School Council

On Tuesday 23rd October we held our 2024 Annual Reporting Meeting. As mentioned previously we have decided to share the minutes from that meeting.

In February 2024:

Membership term expired for the following parent members

Andrew Butler, Jonathon Horne, Kate Hutchinson and Clelia Dale

We received 8 nominations for 4 parent member positions. An election was held for the parent member positions and the following parents were elected: Andrew Butler, Hatice Kolevski, Kerith Sharkey and Kasim Hasan were the successful candidates and new parent members to School Council.

The DET employee positions for Mary Fazzari and Hayley Shaw also expired. Heather Fletcher and Patricia Murray continued in the position for 2024. Mary Fazzari re-nominated. However, we were unable to recruit a 4th DE nomination.

At our first meeting of the new School Council was held on 28th February new office bearers were elected.

At the date of this report the School Council membership and office-bearers were as follows:

4 out of 5 elected/ DET employee members:

Christine Nash – Principal and Executive Officer

Mary Fazzari

Patricia Murray- DE representation on Building & Grounds

Heather Fletcher

8 elected parent members:

Andrew Butler- School Council President

Amy Reynolds- Building & Grounds

Jen Stephenson– Treasurer and Vice President

Jenelle Murnane- Policy Reviews and VRQA requirements

Rohan Mills- Parents and Friends

Hatice Kolevski- Fundraising

Kerith Sharkey- Grants

Kasim Hasan- finance 

2 co-opted community members remain unfilled

Role of School Council

School councils play an important role in Victorian government schools. They have particular functions in setting and monitoring the school’s direction with 3 main responsibilities:

Finance: overseeing the development of the school’s annual budget and ensuring proper records are kept of the school’s financial operation

Much of School Council and the Finance subcommittee’s time is taken up trying to identify any potential areas for cost savings and to ensure we are getting value for the money that is spent. The following finance policy are reviewed and updated annually.

• Fundraising Policy
• Internet Banking Policy
• Investment Policy
• Refund Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Purchasing Card Policy
• Reimbursement Policy

Policy development and review: developing, reviewing and updating policies that reflect a school’s values and support the school’s broad direction outlined in its strategic plan.

New areas and regulations were introduced regarding the Child Safe Policy. Considerable work was done to review and update existing policies and practices to ensure all areas were covered.

Strategic Planning: participating in the development and monitoring of the School Strategic Plan and Annual implementation Plans.

2024 Annual implementation Plan

 included the following goals- 

• Student Engagement - implementing the principles of UDL (Universal Design for Learning), differentiation and targeted teaching  
• Literacy and Numeracy - appoint new Literacy and Numeracy Learning Specialists, implement an evidence-based phonics program (Initial Lit) in years 1 & 2, implement the new 2.0 Mathematics curriculum and the Tutor Learning Initiative
• Wellbeing, inclusion and resilience - implement inclusive classroom practices, Berry St Education Model, the Resilience Project and review the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support with support from the regional coach.

Families very generously contributed to 

• Library Fund donations- $14,000 (we have purchased $14,722 worth of new library books this year)
• Building Fund - $14,500 (add to funds already accrued to create an additional closed classroom space in 1/2)
• Play Fund donations- $9,540 (going towards purchase of replacement play equipment )

Fund raising events in 2024 increased significantly from previous years.

These included:

• Easter raffle - raised $1189
• Guess How Many Easter Eggs in the Jar - raised $103
• Hot Cross Bun Drive - $593
• Book Fair- $2,500 in credits for books
• Wild Hair Day - raised $275
• Tony's Pie Drive - raised $985
• Community Building (Trivia Night) - $4,034 profit
• Mother’s Day  & Father’s Stall outsourced to Tracey from Supa Bargains in Moonee Ponds Central. We received a $1,000 credit to purchase items for the DoJo shop
• Moonlight Movie Night - raised $2290

Friday Food Stalls - 34B, 34D, 34A & 56A scheduled

• Foundation - $609.20 (decodables)
• Grade 1/2 - $1,344.10 (decodables)
• Production - $793.55 (costumes & props)

Upcoming events:

• Bunnings BBQ fundraiser - 17th November 2024
• Colour Run - 11th December 2024

Building & Grounds

Two working bees were held this year; one in Term 1 and Term 3. Both working bees with attended by enthusiastic volunteers. Completed tasks include; repairing and painting various wooden furniture features, clean out of the areas behind the science building and the gym entry, planting within the chill out zone and general tidying up and sweeping/tree pruning.

