Things to know

The community members of Launching Place Primary School acknowledge the traditional owners, the Kulin nations, of the land on which we learn and play.

We pay respects to the Aboriginal Elders, past and present, who are our teachers.

We thank them for taking care of children and country for countless generations.

School Council AGM 16th March Meeting Notice

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and March School Council Meeting will be held on 16th March.

The AGM is an important opportunity for our school community to hear about the achievements and progress of the past year, including a presentation of the annual report and the election of School Council members for the upcoming year.

Following the AGM, the March School Council meeting will take place.

We warmly encourage parents and carers to attend and consider nominating for School Council. Being involved in School Council is a valuable way to contribute to the direction and future of our school.

Date: 16th March

Time: 7.00pm Time 

Location LPPS

Launching Place Primary School – School Council Term of Office

At Launching Place Primary School, School Council members are generally elected for a two-year term.

This includes:

• Parent members – elected for two years
• DET employee members – elected for two years

These longer terms help provide continuity and stability in supporting the governance and strategic direction of our school.

Office bearer positions, such as President and Vice President, are elected annually by the Council. If a member fills a casual vacancy during the year, they complete the remainder of the existing term.

If you are interested in joining School Council or would like further information about the role, please contact the school office. We welcome and value parent and staff participation in our school community.

 If you have any questions about joining School Council, please contact the school office.

We look forward to your involvement.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club Volunteers Needed

The Breakfast Club runs every Wednesday and Thursday morning from 8:10 am to 8:40 am. One of our parents, Esme Adyneic, currently runs the club on both days. Thank you Esme.

We are looking for another parent to help Esme or share the load. If you think you could assist, please contact the school office.

We look forward to welcoming lots of students as they start their day with a healthy bite to eat and a positive start to learning!

Attendance

Absences – The Department of Education has updated the Attendance and Absence Recording Guide which outlines processes schools must follow when recording and approving absences. When reviewing attendance, absences of most concern are unapproved absences which can indicate the need for additional support to address a student’s engagement at school. 

The following clarifies the difference between Parent Choice Approved/Unapproved;

• Parent Choice School Approved – Student is not at school and:

  -their parent/carer has provided an absence reason that does not align with any other code. Parent/carer has sought and received approval from the principal.

  -the school has been advised that this is due to a public transport-related strike, and the student is unable to find alternative transport for that day

This includes special circumstances, unavoidable causes, unforeseen circumstances, or an ill family member. It can include when a student is unable to get to school due to an emergency or a critical incident, provided that the school is aware of the situation

• Parent Choice School Unapproved – Student is not at school and their parent/carer has:
•  
  • provided a reason for the absence (for example, shopping, visiting friends), but the school does not consider this a reasonable excuse
  • provided a reason for the absence, but approval has not been sought in advance or in accordance with school policy or conditions of approval (for example, requirements for extended family holiday or school refusal.)
  • advised the school that their child is unable to attend due to a requirement to work in the family business (for example, farm work, in a restaurant or shop)
  • advised the school that the student is attending private tutoring or a re-engagement program that is not organised by the school.

Please ensure an explanation is included when inputting an absence into Compass. This is now a mandatory field when using the Compass Kiosk at the office.

• Late Arrivals/Early Leavers

  -If a student arrives late they MUST be signed in at the office Compass Kiosk before heading to class. A parent/carer is required to accompany them to the office, sign them in, and collect a Compass Late Arrival/Early Leaver card for their child to present to their classroom teacher. Rolls are marked at 9am which means students entering the classroom after this will be marked as absent if they haven’t signed in at the office.

  -Students leaving early should also be signed out through the Compass Kiosk and a Compass Late Arrival/Early Leaver card needs to be collected by the parent/carer and given to the classroom teacher when collected their child.

• Family Holidays – As per Department guidelines, families are asked to please notify in advance of family holidays. Principals have a responsibility to ensure all student absences meet defined criteria and require parents to notify of extended absences in advance. Please advise your classroom teachers and our Principal Laura Caddy via our school email at launching.place.ps@education.vic.gov.au. 
• This allows teachers to time assessments around absences and ensure students’ learning remains the highest priority.

Get Active Kids Voucher program

More information on next page of newsletter