Mount Macedon Primary Newsletter

Tuesday 25th October 2022

Dear Parents,

I’d like to welcome to the school, two year 10 work experience students, Akira Powell and Molly Pankhurst. Both are past students of the school and are interested in teaching as a career. Molly and Akira will spend each day in a different classroom to learn what school looks like from a teaching perspective. It is lovely to have them here.

Last night I attended a fete meeting. There is a dedicated crew of parents working hard behind the scenes to make sure that our first fete in four years is a success. I really appreciate how hard you are working for our lovely little school.

To all our parents, I can’t thank you all enough for the efforts that you are going to, to support our fete. I understand that as we get closer to the fete, that we are asking a lot of you. Please just do what you can do – every little bit makes a difference!  As always, I am so proud of the positive, supportive community here at Mount Macedon PS. Please read the notices in this newsletter and/or, sign up to work on a stall on the day (notice board at the front of the school) if you can.

On Saturday 5th November, we will be holding a Working Bee from 8am – 10am. We would just like to do a general clean up of the school grounds before the fete and the State Election, as we will have many visitors through. It is also a good time to get “bushfire ready”. If you can offer an hour of your time, that would be wonderful.

Our senior classes have been busy preparing for the fete. All Grade 5/6 students will have active roles on the day. As well as this, our Grade 6 students are preparing for their Exhibition. The Exhibition is the last major role they will undertake as International Baccalaureate students in the Primary Years Program. It is designed to showcase to the community, their capacity as learners. Each Grade 6 group has a teacher as a mentor, and they are undertaking extensive research into a particular topic. Each teacher will take their students into the city to do “on the ground” research.

Last week I shared with you class numbers and asked if anyone could see any other options other than the grade structure I also shared. As of yet, I have had no response, and I am assuming that there is an agreement that this is the class structure that we will need to have next year. Please know, if your child is placed in a grade with a lower class that it is NOT ever a reflection of their capacity as learners, they will undertake the same curriculum as the class that is placed in with a higher grade. Your child will be placed on friendship groupings. I have had some parents and also students talk about being “kept back”. The main reason we undertook the IB program was to ensure that every child in every class could reach their full potential. This program does not operate by age or class structure, it operates on high expectations of every student.

I’m sorry this is late, but this term, we welcomed a new student to the school, Ivy Georgiou. Ivy has settled beautifully into the Grade 3 class. We also welcome her family to our school community.

This term we also farewelled Mitchell Heim who has moved to a school in Sunbury. It was extremely difficult to say goodbye to him, but I know that he is very happy at his new school. The Heim family have been at the school for many years and had built strong relationships with us. We wish them much happiness in the future. As I wasn’t here in the last week of term, I’m also not sure if we acknowledged the Dettmann family, Charlie, Lily and Renee, who have moved to live in Queensland. When you spend so much time with children, it is always sad to see them move on. We wish them a wonderful life up there.

Just a quick reminder, on top of everything else, that October is the month we have been allocated by the Gisborne Foodbank to support them in the wonderful work they do in the community. If you have any spare food staples in the cupboard, we are collecting donations this month. Please just drop them at the front office.

Have a lovely week.

Kind Regards,

Trish

Join us at the Mount Macedon Primary School Spring Fete on Saturday 12 November for a day of family and community fun as we fundraise for a new outdoor learning area to benefit our children and for generations to come.

Please "Like or Follow" our Fete social media pages and share them to your "Friends & Followers" :

• https://www.facebook.com/Mountmacedonschoolfete/

• https://instagram.com/mountmacedonps_springfete/

This week in Grade 2, the students had some fun exploring the force of gravity on domino towers and other situations. This is a part of our current Inquiry unit on forces and the natural world. Below are photos of the students and their structures both in progress and completed! 

As part of our Transition Program for our Foundation Students 2023, our Foundation teacher Mrs Bowen, along with some of our Grade 5, 6 and Foundation students, visited Macedon Kinder recently. These visits were a great opportunity for our future Foundation students to meet current students, ask any questions and familiarise themselves with friendly faces and names for when they start their first year at MMPS. During the visit, the pre schoolers were treated to a book reading by our students and some time for interaction and play. From the photos below it looks like everyone had a lovely time participating in an integral part of our transition program.

