Macedon Primary School Newsletter

11 November 2020

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

Principals Report

Hello everyone,

School Review - Parent Forum

I would like to thank all of the parents who attended the school review parent forum last night.  It was exciting to discuss the future of the school with this group and reflect on the highlights over the last few years.  I will be collating this information along with the feedback from students and our staff and developing our pre-review self-assessment.  This document will inform the review and support us to develop a strong set of goals to guide our work over the next four years.

Pupil Free Day – Monday 16 November

On Monday 16 November, our staff will be making the most of a pupil free day to continue our preparation for the school review in early 2021.  We will be analysing the information collected as a part of our pre-review self-assessment and be developing the first draft of the school's vision for teaching and learning from our perspective.  This time as a whole staff group is valued and seen as important to our development and the future success of our school.  There will be no students onsite on this day.  Please make childcare arrangements for your child/ren on the 16th.

Parent Opinion Survey – Survey Closes on Friday 13 November

You should now have received your login details via email to complete the Parent Opinion Survey.  The Parent Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst all parents. It is designed to assist us in gaining an understanding of parents’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.

 Thank you very much to all the parents who have filled out the survey in the last week.  We have had a really positive response.  All responses to the survey are anonymous and the survey will close on Friday 13th November.

Matt Forrest

Principal

Latest Department of Education advice on COVID19

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

Important Dates

16 November - Curriculum Day, student free day 

18 November - School Photos 

8 December - School step up day

16 December - Grade 6 graduation

18 December - Last Day of term 4 - 1:30pm finish


Notes sent home

- Parent payment letter for 2021

- Parent request for credit / donation / refund (Years 1 & 2)

- School photo envelopes

From the Office

Bringing precious things to school

We often have upset children come to the office looking for precious items that they have lost at school. Unfortunately, things can go missing at school and we ask if your child has something precious to them, it may be best to keep it at home.

Sunscreen

As per our SunSmart Policy (available on the website), Macedon Primary encourages all staff and students to apply SPF 30+ (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen daily at a minimum from September to the end of April and whenever UV levels reach 3 and above. Sunscreen should be applied at least 20 minutes before going outdoors, and reapplied every two hours when outside for extended periods or more frequently if sweating or swimming. At Macedon Primary School students are welcome to attend the first aid room to access sunscreen. Staff and students who may suffer from allergic reactions from certain types of sunscreen are encouraged to contact the administration staff to implement a management plan to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction at school.

If your child suffers from any allergies, please notify the office as soon as possible. If they are required to take medication for their allergy at school please fill out a Medication Authority Form available on our website or attached below.

Parent Payment letter for 2021

Letters were sent out last week itemising the Essential Student Learning Items fee schedule for 2021. Please complete this form and return to the School by Friday 20th November 2020 outlining your preferred payment method. Please note payment of 2021 fees is not due until 2021. You will receive an invoice separate to this letter early in Term One 2021.

Remember your hat

Please remember to bring a wide-brimmed hat. (Hats are available to purchase from Beleza in Gisborne)

Drink bottles

All children need to bring a labelled drink bottle to school, we have the water taps on to refill drink bottles, but due to COVID restrictions the drinking bubblers are turned off.

Stay safe and well,

Julie  and Emma

Medication Authority Form

If your child requires medication during the school day, please fill out the form below and provide to the office with clearly labelled medication in its original packaging.
Download

Student Achievement Awards

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

School Photos - 18th November

Envelopes for school photos were given to every child last week.  These have their own individual code on them.

All payments are due by photo day.

You may pay online using your credit card. Each child has their own individual 'shootkey' listed on their envelope.

You may pay cash using the individual envelope provided. Please enclose correct money as no change will be given

Sibiling photo envelopes are available at the school office upon request. These photos will be taken on photo day, usually at recess, please remind your children to listen out for their names when they are called over the loud speaker. 

Do not seal the envelopes inside each other. You may include payment for all children in one envelope, however, please indicate on this envelope all the children you are paying for.

Each student must have their own separate envelope.  Please make sure that students are in correct uniform on photo day.

Last week's school photos were Miss Hall, Emma in the office and one of our ES staff Ms Harrison. Can you guess who the teacher is in this week's photo?

Sunsmart Reminder

***School hats are available for sale at Beleza in Gisborne***

Although it may still be cold, Victoria’s UV levels are on the rise so please check the daily local sun protection times to see when you need to be SunSmart.  The sun protection times are a forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology for the time of day UV levels are forecast to reach 3 or higher in your location. At these levels, sun protection (hat, clothing, sunscreen, shade and, if practical, sunglasses) is recommended for all skin types

When outdoors, whether that be for the two hours of permitted exercise in metropolitan Melbourne or if you’re lucky enough to be allowed outside for longer, to  check the sun protection times and use sun protection accordingly. For more information for families please check out https://www.sunsmart.com.au/communities/parents

2020 Parent Opinion Survey

WE WANT OUR PARENTS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents think of our school. The Parent Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst all parents. It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of parents’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. All parents are invited to participate in this year’s survey. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year, the Parent Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 12th October to Friday 13th November.

