Tuesday 4th October 2022
Hello Everyone,
Welcome back to term 4. This is traditionally the busiest term in a school year – completing curriculum plans that we have been working on, fete, preparing for next year, doing transition programs, school camps in the warmer weather etc. I hope that you all had a lovely break (if you had one) and that you are looking forward to this term as much as I am. My short break away has left me feeling reinvigorated and full of new ideas for the school.
Have you seen our new eating area? If not, please come in and have a look. Brock Glenister, a parent at the school, and owner of Victorian Rockwork, has installed a new rock area. As part of our fire preparation program, and also because they were sadly in need of replacement, we have removed the old sleepers (a fire hazard) and replaced them with rock walls. I am SO happy with the result and have had some lovely feedback from the children. They especially like the purpose built “armchairs”. Thank you so much to Brock who did this project for much less than what it should have cost. I am very grateful and feel that it is a lovely companion for our new garden area.
The new project this term is to add an outdoor reading room. We have come up with a few plans and have also asked the students for their input. We now need to source a builder who could create this area for us. If you know of anyone who might have the time and skills – could you please let me know? The new outdoor learning areas in the school are adding a lovely new dimension to our spaces.
It is FETE TERM. This is always a busy, but happy few weeks. Please make sure that you keep November 12th free as we will need everyone on board to help for the day. If you haven’t yet put your name down to work on a stall, please contact the school or the numbers that are advertised as part of the fete, to give us an hour or so of your time. This is such an important event on our school calendar!! There is more information about the fete in this newsletter.
I am already working on class and staffing structures for 2023. It is with very mixed emotions that I let you know that Simon Dohler will be leaving the school for two years. He has requested, and I have granted him 2 years leave without pay to go and live and work in the Northern Territory. I am so sad to lose Simon’s teaching (and personal) skills, but it is also important to me to support him on his life journey. I too left Victoria for the NT to teach there for several years. It shaped me as a person and as a teacher and I wish Simon and his family every happiness and success on this adventure. I am currently working on replacing him with an experienced teacher to lead the International Baccalaureate in the school.
We will have more students next year than this year, but I currently have room for more students in the 5/6 area. If you know of anyone who is interested, please let them know that we are taking students who are not Mt Macedon residents in those classes. The numbers for next year do not fall evenly into class groups and so we will have all mixed classes next year e.g. F/1, 1/2. I will put the numbers in next weeks newsletter so that you will see the problems that I have in creating 5 classes. I always value your input and will be happy to hear your opinions on what our grades should look like next year.
Yesterday I spoke to Amanda Beezley, who is currently out of hospital and travelling well. Our meal train has stopped for a while, but when Amanda has to return for more chemotherapy, we can start it up again.
Our school has a lovely relationship with Gisborne Foodbank, and we have been allocated the month of October to help them support others in our local community. We will be collecting donations of food for them. Currently they need: -pasta sauces, children’s lunch box snacks (pretzels, popcorn) biscuits sweet and dry, muesli bars, sugar, pasta, rice, noodles, breakfast cereals, muesli, jam, vegemite, spreads, long life milk, shampoo and conditioner.
If you could drop any donations into the front office, we will make sure that they get to the Foodbank. Thank you for helping us to support those in need in our local community.
Kind Regards,
Trish
