Useful information

Keep Up to Date

• We use Compass as our School Portal — it is the way we communicate with families and how we accept payments & parent permissions. The Administration team are happy to help you get started with the website and app if you need assistance.
• The Link is the fortnightly newsletter published on Thursdays.

Office Hours

Monday - Friday 8:30am-4:00pm

During School Terms.

Arriving Late - Late Pass Essential

If your child arrives at Schoolafter 8:50am please ensure they come to the office for a late pass. Please do not send them straight to their classroom.

Student Collection

• If you need to collect your child early for an appointment, please come to the office to sign them out. Due to our Child Safe Policy, we are unable to have students waiting in the office, so please allow time for us to call them up to the office after you have arrived. 
• Please collect before or after recess and lunch times (see above for times) as your child may not hear the announcements out in the School yard.

Attendance

• Children must be accounted for every school day. If your child is not present in class and we have no explanation, then we will automatically send all family members an SMS and an email at 10am.
• If your child is going to be away, please notify the school by entering the absence on Compass. You can do this easily in the Compass app or on the website, please use Compass instead of calling the school on the phone.

FAMILY-TEACHER CONVERSATIONS 

These occur at the start of Term 2, and end of Term 3 each year.

Uniform

• Please note that it is important to refer to the current uniform expectations that can be found on the school website. 

• Please ensure all uniform, lunch boxes, drink bottles, etc are clearly named so they can be returned to their owner. 

All tops/polos/jumpers must have the school logo and black is NOT an acceptable colour - only navy blue and red with a touch of white.

This applies to all headwear (excluding hair accessories eg scrunchies) 

Socks can be any colour.

Shoes are to be runners (any colour) or black leather school shoes.

In regards to beanies, because they are a new addition for 2024, all types of beanies can be worn this year, however we encourage the new Hillsmeade beanies or navy blue beanies to be worn. 

Beanies Hillsmeade and navy blue beanies only.

Canteen

• The canteen operates each school day. Canteen orders must be submitted by 9am online using QuickCliq. Please note that this is a website only (there is no QuickCliq app) but the website works on mobiles, iPads, and desktop/laptops. 

• You will need to register an account to get started, and then enter your children’s details. Please note when entering your child’s profile, use their class (eg: Prep C, 1/D, 4/D, etc) in the Room field.

• Counter sales are available at recess and lunch for snack items (not lunch) – cash only.

Staff Carpark

Please DO NOT use of the staff carpark as a walking thoroughfare and/or public parking space. Those permitted to use the carpark include staff, Department of Education staff and contractors and families completing a quick drop off or pick up for OSHC. 

There have been many near misses and we encourage you to minimise this risk by utilising the external gates and footpaths, especially the oval gates, to enter and exit the school.

We understand that parking is limited around the school boundary of Hillsmeade PS. 

Car parking is a City of Casey concern and does not involve school staff being able to make decisions on the parking around the school.

If you have any feedback about the amount of parking around the school or behavior of other parents, please direct it to the City of Casey Parking Team.

Please be advised that we have members of our school community that require the use of the disabled parking spaces that are available. We ask the Hillsmeade community to please be considerate in your use of parking and do not use these disabled parking spaces unless you have the correct parking pass.

Reports 

• Reports are available at the end of term 2 and term 4 through Compass. They can be downloaded as PDFs for printing and sharing.

Email

• It is essential that you have an email address for each parent registered with the school. You will receive an email from Compass to notify you of new updates, and you will receive your Family Financial Statement at this email address. If you are not receiving emails, please check to make sure we have it correctly recorded.

Excursions, Incursions & Camps

• You will receive notifications of upcoming events through Compass – payment and permissions should be done electronically through Compass. 

• Parent consent in Compass is mandatory or your child cannot attend.

• All supporting documents (e.g: packing lists, schedules) are available through Compass.

Student Mobile phones

The Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The department is requiring all schools to ensure this ban is in place and enforced from the start of the 2024 school year.

The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state.

This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away at recess and lunch times, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

Further information-

Exceptions: For a small number of students with particular health needs, an exception to the policy may be granted. Please contact Linda Buckeridge if you would like to discuss this.

Emergencies: In the event of an emergency or if you need to immediately contact your child, we ask that families contact the school office who will pass on a message as required.

A copy of our school’s local mobile phone policy, which implements the government’s mobile policy in line with our local context, is available on the school website. 

Parent support: The Mobile phones in schools webpage provides links to resources for families to help them balance their children’s time using mobile phones.

Scholastic Book Club

• Book Club brochures are sent home twice per term. All scholastic Book Club orders are to be completed online at mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au

• Do not send cash to school, the order will be delivered to school. There is also a ‘gift’ option — items will be set aside for collection by parents from the office.