Macedon Primary School Newsletter

3 June - Curriculum Day - (student free day)

10 June - Curriculum Day - (student free day)

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

14 June - Yr 5/6 District Netball - Sunbury 

17 June - CERES "Towards Zero Waste" year 3/4 incursion

17 June - Yr 5/6 Emu Sky excursion 

17 June - Winter Solstice family bonfire night

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)

With Winter on our doorstep and the mornings getting frosty, we remind parents to dress their children with plenty of layers. The classrooms are all warm, however at recess and lunchtime the children need to be dressed appropriately.  Our lost property has numerous jackets, jumpers and coats. I Please come in and take a look.

Face masks

Face masks, while recommended, are not required in any school setting. This means students in grades 3 to 6, staff and visitors in primary schools are no longer required to wear face masks. Any student or staff member who wishes to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at-risk. If you are a household contact you must wear a facemask indoors unless you are under 8 and above or have a medical exemption. 

Screening requirements

Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19, and have completed their 7-day isolation period, now do not need to undertake rapid antigen test (RAT) screening for 12 weeks after their release from isolation. This was previously 8 weeks.

Household contacts

Students and staff who are household contacts of a COVID-19 case are no longer required to quarantine. They can return to school as long as they undertake rapid antigen tests (RAT) 5 times within their 7-day period and wear face masks indoors if they are aged 8 and above unless they have a valid exemption.

If any household contact returns a positive RAT result during this period, they must isolate for 7 days and not attend school.

Vaccination requirements for visitors to schools

Parents, carers and other adult visitors (not performing work) are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Rapid Antigen Test screening program extension reminder

The supply of rapid antigen tests will continue for the remainder of this term. The screening recommendations will change from the 23 of May, students will no longer be recommended to undertake twice weekly RATS. However, RATs will continue to be required by students who are household contacts to attend school (5 negative over a 7 day period)  or who have symptoms.  We will be distributing the rapid antigen tests via your child’s bag when the deliveries arrive at school.

Influenza

With borders opening and the arrival of colder weather, cases of influenza (the flu) are increasing throughout Victoria. Our community is at risk of higher rates of students and staff affected by the flu or COVID-19 this season.

What to do if your child gets sick

To help keep your child and our school community safe, please take the following steps if your child has any cold or flu-like symptoms:

* take a COVID-19 test and follow the current Department of Health isolation requirements if a positive result is shown https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases 

* keep your child at home until their symptoms pass

* common flu-like symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, loss of appetite, body aches and feeling extremely weak and tired

* diagnosis of the flu can only be confirmed by a doctor after a nose or throat swab

* encourage your child to wash their hands regularly and ask them to cover their nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing.

Ensuring your children are protected against serious illness helps to protect everyone in our community, including older family members who may be at higher risk, along with younger children who can’t receive vaccinations yet.

You can book COVID-19 vaccinations through the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 or at a participating GP, pharmacy, or community health service.

Flu vaccination

Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over.

Some people are more at risk of complications from the flu and are eligible for free vaccination under the National Immunisation Program including:

* anyone aged 65 years and older

* pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy)

* all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged from 6 months and over

* children aged from 6 months to under 5 years.

COVID-19 vaccines are available free of charge to everyone aged 5 years and over in Australia.

It is important that children and young people have the best possible protection against the flu and COVID-19 by getting vaccinated.

Ensuring your children are protected against serious illness helps to protect everyone in our community, including older family members who may be at higher risk, along with younger children who can’t receive vaccinations yet.

You can book COVID-19 vaccinations through the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 or at a participating GP, pharmacy, or community health service.

Flu vaccinations can be booked through GPs and pharmacies, many of which can also provide COVID-19 vaccinations. If you would like more information about the flu vaccination, visit the https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au 

Dropping students to school early.

If you need to drop your children at school earlier than 8:45am we ask that you place them in our before school care service. The children are not supervised on the school grounds before 8:45am and the mornings are too cold for them to be sitting outside in the open air. Before school care is $16.00 per child and is open from 7:00am.

Foundation 2023 enrolments

Foundation enrolments for 2023 are now open. If you have a child that is starting school next year of have friends or family interested in enrolling their child at Macedon Primary, please contact the office for an enrolment form or click on the following link: https://macedonps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2023-Student_Enrolment_Form_Updated_Feb_2018.pdf 

Spare Clothes for students

We have noticed an increase in the amount of children requiring spare clothing. If you could please put a spare change of clothes in your child's bag (particularly if they are coming home in spare school clothes). We would also appreciate if you could wash the school spare clothes and return them to the office (no need to return underwear, we are unable to reuse this due to heath regulations). 

 Credits

We have some families with credits on file from camps and excursions that were cancelled last year. If you think you have credits, please contact the office. These can be used to pay for events during the year.

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

Voluntary Curriculum Contributions

The process for invoicing parents for voluntary curriculum contributions. If you are unsure if you have paid or if you would like to pay, please contact the office.

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.

