Macedon Primary School Newsletter

Dear parents,

Congratulations to all our students who have completed their NAPLAN testing this week.  The tests were completed online this year and the process has gone very smoothly.  We still have some catch-ups for those students who have missed any assessments due to absences and they will be conducted on Thursday and Friday this week.

Student Sickness

I emailed you all earlier this week in regard to the significant pressure we’re facing with staffing the classes at the moment.  We have been managing to cover the classes through a range of strategies so far and with a little luck we will be able to continue to manage to keep our school open.    

I would like to thank so many of you for keeping your children home while they are sick, this helps us stop the spread of these viruses.  Please support us by informing us if your child is a confirmed case of COVID-19, influenza, gastroenteritis or any other infectious disease so we can put measures in place to reduce the risk for everyone. I have pasted some links below with information about these common illnesses.

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cold-or-flu-infographic?fbclid=IwAR0puiNLdZ_yhTHpNLcK8BhAsWYBv6-xD3B0OH6VivtfvBwmE7dZ7f00WLQ

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/flu-influenza

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/gastroenteritis-campylobacteriosis

Provision of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs)

RATs will continue to be distributed to you as they have been throughout this school year for the remainder of this term. From Monday 23 May 2022, students will no longer be recommended to undertake twice weekly RATs.  However, RATs will continue to be required by students who are household contacts to attend school (5 negative over a 7 day period) or who have symptoms.

Families must continue to notify the Department of Health and the school if their child returns a positive RAT result. Additionally, you should inform us if any of your children are household contacts.

Thank you also to all families who have had their child vaccinated. Vaccination continues to remain the best way to protect students and staff in our school.

Student Free Days

For Term 2, 2022, the Department of Education and Training has provided schools with the option to hold each teacher’s allocated professional practice day on the same day for all staff. This is to enable the most effective and efficient use of this day.

As a result, we have scheduled our professional practice day for Friday, 3 June. This is in addition to the planned pupil free day on Friday, 10 June for staff professional learning.  Students will therefore not be required to attend school on either of these days. 

Foundation Enrolments for 2023

Foundation Enrolments for 2023 are now open, if you have a child that is coming to Macedon Primary next year, please collect and enrolment form from the office or on our website.

Democratic Sausages

Happy voting this weekend.  We will have a sausage sizzle at school on Saturday morning so drop in if you are voting here.  If you are available to help out on the day, please see the details below and contact Briohny Lebbink. 

Kind regards,

Matt

20 May - SEA Australia visit Yr 3 -6

27 May - Yr 5/6 District boys and girls soccer - Gisborne

3 June - Curriculum Day - (student free day)

10 June - Curriculum Day - (student free day)

13 June - Queen's birthday holiday (student free day)

14 June - Yr 5/6 District Netball - Sunbury 

17 June - Winter Solstice 

17 June - CERES "Towards Zero Waste" year 3/4 incursion

24 June - Last day of term 3

TERM 3:

11 July - First day of term 3

13 September - School photo day 

16 September - Last day of term 3

TERM 4:

3 October - First day of term 4

18 October - 21 October - Year 5 & 6 Camp - Howqua

31st October - Curriculum Day (student free day)

1st November - Melbourne Cup holiday (student free day)

2 November - 4 November - Year 3 & 4 Camp - Weekaway Lancefield

5 December - 6 December - Year 1 & 2 Camp - Lady Northcote 

20 December - Last day of the year (1:00pm dismissal)

Face masks

Face masks, while recommended, are not required in any school setting. This means students in grades 3 to 6, staff and visitors in primary schools are no longer required to wear face masks. Any student or staff member who wishes to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at-risk. If you are a household contact you must wear a facemask indoors unless you are under 8 and above or have a medical exemption. 

Screening requirements

Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19, and have completed their 7-day isolation period, now do not need to undertake rapid antigen test (RAT) screening for 12 weeks after their release from isolation. This was previously 8 weeks.

Household contacts

Students and staff who are household contacts of a COVID-19 case are no longer required to quarantine. They can return to school as long as they undertake rapid antigen tests (RAT) 5 times within their 7-day period and wear face masks indoors if they are aged 8 and above unless they have a valid exemption.

If any household contact returns a positive RAT result during this period, they must isolate for 7 days and not attend school.

Vaccination requirements for visitors to schools

Parents, carers and other adult visitors (not performing work) are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Rapid Antigen Test screening program extension reminder

The supply of rapid antigen tests will continue for the remainder of this term. The screening recommendations will change from the 23 of May, students will no longer be recommended to undertake twice weekly RATS. However, RATs will continue to be required by students who are household contacts to attend school (5 negative over a 7 day period)  or who have symptoms.  We will be distributing the rapid antigen tests via your child’s bag when the deliveries arrive at school.

Influenza

With borders opening and the arrival of colder weather, cases of influenza (the flu) are increasing throughout Victoria. Our community is at risk of higher rates of students and staff affected by the flu or COVID-19 this season.

What to do if your child gets sick

To help keep your child and our school community safe, please take the following steps if your child has any cold or flu-like symptoms:

* take a COVID-19 test and follow the current Department of Health isolation requirements if a positive result is shown https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases 

* keep your child at home until their symptoms pass

* common flu-like symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, loss of appetite, body aches and feeling extremely weak and tired

* diagnosis of the flu can only be confirmed by a doctor after a nose or throat swab

* encourage your child to wash their hands regularly and ask them to cover their nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing.

Ensuring your children are protected against serious illness helps to protect everyone in our community, including older family members who may be at higher risk, along with younger children who can’t receive vaccinations yet.

You can book COVID-19 vaccinations through the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 or at a participating GP, pharmacy, or community health service.

Flu vaccination

Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over.

