IMPORTANT INFORMATION 

School Student Broadband Initiative

The School Student Broadband Initiative has been extended by the Federal Government until June 2028.

To be eligible, families must:

• Have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school (up to year 12 including Prep in Qld/Vic/Tas, Kindy in NSW, Reception in SA, Transition in NT/ACT and Pre-Primary in WA).
• Not have an active National Broadband Network (nbn®) Internet service at home. Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility.
• Live in a premises that can access the National Broadband Network via a standard connection - this will be checked for families.
• Not have had an active nbn connection during the previous 14 days.

Families can apply to the National Referral Centre via: 

• https://www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet
• Calling 1800 954 610 (10am – 6pm AEDT Monday to Friday, excluding Victorian Public Holidays) 

Official School Hours

We advise that supervision begins at 8:30am until the last bus leaves, and we ask that if you need your child/ren to be at school earlier or later than these designated times, that you arrange this with the Principal or another staff member. Class begins at 8:50am and concludes at 2:45pm. 

Office Hours

The office will be open between the hours of 8:30am - 3:30pm. When the office is unattended, an answering machine will take a message, and your call will be returned as soon as possible. 

School Principal

Parents are always welcome to discuss any matters with the Principal. However, as the Principal’s administration time out of class is limited, it is essential to make an appointment.

Staffroom

The staffroom is a place where the staff can go when not on duty to relax and enjoy their break. Students, parents and visitors are asked to ring the bell at the reception desk and wait for a response. No-one will be permitted in the Staffroom unless they have permission from a staff member.

Visitors and Volunteers at School

Entering the school grounds for any reason must be via the school office. It is also important that you sign the Visitors Kiosk (Compass) at the office. Your diligence in this matter is greatly appreciated, as this is a Child Protection issue.

Change of Details

It is very important that at the beginning of each school year, you notify any changes of address, contact numbers, family circumstances, medical details, bus information and any other relevant information. The school must have at least two emergency contact numbers for each family. You are asked to do this as a matter of importance. Please contact Robyn in the Office.

 Attendance at School

Regular school attendance is a Government requirement and is a vital aspect of a child’s social adjustment (attitudes to school) and learning experiences. Therefore, your child is expected to attend school daily unless they are unwell.

Absentee Notes 

Sacred Heart must keep a register of enrolment and daily attendance of all children at the school. To comply in accordance with the Registration Systems and in the best interest of students, documentation to substantiate the reason for absence is required.  An appropriate reason must be recorded; otherwise, the absence will be recorded as unexplained.

Therefore, it is necessary for the school to have an explanation as soon as possible, whenever your child is absent from school. If your child is absent and the school hasn’t received a phone call or an explanation of absence by 10am, an SMS will be sent requesting an explanation. If your child's absence is unexplained on a Friday, a letter will be sent asking that you explain their absence. If an explanation is not provided within 7 days of the absence, an unexplained absence will be recorded against your child. A note may be provided in the form of a written note, email or via the school’s Compass App. 

Late Arrivals & Early Leavers

Late arrivals must be accompanied by parents/carers to the office to sign in on the Compass Kiosk. (It is inappropriate to drop them off at the front gate). Similarly, if you are collecting your child early, please sign your child out on the Compass Kiosk at the office. If someone else is collecting your child, please let Ms Traynor in the office know either verbally or by sending in a note before this happens. No student will be allowed to leave the school for any reason with another person unless advised by their parents/carer. 

 School Uniform

All students should be dressed in full school uniform at all times. (Please refer to the Uniform Policy). If there is a reason why your child is not dressed in uniform, please provide a note with a short explanation. This includes wearing the school hat. 

School Fees

Armidale Catholic Schools are now billing School Fees on an annual basis at the commencement of the school year, and the standard payment terms are 10 monthly instalments from February to November. Parents are issued a yearly Tax Invoice/Statement in Term One, and monthly statements are issued thereafter. Parents may continue to make regular payments, with all schools having facilities to pay fees by BPAY, EFTPOS, Cash or Cheque. However, the preferred payment method is BPAY, which has the Biller Code and Reference in the top right-hand corner. Any questions regarding this new process can be forwarded to Ms Traynor or Mrs Claire Ryan on 02 6743 4656 or email: bogadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au

Medication

If you wish the school to administer any prescribed medication, you must first report to the office to complete the necessary paperwork. 

Long Term Medication

If a child is to be given regular long-term medication at school, it must also be handed in at the office in the original container, with instructions written on the Long Term Medication Form. (This form must also be completed yearly or if medication changes).  

If your child has asthma, an allergy or anaphylaxis, they must be diagnosed by a doctor and have an Action Plan available for the school. This must be updated after their review.

Short Term Medication

If a child is to be given medication for a short term at school, it must also be handed in at the office in the original container, with instructions written on the Short Term Medication Form. The medication is kept in the office and given to the child at the appropriate times during the day. (Please don’t just send in medication without a note).

Both short-term and long-term medication forms can be collected from the Office.

Bus/Pick Up Information

It is important that bus or pick-up arrangements for your child are confirmed at the beginning of each year. What happened last year may not necessarily be what will happen this year. Please notify a staff member as soon as possible about this so that our records can be renewed and/or confirmed. If changes are made for pick-up or bus travel on the day, parents must phone the office or speak to a staff member. 

Communication

Communication will be sent out via Compass, email and/or Facebook, including the Newsletter. Please ensure that you are logged into your Compass App and it is working correctly. Please ensure that your notifications are on, and you update the app when prompted to. If you have any issues with your app, please contact Ms Traynor in the Office, and she will endeavour to assist you.

Permissions

When an event permission is sent out via Compass, it always has a due date. This is often set by other entities as well as the school, but it is set for a reason. Permission notes will be set out via the Compass App, so please ensure this works.  If you have any issues with your app, please contact Ms Traynor in the Office.

Collection of Monies

We endeavour to collect all payments required for events through our Compass Pay system, however there will be times that this is unavailable or not possible. If the time arises that you need to send cash to school, please ensure that the correct money is placed in an envelope clearly marked with your child's name and the activity. This will ensure that all money is correctly collected and marked against your child's name.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WITH THESE MATTERS! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ANY OF THE ABOVE MATTERS OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL.