Hello Families,

Traffic Safety

Ensuring our children travel safely to and from school is our top priority. Unfortunately, we have had several close calls recently that highlight the need for increased vigilance and care.

Our crossing guard reported a concerning incident at the end of the day last week. A child exited the school via the gate near the portable and ran out onto the road between two parked cars. This unexpected dash caused a car to brake suddenly to avoid a serious accident. To prevent such dangerous situations, we have decided to lock that gate permanently. We kindly ask all families to use the school crossings on Smith and Carrington Street for entering and exiting the school premises.

Additionally, we have received reports from community members regarding unsafe behaviour by some of our students on Carrington Street. Specifically, students have been seen riding their bikes erratically and pulling out into traffic without looking. This behaviour is extremely dangerous and puts both the students and drivers at risk.

We urge all parents to speak with their children about the importance of road safety. Remind them to always look both ways before crossing the street, use designated crossing points, and ride their bikes responsibly.

Disco Thank You

We are thrilled to report that our recent school disco was a tremendous success! The night was filled with fun, laughter, and lots of dancing, and it was wonderful to see our students enjoying themselves so much.

This fantastic event would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our Parents and Friends Committee. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to organising the disco. Your efforts made the night truly special.

A special thank you goes to Blake for his incredible work as DJ. The music was fantastic and kept everyone on their feet all night long.

Thank you once again for your support and for making this event a memorable one for our students.

Essendon Players Visit

We were delighted to welcome two Essendon Football Club players, Zach Reid and Xavier Duursma, to our school recently. Their visit to the Grade 5/6 classroom was an inspiring and engaging experience for our students.

Zach and Xavier generously shared their journeys to the AFL, discussing the dedication and hard work required to reach professional football. They also opened up about their experiences on the field, highlighting both their successes and the challenges they've faced along the way.

Our students were absolutely enthralled by the conversation, eagerly asking questions and soaking up the valuable insights offered by these accomplished athletes. It was a memorable and motivating session for everyone involved.

We are grateful to Zach and Xavier for taking the time to visit and inspire our students with their stories.

Late Arrivals

We would like to address a growing concern regarding the number of students arriving late to school. It is essential for students to be in their classrooms and ready to start the day at 9:00 am. Punctuality is crucial for a smooth start to the school day and ensures that all students receive the full benefit of their morning lessons.

Students arriving late not only miss important instructional time but also disrupt the learning environment for their classmates. To maintain an orderly and effective learning environment, we ask that any student arriving after 9:00 am sign in at the office upon arrival.

We appreciate your cooperation and support in helping us address this issue. By ensuring that your children arrive on time, you are contributing to a more productive and positive educational experience for everyone.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Australian Early Development Census

Building a national picture of child health

From May 2024, our school, along with thousands of others across the country, will participate in the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).

The AEDC is a teacher-completed census (similar to a questionnaire) which provides a comprehensive picture of how children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school.

The AEDC is an Australian Government Initiative and is completed nationally every three years.

Children don’t miss any class time while the AEDC is completed, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information.

In the previous 2021 AEDC, our school profile indicated that: >Optional information: summarise your school’s profile from the 2021 AEDC<

We used the results to support … >Optional information: ways the census results helped your school or improved community services<

The data collected through the AEDC is used by schools, communities and governments to better understand children and families’ needs, and identify the services, resources and support they need.

AEDC data is reported at a school, community, state/territory and national level. AEDC results for individual children are not reported and the AEDC is not used as an individual diagnostic tool.

Some teachers have found that completing the AEDC made them more aware of the needs of individual children and their class, and that the data was useful for planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing programs.

Participation in the AEDC is voluntary, however the AEDC relies on all schools with children in their first year of full-time school participating in the collection. Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

To find out more about the AEDC and how it is being used to help children and families visit: www.aedc.gov.au.

If you have any questions, you can contact me.

2025 Enrolments Closing Soon

Enrolments for Foundation students for the 2025 school year are now open! Please note that the deadline for submitting your application is Friday, July 26th. Be sure to complete and submit your enrolment forms before this date to ensure your child's place.

https://macedonps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Student-Enrolment-Form-2025.pdf

You will be notified of the outcome of your application by Friday, August 9th.

Winter Solstice Volunteers

The Winter Solstice Family Bonfire Night will be held on Friday the 21st of June. We are looking for volunteers to help with this amazing event. If you’re interested in helping, can you please fill out this short Google Form: https://forms.gle/L7HU5Mq7dNfuHTNMA

Warm regards,

Andrew Bloomfield

Principal

Biggest Morning Tea