Mac St News - Friday 18th September
Principal's Report
Another busy and successful term is almost complete at Mac Street.
Last week’s school concert was a fantastic way to bring our school community together and celebrate our students and the tremendous amount of work they put into rehearsing and preparing for the night. Our staff and students were phenomenal, and it was wonderful to see so many families and community members enjoying the evening. It was a great celebration of our students and the school community we have built together. A highlight of the night was most definitely finding out who ‘Barry’ was!!
There have been plenty of other highlights throughout the term, including Auskick after school, our Foundation 100 Days celebrations, Berry Street professional learning, interschool football, netball and futsal, and the Grade 1/2 excursion to the Ballarat Observatory.

Teaching and Learning
Our knowledge topic this term has been Space, and it has been fantastic to hear students regularly approaching me to share random facts and new knowledge they have developed.
For me, this is one of the most rewarding aspects of a knowledge-rich curriculum. As students build their background knowledge and make connections between new and existing information, that knowledge becomes increasingly accessible to them. Students are able to talk about what they have learned, make connections and apply their knowledge in different contexts.
This is the purpose of a knowledge-rich curriculum: to build the knowledge and vocabulary students need to be successful, while also creating greater equity through ensuring that all students have access to a strong base of knowledge.
Staffing
There are some staffing changes for 2027.
It is with sadness that Jo Edwards has decided to take 12 months' leave from Macarthur Street Primary School and will take up a classroom teaching position at Ballarat Clarendon College. Jo has made a significant contribution to our school and our curriculum and we are very grateful for everything she has done during her time at Mac Street. We wish Jo all the very best for the year ahead and look forward to welcoming her back in 2028.
I am also very pleased to announce that Emily Burns has been successful in obtaining the Learning Specialist position at Macarthur Street for 2027. This will see Emily move out of the classroom full-time and work across the school as an instructional coach. Emily will work alongside teachers in classrooms and continue to build on the curriculum work that Jo has established. I am excited to see the impact Emily will have in this role and the continued development of teaching and learning across our school.
We have also appointed Briana Poole as a graduate teacher for 2027. We are very excited to welcome Briana to Macarthur Street and look forward to supporting her as she begins her teaching career.
Term 4
In Term 4, we will be welcoming the warmer weather to our days. With this in mind, it is important that all students bring their school hat each day. Students without a hat will be required to play in a shaded area.
Term 4 will be full of learning, while also providing plenty of opportunities for fun and celebration. I have no doubt that the Grade 3–6 camp to Cottage by the Sea will be a major highlight for our students.
We will also begin welcoming our 17 new Foundation students as they commence their orientation and prepare for their schooling journey in 2027. We can't wait to see their smiling faces as they walk through our doors for the first time.
I hope everyone has a wonderful break over the next two weeks and has the opportunity to relax, recharge and spend some quality time with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for a big and exciting Term 4.
Have a safe and enjoyable holiday break.
Anthony Cross









