often the same feelings apply to our children, and we want them to know that awkward is normal feeling.  We can help to feel less awkward by having a plan.  The Year One and Two students were introduced to four “tricks” to help them form a plan for making new friends.

Trick #1: Super introducer

·         Put out your hand, look the person in the eyes and say, “Hi, my name is______! What’s your name?

Trick #2: Ask and pass

·         A good conversation is like a game of catch.  Ask and pass back and forth, trying to find something in common.

Trick #3: Quick question

·         Have a go-to quick question locked in your mind for those awkward moments.  EG What book are your reading? What sports do you like?

Trick #4: Be a magnet

·         We are naturally drawn to people who are…

o   Honest

o   Positive

o   Kind

o   Real

o   Friendly

o   Open

Encourage your children to ask a new friend to play, not to wait for an invitation and help them develop a fun idea to help them break the ice.

For more information, please visit  https://urstrong.com/parents/ to activate your free parent membership.  You will find supporting articles, video and prompts to help you open a dialogue with your children about making and maintaining healthy friendships.

Student Wellbeing - Anxiety

With the start back to school we had a relatively smooth start however there have been signs of some students being a little more anxious than usual.  This is likely an impact of the last two years of uncertainty we have lived through and we are noticing that some of us are still building up our stamina to work through the typical school routines.

Anxiety in children is normal. Childhood anxieties and fears include separation anxiety, fear of the dark and worries about school. The key to supporting your anxious child isn't to try to eliminate anxiety, but to help a child manage it. For some strategies and advice please visit the Raising Children website below.

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/anxiety-in-children

I have also included an activity that you may use to support your child to talk to you about what is making them anxious.  This could be a good conversation starter and help you and our teachers to understand some of the things that worry your child.  By having a better understanding of your child’s worries we aim to better support them to feel safe a secure here at school, this could also support you in the home as well.

https://allplaylearn.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Anxiety-tool-AllPlay-Taking-control-of-my-worries.pdf

Kind regards and Sampai jumpa (until next time)

Matt Forrest

 

Important Dates

14 March - Labour Day holiday (student free day)

18 March - House Cross Country whole school Tony Clarke Reserve (PLEASE SEE DETAILS BELOW)

31 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

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

13 May - SEA Australia visit Yr 3-6

20 May - SEA Australia visit Yr 3 -6

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

24 June - Last day of term 3

TERM 3:

11 July - First day of term 3

13 September - School photo day (TBC)

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

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)

Masks are mandatory for Year 3 - 6 / RAT Program

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. There are still cases presenting in the school and we thank you for your cooperation.

Whole School Cross Country - 18th March

On Friday the 18th of March all students will participate in the House Cross Country. All students will assemble on the basketball court and walk to Tony Clarke Reserve.

Students can wear house colours, please bring a hat, drink bottle, fruit and snack. 

All courses will have bunting and or tape on them to show the way. Students will be shown a map of where they will run.

Foundation Students will run a lap of Tony Clarke, with their some of the grade 6's helping them.

The courses gradually get longer depending on the age group.

Ribbons will be awarded to those that place 1st - 4th in Foundation, Grade 1, Grade 2, 9/10yrs, 11yrs and 12/13yrs. 

Those in grade 3 - 6 who place well will go on to the district cross country at Dixon Field on the 1st of April.

If parents would like to help on the day, by walking with the students to Tony Clarke or marshalling on the day, you will need to provide the office with a working with children's check and valid vaccination certificate.

From the office

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.

Collecting students early for appointments

We understand that there will be times when you need to collect your child from school for appointments or other reasons. We ask that you call or email the school prior to the time so we can have your child ready at the office.  Often the children are not in their classrooms and if we know in advance that you are collecting your child early,  we can have them at the office ready for collection. Our email address is macedon.ps@education.vic.gov.au or phone number is 54261518.

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

Student Achievement Awards

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.

1/2TT - Elissa A - for a huge effort with her reading and writing.

1/2TT - Ethan P - for challenging himself with his learning and maths.

3/4GS - Toby H - for creating a wonderful 3D town!

3/4GS - Levi F - for a fantastic 3D town.

3/4GS - Lorna L - for creating a sensational 3D town!

