Finance

REMINDER: Due date for payments 

Looking Ahead: Keep a lookout on your COMPASS Payment Center for these events.

Finance Report – March 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we come to the end of a busy term, I would like to provide you with some important updates regarding school finances, upcoming events, and key reminders that will help ensure a smooth and successful year for all our students.

CSEF Funds Received

We are excited to announce that we have successfully received the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) for 2025. This funding will be used to support our students' participation in various extracurricular activities, including camps, sports events, and excursions. These funds play a vital role in making these experiences accessible to all students, and we appreciate your ongoing support in ensuring these opportunities are maximized for every child.

Front Office Enquiries – SSB Usage

We have recently received several enquiries at the front office regarding the usage of the School Saving Bonus (SSB). As mentioned previously in the newsletter, our COMPASS portal currently lacks the functionality for parents to allocate their SSB funds directly. We have been in contact with COMPASS, and while they were unable to provide an estimated date for the feature’s release, they have assured us that it is a priority, as they understand the high demand from schools and families.

In the meantime, we would like to remind parents that, in order to allocate SSB funds, the funds must first be requested and allocated through the Department Portal.

Please ensure that you complete the necessary steps to allocate your SSB funds in the Department Portal before contacting the front office for assistance. This process ensures the efficient management of funds and helps us provide timely support to students.

Once the allocation is completed, please allow 2-3 business days for the transaction to be processed. After this, you can contact the front office via email, phone, or in person to advise us of how you would like to use your allocated SSB funds. We will be happy to manually apply the funds to your desired activity or service.

Parent Payments – Staying Organised

As we approach the end of the term, we kindly remind all parents and guardians about the importance of staying on top of parent payments for sports events, excursions, and other associated costs. To help ensure a smooth process, we encourage all families to check their events portal regularly and complete any outstanding payments. This helps the school manage resources effectively and ensures that all students can benefit from the programs and activities we offer.

Navigating Compass

This week, we’ve introduced a brand-new section specifically for parents to help you navigate Compass with ease. We know that a lot of information is sent out regularly, and we want to make sure you’re always in the loop with what's happening in your child’s education.

In this issue, we’ll show you how to access all the communication sent through Compass, so you never miss an update. Our goal is to keep you well-informed and connected to your child’s school experience. Providing families with small, digestible pieces of information will help prevent overwhelm, while also encouraging you to explore and navigate Compass more effectively.

Why not take a moment to have a coffee and browse through our school emails? You could catch up while waiting in the car at pick-up, during your lunch break, or, like me, on a Saturday morning in bed with a hot drink. Getting organised for the week ahead can really give you a head start—and let’s face it, as parents, we could all use a little help with that!

Grade 6 Hoodies Handed Out

A special mention to our Grade 6 students – their Grade 6 hoodies were handed out this week, and they look absolutely fantastic! We are thrilled to see our senior students sporting their new hoodies, marking a special milestone in their journey here at the school. It's wonderful to see their excitement and pride as they prepare for the year ahead.

Expression of Interest – Music Extracurricular Program

We are excited to announce the release of the Expression of Interest for this year's Music Extracurricular Program. If your child is interested in joining one of our music ensembles or lessons, please submit their details by 2nd April 2025. Based on the number of students who express interest, we will then raise a Compass event with further details.

Please note that payment for the program is due by the second week of music lessons, and this payment is strictly payable by this date. We encourage all interested families to keep an eye on their Compass notifications to ensure they do not miss the deadline.

We appreciate your attention to these matters and your continued support of the school. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact the front office.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to making our school experience the best it can be for all our students.

Jess Moran

Administration.

What is Compass?

Compass is a school management solution that allows parents and carers to access up-to-date and meaningful information about your school and your child’s progress. Compass includes many different features, including the ability to:

• Monitor your child’s attendance, and enter an explanation for absence or lateness
• Communicate with your child’s teachers, and update your family contact details
• View your child’s timetable and the school calendar
• Monitor your child’s homework and assessment tasks
• Download and view your child’s academic reports
• Book parent-teacher conferences
• Pay and provide consent for events and school fees

For more information about COMPASS PAY, please visit the link below.

