Macedon Primary School Newsletter

Dear parents,

Year Six Graduation

Tonight, is our Year 6 graduation evening where we will celebrate and farewell the class of 2022.  The students have been working hard on their final presentations.  There will also be a chance for the whole school to share in this at the final assembly next Tuesday afternoon.

Out Going School Councillors

I would like to thank and acknowledge the following school councillors for their contributions to the school over the past two years.  Ben English, Sarah Turner, Justin Sawyers and David Oxworth have all volunteered their time and support to the school through this process. 

Thank you

There are so many school activities and events that are supported throughout the year by our volunteer parents, friends and grandparents of the school.  From supporting in Middle Gully Landcare activities to attending excursions or camps, running farmers markets, turning sausages on elections days and helping in the classrooms. It is all appreciated.  Our school relies on your support to run our programs.  We look forward to seeing you all again next year and encourage others to get involved where they can.

Staff Farewells

I would like to thank Rebecca Carey for all her contributions to the Macedon Primary School team in 2022.  Rebecca has taught a Year 5/6 class all year and has been involved in the school improvement team and made a valued contribution to our school this year.  Thanks Bec and we wish you all the very best in future.

Karen Masterton, who has supported a variety of staff and students this year as an integration aide, is also leaving at the end of the year.  Karen has worked hard to support our students and made a positive impact on the learning of many.  Thank you Karen and all the very best.

Families leaving:

There are also many families leaving us for the last time at the end of the school year.  Macedon PS thrives on the support and close community that all the families in this list have provided us over their time here.  Thank you for your commitment to Macedon Primary School.  We all wish you the very best in the future and please drop feel free to drop in from time to time.  Thank you and goodbye.

Clare Cameron and Joshua Adams, Mark and Tiffany Barton, Bert and Sasha Close, Lynette Birch, Paul Dean, Simon and Anna Dohler, Peter and Liesl Frankenberg, Mark and Jodie Justice, Naomi Cleaver and Joseph Kiely, Leanne Reynolds and Emily Bell, Steven and Jill Gilbert, Andrew McGregor and Emily Chehab, Emma Mackenzie, Kaylene Maiuolo, Tom and Georgia Martin, Melanie Shaw, Barry and Kellie Skehan, Dale Ranson and Angela Dridan, Jon and Narelle Roberts, Cameron and Katie Toll, Simon and Tess Wallis.

2023 School Staff Team

Please below the 2023 school staff team.

I am excited to welcome  Georgia Pitt and Bronwyn McLeod to the teaching team next year, if you see them in the school please make them feel welcome.

Tabloid Sports and Billy Carts.

I hope you enjoy the photos from the billy carts and tabloids sport we held last week.  Both events were fantastic whole school celebrations.  Congratulations to everyone who competed and got in the spirit of these events.

Wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas and I look forward to a successful 2023!

 Matt

The PFA are holding our annual Christmas Raffle.

Ticket books have been sent home with the eldest child in the family,  tickets are $2 each. If you need any extra tickets, they are available at the office.

Donations of Christmas goodies are greatly appreciated, collection boxes will be provided at the office . Donations of Christmas chocolates, cakes, biscuits, decorations, crafts, mugs, books, soft toys etc. These donations will be made up in to hampers and drawn at assembly on Friday the 17th of December.

Thank you for your support!

This is just a reminder that the cut off time for orders has changed from 9am to 8am each Thursday.  After 8 am you can place a late order until 10am, but the selections are very restricted.

Also if you have successfully placed an order you will receive an email confirmation.  If you are not sure if the order has gone through check your emails.  For any assistance with Flexischools call their hotline on : 1300361769.

Tomorrow (Thursday 15th) will be our last for the year.  The grade 6's will be on their city excursion, so no lunch orders for them please.

Thankyou for ongoing support especially through the transition to online ordering.

Cheers

Helen & Mick

https://user.flexischools.com.au/

In September 2022, all jurisdictions across Australia will implement a new fire danger forecasting system, the Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS).  This will deliver a nationally consistent system for fire danger ratings based on the latest scientific research.

What's changed?