Last year, we decided to explore other ways to manage the regular maintenance tasks such as tidying up garden beds, weed control, spreading mulch, cleaning up around the sand pit etc. We purchased an electric mower and leaf blower (yet to purchase an electric wiper snipper) and have employed someone for an extra 4 hours a week to mow the nature strip and maintain the garden beds.

Grants

We have one new successful grant to report which is $1000 from Nelson Alexander Foundation to purchase 11 wobble/ wriggle stools. 

The Victorian Schools Garden Program (VSGP) Grants (https://www.vsgp.org.au/) $500 nursery voucher was awarded earlier this year and needs to be spent before the end of 2024.

• The Y5/6 team have plans to use it in their project to transform the veggie garden into a beautiful learning area, with hanging baskets, large pots, and seating areas in time for
• graduation.
• The Y5/6 team would like to put a call out to the school community for donated items (pots, hanging baskets, etc.), and/or people to help with the project.
• They wondered if work on the area could be incorporated into a working bee.

Multiple new submissions and applications waiting on outcomes for:

• Waste sorting bins,
• Chill Out Zone refurbishment,
• Sensory room, and
• Decodable readers.
• An application is in preparation for a refresh of the Y1/2 library space Following on from the promise of $2.59 million

Here is a list of ideas that were discussed at yesterday's school council meeting - please let me know if I got something wrong, or if you have any other ideas to add!

Hatice and I are meeting for coffee next week to put ideas in more order and come up with a bit more of a plan, but everyone is welcome to join if you like.

Otherwise we can report back via email and/or at the November meeting.

EPS 175th Anniversary

EPS was opened 29 July 1850 (originally named Pascoevale National School) https://www.vic.gov.au/150-years-essendon-primary-school

Our175th anniversary is Tuesday 29 July 2025 with the idea of having a variety of events and activities through out the week, some with a student focus and some for the wider community. We discussed a few ideas

• Art Show to be held at the same time (Fri 1 / Sat 2 Aug 2025)
• Small fete and/or fundraising/community building activities to be held at the same time - details TBA
• Students to learn old games of the era
• Inquiry lessons focussed on history at the end of Term 2
• Students could dress up and experience what school was like in 1850

Possible items / info for display:

• Old technology of the era
• Old artifacts/objects and photos that Luke(?) found in the Prep Hall - we need to find out where these are stored
• There are some photos in the 'Follow the Gleam' book too
• Other information, paperwork, etc. from the archive - e.g. from famous former students such as Judith Durham, Steve Irwin, Ron Clarke...
• Other items of interest such as war memorials, bricks from the original building etc.

Community:

• Start sharing information about the event early to get people enthusiastic
• Invite former students, teachers & principals
• Use the EPS Alumni FB group to spread the word and/or get people involved

Latest News on the Playground Upgrade

Leadership are excited that the planning group are very close to going to tender. We expect this will occur in November and hope that the work will commence in early February, if not before. Through the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc (VAEAI) indigenous engagement process the following recommendations were made to be followed up through in the project or by school. School Council discussed the possibility of applying for grants that would help fund some of the school items.

Project Items

• Native PlantsInclude native plants to bring back aneco-friendly environment, bring insectsand animals back to the landscape e.g.,butterflies, frogs etc
• Yarning CircleCreate a yarning circle in the landscape whichvaries in size for different use.
• ArtEmbed art created by local Indigenous artistthroughout the structure.- Meeting Place- Travel Lines- Rubber Art- Court Art
• WayfindingWayfinding with footprints of localIndigenous animals. Coordinated with school. 
• GamesIntroduce indigenous game line marking andCoordinate with school to integrate games.

School Items

• Acknowledgment Plaque installed acknowledgment of Wurundjeriin reception and front garden entrances
• Prep Room Naming All prep room names to be named in local woi wurrung language. Sign at doors.
• Information Boards / ButtonsCoordination with Project Design team to print out information signs within reception. 
• Street SignStreet sign within school that note significant sites like Merri Creek 5km away or Maribyrnong river 2km away

Meeting closed - 7:58pm