3/4MS - Aahil B - for improving the speed to which he completes his work.

3/4MS - Alex W - for his excellent answers to questions during class discussions.

3/4MS - Remy L - for showing how well she can concentrate on the task at hand.

3/4VW - Cooper B - for a fantastic effort with all his work.

3/4VW - Mila K - for great work in mathematics.

5/6AB - Lenny M - for always being engaged with his learning.

5/6AB - Atticus H - for excellent writing during English studies.

5/6MS - Quynn K - for her fantastic efforts adding money in mathematics.

5/6RC - Charlie W - For working hard to complete his learning tasks.

STEM Award - Xavier W - 1/2TT - for some cool, creative coding (with Raph) on his very first attempt.

STEM Award - Raph B - 1/2TT - for some cool, creative coding (with Xavier) on his very first attempt.

Middle Gully Roster

The Middle Gully roster has now been finalised for term 1.  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 10 – 1/2TT and 1/2BT

March 17 – 1/2CS

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

 


Clean Up Australia Day

On Friday the 4th of March, Macedon Primary School participated in Clean Up Australia Day. Our whole school cleaned up different areas of the school at different times and we were all so successful. Macedon Primary does Clean Up Australia Day every year. The kids at Macedon Primary School are very happy to do this every year because we like to help clean up the environment of the plastic waste. 

The Foundation students cleaned up the area at the front of the school, including the playground in front of the 5/6 portables, and the adventure track and oval. They did a very good job and worked very hard. 

The Grade 1/2 students cleaned the remainder of the school, including around the JCB, bushes and under the grandstand next to JCB, under the grandstand next to the basketball court, and all around the back of the school, especially behind the sports shed. There was so much rubbish so they worked for a long time. 

The Grade 3/4 students cleaned up along the school fence around the outside, picked up rubbish at Middle Gully Reserve and walked to Ash Wednesday Park to do a quick clean up there as well. They most likely did a lot of the work for Clean Up Australia Day for Macedon Primary School.

The Grade 5/6 students went to the Macedon reservoir. We found a broken bike and a lot of glass. We used plastic gloves so we did not cut or hurt ourselves. 

Macedon Primary School is so happy that we have participated 

on Clean Up Australia Day. 

By Will and Jasper, MPS Environmental Captains

Visual Art

In Visual Art we are learning "Artist Behaviours"

Artist use graphite to capture images in 'observational drawings".

We have been using mirror to capture our own faces in graphite, on cartridge paper. 

3/4GS 3D cities Can you guess where we are?

STEM: Chemical Reactions (also known as expulsions!)

STEM: Chemical Reactions (also known as explosions!)

In Grade 1/2 we talked about chemical reactions, gravity and all things rockets, so naturally, we set off our own rocket, the students we excited, to say the least! This Rocket demonstrated the chemical reaction between NaHCO3 + HC2H3O2 (better known as Baking Soda and Vinegar)

 You can watch it (in slow-mo of course) here:

https://youtu.be/wIU56MdvfF8

Mr. Garcia


Hot Cross Buns / Sushi Day

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.

Tesselaar Bulb Fundraiser

The PFA are running a blub fundraiser with all proceeds going to the school. All families should have received a catalogue with the details. If you need a catalogue, please contact the office. 

ALL ORDERS ARE ONLINE

Orders will be sent directly to your home address.

www.bulbfundraiser.com.au/MACEDONPS 

Products available to order until the 15/04/2022 unless sold out prior

Thank you for your support!

World's Greatest Shave

Hi, 

My name is Evie McGregor.

I’m in grade 5 at Macedon Primary School and on the 18th of March I’m doing the Worlds Greatest Shave.

Last year in 4CS, we were talking about charities & fundraising & we got onto the topic of The Worlds Greatest Shave.

I thought it was such a good thing to do & then found out we have had Leukaemia in our family….So that was it, I decided to do it!!!

It would mean a lot if you could donate to help support this great cause.

https://secure.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?RegistrationID=851928

Wish me luck!!

Evie McGregor

Outside School Hours Care

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.

Community News

Macedon Primary School

Macedon Primary School acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as the traditional owners of the country upon which we learn and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community and pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.