Principal
Welcome back everyone and a special welcome to our new families. We hope you all had a fun, relaxing and enjoyable holiday break and have returned to school refreshed and energised for the upcoming year. What a fantastic start to the year it has been! The students were very settled, and the positive energy around the school has been incredible. The Prep’s first day last Tuesday, and first full day on Thursday, was a huge success. It certainly has been a very smooth start to the year.
Absences
It is vital that parents either contact our Office by 9.00 am to let us know if your child is away or enter the absence directly onto Compass. This is to ensure that our records are accurate and that we know students are safe. The first bell goes at 8:50 am. Between 8:50am-9:00am teachers run daily circle time to begin the day, collect any notices and discuss the daily timetable. Students arriving late to school, after 9:00 am, must be signed in at the Office. Thank you for your support in this matter.
Getting to Know You Meetings
Next week teachers will be available to meet with parents for our annual ‘Getting to Know You’ meetings. These are an excellent opportunity for parents to meet their child’s teacher and give the teacher any relevant information for the coming year. Teachers will get to know your child, from your perspective, any additional information from you about any medical conditions and find out about your hopes for learning goals for the year. These meetings will at the school. Instructions on how to make a booking was published on Compass on Friday.
School Council
The final School Council meeting for the 2023 year will be held on Wednesday 21 February. Following the meeting, information regarding 2024 School Council vacancies will be communicated. At that time nomination forms will be available from the Office. Further information can be accessed at
https://www.vic.gov.au/ways-get-involved-your-childs-school#school-councils
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like any additional information regarding our School Council.
Sun Smart
Sun Smart School Policy requires that your child wears a red school hat (named and sun smart approved) each day. It is also a good idea to put sunscreen on before school. You may also wish to have some in your child’s school bag for them to reapply during the day.
Hopefully, you will have noticed our shade sails have now been replaced in all the playgrounds to ensure students have adequate protection when playing in these areas.
Uniform Shop
A huge thank you to Belinda MacPhie and the helpers who assisted her with the opening of the Uniform shop for the start of school. Belinda and her team have worked extremely hard to ensure parents have had an opportunity to get student uniforms. This year, parents can continue to order online and have the items delivered to the office.
If you are willing to join the Uniform Shop team going forward, please make contact with Belinda via email: uniformshopsolway@gmail.com
Money and valuables to school
A reminder that students are not permitted, and do not need to bring money to school. Students are also asked not to bring along any toys or items of value. Items or money lost at school will not be replaced if they are lost. The Department of Education does not have insurance for personal property that is lost, stolen or damaged at school. Students are therefore asked not to bring any such items to school.
Annual Insurance reminder
The Education Department does not have accident insurance. Items of personal property that are lost, stolen or damaged at school are not the responsibility of Solway Primary School or the Department. Staff and students are reminded not to bring items of value to school.
Annual privacy reminder
Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.
Please take time to remind yourself of the school’s collection statement, found on our website
https://www.solwayps.vic.edu.au/uploaded_files/media/collection_statementprimary_school.pdf
For more information about privacy, see Schools’ Privacy Policy – information for parents. This information is available in nine community languages.
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/Schools-Privacy-Policy-information-for-parents.aspx
Annual Ambulance Cover reminder
The Education Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance or transport as well as any other transport costs.
Start of Year Forms
Over the next week our annual notices will be posted on Compass where you will be asked to provide consent. When the notification comes via Compass please take action as the links are only open for a limited time. There will be one or two forms that we require in hard copy, these will be sent home with the students. Please read over these notices carefully. Thank you for your support in helping us set up our processes and procedures for the year. These forms will include:
- Local excursion 2024 consent – via Compass
- Technology Acceptable Use Agreement – via Compass
- 2024 DT Student User Agreement – via Compass
- Google Apps Privacy Information OPT OUT FORM – via Compass
- Photographing, filming and recording consent – Hard copy
- Head lice consent – - Hard copy (no longer annual)
Assembly
Our first assembly with a parent audience will be on Friday 9 Feb. Assemblies are scheduled for Friday afternoon at 2:45 and are held in the hall.
Icy poles
Icy poles will be available for students to purchase on Friday in Term 1. Due to an increase in price from our wholesalers’, icy poles are now $1.50. If you would like to pay in advance, please place $10 in a named envelope (a 50c discount on paying weekly). If paying for a term order, please ensure the $10 is placed in a named envelope, with your child’s class, by Thursday 8 February. After this date students will need to bring along the $1.50 each week. Parents can pay the term order via card at the office.
Lyn Rodda
Principal