Information for Families

Canteen - www.spriggyschools.com.au

We are excited to announce we have partnered with the Hamilton Racing Club and will now be offering a canteen service on a Tuesday and Thursday.

A hard copy of the canteen menu and the below information were sent home on Monday this week.

Place your canteen orders online with Spriggy Schools

We are excited to announce the introduction of a new online lunch ordering system called Spriggy Schools on TUESDAY 11 February.

Your School will have lunch orders available each: TUESDAY and THURSDAY unless otherwise advised

Spriggy Schools will make lunch orders more convenient for both families and the canteen.

Steps to get started:

1. Go to http://www.spriggyschools.com.au to register and download the app. You can also order directly on the website.
2. Add a profile for each of your children, making sure you select Hamilton (Gray St) Primary School and your child’s class.
3. Start placing lunch orders! You can place orders up to 2 weeks in advance. Orders must be placed by 9am on the day PRIOR to the lunch order. 

If you have any questions, please contact Spriggy Schools via their webchat on the website or in the app.

The Hamilton Racing Club is managing the canteen and will be delivering orders to your school. All of the products are made in our commercial kitchen at the racing club by our kitchen staff (the exception is the kids pies and frozen yoghurt).  Our kitchen is headed by our Chef Campbell Cameron.  Nutritionist Ellie Falkenberg of Freshly Fed also works out of the racecourse and is making our snack menu products. 

Special dietary needs can be added to your child’s profile. 

For canteen enquiries please call Hamilton Racing Club 0413 647 573 

Book Club

Dear Parent,

The best gift any parent can give a child is the love of books and the joy and benefits of independent reading for fun. Children who read at home, or are read to, have a head start on reading success in school.

Our school is participating in Scholastic Book Club this year. Up to twice a term, during the school year, we will send home a Club catalogue with a different selection of books offered for all ages.

You’ll find award-winning books and bestsellers, as well as old and new favourites. We recommend them because the books span a wide range of children’s reading levels and interests and because they are inexpensive (some books cost as little as $3).

Ordering is easy and must be done through the Book Club LOOP platform allowing parents to pay by credit card. Your child’s order is submitted directly to school safe and sound and the books will be delivered to class. You can place your child’s order at scholastic.com.au/LOOP or using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

We are not able to process orders through school.

Issue one was handed out earlier this week and orders will close on Monday 17th February 2025.

Parent Payments

Information regarding voluntary Parent Payments was sent home with students late last year.  

For those that may have misplaced or not received the information a copy will be sent home next week.

If any families have questions regarding these, please feel free to contact the office.

CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors. Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works while sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership.  All are a part of a healthy curriculum.

CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

The annual CSEF amount per student is:

• $154 for primary school students
• $256 for secondary school students

HOW TO APPLY

New applicants should contact the school office to  obtain a CSEF application form or download from the website below.

If you applied for CSEF at your child's school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. 

You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments: your child has started or changed schools this year.

   

• changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing this year.

Check with Leesa or Maree in the school office if you are unsure.

Changes to Student Enrolment Information

Families will receive an this afternoon with a Student Enrolment Form for each child to review.  There is no need to print this form or return it if changes are not required.

In any information is incorrect, please notify the school in writing either by emailing hamilton.ps.gray@education.vic.gov.au or if you choose, print the form and hand write any changes, and send into the office. Please update personal information such as emergency contacts, address, work contact details, place of employment etc.  We kindly request any updates to your information be advised as soon as possible.

If you do not receive this email, please contact the office.

Emergency Contacts

We kindly ask that families have a local emergency contact so that students can be collected in a timely manner in the event of an accident or illness.  The school appreciates not all parents work locally so perhaps a friend or neighbour might by a good option to have on your emergency contacts list.

Medication at School

At times children attending school need medication to manage certain illnesses.  Parents/carers are required to complete the appropriate medication permission form (available from the office) noting the dose and time the medicine is to be given.

Medication should be clearly marked with the student's name and parents are requested to discuss this matter with the office staff.  Under no circumstances are children permitted to have medication in their possession at school.

2025 SPECIALIST TIMETABLE

PE/SPORTS DAYS - please ensure your child is wearing appropriate clothes for sport:

Sports clothes

• Short/Long sleeve sky/navy blue polo - shirt with school logo
• Navy blue poly-cotton sports shorts or Navy blue track suit pants – straight leg
• Runners

ART DAYS - please ensure your child has an appropriate well named art smock

XUNO School Management System

New families should have received an email from XUNO with your invitation to join this platform.  This platform will be your access point for notifying the school about absences, receiving the newsletter, and in future student achievement reports, just to name a few of the functions available.  If you have not already had the opportunity to sign in, please take a moment this weekend.  This platform will become our only communication platform in 2025.

If you did not receive a welcome email or you are having difficulties joining XUNO please contact Leesa in the office, for assistance.