Last week in STEM the students were exploring the strength of different shapes in the construction of buildings. They explored how strong circles were compared to triangles and squares and identified the most efficient way of building structurally sound towers. Have a look at some awesome structures below. It looks like it was a lot of fun!

We had some lovely weather for our class last week, so the Foundation students spent some time learning about motion and digital video (as we had learnt about digital photography at the start of the year).

We focused on how computers can capture more frames (or pictures) in a second than the eye can see, which is why we can get some cool-looking slow-motion videos.

Now, how can we best show you what we got up to?... well that's easy... it's time for a MONTAGE!

Click the link to see our video below (and crank that volume up of course)

Mr. Garcia 

Video Link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iPaTsIrszC-M5PU86pVUQagock6J2D1T/view?usp=sharing

This week in Guitar, the students were practising a song in the theme of Halloween called "Spooky Scary Skeletons". The students had fun learning the new tune, and also took some time to practise the songs they will be playing at their guitar concert on the 29th November. For the concert, the students will be performing a collection of songs as a group such as "TNT" and "Happier", and then performing a single song as a solo performance. They are all very excited and looking forward to the concert. Below are some of our students playing "Spooky Scary Skeletons".

Just a reminder to ensure that students have their hats to wear at school during recess and lunchtimes, as well as any other outdoor activities they may be participating in. It is important that we are all being sun smart and ensuring our children are protected from the harmful UV light that is at it's highest peak during the months of August to April, where UV index levels regularly reach 3 or above. Please also remember to name your children's hats as they quite often are lost, misplaced or left in the playground and it is handy to know who the hat belongs to! Spotted on the grounds were some of our students wearing their hats today.

Just a reminder to order your Bug Booge video link in QKR! if you haven't already. It will be sent out as a link to your email address, once the editing process has been completed, so please ensure we have your most recent and up to date details. Please contact the school office if you need to make any updates.

Thank you.

Hello! I’ve decided to take on a challenge as part of Peter Mac's Walk to Fight Cancer! I'll be walking as far as I can this week in honour of my late husband, Lucy and Eleanor's Dad, Adam Damen – and I need your help.

Peter Mac is Australia’s only public hospital,100% dedicated to cancer treatment. It’s also the home to Australia’s largest cancer research group. Your donation to my walk will help Peter Mac’s dedicated researchers find new and more effective treatments for cancer. Peter Mac were so amazing in all they did to help Adam through treatment and palliative care after his diagnosis with Synovial Sarcoma, a very rare cancer with few treatment options.

I’ve set myself a goal to raise as much as I can – you can help me get there by donating online to my challenge here – just click this link: https://w2fc.me/michelle-damen 

Thank you very much for being a star and helping me. I will keep you updated with how I go!

Michelle

'Madagascar' is the haunting story of a mysterious disappearance that changes three lives forever. At 3 different periods in time, 3 people find themselves alone, in the same hotel room overlooking the Spanish Steps in Rome. 

They each tell their individual story of how and why they are here. Their relationship to each other, what this room means to them, and why they have been called to it slowly reveal themselves. Their stories spill out, weave back and forth—each contradicting, clarifying, deepening what the others say—becoming strands of one gripping and disquieting tale. 

Book tickets via www.themountplayers.com or call 5426 1892

Thursday 27th October - District Orienteering

Monday 31st October - Pupil Free Day

Tuesday 1st November - Cup Day 

Friday 4th November - Foundation 2023 Transition Day 1 9am - 10am

Saturday 12th November - MMPS School Fete

Wednesday 16th November - Foundation 2023 Welcome Evening 7pm-8pm

Thursday 17th November - Prep Dinner and Sleepover

Friday 18th November - Foundation 2023 Transition Day 2 9am - 10am

Thursday 1st & Friday 2nd December - Grade 3 & 4 Boomerang Ranch

Thursday 8th December - Professional Practice Day -no students at school

Wednesday 7th December - Foundation 2023 Transition Day 3 9am - 10am

Tuesday 13th December - Foundation 2023 Transition Day 4 9am - 11am

Wednesday 14th December - Hanging Rock Picnic

Term 1 - Monday 31st January to Friday 8th April

Term 2 - Tuesday 26th April to Friday 24th June

Term 3 - Monday 11th July to Friday 16th September

Term 4 - Monday 3rd October to Tuesday 20th December

2023

Term 1 starts Tuesday 31st January.