Principal's Report

Bushfire Safety and Emergency Management Update

We are currently making some changes to our school's bushfire management plan and undertaking important works to ensure our school continues to meet the required bushfire safety standards.

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) recently conducted an extensive audit of our Shelter in Place (SIP) building. The purpose of this audit was to ensure that the building meets the strict safety requirements needed to provide protection for our students and staff in the event of a bushfire.

One of the key requirements is to minimise flammable materials within 10 metres of the SIP building. This week, you may have noticed contractors working around the school, applying specialised fire-retardant paint to wooden surfaces. This treatment helps reduce the risk of these structures, including our retaining walls, catching fire.

We have been working closely with the VSBA and architects to identify ways to meet the required safety standards while minimising changes to our school environment.

As part of the upcoming works, repairs will be undertaken to the roof of the JCB, which has experienced ongoing leaks for the past five years. There will also be some landscaping changes around the SIP building to improve fire safety.

To ensure that the SIP meets requirements, some trees around the Shelter in Place building will need to be removed to meet the required bushfire safety standards. I have had several discussions with the VSBA about retaining these trees and have advocated strongly for their preservation, particularly those regularly visited by our local koalas. While we are disappointed that some trees will be removed, we understand the importance of ensuring that our Shelter in Place building meets the necessary safety requirements. We are fortunate to have such a beautiful natural environment at Macedon Primary School, and preserving this remains important to us. However, our responsibility to keep students and staff safe in the event of a bushfire must remain our highest priority.

Another important change to our bushfire management plan is our designated relocation school.

We are no longer relocating to Sunbury Height PS, our new relocation school is now New Gisborne Primary School. On days when an Extreme Fire Danger Rating is declared for the Macedon Ranges local government area, our school will relocate to New Gisborne Primary School in accordance with our emergency management procedures.

We understand that these arrangements can have an impact on families, so we want to ensure everyone is well informed and understands what to expect.

We will be sending out further information next week outlining our relocation procedures, including drop-off and collection arrangements and how families will be notified.

The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority, and we appreciate the understanding and support of our school community as we undertake these important improvements.

Sporting Success at Macedon Primary School

We are incredibly proud of our Girls Softball Team, who recently made it all the way to the Regional Championships. This is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the teamwork shown by the girls throughout the competition. They represented Macedon Primary School with great pride, and we congratulate them on their outstanding effort.

We would also like to congratulate Easton H, who has been selected to represent Victoria in Discus at the State School Athletics Championships. This is an incredible individual achievement, and we are extremely proud of Easton for reaching such a high level of competition. We wish him all the very best as he competes at the state level.

Attendance Update

Regular attendance is very important and makes a significant difference to student learning. In Victoria, all children aged 6 to 17 are required to attend school every day unless an exemption has been granted, and parents and carers must provide an explanation for any absence.

At Macedon Primary School, we are aiming for our average number of absences per child to be under 16.5 days for the year. If a child is averaging more than 5 days absent per term, Sue, our Mental Health and Wellbeing teacher, will contact families to discuss how we can work together to support improved attendance. We also ask that any family holidays during school time are discussed with the school and approved in advance.

Thank you,

Andrew Bloomfield

andrew.bloomfield@education.vic.gov.au