Julie and Emma

The following awards will be handed out to children in class Please note,  we will not be holding a formal assembly in the JCB this week, as Friday is a student free day.

1/2TT - Mason K - for a great start at Macedon Primary.

1/2TT - Isobel W - for terrific effort with all her work and learning.

1/2BT - Ted D - for sharing his depth of knowledge about waste with his 1/2 peers. Amazing!

1/2BT - Crystal K - for always doing her best with all set tasks.

1/2BT - Pip B - for always trying her best to complete all set tasks.

3/4GS - Levi F - for helping at the sausage sizzle and being a star!

3/4GS - Lauren B - for an outstanding effort in our measurement unit.

3/4GS - Sienna R - for always approaching our learning tasks with enthusiasm. Well done Sienna!

3/4GS - Tally R - for working hard in all areas of our learning. Keep up the great work Tally!

3/4VW - Millie C - for always doing her best work.

3/4VW - Isaac B - for completing a challenge to build a 24 cubic unit tower.

3/4MS - Remy L - for her positive approach to all of her work and for her great efforts.

3/4MS - Holly B - for thinking about ways she can decorate and present her work. Well done

5/6MS - James M - for working hard on his vocabulary word bank during spelling time.

5/6MS - Mia P - for making excellent growth in maths!

5/6AB - Phoebe B - for excellent work during maths and english.

5/6AB - Ava K - for outstanding academic accomplishments.

5/6RC - Grace H - for striving to improve the quality of her writing.

Visual Art

Holly M - 3/4MS - for her exceptional surrealist portrait!

Cooper B - 3/4VW - for his fantastic surrealist watercolour in visual art.

STEM

Jessica F - 5/6MS - for being one of the smartest young person I know and blowing my mind with her animation skills.

SPORTS

Lukas B - 3/4MS - for outstanding sportsmanship at Division Cross Country.

Hello All. Many achievements and milestones were acknowledged at the recent school council meeting on Wednesday 11 May. Of note was the $10,000 grant awarded by the Bendigo Bank for improvements to the Middle Gully Fairy and Sustainability garden and the recent Farmer's Market. Improvements to school infrastructure, such as the Library Learning Hub, complement the ongoing commitment by staff to support diverse learners and increase awareness about mental health literacy following the successful online seminar featuring Dr Billy Garvey and Jennifer Dix along with Olivia Desormeaux.    

In their ongoing role as school leaders, the Grade 6 students have proposed improving the bike shed to better accommodate storage of bikes. Matt and Mr O will work with the Grade 6 students to develop a plan and potentially seek funding.

School councillors noted the recent incidents of vandalism of school property. This will be discussed in further detail at our next meeting with the hope of devising a plan to reduce and counter future vandalism.  School councillors also nominated to participate in one or more the school council subcommittees, which include Finance, Facilities (which will also oversee the pine plantation), Parents and Friends Association, Middle Gully/Landcare, and OHSC.  

We are eagerly looking forward to seeing you all at the Winter Solstice event on Friday June 17. This will be a great opportunity to meet and reconnect with members of the school community.

The next school council meeting is Wednesday the 15th of June at 7:00pm in the JCB, these are open meetings and all parents and carers and welcome to attend.

Julie Monk on behalf of the Macedon Primary School Councilors

The following roster has been put in place for Middle Gully this term;

June 2 – 1/2BT

June 9 – 3/4VW

June 16 – 3/4GS and some grade 5s

June 17 – Winter Solstice

June 23 – Grade 5s and 6s 

If any parents would like to come over to help, you are welcome to attend. The sessions start at 2pm (after lunch). Please make sure you sign in at the office and have provided the office with your working with children check. Younger siblings are welcome, but must be supervised at all times.

We are seeking donations of milk bottles for the children to make lanterns at Middle Gully. Two litre "Farmhouse Gold" bottles are ideal, or the regular 2 litre milk bottles. The three litre bottles are too large. Donations can be made at the office., please make sure bottlers are cleaned, with labels removed. Thanks!

We are please to advise that our Winter Solstice family bonfire night is back for 2022. Macedon Primary families are invited to enjoy a family friendly night, commencing at 5:00pm in the John Curtin Building with a lantern parade, local drumming group and bonfire in Middle Gully Reserve. Snacks and drinks will be available to purchase on the night.

Please notify the office or email oshp@macedonps.vic.edu.au if your child is sick and will not be attending before or after school care.  

We now have spaces available for casual days, however you need to fill out an enrolment form PRIOR to your child starting at the service. f 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.

Young Voices of Macedon, a community choir for children of the Macedon Ranges invites primary school children to join us in Term 2. Under the direction of well-known and highly respected conductor Polly Christie, the choir has groups for younger and older children, which work both separately and together to learn a great variety of fun songs. The current emphasis is on songs about the environment. The choir also aims to provide quality training in voice production, part singing and performance, and features a friendly social environment.

Rehearsals take place on Thursdays at 4.15 pm at the Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland Street, Woodend. For further information visit www.yvmacedon.org.au