The link and survey PIN have been sent in a separate email due to privacy.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek. The survey results will be communicated to parents through annual reporting or by some other means. Please speak to your child’s teacher if you would like more information.

Lunch order form

Lunch orders are available through Red Door cafe. Please make sure you have correct money in the lunch order bag and if you have a reusable bag, please make sure they are clean. 
Download

Middle Gully Update

We are still not allowed to have volunteers for the Landcare program, so the Landcare sessions will be with Mr Oxworth and the class teacher.

12/11 - Week 6 – 1KB - Science activity and Landcare 

19/11 -  Week 7 – 3MS 

26/11 - Week 8 – 45BT 

3/12 - Week 9 – Outdoor activity week – Foundation x 2 

10/12 - Week 10 – Both 5/6 CLASSES

Hopefully, if restrictions ease we will be able to welcome our parent helpers back to Middle Gully soon.

Middle Gully Chickens

You may have noticed our chickens happily wandering around Middle Gully during the day over the past weeks.

We decided it was time to rehome our feisty and sometimes agro rooster so we could all enjoy and interact with our six hens a bit more when at Middle Gully.

The chookies are gentle hens that love foraging for grubs, and might even follow you around if you have food! Remember though, they can’t eat bananas, banana skins and citrus fruit like oranges, mandarins or lemon. Or other things like chocolate and sweets. Bread crusts are ok though.

 The hens love taking dust baths to keep their feathers clean, so don’t be surprised if you see them just outside the Middle Gully entry gate in one of their favourite dust bath spots under the bush. They are quite funny.

 Please enjoy our school hens and take care of them by not chasing them or trying to pick them up when they look scared. If you find some eggs in their nesting boxes, feel free to put them in an egg carton and take them back to school. Somebody will enjoy fresh eggs!

For those who are curious, our rooster is now on a big chicken farm looking after lots of hens, thanks to the Bush family who found the perfect home for him.

So, meet our Middle Gully girls…

This is Caramel. She was named Caramel because of the light caramel coloured feathers she has on her head and neck. Caramel is a leghorn cross, and lays light cream coloured eggs.
This is Dotty. According to local chicken expert Cohen B, Dotty is an australorp chookie crossed possibly with a leghorn. It’s hard to tell the breeds sometimes! Dotty lays beige eggs.
This is Zara. Zara is our only Eiser brown chicken and she lays beautiful brown eggs.
This is Daisy. Daisy is a leghorn chicken and lays white eggs.
This is Snow. Snow is very similar to Daisy. It’s very difficult to tell them apart! She too is a leghorn chicken and lays white eggs.
This is Zelda. She is a gentle araucana chicken who lays small, very pale blue eggs. She has lovely, fluffy feathers on the top of her head instead of a red comb.
This is Caramel. She was named Caramel because of the light caramel coloured feathers she has on her head and neck. Caramel is a leghorn cross, and lays light cream coloured eggs.
This is Dotty. According to local chicken expert Cohen B, Dotty is an australorp chookie crossed possibly with a leghorn. It’s hard to tell the breeds sometimes! Dotty lays beige eggs.
This is Zara. Zara is our only Eiser brown chicken and she lays beautiful brown eggs.
This is Daisy. Daisy is a leghorn chicken and lays white eggs.
This is Snow. Snow is very similar to Daisy. It’s very difficult to tell them apart! She too is a leghorn chicken and lays white eggs.
This is Zelda. She is a gentle araucana chicken who lays small, very pale blue eggs. She has lovely, fluffy feathers on the top of her head instead of a red comb.

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.

OSHC Enrolment update forms

If your child is going to attend OSHC next year, an update form needs to be completed. Paper copies are available at the office or your can download the from below.
Download

Uniform Shop News

School Council update

The 2020 Macedon Primary School Council members are:

  Parents - Nina Moncrief (President), Justin Sawyers (Vice President), Danielle Grigg (Treasurer), Tiffany Barton (Secretary), Christine Denyer, Danny Kane, Duncan McGauchie and Melinda Rollinson.

Teachers - Matthew Forest, Karren Baker, Martin Smith and Veronica Wuthrich.

 

At the School Council WebEx meeting held on 9 September 2020, the discussion included:

  • School Review – Macedon Primary School is due to undertake a school review in early 2021.  Preparations will commence in Term 4.
  • Pupil Free Day – Monday 16 November will be a pupil free day for the teachers to engage in these preparations.
  • Child Safety – A presentation was given in respect of the school’s child safety policies and procedures.  The Education subcommittee will review these policies ahead of the school review.  
  • Facilities – A competitive process has been used to select a contractor to install a new retaining wall between the oval and JCB.
  • Pine Plantation – Further information is being requested to assist the school council to consider the next steps.  
  • Finance – The finance subcommittee provided an update on the school’s financial position, including in respect of OSHC.   


    • The next school council meeting will be on Wednesday 21 October 2020 at 7pm.

    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.