Macedon Primary School Newsletter

19 August 2020

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

Principals Report

Dear parents and carers, 

I hope you are all well and finding a rhythm with the latest lock down measures.  I have been enjoying watching the student work roll in via seesaw and thank you for all of the work you are doing to support your child’s learning.  I have received some positive feedback from parents in regards to the specialist Wednesday and how the change has helped break up the week and help the students engage with the specialist work.  Both classroom and specialist teachers have welcomed the change this time around with the classroom teachers making good use of the extra planning time and specialist receiving a much higher response rate to their activities.  It seems like a win/win.

This week I am seeking some feedback from you.  If you have time, we would really appreciate your feedback on what is working and what is not in regards to the remote learning 2.0.

https://forms.gle/NKz7sCZB2HHzjkXeA

 

As I write this, a number of messages are rolling in on our staff message board about how productive and positive the day full of parent teacher interviews has been.  I expect that our teachers will be feeling a little WebEx fatigue by now, but trust that the time they have spent discussing your child and their progress has been valuable.

We are all learning a great deal from our experiences in 2020.  I know that some students are thriving with the extra support from a loved one, or a quieter work space, while others are getting to express their learning in new and engaging formats that were, up until this point, foreign in a traditional classroom setting.  I acknowledge that we may be missing some of the traditional learning we achieve through face to face teaching, however I am convinced that we are making gains in other areas.  When I consider what our students are learning about adversity, resilience, connecting and collaborating remotely and thinking and responding creatively, I am optimistic about the future possibilities for a cohort of students who have experienced this.  They will have had an authentic taste of the skills and experience that are tailor made for an agile and adaptable 21st century workforce. 

I encourage you to keep up the great work.  You’re all doing an amazing job and I feel proud to be a part of this community.

Please call or email me if you need support with anything. matthew.forrest@education.vic.gov.au 

Stay well,

Matthew Forrest

Principal

Important Dates

We had a number of events due to take place in term 3 which have now been postponed to term 4. We are in consultation with the other parties and when we can confirm dates we will.

School Photos - new date 18th November

SEA (Sex Education Australia) Program - postponed, we are looking at confirming dates in term 4

ICAS - original dates postponed, will confirm new dates shortly

From the Office

Foundation Enrolments and students leaving at the end of the year

If you or someone you know has a child that is due to start at Macedon Primary next year can you please return the enrolment form ASAP. We want to finalise our numbers for 2021. Also, if your child is not returning to Macedon Primary next year (other than grade 6 students) can you please let us know.

Office Still Open

Please note that during this period of remote learning the school office remains open. We can be contacted via phone on 5426 1518, email on macedon.ps@education.vic.gov.au, or if necessary, over the counter (please observe social distancing and wear a mask). 

Stay safe and well,

Julie and Emma

Indonesian News

Thank you to all the students who sent in submissions for Karnaval Sepeda on Monday. Below are some photos. Merdeka!

Remote learning - Grade 1's continuing with capacity, making truffles and toasties

Outside School Hours Care

A reminder to all parents that social distancing rules apply in the OSHC room, can parents please remain outside the JCB building during pick up and drop off and please maintain a 1.5 metre distance between yourself and the OSHC staff members.

Our rates are: $15.00 for Before School Care (7:00am - 8:45am) and $22.00 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.

Scholastic Book Club - Term 3

Due to the current COVID restrictions we have decided to move Scholastic bookclub orders to home delivery only. This means you can still order through Scholastic and receive credits for the school, however, there is a delivery fee of $5.99.

https://mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au/Parent/Login.aspx


Recipe of the week - Scones

Basic Scones

Ingredients:

·        2 cups Self Raising Flour

·        1 tablespoon butter (15gm)

·        1 – 1 ¼ cups of milk

·        1 tablespoon milk for glazing

 

Serve with:  Jam and Whipped cream.  Just butter is fine too.

OR you could add extra ingredients into the dough such as:

·        Cheese and herbs (chives, parsley),

·        dried fruit (1/2 cup sultanas)

·        choc chips

·        Raspberries and white chocolate

 

Method (Step by step):

Step 1: Set oven to 230 C.

Step 2: Collect all ingredients.

Step 3: Sift flour into a large bowl.

Step 4: Rub butter into flour using fingertips until the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs.

Step 5: Add 1 cup of milk all at once and mix with a spatula until a soft dough is formed.  Add a little extra milk if the dough is too dry.

Step 6: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead lightly for 30 seconds.  Handle the dough as little as possible to prevent it becoming tough.

Step 7: Gently pat the dough out to 2.5cm thickness and cut scones out.

Step 8: Place the scones on the oven tray and glaze with milk.

Step 9: Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 10: Remove from oven and wrap in a clean tea towel to cool.

Step 11: Serve with jam and cream.

Community News

Wear it Purple Day - Friday 28th August

Friday 28 August is Wear it Purple Day – an international day of recognition celebrating LGBTIQA+ young people. Minus18 are hosting an online Wear it Purple Extravaganza event to celebrate the day. There are a bunch of resources to download at wearitpurple.org/ including posters, information, social media tiles and zoom backgrounds.

PERK (Parents Empowering Rainbow Kids)

WayOut continues to offer support to parents, carers and families of rainbow young people through PERK – a network to provide support, education, information and opportunities for LGBTIQ+ young people.  Please get in touch with Rhani or Mez on 5421 1666 to find out how to join. We are also available for secondary consults for teachers and caregivers of rainbow young people and provide Inclusive Practice Training. 

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.