2025 Staffing and School Structures

As we prepare for an exciting 2025, I am thrilled to share our staffing updates and school structures for the year ahead. We are fortunate to have a talented, passionate team dedicated to supporting the growth and success of every student. Below are some highlights about our new appointments and returning staff members:

Welcoming New Faces

Alexandra Bell: Alexandra joins us as a graduate teacher in Year 3/4. Having worked in schools as an education support worker while studying, she brings enthusiasm and deep knowledge to her teaching practice. We’re excited to see her impact in the classroom.
Lisa Pickles: Lisa will be teaching Forest School and teaching our F/1 students two days a week. Her dedication to outdoor education, science and early learning will enrich both programs.
Felicity Brennan: Already familiar to our school as a CRT, Felicity steps into the role of Visual Arts Teacher. Her passion for art and innovative ideas promise a dynamic arts program next year.
Rebecca Hesper: Rebecca has been appointed as our Learning Tutor, where she will run the MacLit and MiniLit programs and monitor the progress of at-risk students across the school. Her expertise will be invaluable in driving targeted learning improvements.
Carla Dodd: Carla returns in 2025 as our Learning Specialist, bringing her exceptional knowledge and positive influence to support teacher development and student learning outcomes.

2025 Staffing Overview

We’ve worked to ensure a strong balance of experienced staff and fresh perspectives to deliver a well-rounded education. Here is our team for 2025:

Role	Staff member
Foundation/Grade 1	Kirstie Hall
Foundation/Grade 1	Melissa Smillie 3 days/ Lisa Pickles – 2 days
Foundation/Grade 1	Tracy Tadd
Grade 2/3	Heather Coates
Grade 2/3	Sandi Spittal
Grade 3/4	Anthony Bortolot
Grade 3/4	Alexandra Bell
Grade 5/6	Veronica Wuthrich
Grade 5/6 (and learning specialist)	Carla Dodd
Visual Arts	Felicity Brennan
Physical Education	David Oxworth
STEM	Angela Holdsworth
LOTE	To be advised
Forrest School	Lisa Pickles
TLI (Tutor Learning Initiative)	Rebecca Hesper
Mental Health in Primary Schools	Sue Erwin
DI/LT (Disability Inclusion and Leading Teacher)	Karren Baker
Education Support Staff	Anne Eames, Ashlee Knight, Sasha Howell
Administration	Emma Tuck, Salina Chamerski
Business Manager	Julie Stein-Reeves
Out of School Hours Care	Vicki Leening

The school is fortunate to have such a committed team, and we look forward to working together to deliver engaging and inclusive education in 2025. We are still finalising some roles, including LOTE, and will keep you updated. Thank you for your ongoing support as we move into another exciting year at Macedon Primary School.

Parent and carer School Saving Bonus code distribution

The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus - a one-off $400 support for government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025. From Tuesday 26 November 2024, you will receive an email from the Department of Education with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code. The School Saving Bonus will help families cover the cost of uniforms, textbooks, excursions, activities and more. If you have multiple children enrolled in Victorian government schools for 2025, you will receive one School Saving Bonus code email per child. These emails might arrive on different days. Please make sure to check your spam/junk email folder.

Parents and carers can use the School Saving Bonus code in store at school-nominated suppliers. Parents and carers can also choose to access the School Saving Bonus online system, where they can allocate part or all the $400 bonus to use at school nominated-online suppliers or for school activities.

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, visit School Saving Bonus. A step-by-step user guide will be available on the webpage on 26 November. If you have not received your School Saving Bonus code via email by Friday 29 November, please contact the Department of Education by emailing school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au

Child safety and wellbeing at Macedon Primary School: information for families and the school community

Macedon Primary School is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe.

Our child safety framework includes policies, codes and procedures that explain how we support and maintain the safety and wellbeing of our students and protect them from harm. These documents are available on our website: https://macedonps.vic.edu.au/about/#policies

We are also committed to continuous improvement of our child safety framework. We are currently reviewing our child safety policies and practices to ensure they are up-to-date and effective.

Our students and families are important partners in this process. We welcome your feedback or ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact Andrew andrew.bloomfield@edumail.vic.gov.au

School Review

As part of our school review, we're exploring the “Why” of Macedon Primary School—what makes MPS unique and what drives our purpose as a school. Understanding our "Why" helps us identify the core beliefs and values that fuel our passion, creating a shared vision that unites our school community and shapes the future of MPS.

To gain insight into the importance of knowing your "Why," you might find this video by Michael Jr. inspiring. If you'd like to contribute your thoughts, please add them to the poster outside the principal’s office or email them to Andrew at Andrew.bloomfield@education.vic.gov.au.

Food Drive

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to our Food Drive in support of Gisborne Foodbank! We’re continuing to collect donations for the next three weeks and would love your support in helping those less fortunate in our community. This is a meaningful opportunity for our students to show kindness and make a positive impact. Families are invited to drop off donations in the school foyer. Your generosity will go a long way in providing much-needed items for local families. If you would prefer to donate money, please visit Gisborne Foodbank's donation page.

To ensure we gather a variety of items, we’ve assigned specific products to each year level:

Foundation: Long life milk (lactose-free, almond, soy, condensed milk, coconut milk/cream)
Grade 1: Breakfast cereals, rice, pasta sauces, 2-minute noodles, instant cup soups
Grade 2: Sauces (tomato, BBQ, mayonnaise, curry pastes), Asian sauces, instant meals, stock (liquid and cubes)
Grade 3: Salt, tinned vegetables, tinned spaghetti, tuna, sardines, baked beans, tinned fruit, fruit snack packs, cake/pancake mix, jelly
Grade 4: Cooking oil, kids' snacks, muesli bars, sweet biscuits, crackers, Vegemite, peanut butter, jam, honey, tea, coffee, Milo
Grade 5: Pet food, dishwashing liquid, laundry liquid, cleaning sprays, sponges, wipes
Grade 6: Toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash

Gisborne Foodbank is preparing Christmas Hampers, and each donation makes a real difference. Thank you for helping make this Food Drive a success—we truly appreciate your kindness and support!

Scholastic Book Club