Primary Bulletin

Life is very smooth in the Primary School building as I write this report. The students are engaging well in their learning and are comfortable in their class routines. The teachers work hard to set students up in first term, so that they are ready to learn when they enter the classroom daily. As I head down the corridor, I catch conversations that indicate the high level of engagement the students have with their teachers. 

As we head into the cold weather season, we are seeing more coughs and colds as well as Covid around. Please make sure you encourage your children to wash their hands regularly to help prevent the spread of germs. If your child is unwell, please keep them home to reduce the sharing of their illness also. 

The year Prep -3 students are really enjoying their gymnastics program and look forward to their Fridays this term. I suggest parents pack a little extra food for them to eat at recess, as they will be returning at the end of lunchtime and eat a late lunch. We do not want students having Lunch orders on these days. 

The Year 4-6 students are well into their Interschool Sports Program for the term. This term they are playing Netball and Tee-ball. Games are played weekly against other schools in the area and the experience is really enjoyed by the students, as they learn new skills of their chosen sport, which is the focus of the program. I am thrilled to say that we have had some success so far this season with a few wins under our belts, which is fantastic when we consider that some of the larger schools we play field only Year 6 students in their teams. They also have opportunities to meet other children whom they may meet again in their secondary school years. 

It was Walk to School Day on Friday 16th May. This initiative was started to get kids in the habit of walking to school young to help them feel great now, and lead healthy, active lives into the future. That’s what VicHealth’s Walk to School initiative is all about. This includes working with schools and local councils to make it easy, safe and accessible. We encourage everyone to participate in this event, even if you normally drive your children to school, you could park a little further away and walk the rest of the way to school. The students received a fun tattoo to signify the event. 

I would like to acknowledge the work of a small group of parents who helped bring together the Mother’s Day stall for our kids. They are so excited to buy gifts for their mums and every year the PFA group presents a wonderful selection of choices for them to purchase. Thank you to Jane Galanti, Gemma Walker and Charlotte Crill for your time and efforts for the children. 

The highlight of our term so far has been the camp to Sovereign Hill. The students did us proud representing our school showing all our values as they participated in the activities and new experiences. Students were immersed in the times of the Gold Rush as they experienced how confectionery was made, panned for gold in the creek, viewed how a gold ingot is made and how they remove all the impurities from the gold. We were very well fed with bangers and mash for dinner followed by pavlova, then delicious bakery goods for lunch the next day. 

A highlight of this camp is the Aura experience which begins with a 3D video which explains where gold came from when the universe was formed. The group are then transported on a multi carriage bus to the site where we learn about Bungil and the indigenous story of gold and the Ballarat area. Finally, we are transported to the goldfields where we learn how the discovery of gold in Ballarat changed the history and fortune of Victoria. We learned about the Eureka Stockade and how this event influenced our democracy into the future. 

It was a pleasure to be part of this event with our students and made me very proud to part of their learning journey. A big thank you goes to Mr Lo Nigro for his fantastic organisation and efforts to get this camp off the ground. Many thanks also go to Mr Cameron, Laura Shultz and Jane Galanti for their support and commitment to our children over these 2 big days. 

Grade 5/6 Carlton Football Club Visit

On Tuesday 9th June, the Grade 5/6 students from Mr Lo Nigro's class had the opportunity to participate in the 'Road to Respect' program run by the Carlton Football Club.  

They represented Macleod with the highest esteem.  We are very proud of our students, and I am sure they had a 'blast'.