Macquarie Memo Issue 11- 2024

News from our Deputy Principal

Dear families,

I hope that you all had the chance to get some rest and relaxation over the recent school break. I went to Melbourne to spend some time with my mum and who would have thought that it would be warmer down south!

Term 3 has brought with it the opening of the school hall. Whole school assemblies will resume, with the first one being Kindergarten on Wednesday 21 August. Please be seated by 2pm.

The student free day was a time for staff to reconnect after the break. We began the day with a scavenger hunt. Teams were asked to solve riddles to find puzzle pieces around the school buildings and grounds. There was a lot of fun to be had and the competition was fierce.

Macquarie Primary School has had a focus on student wellbeing for several years. There have been a number of opportunities throughout the years. This term, Warehouse Circus returns for 8 weeks. This program has a focus on body control, self-confidence, persistence, focus and achieving goals. Participating students were selected (only 32 across the K-6 classes) by staff and executive nomination.

We are trialling an assessment tool, Foundations of Early Literacy Assessment (FELA) with our Kindergarten and Year 1 cohorts. This assessment was developed in Australia by well-regarded psychologist, Roslyn Neilson. The assessment was trialled with a variety of students across Australia including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the Northern Territory, and students with a first language other than English. This tool assesses the attainment of the foundational skills students require to be successful in whichever literacy program presented to them as their literacy skills develop. The data collected assists us to target intervention to meet the needs of individual students to build solid foundations for literacy learning. Currently, Jenelle Martin is assisting within this space. I am looking forward to viewing the data on the impact of this initiative.

Through the Inclusive Education: A Disability Inclusion Strategy for ACT Public Schools 2024-2034, the Education Directorate aims to strengthen inclusive education in our schools. One way we’re doing this is by developing a new resourcing model focussed on adjustments students with disability may need at school.  

You can read about the proposed changes on our Education website and attend an online information session to find out more. Sessions will be held:

• Tuesday 6 August at 11:15 am – RSVP
• Wednesday 14 August at 10:00 am – RSVP

You only need to attend one information session as the information will be the same at both.

Once you’ve read up on the proposed changes or attended an online information session, we want to know what you think. Complete the survey or email us at EDU.SystemReform@act.gov.au by Tuesday 10 September to share your thoughts.

Your feedback is valued and will be used to support schools prepare for a new adjustments-based resourcing model.

Regards,

Karen

Dear parents and carers
Welcome back to Term 3.
We are continuing to see the impacts of illness across our community this winter, with an
increase in the seasonal flu, COVID-19, and other illness.
At school, our focus remains on delivering quality teaching and learning with minimum
disruption. However, seasonal illness can mean there may be times this term where staff
are away unexpectedly, which may require us to adjust how we run our schools.
These adjustments are no different to those used during Term 2 and may include minor
changes to school timetables, a reduction in extracurricular activities, camps and
excursions, or periods of larger group or supervised independent learning. Teachers may
use online educational resources as part of their teaching at school. These changes support
schools to ensure student learning is not impacted. Your school will keep you updated if
changes are made.
Vaccination is one of the key protections against illness for our community. I encourage
everyone who can to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu and COVID-19. You can get your
child vaccinated at a GP, participating pharmacy, Early Childhood Immunisation Clinics
(children aged 6 months to under 5 years) or another immunisation provider. A
consultation fee may apply. You can find more on the ACT Health website.
There are simple steps we can all take to protect one another. Hand sanitiser is available at
all of our schools and students will be reminded of the importance of keeping up their
hand hygiene to help stop the spread of illness.
As parents and carers, one of the simplest and most important things you can do is to
keep your child at home when they are unwell. If your child has COVID-19 please let us
know by contacting your school Front Office.
Thank you once again for your support. 

 Katy Haire

Director General

Notes / Reminders

All notes are available on our school website.

P & C News

Volunteers needed!

Bunnings BBQ Saturday 17 August

The P&C have been fortunate to get a spot running the Bunnings BBQ on Saturday 17th of August so we're looking for volunteers to help! The sausage sizzle is a great fundraiser - last year raised almost $3000!

If you can volunteer then please select a time through this link. Please also send your mobile number to president.mpspandc@gmail.com (in case anything changes last minute).

Father’s Day Stall Friday 30 August

We will be hosting a Father’s Day stall for the children to purchase a small gift for their dad or special adult. We need volunteers to help run the stall between 8:30am – 1pm. If you can spare some time then please contact classparentrepmps@gmail.com.

Uniform Shop

The P&C Uniform Shop is located in the Tidbinbilla Building. It is run by volunteers and sells new uniforms as close to cost price as possible, and second-hand items for $2 and $5. We have currently lost our Wednesday volunteer, and the shop is now open Mondays 8:45 - 9:15am, and Fridays 8:45 - 9:15am. If you would like to volunteer at the shop on Wednesdays to keep this valuable service open, then please contact Liz at uniforms.mps@gmail.com

Cash and card payments are accepted. Orders can also be placed online via the flexischools app - see  www.flexischools.com.au. No need to collect online orders - they will be sent home with students.    

Donations of pre-loved uniform items are gratefully accepted during open times, or may be left at the front office.

Two volunteers are needed as soon as possible to work once a fortnight on Wednesday after school from 3-3:30pm. It’s a great way to get involved and contribute to the school community.

If you can help, please get in touch with Liz at uniforms.mps@gmail.com.

If we are unable to get volunteers, the shop will not be able to open Wednesdays to provide this valuable service to the school community.

Southern Cross Club Connection and fundraiser

The Macquarie P&C are part of the Canberra Southern Cross Club Community Rewards program for 2024/2025. If you are a member of the CSCC please link your membership to Macquarie Primary School and the P&C will receive 7.5% of your spend on food and beverages. You can simply fill out this online form (it takes about one minute!), or chat to reception next time you visit one of the clubs around Canberra.

Contact Details

Community Notices

All donations can be dropped off to the school. Items must be in great condition and Children's size 5-16 are preferred.

For 20 plus years, Menslink have provided free counselling to young guys throughout Canberra and the surrounding region.

If your young guy is having a hard time and could really use someone to talk to, get in touch with Menslink. Now conveniently located in Holder (with some sessions also available at Kippax & Lanyon), our wait times are currently low so we’re ready to help when he needs it.

We provide a welcoming and supportive environment for young guys to share their concerns and worries with a male counsellor who will hear them out, work alongside them and provide tips and strategies to get them through those tough times.

Our Counselling sessions are completely confidential and are available to any male aged 10-25. There are no fees or charges or limits to the number of sessions. You don’t need a mental health plan and we are available during school terms and school holidays. The only prerequisite is that he is willing to give it a try.

If you think your young guy will benefit from chatting to one of our counsellors, have a chat with them and head to www.menslink.org.au, hit the ‘Get Help’ button, fill in the form and we’ll get back to you, generally the same or next business day.

If you need more info on how to have that chat with them, just email admin@menslink.org.au or call 6287 2226 and we will send you some information.