MacGregor State School Newsletter 2024 - Edition 20
From the Principal
Dear MacGregor State School Families and Community,
As we approach the end of another wonderful school year, I want to take a moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your dedication, support, and positive contributions to our school community. It has been a year filled with growth, achievements, and memories that will stay with us all.
To our exceptional staff – thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students, for your hard work, and for creating an environment where learning, kindness, and collaboration thrive. Your efforts make a difference every single day.
To our parents and families – we are so grateful for the support you give your children and our school. Your involvement, whether in the classroom, at events, or through the countless ways you support your child’s education, is invaluable. We could not have had such a successful year without you.
And to the wider community – your partnership with our school is something we treasure. Your ongoing support ensures we can continue to provide enriching opportunities for our students to learn, grow, and succeed.
As we look ahead to the festive season, I wish you all a joyful and restful break filled with peace and happiness. May this time be one of connection with loved ones and relaxation as we celebrate all that we have accomplished together this year. I’ll be celebrating Christmas with family in Canberra before a short holiday in the Yarra Valley with my wife and friends and of course my two poodles!
Thank you once again for everything you do for MacGregor State School. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to welcoming you all back in 2025!
Yours in Equity & Excellence,
Mr. Lee Gerchow
Principal
Prep and Year One
Welcome to the final weeks of the school year!
This week was full of exciting events and celebrations for our learners. Our all grown up Preppies attended their Prep Graduation Celebration on Monday and put on a wonderful show for their parents. Thank you to all the families who were able to join us for this special occasion.
Thank you to all the families who continued on and stayed for the party after the ceremony. Your presence made the event truly special, and the children were very grateful for the delicious food you provided, which everyone enjoyed. It was fantastic to see you all engaging with the performances and sharing in the joy of the day.
Swimming carnival
On Wednesday, our swimming carnival was a huge success. It was wonderful to see our students demonstrate their skills and sportsmanship in the pool. Swimming is not just a fun activity; it is an essential life skill that promotes safety, health and confidence. We encourage you to continue supporting your child’s swimming journey, whether that is through swimming lessons or recreational swimming, as these experiences will benefit them for a lifetime.
It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our classrooms
As we are nearing the end of the busy year, our learners are definitely enjoying the opportunity to do some Christmas craft, cooking and spending time with Buddies.
It has been wonderful to watch and celebrate the achievements and efforts of our Prep and Year 1 learners this year. Learning is not just about receiving high grades and awards. It is about giving it your best, developing curiosity, creativity and the willingness to take risks. I am very proud of each and every young learner who have shown us time and time again that they are not afraid to ask questions, embrace new challenges and think outside the box. Congratulations to all our amazing learners!
None of this would have been possible without the incredible support and dedication of the team of teachers, teacher aides and support staff. Their passion, patience, knowledge about each child and belief in our learners have been the driving force behind this remarkable success. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to work alongside such a committed group of educators who consistently go above and beyond to ensure that every learner reaches their full potential and succeeds.
To the amazing families I had the privilege to work with, I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the support and care you have shown throughout the year. Your dedication and encouragement have made a huge difference in the schooling life of our little learners.
As we approach the holiday season, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, filled with joy, laughter, peace and precious moments with your loved ones. May this festive season bring you an abundance of happiness, a well-deserved rest, and ample opportunities to reconnect, recharge, and restore.
I look forward to seeing you all in 2025, as we strive to create an even more enriching and inspiring learning environment for our wonderful learners.
Year Four and Five
As the year is coming to a fast close, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the students and parents in my cohort and across the school for their kindness and support this year. Whilst at times, the face to face or phone call conversations haven’t been always positive, the response from parents and students has been appreciated in ensuring our students continue to grow and learn from their mistakes – that is what being a kid is about.
As we approach a big break from school, please ensure you allow your child time to have a break from all the study and educational activities. However, we all know that routines are great and help keep us regulated. Please find below some ideas for activities to keep us busy, away from too much screen time and allow us all to have some fun together:
- https://visit.brisbane.qld.au/inspiration/free-things-to-do
- https://www.timeout.com/brisbane/things-to-do/best-free-things-to-do-in-brisbane
- https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/council-venues-and-precincts/libraries
- https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/whats-on-and-events/school-holiday-events
- https://brisbanekids.com.au/school-holiday-activities-qld/
I wish you all a wonderful and safe festive season. If you are travelling, enjoy the time with your families and I look forward to seeing everyone back in 2025!
Inclusion Team Update
NDIS ACCESS 2025
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We will now be taking expressions of interest for those parents/guardians that wish for NDIS Providers to conduct therapy sessions for their child onsite at Macgregor State School for 2025.
In 2025 we will be providing one room to utilise for NDIS therapy sessions in the Administration office. There will be one hour timeslot allocations for each day of the week. Once these timeslots are filled there will be no more bookings available.
If you wish for your child to have their NDIS sessions at school please fill in the NDIS Access Request form below for 2025. Please email all forms back to Jessica Kanowski (Head of Inclusion) jkano6@eq.edu.au
NDIS Access is at the discretion of the principal and all decisions are final.
Please find below the Procedure for NDIS Access for 2025 at Macgregor State School:
Parent/s make a request
- Parent/s makes a request for an NDIS provider to deliver a support under an NDIS plan at school, during school time by completing an NDIS access request form. If further information is needed or further discussions are needed, the principal or another member of the school team, may request further information from the parent/s, via email, telephone or during a face-to-face meeting.
Principal considers the request
The principal makes a decision within a reasonable timeframe taking into account issues outlined in the policy.
Principal advises the parent
- The principal informs the parent/s of their decision in writing and if access is:
- granted, the conditions of access including further information required from the NDIS provider; or
- refused, the reasons for the refusal.
- The parent/s advises the NDIS provider about the principal’s decision and further information required. NDIS provider provides information to the school.
The NDIS provider:
- confirms with the school, in writing or by email, the names of NDIS provider staff who will be providing the NDIS support at school, during school time and provides for each staff member certified copies of their:
o Working with children (Blue Card) clearance details; and
o Photo identification, such as a valid Driver Licence or Proof of age card.
- certified copies of certificates of currency for the following insurances: o Workers compensation insurance (or personal injury insurance in the case of sole traders undertaking the work themselves); o Professional indemnity insurance for not less than $2 million per claim; and o Public liability insurance for not less than $20 million per claim.
- details of the nature and type of NDIS supports to be provided at the school, during school time.
- details of any proposed use of school equipment or materials.
Enter into an Access agreement
- The principal, parent/s and NDIS provider sign an Access agreement. Before the NDIS provider commences delivering the support at the school
- The NDIS provider provides the school with documents confirming that staff delivering the support at the school, during school time have completed:
- Mandatory All-Staff Training (MAST) program: key message guide for contractors’ volunteers and visitors within the last 12 months (declaration form); Uncontrolled copy. Refer to the Department of Education Policy and Procedure Register at https://ppr.qed.qld.gov.au/pp/national-disability-insurance-scheme-ndis-provider-access-to-state-schools-procedure to ensure you have the most current version of this document. Page 3 of 7
- First Aid, CPR, or Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy anaphylaxis training (current certificates);
- school-based induction for the school where the support is being provided.
- If further training is required the principal, or a member of the school team nominated by the principal, must provide the NDIS provider with school-based induction and access to other required training, if not already undertaken by NDIS provider staff.
- Each time an NDIS provider staff member attends the school to deliver the NDIS support, school staff must sight, for that NDIS provider staff member:
- current Working with children (Blue Card) clearance details;
- current photo identification, such as a valid Driver Licence or Proof of age card
Sports Updates
Early in 2025 MacGregor will be looking to select its school swimming team. This team will compete at the Mt Gravatt District Swimming Trials which are to be held in February.
To be eligible to represent MacGregor students will need to meet set time requirements. These times are set by Mt Gravatt District School Sport (at this stage we don’t have the 2025 times).
The general process will be
- A form will be sent home (early next year)
- Complete the form, providing evidence of times completed
- If students meet the requirements we will invite them to represent MacGregor at the District trials.
We understand that not all students are actively involved in a swimming club. Through the relationship with Donald Swimming we are able to provide opportunities for MacGregor students to swim and get times (particularly useful if you are not involved in a swimming club).
Students from MacGregor will be able to take part in a Donald Swimming club night either
- Friday 6th December
- Friday 13th December
- Friday 31st January
If you wish to take part in the one of these nights, arrive at 6pm for a 6:30pm start. They are hosted at the school pool with access to the pool via the gate on the oval.
Finance
We have implemented QParents for payment and consent for SRS, excursions, incursions, camps and extra-curricular activities.
- A consent will be loaded to Parent QParents account with a specific due date. If you do not have QParents, it is parent responsibility to contact administration to obtain a paper copy and complete/return.
- Parent will be notified of the SRS/excursion/incursion/camp/extra-curricular activity via email.
- On the consent due date, an invoice will be generated to Parent who has completed the consent, this will be sent via email.
Payment amount will also be loaded to QParents. If a consent is not received by due date, children will not be able to participate in the SRS/excursion/incursion/camp/extra-curricular activity and will not be invoiced.
- Payment will be due by a specific date which will be specified again on the invoice.
- If payment is not received by the due date, despite signing a consent, children will not be able to participate in the SRS/excursion/incursion/camp/extra-curricular activity.
- As a courtesy, generic reminders will be emailed to Parent prior to the due date.
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please do not hesitate to contact the Finance office.
Message from our Guidance Officer
To Parents and Carers,
I’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas and thank you for your collaboration this year. Best of luck to our wonderful Grade 6 students as they prepare for their next chapter at high school – very exciting!
2025: Setting Up for Success
As we look ahead to 2025, I’d like to share some strategies to help your child feel more prepared for the new school term, especially if they’re feeling anxious.
Anxious feelings often thrive on the unknown. By introducing some familiar routines and steps now, you can help your child feel more confident and ready for the weeks ahead.
- Start adjusting sleep and wake-up routines early
Begin now by setting an alarm for wake-up time and establishing a consistent bedtime routine. This helps ease the transition back to school schedules and avoids overwhelming changes on the first day.
