Macedon Primary School Newsletter

21 April 2021

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

Principals Report

Dear parents,

Welcome Back

I would like to welcome you all back from the Easter break. Our teaching staff had a productive day on Monday, with a whole day dedicated to familiarising ourselves with the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) process for improving student learning in our school.  We worked our way through the PLC frameworks and processes together and made progress toward embedding this approach into our school.  The PLC process will support us to hone our skills as a group to improve our practice to support and maximise student learning.

Inquiry Topic

This term, all students will be working on an inquiry project with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island perspectives.  I am really looking forward to supporting our students to learn more about the history, culture and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The culmination of our project corresponds closely with NAIDOC week, 4 – 11 July. NAIDOC week is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.  Our plan is to share some of our learning with you all in the weeks leading up to the end of the term or early in term three.

Yes2Yoga

As a part of the Macedon Primary School 2021 Annual Implementation Plan we set some goals in relation to student wellbeing such as promoting proactive wellbeing activities - exercise, guided meditation, yoga and promoting gratitude.

In order to target this goal we have engaged with some online resources from the Melbourne based company, Yes2Yoga Kids.  We have recently gained access to an online library of short guided yoga lessons specifically designed for primary aged students.  Each lesson is carefully linked to the Victoria Curriculum and focused on wellbeing while reinforcing other areas of the curriculum.  Teachers will support students to work through these short yoga sessions at key points throughout the day. Often, a short yoga and breathing exercise is helpful to refocus the students, increase mindfulness and promote a sense of connection and calm in classrooms.  Please see the following website for more details.   https://yes2yoga.com.au/

ANZAC Day

The Macedon Football Club approached the school seeking singers to perform the National Anthem before the ANZAC Day Football game at Tony Clarke Oval on Sunday, April 25 (ANZAC Day).  Shaun Evans, from Ranges Music, is supporting us to work on this activity this weekend. We will be singing to the familiar track that is used each week at school assembly -- and are looking for as many keen performers to represent the school and sing with pride.  Shaun and members of the Ranges Music Network will be there to support the students on the day and will speak again about performing the anthem at this week's assembly on Friday.

If you would like to join the performance we will meet at the Tony Clarke Oval at 1:20pm.  Performers will all be provided with a sausage and drink courtesy of the Macedon Football Club.  Come and join in the fun and show your national and school pride on ANZAC day!  If Parents have any questions please contact shaun@rangesmusic.net

Thank you and have a great week.

 Matthew Forrest

Principal

Latest Department of Education advice on COVID19

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/Pages/coronavirus-advice-parents.aspx


Important Dates

22 April - Yr 3 -6 Parent Information evening SEA (Sex Education Australia) 7pm via zoom (see details below) 

23 April - District Cross Country - selected students

 https://macedonps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Dist-X-Country-Note-2021.pdf

28 April - House Athletics - Yr 3-6 https://macedonps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/House-Aths-note-2021.doc

14 June - Queen's Birthday public holiday

25 June - Last day of Term 2 (2:30 dismissal)

12 July - School Curriculum Day (no students)

13 July - First day of Term 3

17 September - Last day of Term 3 (2:30 dismissal)

5 October - First Day of Term 4

2 November - Melbourne Cup public holiday (no students)

17 December - Last day of year (1:30pm dismissal)

Notes sent home

**Please note, notes can also be found on the Macedon Primary website under the 'Parents' tab and then 'Event' section.

Monday - House Cross Country Notice - Due back 21st April

Wednesday - SEA (Sex Education Australia) permission note & information Yr 3 -6

Wednesday - House Athletics - Yr 3-6 to be held 28th April - due 21st April

From the Office

Car Parking

Can we please ask parents to refrain from parking in the carpark area of Smith Street. This is a designated staff carpark. Please also note, the closet parking space to the school of this carpark is a disabled parking space.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)

To the families that have applied for the Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF), these funds have now been received by the School for this school year. When filling out permission forms for camps, sports or excursions, can you please tick CSEF in the payment box and we will allocate theses funds against the cost of the excursion. Funds received from previous years that have not been used have been carried forward to this year. Please don't hesitate to contact the office should you have any queries regarding the amount of CSEF you have to use for your child.

Absence Notifications

If your child is late or absent from school without explanation from parents, an SMS will be sent to Adult A at around 10.15am. Please respond to the SMS promptly. Please note the following: 

If your child is LATE FOR SCHOOL, a parent must accompany the child to the office when you arrive, sign your child in the Early Leavers/Late Arrival book and take a “Late Pass” for your child to hand to their teacher. Rolls are marked promptly at 9am. If the music has finished and your child is not yet in class, they have probably missed the roll.

