From our Business Manager

Compass 

A reminder to all parents that Compass is the central communication and payment tool for parents at WHPS. We suggest you download the app or log in regularly to check essential information for families, including contacting teachers and viewing schedules.

Please refer to the following links for further information:

• A guide for parents & families  
• Access Compass 
• attendance, events, viewing academic reports, booking Parent-Teacher Conferences, and Student profiles.

If you are having trouble using Compass or need a password reset, please do not hesitate to contact the school's General Office for assistance.

School Saving Bonus (SSB)

The School Saving Bonus provides $400 in one-off support for Victorian school-aged students in Term 4, 2024, for use on 2025 school costs. 

Families can choose how they want to spend the School Saving Bonus. It can be used towards 2025 school costs, which may include:  

• camps, trips, excursions and incursions * refer below to information regarding the Authority to allocate funds 
• swimming and sporting programs  
• school uniforms (available from PSW)

Funds cannot be used for afterschool clubs, student stationary packs, or fundraising events/activities organised by the school.

As this is a DET-managed initiative, all voucher queries should be directed to school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au. 

We have created a Compass Event for parents to authorise the school to allocate the funds for you.  The purpose of this communication/event is to obtain parent/carer consent to allocate any SSB funding that you have nominated for “SSB – Activities” to the nominated activities/camps/incursions as they arise throughout the year until all your nominated funds for “activities” have been used up.

Please also ensure you have been into your School Saving Bonus Portal and nominated School Activities.

Parents/carers will still need to provide consent for each activity through Compass, which, once received, we will allow the school to allocate the SSB on your behalf to that particular camp/excursion/incursion or activity. If you have questions about a specific activity relating to the SSB, don't hesitate to get in touch with the school office via email – wheelers.hill.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Please note that if parents do not allocate SSB funds by 30th June via the portal, any remaining SSB will automatically come back to the school and sit in your child’s account for future use for school activities.

Parent Payments & Refunds

For many school events (excursions, incursions, camps, and sporting events), deposits and/or full payments are made when the parent/carer gives consent for the student to attend.  We make every effort to keep the costs as low as possible, and in some instances, a refund is not possible as most activities are repaid a minimum of 1 week prior.  For further details, please refer to the  School Refund Policy.

Please contact the school office (wheelers.hill.ps@education.vic.gov.au) for a confidential discussion if you wish to make payment arrangements for camps or any school activities.  We are here to help; don't hesitate to contact us. 

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF)

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments for eligible students to attend school camps, excursions and sports programs. A special consideration category also exists for refugee and asylum seeker families and students placed in temporary care.

The funds will be held as a credit on the family account and allocated by the school in the following order: Camps, Excursions/incursions, and sports events.

Who can apply:

Those that are eligible to apply for the CSEF are:

• Families holding a valid means-tested concession card (cards must now be valid on either :

  • the first day of Term 1 – 28 January
  • the first day of Term 2 – 22 April

   

  Payments

  Payments of $154 per year for eligible school students.  Payments are made directly to the school and are tied to the student.

  • From March onwards each year, where the parent/carer’s concession card is assessed as valid on the first day of term 1; and
  • until 4 July 2025, where the parent/carer’s concession card is assessed as valid at the end of term 2.
• Payments are for the application year and cannot be claimed for previous years.

How to apply

Applications can be entered from 28 January 2025. Parents/carers wishing to apply for CSEF payments for 2025 must submit their application form to the relevant school by 4 July 2025.

However, a parent/carer will only be required to submit an application form to the school in the following circumstances:

• The parent/carer is applying for the CSEF payment for the first time – i.e. an application form was not lodged with the school in the previous year; or
• Circumstances have changed – e.g. there has been a change in the care arrangement of the student, a change of name or CRN, or a new sibling has commenced at the school and the parent/carer wishes to apply for the CSEF payment for the new sibling.

To submit a new application:

 Complete the attached form and return it to the school office, along with a copy of your valid HCC. 

General Office Hours

The general office is open from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm (Tel 9561 3457) . 

The office staff cannot supervise students after school, and students must be collected by 3:45 pm.  We strongly recommend enrolling in the OSHC program if you cannot collect by 3:45 pm. 

Are your contact details up to date?

We will send SMS reminders/important messages via Compass to parents from time to time.  This may be when your child is unwell or absent, and you haven’t informed the school why. We may contact you via SMS, email, or phone.  

Parents will receive an email in the coming weeks with the subject "Student Enrolment Details".  The attachment contains all essential information, including medical and emergency contacts for your child/ren.  

Please check the document as it contains; parent contact details, address and emergency contact details, and medical information).  If changes are required, print and note changes and return them to the school office. 

For updates throughout the year, Parent/Carer contact information can be updated via the Compass Portal. 

Student Attendance Reminders 

 Going to school every date is the single most important part of your child's education.  Students learn new things at school every day.  School is better when your child is there!

Student Absences & Late Arrivals

• When your child is absent from school: If you will be away all day (or for several days), please go into Compass and submit an attendance note (for absences for a few weeks, please discuss this with your classroom teacher or the Principal).
• Late Arrivals: The adult who drops the child off at school late is responsible for the child/ren's safety and must sign them in at the Office.   This assists with ensuring your child has arrived and is to be expected in the classroom.  
• Compass SMS Notifications: If your child is not at school and an explanation has not been given in Compass, an SMS message will be sent to parents at 9:15 am each morning.

Early Pickups

• Please note that early pickups (during learning time, recess, lunch or after 3 pm) must be communicated to the classroom teacher via Compass attendance note. Please allow plenty of time for student pickup.  

   

  Due to the size of the school and the large number of calls in the afternoon,  it can be challenging to communicate the changes to individual students before the 3:30 pm bell.  If you will be late, please call before 3:15 pm with a change of plans at the end of the school day.

If your student needs to leave early regularly or be on an extended family holiday for more than 2 weeks, parents must notify the principal for a discussion.

Late Pickups

Please note that the school grounds are only supervised until 3:45 pm.  After this, time staff are in meetings and planning etc.

Students not collected will be brought to the office, and parents will be contacted for urgent collection.  Please note that the office closes at 4 pm, and staff cannot supervise the students. We strongly suggest you enrol in the OSHC program if you are late or unable to collect the student by 3:45 pm.

Parent Helpers and Volunteers at WHPS

Many parents assist at school within the classroom and school events throughout the year. 

You must hold a valid Working with Children Card to volunteer at school. The card must be presented to the Office every time you sign in and on school grounds/or excursion helper.

For more information on the Working with Children Card and applications, please visit Home | Working with Children. 

Lost Property

Please ensure all school clothes, bags, and personal property are clearly labelled with the student’s name.  This will ensure that property can be returned to the correct person when lost.

WHPS Uniform

Below are the current pricelist, 'lookbook', and PSW Booking system for online uniform try-ons.