- Talk about the classroom teacher
Have a light conversations about the teacher during everyday moments, like breakfast:
- “I wonder if Ms X likes swimming as much as you do…”
- “I was thinking, maybe Mr Z likes art. What’s your favourite thing to draw or paint? You could ask him about it when you meet him.”
- Use a morning checklist to reduce meltdowns
A simple checklist for the morning routine, from waking up to leaving the house, can help create structure and predictability for anxious children.
- Go through what drop-off will look like
Whether you’re dropping off an older sibling at high school, a younger sibling at childcare, or walking your child to the classroom or gate, talk about what this will look like so they know what to expect.
- Allow for moments of connection in the morning
The transition back to school can feel overwhelming after six weeks at home. Spend five minutes connecting with your child to help them feel grounded before the day begins.
- Create a goodbye ritual – and stick to it
This is so important, especially for anxious children. Establish a consistent goodbye routine:
- Walk your child to the classroom or drop-off point.
- When it’s time to say goodbye, kiss, cuddle, and say, “Have a great day! I’ll pick you up at 2:55 pm.” Then leave confidently.
This can be challenging, but teachers and teacher aides are there to support your child. If your child is very anxious, practise this goodbye routine at home to make it familiar.
- Give yourselves grace and allow for extra downtime
The first few weeks back are likely to feel tiring. Prioritise downtime after school to help your child recharge their batteries. 🤍
Hello from our Chappy Mr T.
Community Christmas celebrations for the family.
We've finally made it to the end of 2024. Its been another busy and fun year, and hope that it has been a fruitful one for you.
With Christmas around the corner, I would like to highlight a couple of Christmas celebrations for the family in the local community in early December.
Christmas Fest
Sat 7th December 3-6pm
Free light refreshments and drinks. Free entry
We have carnival games, face painting, balloon twisting, a petting zoo, emergency vehicles, Christmas performances, exciting raffle prizes and a free gift for each child attending the event! Bring your hat, sunscreen, chairs, picnic mats.
Each child that registers receives a free gift at the venue.
Register via this link or for more information
https://www.handsofhope.org.au/christmas-fest/
https://www.facebook.com/events/449813251083619
Location- UNIDUS Community Centre, 204 Sherbrook Rd, Willawong QLD
Favor Carols
Sunday, December 15, 4-7PM
Open to the entire community
4-6PM: Festival (featuring inflatables, petting zoo, face painting, sausage sizzle, snow cones, fairy floss, and more)
6-7PM: Live Christmas Carols
Free entry
Location: Favor Church Brisbane — 1374 Old Cleveland Road, Carindale
Uniform Shop
If you are clearing out your child's wardrobe of old school uniform, please consider donating it to our second-hand stall. We are in need of Dresses, Polo's, Sports Shorts & Grey Culottes to sell on our rail."
Our last day of trading will be Friday 13th December. Online sales will still be available but will not be delivered until the first week of Term 1 2025, unless picked up during the holidays.
Holiday opening times are:-
Tuesday 14th - Friday 17th January - 09:00-15:00pm
Saturday 18th January - 10:00-14:00pm
Monday 20th, Wednesday 22nd & Friday 24th January - 09:00-15:00pm
Mac Shack News
Mac Snack Shack Update for Week 11!
As we approach the final week of term (Week 11), the Mac Snack Shack Team will be offering a reduced menu and adjusted hours. Please see the attached flyer for details!
A huge thank you to everyone for your continued support throughout the year! Jacqui and the team wish all of our school families a happy and safe holiday season.
See you in the new year!
P&C News
Invitation to Join the MacGregor State School P&C Association for 2025
Dear MacGregor Community members
MacGregor State School Parents and Citizens Association (P&C) is a non-profit organisation run by a dedicated team of volunteers. Our primary objective is to promote the interests of MacGregor State School and facilitate its continuous development and improvement. This is achieved by fostering strong parent participation and encouraging collaboration among parents, students, the school community, and external entities, all in the pursuit of the best educational outcomes for our children and young people.
The P&C oversees the management of three essential services to the school: MOSHC (MacGregor Out of School Hours Care), the Tuck Shop, and the Uniform & Stationery Shop. These services not only support students and parents but also generate income that directly benefits the school and community. In addition, we organise various fundraising events throughout the year, with profits reinvested into projects and capital purchases that enhance the school's educational environment—things that would not be possible through Department funding alone.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are seeking new members to join our association and contribute to the ongoing success of MacGregor State School. If you are interested in learning more about what we do and how you can become involved, please visit our website at LINK HERE or follow us on FACEBOOK
To apply for membership, please follow this link: LINK HERE
We look forward to welcoming new members and working together to continue improving our school community.
Student Achievements
Congratulations to Aavik who has been selected in the U12 Logan Cricket team for the Ian Healy Cup. This is an amazing opportunity for Aavik to test himself against other up and coming young cricketers and we wish him the best of luck.
If any students are having sporting success outside of school we encourage you to share it with us so we can help celebrate them.
Community Holiday Activities
