School Parking

Parking

The following information will help you understand how we manage traffic flow around school drop-off and pick-up times.

Administration

Five parking bays opposite the front office are marked with yellow paint and are reserved for Visitors, Special Guests and Emergency Student pick-up. Please do not park in these bays unless for the above reasons. The remaining parking bays are for staff parking.

Kiss N Drop

The Kiss ‘n’ Drop Zone is a designated area for parents to come and quickly drop off or collect their children. When using the Kiss ‘n’ Drop Zone cars should not be parked for longer than two minutes and parents should not leave their car. If you wish to meet your children inside the school grounds, please park in the allocated spaces along the left hand side of the driveway.

Parent Parking

If you wish to get out of your car and walk your children in, you will need to park your car using the left hand side parking spaces. As these parking spaces are at a 45 degree angle, please do not reverse park.

Right hand side parking

This area (opposite the drop off zone) cannot be used for parking when collecting or dropping off students, as cars will be pulling out of the drop off zone and driving through from Lapthorne Close. These spaces are only for staff parking. This assists with our commitment that no children will be walking across the road.

School Oval

We will continue to open the school oval for parking each morning and afternoon from 8:15am to 9:30am and 2:45pm to 3:30pm this week. Please follow the directions of staff if you utilise this area for parking.

After school pick-up

Parents are encouraged to inform their students to be collected at either one of these three times as their preferred pick-up time; 3:00-3:10pm, 3:10pm-3:20pm and 3:20pm-3:30pm. This will help to minimise the number of adults on site at any one time as well as aid the flow of traffic. See pick up zones below for the areas students can be collected from. Secondary students cannot be collected until after 3:15pm.

Pick up Zones

Students have three different areas to wait at the end of the day; Kiss N Collect, beside the school oval on Jiloa Way and in the Kinder playground if waiting for a bus.

Getting to Know You Interviews

At DCS, we start the year connecting our parents with the classroom teacher. Our ‘Getting to know your child’ parent and teacher interviews occur in the second week of term in 2024.

These Parent/Teacher Interviews will be held on Wednesday 14th February in the JILOA Centre and Alpha HQ. The secondary team will also be available on this evening to meet parents. They will be holding their interviews in the secondary classrooms.

The aim of these ‘Getting to know your child’ interviews is to provide an opportunity for you to meet with your child’s teacher right at the start of the school year and to discuss with them anything that can assist your child’s teacher to teach him or her more effectively (your child does not need to attend – the discussion is between parent and teacher).

For these interviews, the teaching staff will not come prepared to discuss your child’s academic progress but will be able to give you their perspective on how your child has settled in to their class.

Interviews will be 10 minutes in duration. This is a significant time to share about your child and their interests. Please come prepared to give your teachers your email address and contact details, so they can be in contact with you this year.

As a school, we strive to continue to have parents informed of their child’s learning progress throughout the year. This involves having connection with the classroom teacher from the start of the year, through these interviews. Later in Term One, parents will receive communication from the classroom teacher on student effort and behaviour progress and work habits through the Term One interim reports. These will be sent home to parents by end of March.

Discussions and chats with teachers can happen throughout the term, where you can partner with the teachers and communicate with them, via email, phone or, where no restrictions limit us, in person. The second formal interviews will occur in early Term Three to discuss the Semester One student achievements.

Please click here to complete a form with your preferred times.

You will then receive an email within 48 hours with confirmation of your booked times. Please note while we will do our best to give you the preferred time slot of your choice, in some cases we may need to offer you an alternative time.

Volunteers and Parent Helpers Course

DCS is committed to being a child safe school for our students. Each year we hold our Volunteers and Parent Helpers Course for our class parent helpers and volunteers working with our students. Parents, family members and volunteers are required to sit the ‘Working with Our DCS Children’ session. These are held to induct our parent helpers, and any volunteers, who wish to assist in our classrooms and around our school in 2024. As a school that is committed to protecting our children and has zero tolerance to child abuse, it is mandatory that any volunteer or parent helper in our school attend this induction session. It is important a volunteer or helper attends this course every 12 months.

The evening session for 2024 will have some similar content as in previous years (as is required), but will also introduce new concepts and information. This evening will be held in the Jiloa Centre on Monday 19th February commencing at 6:45pm. The first part of the evening will be for all 2024 parents and volunteers (both new attendees and ones who have completed the course in previous years). The second part of the evening will be to complete the training for first time parents and volunteers (who have never completed a DCS helper course prior).

A daytime option of this course will be run on Friday 23rd February at 9.45am. If you are unable to attend either of these sessions, the school will advertise further times for sessions later in the year.

Student Medications

Does your child require medication to be taken whilst at school?

Whether medication needs to be taken on a short term or long term basis, (prescription or over the counter, such as Panadol or Nurofen) a completed medical form is required before we can administer the medication.

The medication MUST be in its original packaging with a pharmaceutical label attached. Please see the School Office or email admin@dcs.tas.edu.au if you require further information.

Asthma Medication

Due to current health regulations, children who may require a Ventolin inhaler must have a current Asthma Action Plan.

An Asthma Action Plan enables us to provide Asthma first aid to your child should the need arise.

Please make sure we have a copy as soon as possible. They must be obtained from your local GP.