The new Extreme fire danger rating under the AFDRS will cover a broader scope of fire ratings combining the current Severe and Extreme fire danger rating.

In addition, Code Red will now be known as Catastrophic fire danger.

What does that mean for us?

Macedon Primary is classified as a Category 2 school, meaning that we will now relocate in accordance with our pre-approved plan on a day forecast Extreme FDR  for our LGA (Local Government Area).

We will continue to communicate with the school community over the coming months about how the AFDRS change will be applied and how we can support the community through the transition.

15th December –Grade 5's from 5/6AB and 5/6MS

Parent helpers are always welcome, please sign in at the office prior to going over to Middle Gully and make sure the office has seen your current Working With Childrens Check.

It has been a fantastic year at Landcare and I really appreciate all your help and enthusiasm. As a show of appreciation and to celebrate some of the great things we have done with the students this year I would like to have an afternoon tea after school on Thursday at 3.30pm. If people could bring along something to share that would be great. I will organise for some tea and coffee to be available as well.

 A special thank you and farewell to Angela Dridan, mum of Jasper (former student) and Sienna in 3/4GS who is leaving Macedon Primary at the end of the year. Angela has been an incredible support of our Landcare program over the years here at Macedon PS. Thank you Angela and all the best to you and your family for the future!

It was another, beautiful, overcast and cloudy day, so Foundation students went stargazing in our Digital Tech class.

Of course, it's hard to see the stars through the clouds, so we used the iPad app, Night Sky to find stars, planets and constellations all around us. The app uses the iPad's GPS, camera,  accelerometer and gyroscopes (all things we have learnt about this year) to find our exact location and overlay the stars using AR (Augmented Reality).

We had a great time talking about stars, constellations, zodiacs (I'm a Sagittarius if you are curious) and planets.

You can do this at home if you have a smartphone or tablet by downloading the free, Night Sky app from the App / Play stores, it's especially cool to do on a clear, night sky.

Mr. Garcia

In line with our Sunsmart policy, we ask that all students come to school with a wide brimmed hat. At recess and lunchtime and any other times when outdoors all students must wear a hat. Students who are not wearing hats will be asked to play in the shade or in a suitable area protected from the sun.

Hats are available for purchase at Beleza Uniforms in Gisborne, or you can purchase any wide brimmed navy hat. We have sunscreen at the office if the children would like to wear sunscreen.

Aaron Moar has been offering guitar lessons at Macedon Primary for many years and we are pleased to advise that he will be returning in 2023. If you would like to enrol your child in guitar lessons, please go to the website www.infinatesound.com.au 

We have a huge event with 6 hours of young bands on the last day of (public) school at the Macedon & Mount Macedon Community House (Victoria St, Macedon).  The School's Out For Summer Picnic Bash will kick off from 1:30pm and run until 8:30pm on Tues Dec 20th. 

This event is taking the reins from the former Ash Wednesday concerts, and we're hoping to make it an annual big event for young people and families in the area.  The Community House has a sausage sizzle, food and drink and everyone is encouraged to bring their picnic rugs and enjoy the entertainment.

We're very excited that the huge lineup represents musicians from almost EVERY school in the area -- and hopefully will serve to encourage more young people to get involved in our monthly MR YIM (Macedon Ranges Youth In Music) stage.  Thanks to support from the Macedon Ranges Shire Council this will be a paid event for every young band taking the stage (which means a lot to them!).

Shaun & The Ranges Music Network Team

Gisborne library is hosting the BIG SUMMER READ again. Read 10 books or more and join in the fun Reading over Summer. Come into the library to collect a Reading Log.  Return the log by 31st Jan to enter prize draws. There are BSR craft activities in the library during the holidays.

If you are passionate about writing, The Gisborne Writing and Illustration Challenge is in partnership with the Gisborne Gazette to provide some creative fun over summer. Come into the library for further information on the different age categories and themes.

Other exciting things for kids during the holidays: Tuesdays in January Kids Movie Days. Manga Workshops and an interactive and funny performance by Damo: Music for kids. Book online ncgrl.vic.gov.au  or come into the library and see staff.