If you need additional assistance, feel free to reach out to our office staff.

https://www.compass.education/guide/

How do I pay for an excursion on Compass?

Make snappy, online payments in minutes with our online platform. Simply:

1. Login to your Compass portal (mobile app or web), and view your home page. When an excursion requires consent/payment, a notification will appear here.

2. Click on this link to be redirected to your Action Centre, where all upcoming events/excursions requiring parental/guardian action will automatically display.

3. Click anywhere on the desired event’s line to open the consent/payment section.

4. Fill in the fields provided. To pay specifically, select saved credit card details from the dropdown menu available, or add a new credit via the ‘New Credit Card’ option.

5. Once completed, select Proceed, to submit your payment for processing. 

Friendly Note: Currently, only VISA or MasterCard payments are accepted by Compass. Alternative payment options may be available at your school’s general office.

Where do I see the payments I've made through Compass?

View in-Compass payments, in three simple steps:

1. Login to Compass.

2. Select the Cog Icon in the top right hand corner of your page.

3. Select the My Payments option, and review your payment history.

CSEF applies to financially means tested HealthCare Card applications.  If you have your own healthcare card (in your name), as listed below then you would qualify.

Below is a list of means tested cards that are accepted:

• ABSTUDY – Schooling Applicant (ABA)
• ABSTUDY – Secondary/Tertiary (ABY)
• Age Pension (AGE)
• Austudy Payment (AUS)
• Bereavement Allowance (BVA)
• Disability Support Pension (DSP)
• Health Care Card (HCC)
• Job Seeker (JSP)
• Newstart Allowance (NSA)
• Non-Agency Payment (NAP)
• Parenting Payment (PP)
• Partner Allowance (PTA)
• Sickness Allowance (SKA)
• Special Benefit (SPL)
• Widow Allowance (WDA)
• Widow B Pension (WID)
• Wife Pension Age (WFA)
• Wife Pension Disability (WFD)
• Veterans Card (Gold)
• Youth Allowance (YAL)

Cards that are not financially means tested are not accepted. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Foster (FO) – Foster Parents must provide a copy of the temporary care order letter from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
• Child Disability (CD)
• Family allowance (FA)
• Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card
• Carers Card (CAR)

Department Policy below. 

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/guidance/eligibility

APPLICATIONS CLOSE AT THE END OF JUNE.

For the first time State Schools' Relief is now offering a SUMMER version of our Prep CSEF Uniform Package so that the newest students in 2025 can start their school year all decked out! Applications for the Prep 2025 Summer CSEF Uniform Package are open now and can be placed via our online application portal. 

Information sheets for families, plus the order form, can be found on our website and downloaded as required.  

Please note the following:

-  All vouchers have an expiry and must be redeemed before the expiration date

-  All applications for this package will close at the end of Term 1, 2025.

In order for a student to be eligible to receive the Prep 2025 Summer Uniform Package the student must be a Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF) recipient. 

To find out more, please visit the Department of Education website. 

Should you have any questions about this package, please contact our Customer Service team on 8769 8400 between the hours of 8.30am - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday or email us anytime at contact@ssr.net.au

Make the Most of Your School Saving Bonus with State Schools' Relief!State Schools' Relief offers high-quality, unbranded school uniforms and school shoes, perfect for using your School Saving Bonus (SSB).To help parents and carers navigate the process, we've created a digital information pack with all the details you need.Click or download below for more information:

SSB PORTAL USER GUIDE

HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR BONUS

EXHANGES POLICY

The best news is that when you shop with State Schools’ Relief, you’re helping more than just your own family. Every dollar spent supports critical welfare programs for students in need across Victoria. So, you can feel extra good about those new school shoes!

School Saving Bonus

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 | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au). 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