Macquarie Memo Issue 14 2023

News from the Principal

We have a wonderful community here at Macquarie, and we are always looking for more parents and families to be involved with our fabulous school. If you would like to get involved there are a few ways you can do so:

• join us for our P&C meetings (our next meeting will be announced on Class Dojo and in the newsletter so keep an eye out).
• help out in breakfast club on a Friday mornings in the Garden Side Café. Any Friday from 8:30-8:55am.
• attend our working bees. Our next one is on Sunday the 4^th of June - keep an eye on Class Dojo for more information.
• Volunteer for our P&C events- we have a Colour Run coming up in September- it will be a great day and if you’d like to be involved let us know by emailing president.mpspandc@gmail.com

A massive thank you to all our volunteers who helped at our Mother’s Day Stall last Friday. It was a great success and we had very happy students taking home amazing gifts for their mum’s and special people in their lives. Thank you to the P&C and our volunteers.

Yesterday our Year 6 students had their first transition visit to Canberra High School. Our students participated in Mandarin, Shape, Art, Science and Technology lessons. The students and staff report that it was a fantastic day. A big thank you to our 5/6 teachers and transition teachers at Canberra High School for making this possible.         

A big thank you to all our parents that have reached out and emailed Stacey to be part of our school review panel in week 8. We are excited to share Macquarie’s journey over the last 5 years with the review panel and there is still time to be involved if you would like, contact Stacey via email.

Have a great week

Kristy

2024 school year enrolments are open

Enrolments for the 2024 school year for students transitioning schools or starting at a school are open. Visit education.act.gov.au for the online application link and information about the school in your child's Priority Enrolment Area. School information sessions for prospective students are being held throughout May. Alternately, visit school websites to find out more or contact the school directly. Apply by 2 June to receive an offer by 24 July 2023.

Library News

Library News

Overdue Notes

Please check school bags today as some children are bringing home a reminder note for overdue library books. If your child is still reading an overdue book, please send it to school on their library day so it can be renewed for another two weeks. If you have any questions or queries about overdue books, or books in general, please email me at pamela.gaukroger@ed.act.edu.au

Pamela

Have Your Say: Education Legislation Reform

As our education system continues to grow and evolve the ACT Government is considering a range of legislation improvements to ensure our systems and supports remain contemporary, and reflect the needs of students, families and teaching staff now and into the future.  

Reforms are being considered to:

• clarify school enrolment requirements
• modernise participation and attendance requirements to reflect the different methods of education delivery
• strengthen enrolment, attendance, and participation provisions to minimise the risk of children and young people disappearing from the education system, and
• outline requirements for distance education.

To have Your Say, head to the Your Say conversations website to read the discussion papers, take the survey, leave a comment or make a submission: http://www.yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/education-legislation-reform

Feedback will close at 11:59pm on 6 June 2023.

Apply now for the Future of Education Equity Fund 2023

Apply now for the Future of Education Equity Fund for the 2023 school year. Eligible low-income ACT families can receive one-off payments for financial aid to help cover the costs of their children’s educational costs, such as sport equipment and activities, music lessons, school uniforms and excursions.

The Fund is open to eligible students enrolled in preschools that are attached to an ACT government school, through to Year 12 in the ACT. Further information and the online application form is available at https://www.education.act.gov.au/support-for-our-students/financial-and-resource-assistance-for-families

Staying COVID Smart in 2023

Students, staff and visitors are reminded to:

• Stay home if unwell and get tested for COVID-19
• Stay up to date with your vaccinations
• Practise good hand and respiratory hygiene
• Physically distance from others when in public places

Individual schools may implement additional measures to manage COVID-19 if deemed necessary in a particular setting. Any changes will be communicated to parents and carers.

If your child has COVID-19, you must let the school know. We recommend keeping your child home for at least five days.

RATs are again available from the school for students  from the front office.

You can read more about how we are being COVID Smart in ACT public schools at https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/covid-school-arrangements

News from the P&C

Mother’s Day Stall Success

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make the Mother's Day stall such a success! We loved helping the students pick a gift for someone special, and we hope all the mums in our community had a really happy Mother's Day.

Term Two Working Bee

🐝 🐝 SAVE THE DATE 🐝 🐝 The Term 2 working bee will be held at 9am on Sunday 4 June.

Uniform Shop

👋Volunteers👋 needed We need a volunteer once a fortnight on Monday mornings and a volunteer once a fortnight on Wednesday afternoons otherwise the shop will not be open every week on these days.  If you have half an hour to spare on these days please get in touch with the shop coordinators Liz and Julie uniforms.mps@gmail.com

The volunteer run P&C Uniform shop is open 8:45am – 9:15am Mondays and Fridays; and 3:00pm – 3:30pm every second Wednesday (even weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10).

Orders for new uniform items can be placed via www.flexischoolscom.au and will be sent home with students – no need to collect from the shop.

Donations of pre-loved uniform items are gratefully accepted during open times

Notes / Reminders

All notes are available on our school website.

Community Notices

Does your child ski or snowboard?

If they would like to represent Macquarie Primary School at the Interschools Snow Sports Regional Championships held at Perisher from 18-21 July get in touch with Liz Watterson lizwatterson@hotmail.com by Friday 2 June.

The emphasis is on fun and participation at the regional level, however all competitors must be able to execute link turns and ride a chairlift/T-bar confidently to compete.

Contact Details