A message from the Principal

At our School Council meeting this evening we will be discussing our 2026 Parent Payment arrangements. In next week’s newsletter we will share the requested payment for next year along with the updated documentation on how these payments are structured and used at SKiPPS.

As always, I want to reassure families that parent payments are voluntary. Victorian government schools must provide free instruction to deliver the standard Victorian Curriculum and no child will ever be disadvantaged if a family chooses not to contribute. At the same time, I also want to be clear and transparent about how important these contributions are to the quality of education we are able to offer.

Government funding provides the basics. It covers core staffing and essential operations, but it does not fund the rich, colourful and engaging program that we value at St Kilda Park. 

Each year, the parent payment is a vital part of our budget and directly supports the learning materials, resources and experiences that help our classrooms come alive. We are grateful that so many families choose to make this contribution and we do not take that support for granted.

That being said, we work really hard to keep our requested payment as low as possible as we understand that many families are financially stretched at the moment. We are proud to provide the rich, engaging program that we offer, whilst keeping our requested payment lower than almost all of our neighbouring schools (and many, many times lower than Catholic and Private sector schools).

This year, 75 percent of our families have made their 2025 Parent Payment, and we sincerely thank them for their support. These contributions have made up around 30 percent of our entire school budget, highlighting just how important they are. 

For the remaining 25 percent of families, it is not too late to make this year’s payment! 

If you have not yet done so, you can still log in to Compass and complete the payment in just a couple of steps. When you log in, you will see a payment notice on your homepage if the contribution is still outstanding. The office is also happy to assist with cash or card payments if that is easier.

Parent Payments at SKiPPS

Different schools structure their parent payments in various ways. 

Many send home booklists and ask families to purchase their own stationery, exercise books and classroom supplies over the summer break. At SKiPPS, we take a different approach. We include the cost of all classroom materials in the parent payment so that families are not required to source and purchase items themselves. This allows us to buy high-quality materials in bulk and ensures that every child arrives on day one with everything they need.

In the same way, we also include the cost of excursions and incursions in the payment. Many schools request payment for each event throughout the year, but we know how time-consuming this can be for families. Our approach removes the need to make multiple payments on Compass and ensures students do not miss out due to timing or oversight.

Once School Council has approved the 2026 arrangements, we will provide full details, along with instructions on how to make next year’s payment and how to check whether your 2025 payment has been received. As always, families are welcome to contact the office if they have questions or would like support with the process.

Thank you for your continued support of our school. It makes a real difference to what we can provide for every child at SKiPPS.

Neil Scott

Principal