Dear parents,
On Thursday and Friday this week our Foundation students engaging in some outdoor activity days. These activity days help prepare our youngest students for their overnight camping program which begins in 2023. The students will be engaged in outdoor activities in middle gully and will be going on a hike. These programs provide us with the perfect opportunity to engage the students in their local environment and learn through doing. There are so many opportunities for the students to encourage one another and stretch their comfort zones. It is an important part of our ethos about getting students out and building resilience through these types of experiences.
Lady Northcote Camp – Year 1 and 2
Our Year One and Two students are off on their camp on Monday and Tuesday next week. The camp is being held at Lady Northcote camp in Bacchus Marsh and has an outdoor adventure focus. We’re staying for one night and for many of these students it will be their first night away. We look forward to sharing the photos and the experiences with these students.
Billy Cart Races
The annual year 6 billy Cart races are scheduled for next Thursday the 8th of December at 2pm. This is a fantastic community event each year. Everyone is welcome to came and cheer the Year 6 teams along.
Macedon and Mt Macedon Community Carols
The community carols by candlelight are returning this year. For those who have not been before, it is a wonderful community event. Mrs Le Sueur has been teaching the children some Christmas Carols to sing on the night. If you are going along, the children are welcome to perform. It is on Wednesday the 7th of December at 6pm, Tony Clarke Reserve.
Sausage Sizzle thanks
Our democratic sausage sizzle on election day was a great success, thank you to the people that came along and bought a sausage. The PFA raised over $500 for the school. Thank you to the parent helpers; Briohny, Melissa, Jess, Abby, Saxon, Chev and Krystal. Also, a special thanks to the kids that helped on the day; Ollie, Caitlin, Ruby, Levi and Rosie!
Kind regards and Sampai jumpa (until next time),
Matt
The PFA are holding our annual Christmas Raffle.
Ticket books will be sent home with families tomorrow. Tickets are $2 each.
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!
We have seen a rise in the amount of cases of headlice in the school, particularly in the junior classes. One of the best things to prevent head lice is to keep hair tied back in a ponytail or plait.
Head lice do not transmit infectious diseases – they are transmitted by having head to head contact with someone who has head lice. You may be reassured to know that head lice are commonly found in places other than at Macedon Primary. Head lice are common in school-aged children and are the most adaptable of creatures. They have survived living solely on humans for 10,000 years!!!!
What can you do?
I seek your cooperation in checking your child’s hair and in those instances where head lice or eggs are found, treating your child’s hair. Please visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au and search for “head lice (nits)” for advice on finding, treating and preventing head lice.
If head lice or eggs are found on your child’s hair you need to inform:
· the school and advise when the treatment has started, via email or just call the office.
· parents or carers of your child’s friends so they too have the opportunity to detect and treat their children if necessary.
When can my child return to school?
Health regulations requires that where a child has head lice, that child should not return to school until the day after appropriate treatment has started. Please note, this refers only to those children who have live head lice and does not refer to head lice eggs. More information about exclusion requirements can be found by searching for “school exclusion table” at www.health.vic.gov.au.
All orders are online through "Flexischools". Parents will need to download the Flexischools app and create an account. Follow the registration process, choose your student and then you are good to go. There are also gluten free options available.
You can order anytime up until 8:00am on Thursday morning for Thursday lunch.
https://user.flexischools.com.au/
There is a limited menu for orders placed after 8:00am on Thursdays
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.
Yes, we all know the teachers at Macedon PS work their hardest to make sure your young people have a great learning environment, but do you know they also put their bodies on the line? - I call your attention to my poor finger in the collage below (clearly more important than the pictures of the young people working hard) - Yes, I suffered a life-threatening.... paper cut! (ok, so it wasn't life-threatening, but it, like, really hurt for a minute or so)
How did I receive such a debilitating injury?, that was from the Grade 1 and 2's flipbook creation.
After spending some time doing digital flipbooks on iPad, we made some real-life, paper ones.
The students have been really focused (flipbooks are more a lesson in patience than animation really), and the results have been amazing, so I guess it was all worth it in the end.
Mr. Garcia
1st December – 2 x Foundation classes from 11.30am
8th December – No Landcare (Billy carts race day)
15th December –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.
Our sessions are on a Thursday afternoon from 2:00pm - 3:30pm.
Younger siblings are welcome, but must be supervised by their parent or guardian.
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
Mrs Le Seur has provided a link to the Christmas songs that all of the school is currently learning for the Macedon & Mt Macedon Carols by Candlelight on Wednesday the 7th of December at Tony Clarke. As the date is approaching quite fast it would be really helpful if the children were able to listen to the songs between each rehearsal session.
Find the songs and links listed below. It will really help the overall performance.
Aussie Jingle Bells
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bh2gUtJ_v2Y&feature=share
A Very Merry Aussie Christmas
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yfS8rutq92M&feature=share
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
