Parent & Carers Information

School Saving Bonus

As shared with you previously, parents and carers of every child enrolled in a Victorian government school in 2025 will receive the one-off School Saving Bonus $400 support.

In the coming months, the Department of Education will send you 2 email communications for each of your children enrolled in Victorian government schools.

By Friday 18 October 2024, please ensure that your child’s 2025 enrolment is completed and that your contact information is up to date.

The 2 emails from the Department of Education will:

1. Confirm your email address between mid-October and late-November.

2. Provide you with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code by the end of November.

If you do not receive a confirmation email from the department by late-November, please check your spam or junk folders and contact 7805-registrar@schools.vic.edu.au if needed.

You can read more about the School Saving Bonus on the Department of Education website, with key information now available in 14 different languages.

2024 School Council Approved Contributions

2024 School Council Approved Contributions are available to pay via the Payments Centre on Compass. You can choose to pay Contributions in full or via a payment plan option of three instalments in February, March, and May. If you opt for a payment plan after an instalment date, Compass will deduct payment from your credit card on the following day for past instalment dates with remaining payments in line with the advertised dates.  Alternatively, 2024 Contributions and Electives are open for payment via the Payments Centre for the full school year so you do have the option of making part payments at any time during the year when it is convenient to you.  

Due to changes in the Parent Payment Policy and functionality within the billing module of Compass, we regret that we are unable to allocate credits on family accounts towards School Contributions. Credits available on your account can either be allocated to outstanding account charges or refunded to a nominated bank account.  You can action use of your credits by downloading and completing the 2024 Family Credit Allocation Refund Request Form from the Compass Newsfeed. Completed forms can be returned via email to 7805-accounts@schools.vic.edu.au to allow us to process your request.  

If you have any queries regarding School Council Approved Contributions for 2024, please contact the General Office on 9430 5111 or via email, 7805-accounts@schools.vic.edu.au.

Payment Process and Closing Dates for Excursions and Activities via Compass, including payment via CSEF and credit balances

Camps, excursions, and other school based activities that have a financial charge associated with them fall under the Extra-Curricular Items and Activities category of fees and are offered to students on a ‘user pays’ basis. They are offered in addition to the standard curriculum.

Cut-off dates for payment and consent on Compass are set by the school to assist us in meeting our financial and duty of care requirements for each event. In support of meeting these obligations, we will not extend due dates for events or take late payments. 

Administration staff send an email to families when the event is published and a reminder email five days prior to the event closing date. Students are also reminded by their classroom teachers about events and when payment and consent must be received. If payment or consent is not received by the due date, your child will be excluded from the activity and will be supervised by teachers at school.

If you have received CSEF funding and would like to allocate it towards a Compass Event, or have credit on your family statement that you would like to use, please contact Jacinta D’Avoine (Revenue Administrator) 9430 5118 or email 7805-accounts@schools.vic.edu.au to arrange for the allocation to be processed.  

As Compass now has the functionality to 'Pay with CSEF or credit balance' for Events, if you have insufficient funds on your family account to cover the cost of that event we will allocate the amount that is available and then update the event to show the amount that is still required to be paid.  Payment of the balance will need to be completed before the event cut off date for your child to be eligible to attend.  If you select to use CSEF or credit to pay for an Event on Compass, please check the Event again before the closing date to make sure that any outstanding balance is paid.  

Please ensure that if payment is made via the office with CSEF, credit allocation, credit card or cash, that you log on to Compass prior to the closing date to provide Consent for your child to attend the event.

If you are having issues accessing Compass, please contact the relevant sub school for assistance. 

Thank you for your support with this matter.

CATHERINE ZERNA, Finance Manager

First Aid News

Thunderstorm Asthma – be prepared this pollen season.

Grass pollen season, which typically runs from October to December each year in Victoria, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.

Eltham High School will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe as the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases. 

Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid, and we will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings, and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk. 

During the season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:

• If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma. 
• If your child has hay fever, see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
• If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing, it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.   
• Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.

Protect yourself this pollen season – managing asthma and allergies matters.

For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also visit Better Health Channel.

FIONA CASEY, First Aid Officer

Library News

Our Library supports and reinforces the educational goals of the school and students.

The enjoyment of reading and exposure to different types of literature is encouraged.  There is a wide range of reading material available that caters for different reading levels and interests e.g. quick reads, audio books, graphic novels, etc.

The Library Team assists students in the location of resources that are appropriate for the needs of the individual student.

Printing is available in colour and black and white in both A4 and A3 formats. 

RHONDA MALONE, Library Coordinator

2024 Term Dates

2024 Clubs and Activities