Should you have any questions, please contact the School Office.

First Aid

From time to time, students may need to visit the school office for first aid treatment. If the reason for the visit is considered minor, such as: administering routine medications; applying bandaids to cuts/grazes etc, parents will be notified via an email. If staff believe an injury may warrant further investigations, a phone call will be made to parents.

Uniforms

Uniform Purchases can be made from the office during office hours 8:00am – 3:45pm

Buses

Buses:

Kinetic are contracted by the State Government to provide a bus service for students. Any questions regarding bus routes and pick up times can be made by phoning Kinetic on 6427 7626. Maps are also available on their website:

https://www.wearekinetic.com/au/devonport-north-west/school-travel-devonport

For 2024, single trip student cash fares will increase from $1.90 to $2.00. Students catching a dedicated school bus can purchase a sheet of 10 tickets for $16.00. These are purchased direct from the bus driver, using cash only.

What Do I Do If?

The first point of contact relating to your child is the classroom teacher. We have a well-established culture of clear and consistent communication that our teachers establish both inside their classrooms and with home. This results in a positive learning community where we appreciate and value communication.

What do I do if I want to arrange an appointment to see a teacher?

Telephone the school OR
Send a note with your child OR
Email the class teacher OR
Call at the school office.

What do I do if I want to contact the Board?

Telephone the school OR
Email: board@dcs.tas.edu.au OR
Write to the Board President care of the school.

What do I do if I want information about uniforms or the DCS Community?

Please contact the school office.

What do I do if I want to make an enquiry re buses?

Contact the bus owners: Kinetic (formerly Merseylink) on 6427 7626

What do I do if I wish to see a Head of School?

Contact the office by phone OR
Email the school: reception@dcs.tas.edu.au
Write care of the school office OR
Call in at the school to make an appointment

What do I do if I wish to see the Principal?

Contact the office by phone OR
Email the Principal Mr Chad Smit principal@dcs.tas.edu.au
Write care of the school office OR
Call in at the school to make an appointment

What do I do if I want to make a suggestion about improvements to buildings?

Discuss the matter with the Principal

What do I do if I want to make an enquiry about membership of the Devonport Christian School Association?

Please contact the Principal OR
Contact Board member Pip Martin OR
Enquire at the school office.

What do I do if I want to make an enquiry/complaint/suggestion and do not know who to contact?

Phone the school office OR
Call in to the school office OR
Discuss the matter with the Principal

What do I do if I want to follow up about something that happened at school?

Always the first contact is with your child’s class teacher
For recurring issues, you can contact the Head of School for support. Mr Tom Evans (Primary) or Mrs Alison Moore (Secondary) support children and positive behaviours across all levels. If you have chatted with your child’s teacher and an issue continues you may contact their Head of School for supported suggestions. The Heads of Schools will also be in contact with parents at times when situations have been supported by them.

What do I do if I need additional support or specialist assessments for my child?

For Primary student support, at first speak with your child’s teacher and then communicate with Head of Student Services, Mrs Melanie Sargison in the Student Services department about the options for support.
If you have received or have specialist assessment documents please pass these to Mrs Sargison in Student Services to have the information communicated with teachers to support your child.
For Secondary student support, at first speak with either of your classroom home teachers and then communicate with Head of Secondary, Mrs Alison Moore.

What do I do if I wish to talk about learning and curriculum?

The first discussion is always with the class teacher.
If you would like a further discussion or to seek clarification on your thoughts on learning at DCS, you may contact the Director of Learning and Teaching, Mr Scott Davies.

What do I do if I wish to speak with the Level Team Leaders?

Each level has team leaders supporting the learning within the team. If you have spoken with your child’s class teacher and wish for support about things within a teaching level you can contact the Learning Team Leaders:

Kinder Learning Team Leader: Mrs Lauren Heagney
Prep Learning Team Leader: Mrs Prue McCulloch
Year 1/2 Learning Team Leader: Mrs Abagael Dance
Year 3/4 Learning Team Leader: Mrs Tammy Davies
Year 5/6 Leaning Team Leader: Mr Travis Cruse
Specialist Team Leader: Miss Rebekah Shurley
Or you can contact either Head of School:
Mrs Moore (Secondary) or Mr Evans (Primary) OR
Director of Learning and Teaching, Mr Scott Davies

What do I do if I want to make an enquiry re my fees?

Contact the Business Manager, Mr Ken Clarke, by phone on +03 6423 1373 OR email: clarkek@dcs.tas.edu.au

Further information can be found by visiting our website at:

www.dcs.tas.edu.au

Early Learning

At DCS we offer two fun and friendly Early Learning programmes. Come along and connect with others over a delicious hot drink while your children play. Please call the school office on 6423 1373 if you require further information.

Little Sprouts

Little Sprouts is a hands-on nature-based playgroup for children aged 3 and 4 years and is held every Thursday from 8:45am - 10:30am, commencing on Thursday 15th February.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Lauren at heagneyl@dcs.tas.edu.au

Jiloa Juniors

Jiloa Juniors is held every Friday from 8:45am - 10:45am, commencing on Friday 16th February, and is for children from birth to 5 years with their carers.

We hope you can join us!

Celebration Spot

Honouring and celebrating our student's achievements