Macedon Primary School Newsletter

17 June 2020

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

Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

Term Three

We continue to receive regular updates from the Department of Education and health experts in regards to what is safe in schools.  I anticipate that there will be a range of programs that may be able to return to normal at the beginning of term three.  I will communicate these changes via the newsletter.

School Camps

School camps can reopen from the 22nd of June aligned with the opening of holiday accommodation communal facilities including shared kitchens and bathrooms. 

The Victorian Chief Health Officer has advised that accommodation providers, including privately operated school camps and outdoor education schools and camps operated by individual schools and the Department of Education and Training, can accept school group bookings consistent with typical class/year level sizes and are not bound by public gathering limits. Health and safety precautions will be required. 

This is good news for the camps that we have planned for the last half of 2020.

Reports

The final touches are currently being put on the semester one reports.  The reports you will receive next week will be streamlined compared to our usual reports.  To support teachers to manage their workload during the remote learning period the Department of Education made amendments to the usual process.  Each student report will have a concise personalised comment and will outline the areas of the curriculum covered.  There will also be a brief descriptive assessment of what your child has achieved in English and Mathematics.  The remote learning period made it difficult to assess the students accurately and for this reason progression points, as seen above, will not be included.  We will be conducting parent teacher interviews early in term three to give you all an opportunity to ask questions about the reports and share your insights about remote learning with your child’s teacher. 

Warm regards,

Matthew Forrest

Principal

The latest information regarding COVID19

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/Pages/coronavirus.aspx

School Crossing Safety

Please be aware that parents are not to drop children off on the school crossing, the school crossing is a no standing zone. Please pull over and let your children out safely. Please also be reminded that No Standing zones are for no standing, legally you are not meant to stop and drop children off in No Standing zones. There is a drop off zone in Smith Street, this is for drop offs only, do not park there if you need to walk your child into the school.

Important Dates to Remember


  • 26 June - LAST DAY OF TERM 2 (early finish 2:30pm)
  • 13 July - FIRST DAY OF TERM 3
  • 8 September - STUDENT PHOTO DAY

From the Office

Dressing for the Macedon Winter

Winter is well and truly upon us and we ask that the children dress accordingly. Please make sure your child has a jumper and jacket each day. A spare change of clothes is a good idea, particularly for the children that like to play on the oval at lunchtime.

Parents collecting students early / late arrivals

To minimise adult traffic within the school, if your child needs to leave school early or arrives late, parents need to sign them in and/or out at the office.  If you need to collect your child early, can you please contact the office and we will then arrange for your child to be ready for collection from the office.

Sick Bay visits

If your child is feeling unwell at school and is sent to the sick bay, you will be asked to collect them. Please note, they need to be collected promptly, if you are unable to collect them, then you will need to arrange for a friend or family member to collect and you will also need to advise the office.

Drink bottles - please remember to bring to school

The drink bubblers have been turned off in the school due to COVID-19, therefore all students must bring their own drink bottles from home. Can you please make sure the drink bottles are clearly labelled with your child's name.

Second hand uniform / limited uniform available on QKR!

We have a limited amount of second hand uniform available from the office and some uniform on QKR! including some warm tracksuit pants at a special price of $10.  For a full range of Macedon Primary uniform, please visit the Beleza store in Gisborne or visit their online store. www.beleza.com.au

We are pleased to see all the students back!

Julie and Emma

Student Family Occupation Forms

Each school budget is calculated by a range of formulas. One formula is based on Student Family Occupation (SFO).

Each year we need to update our Parent Occupation Groups to ensure our school receives the budget to which it is entitled.  

It is imperative that we have accurate Parent Occupation information as it may result in our school, and therefore your child, having access to greater resources for their education.   If we have a substantial number of parents in the ‘N’ category for example, this increases our funding significantly while we do not receive any SFO funding for parents in the ‘A’ category.

Please carefully read the information on the form sent home with your eldest child and place your occupational code in the space provided. If you require clarification please contact the office on 5426 1518.  This is also a good time to ensure that the school has your latest contact and emergency contact details in our system. If you have not received a form, please find the link below.

Please return these forms by Friday the 26th of June

This information is strictly confidential and is only used to collect aggregate data. Your information is protected by the Privacy Laws.

Download

Enrolments for 2021

We are now accepting enrolments for Foundation for 2021. If you have a child due to start at Macedon Primary next year, please fill out the enrolment form below and return it to the office along with your child's birth certificate and Medicare immunisation statement.  If you have friends that are interested in enroling at Macedon Primary, please advise them to contact the school. Mr Forrest is conducting 'virtual tours' of school while COVID restrictions are in place. Please call the office on 5426 1518 to book.
Download

Student Achievement Awards - this week

The following awards will be announced at this weeks 'virtual' assembly. https://eduvic.webex.com/webappng/sites/eduvic/meeting/download/5c51e9f011ce4ef0b35766dec5b226d8?siteurl=eduvic&MTID=m443d628f25a9c0d5cdf463bd1d81ba90

Talent Show - Lots of Prizes to be won!

All entries will need to be submitted in digital form. They must be clearly marked with age group, name and category in which you are competing. This can be done via Seesaw, email or USB dropped to school. This competition will remain a digital one.

Please have your entry in by close of business, the last day of term 2 (Friday June 26).

 Drama

Drama can come in many forms, you can create and perform something yourself, or you could choose a piece of work. Some ideas include; a play, a story from a book, a poem, monologue or a duologue (one person acting alone on stage or two together). This will depend on how many people you have in your family. You may have enough for a whole play? Don’t forget the work we have done this semester on how to use your voice to create a character.

Dance

Dance is a fun one. It is such a free way to express yourself. You have the choice to either create something and perform it, or choose something that has already been choreographed. Perhaps you know ballet and would like to showcase what you can do?

Think also about the dances we did in Term 1. You could always film yourself doing one of those. I will also allow circus skills in this area of the competition.

Remember, these are just ideas, you can be as creative as you want!

Music

For all of our musicians out there, this one's for you. Have you been dying to show us a hidden talent? Now is your chance. If you play an instrument you might want to record yourself doing a solo. If you have someone to jam with….. go ahead.

Perhaps you’ve written a song and you finally have a chance to show someone. Or…. Maybe you love singing covers (someone else’s songs), that’s fine too!

Multi Media

There are so many of you that have computer and technology skills that I could only dream of. This particular category is open to all kinds of ideas - as long as you use multi-media. As the name implies, multimedia using multiple forms of media. This could include; text, graphics, audio, video, etc. For example, a presentation involving audio and video clips would be considered a "multimedia presentation."

Maybe you have directed your own short film or film clip? Now is your chance to show it. It could be as simple as a PowerPoint presentation.

Script Writing

Do you prefer to be behind the camera instead of in front? Script writing is a great way to get your creative juices flowing. You could choose to write a traditional play or perhaps a monologue of duologue?

Who knows, if it’s good enough, we might want to use it in class!

If you are in P-2, one to two pages is enough. Older students and beyond, write as much as you want - this could be in the form of a narrative story.

These are just ideas, feel free to be creative and come up with something totally unique!

Remember everyone, whatever category you wish to present, must be G rated and family friendly.

Music Foundations

Dear Parents,

As students begin the transition back to onsite lessons many are keen to start their keyboard lessons again as well.

Unfortunately the Department of Education has ruled that instrumental teachers cannot return to onsite face to face lessons until term 3.

This means that all students who took up online/Zoom lessons during term 2 will continue to receive their lessons online until the end of term 2.

For those  who wish to return to their keyboard lessons at school in Term 3, please either call Music Foundations on 

0404 469 220 or  email  music.foundations@outlook.com. 

We really hope to see you all back at a keyboard very soon.

Dianne Trickey

Music Foundations

Outside School Hours Care

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.

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.