Some people are more at risk of complications from the flu and are eligible for free vaccination under the National Immunisation Program including:

* anyone aged 65 years and older

* pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy)

* all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged from 6 months and over

* children aged from 6 months to under 5 years.

COVID-19 vaccines are available free of charge to everyone aged 5 years and over in Australia.

It is important that children and young people have the best possible protection against the flu and COVID-19 by getting vaccinated.

Ensuring your children are protected against serious illness helps to protect everyone in our community, including older family members who may be at higher risk, along with younger children who can’t receive vaccinations yet.

You can book COVID-19 vaccinations through the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 or at a participating GP, pharmacy, or community health service.

Flu vaccinations can be booked through GPs and pharmacies, many of which can also provide COVID-19 vaccinations. If you would like more information about the flu vaccination, visit the https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au 

Foundation 2023 enrolments

Foundation enrolments for 2023 are now open. If you have a child that is starting school next year of have friends or family interested in enrolling their child at Macedon Primary, please contact the office for an enrolment form or click on the following link: https://macedonps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2023-Student_Enrolment_Form_Updated_Feb_2018.pdf 

Spare Clothes for students

We have noticed an increase in the amount of children requiring spare clothing. If you could please put a spare change of clothes in your child's bag (particularly if they are coming home in spare school clothes). We would also appreciate if you could wash the school spare clothes and return them to the office (no need to return underwear, we are unable to reuse this due to heath regulations). 

 Credits

We have some families with credits on file from camps and excursions that were cancelled last year. If you think you have credits, please contact the office. These can be used to pay for events during the year.

Our email address is macedon.ps@education.vic.gov.au or phone number is 54261518.

Voluntary Curriculum Contributions

The process for invoicing parents for voluntary curriculum contributions. If you are unsure if you have paid or if you would like to pay, please contact the office.

Working with Children Check

All parent helpers at Macedon Primary must have a valid working with children check. It is free for a volunteer check, please apply online at https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/individuals/applicants/how-to-apply-1If you have a valid working with check and have yet to provide it to the school, please email a copy or come into the office and we will take a copy.

Julie and Emma

The following awards will be handed out at assembly. Please note,  we will not be holding a formal assembly in the JCB this week, the assembly will be over the loudspeaker at school.

FKH - Beau C - for great addition facts. Awesome work!

FKH - William E-R - for his persistence and great effort in doing a directed drawing of a tractor. 

FKB - Harrison J - for showing more persistence to complete tasks.

1/2BT - Beatrice B - for writing a wonderful story about a bear who built a house from a tree.

1/2BT - Luca J - for excellent effort at spelling when writing about a bear.

1/2CS - Shannan B - for being a cheerful and friendly class member who strives to do her best at all times.

3/4GS - Thomas D - for working hard on his math tasks.

3/4GS - Darcy J - for his extensive reach on his recycling poster.

3/4MS - Ayla E - for her positive efforts at school and for working hard on all the NAPLAN tasks.

3/4MS - Sam C - for his positive approach to all learning tasks. Well done!

3/4MS - Archer B - for his positive approach to all class work! Well done!

3/4MS - Baxter Mc - for putting so much effort into all of his NAPLAN tests. Well done Baxter!

3/4VW - Syd M - for his fantastic effort at writing a limerick.

3/4VW - Indi C - for sharing her fabulous limericks with the class.

5/6AB - Jackson P - for being a responsible and respectful learner.

5/6AB - Lexie J - for being a resilient student and always having a go!

5/6RC - Oscar P - for his enthusiasm towards finding and recording perfect numbers.

Art Awards:

1/2CS -  Owen D - for being very attentive in Visual Art.

1/2CS - Kyle W - for being very focused in Visual Art.

The following roster has been put in place for Middle Gully this term;

May 19 – 1/2CS

May 26 – 1/2TT

June 2 – 1/2BT

June 9 – 3/4VW

June 16 – 3/4GS and some grade 5s

June 17 – Winter Solstice

June 23 – Grade 5s and 6s 

If any parents would like to come over to help, you are welcome to attend. The sessions start at 2pm (after lunch). Please make sure you sign in at the office and have provided the office with your working with children check. Younger siblings are welcome, but must be supervised at all times.

Last week Mr Smith's 3/4 class went to Middle Gully, Darren Tinker, Environmental Programs and Engagement Officer from the Macedon Ranges Shire Council came to speak to the children. Please find some lovely photos below.

In Visual Art this week we have been learning about the noted Australian artist, Arthur Boyd and exploring his effective technique of painting using his hands. We discovered that finger painting is very good fun too. 

Please notify the office or email oshp@macedonps.vic.edu.au if your child is sick and will not be attending before or after school care.  

We now have spaces available for casual days, however you need to fill out an enrolment form PRIOR to your child starting at the service. f you have a permanent booking and do not need the service for After School please advise the program as soon as you know, preferably before 11.00am on the day so we are able to give that space to another child.  For Before School, please call before 6.30pm the day before or email the service on oshp@macedonps.vic.edu.au

Late cancellation fees apply if your child’s place is cancelled after 11.00am.  Further, if you do not cancel your child and they do not attend, fees may still apply.

Fees for 2022

Our rates for 2022 are: $16.00 for Before School Care (7:00am - 8:45am) and $23.00 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.

Young Voices of Macedon, a community choir for children of the Macedon Ranges invites primary school children to join us in Term 2. Under the direction of well-known and highly respected conductor Polly Christie, the choir has groups for younger and older children, which work both separately and together to learn a great variety of fun songs. The current emphasis is on songs about the environment. The choir also aims to provide quality training in voice production, part singing and performance, and features a friendly social environment.

Rehearsals take place on Thursdays at 4.15 pm at the Norma Richardson Hall, Buckland Street, Woodend. For further information visit www.yvmacedon.org.au