If your child will be ABSENT FROM SCHOOL, we ask that you either:

  • Log onto Skoolbag and record the absence
  • Phone the school on 5426 1518 and leave a message on the absence voicemail; or
  • Send an email to the school’s email address; macedon.ps@education.vic.gov.au

If you need to take your child EARLY FROM SCHOOL we ask that you:

  • Call or email the office to advise what time you will be collecting your child so we can have them ready at the office.
  • come to the office to sign your child out.

Working With Children Checks

All parents, carers and other visitors to Macedon Primary require a current Working With Children’s Check to volunteer at the school. To apply for a volunteer WWCC you simply log on to

https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/ (its free!)

If you have a current WWCC or VIT and have not advised the office, please bring your card into the office to have it photocopied or simply take a photo of the card and email it to the office at macedon.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Julie  and Emma

Got Ya Awards

Bella D – Mitchell – for being respectful

Indi C – Curtin – for being respectful

Lachlan A – Bourke – for picking up papers

Ruby S – Bourke – for picking up rubbish

SEA Primary School Program

As part of our ‘Well Being and Student Engagement – Respectful Relationships’ program that we regularly hold in class, we are delighted to present the forthcoming ‘SEA (Sex Education Australia)’ program for Years 3 – 6 in April & May 2021. We will hold one session each Friday over three weeks.

There will be a ‘ZOOM’ evening connected to in-classroom programs that you are encouraged to participate in.  The Parent Info Evening via Zoom, with the presenters including Anthony Bortolot and Matthew Forrest will be conducted on Thursday 22nd April, 7-8pm.  Please find the Zoom link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82388136165?pwd=UURraHIyZ3AyTGJDck8rQVhvQlVjdz09

Meeting ID: 823 8813 6165

Passcode: 085727

Presenter: Jenny Ackland 

This session will include:

·         what will and won’t be covered in our classroom programs (and the language we use to talk about certain content and topics)

·         why it’s important to talk to your child or teenager

·         tips on how to talk, what to say and when

·         how to kick-start or continue conversations

·         tips on how to answer difficult or uncomfortable questions

·         what to do when you get caught unprepared by a tricky question

·         where to go for further information and support

·         resources for parents and their children

 Classroom teachers will be present during all sessions.

 A note will be going home today, thank you for your participation and support.

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.

Ranges Music Network - Term 2 Update

The Ranges Music Network is back for Term 2 and looking forward to getting even more young musicians involved in making music.  If you are interested in joining one of our group lesson sessions please reach out to Shaun Evans at shaun@rangesmusic.net.

Did you know that we have a number of bands after school?  Join our Macedon Big Gig band on Wednesdays after school (all instruments & singers) plus the Big Bang Drum band on Thursdays (all ages and abilities).  Find out more at https://rangesmusic.net/mps

Opportunity to perform National Anthem on Anzac Day

The Macedon Football Club has asked the singers of Macedon Primary School to perform the National Anthem before the ANZAC Day Football game at Tony Clarke Oval on Sunday, April 25 (ANZAC Day).  We will be singing to the familiar track that is used each week at school assembly -- and are looking for as many keen performers to represent the school and sing with Pride.  Shaun and members of the Ranges Music Network will be there to support the students on the day and will speak again about performing the anthem at this week's assembly on Friday.

 

If you would like to join the performance we will meet at the Tony Clarke Oval at 1:20pm.  Performers will all be provided with a sausage and drink courtesy of the Macedon Football Club.  Come and join in the fun and show your national and school pride on ANZAC day!  If Parents have any questions please contact shaun@rangesmusic.net.

 

Community News

Anzac Day Commerations

This Anzac Day we’ll come together, in person and in spirit, to commemorate the men and women who have served our nation in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

The Australian War Memorial has created some opportunities for school students to commemorate and learn online on this important day.

Ways to commemorate online

  •  Share a virtual poppy and message on our Virtual Poppy Wall. Visit lestweforget.gov.au and click ‘submit message’, then enter a name, age, and school name, along with a personalised message.
  •  Find local war memorials near your school on the Places of Pride website at placesofpride.awm.gov.au. Read about its history, upload photos, or even add a local memorial to the map if it isn’t already listed.
  • Explore the Australian War Memorial’s Learning from Home activities online at awm.gov.au/learn/learning-from-home. There’s arts and crafts, virtual visits and more.

    •  

    Gisborne Secondary Information evening - 5th May

    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.