School Council
Dear RNPS Parent Community,
With my youngest child in grade six, the Aladdin Trouble school production in full swing, and the 100-year celebration event, it will be an exciting year to represent the parent community as School Council President at Ringwood North.
School Council plays a vital role in establishing and maintaining the broad direction and vision of the school, whilst also playing a key role in supporting school governance. This is accomplished through things such as contributing to the school strategic and annual implementation planning process, budgeting, and monitoring expenditure.
It’s a learning experience to watch the school leadership team ensure the school delivers the standard Victorian curriculum. However, new money must come into the school to go above and beyond the standard Victorian curriculum.
These funds may come through fundraising organised by our creative and hardworking PFA, sponsorships, donations, and Parental Voluntary Financial Contributions.
Why are families asked to contribute financially?
Parent Voluntary Contributions help to provide services and programs at RNPS that fall outside government funding schemes. Last year’s contributions meant the school could fully fund our student wellbeing support officer, Teresa Smith who’s been invaluable, providing emotional and wellbeing support to many students during a tricky couple of years – a service not possible without voluntary contributions!
They’ve also meant the school has been able to install air-conditioning in the junior hub and create the rubber prep play space.
How do I contribute?
Contributions are categorised into:
- Curriculum Contributions - for items that students will use in the course of their learning (physical and digital resources)
- Voluntary Contributions - These allow us to enhance what the school offers. On the parent payment forms we suggest 3 different levels of contribution. We ask only that you pay for one of these levels.
- Maintain: If everyone pays this, we maintain school grounds, resources and programs at a basic level.
- Enhance: If everyone were to pay this, we could maintain and enhance our grounds, resources and programs.
- Innovate: If everyone were to pay this, we could introduce new offerings and upgrade projects to improve resources, grounds and programs for students.
If you feel this is something your family wish to contribute to, look out for parent payment options in this and upcoming newsletters or ask the office team.
Other ways you can support your RNPS community
- Volunteer to be a classroom, production, excursion or school sport helper. Bike education and Friday sports spots are currently looking for helpers.
- Bring your individual skill set and help with gardening and maintenance or other calls for help
- Look out for PFA activities and opportunities where you can volunteer your time (discos, colour run etc.)
- Have a finance and governance background? Consider joining the School Council
Check out the getting involved in the school community options. Every bit of support, be it an hour volunteering on an election day sausage sizzle or an extra voluntary payment, ultimately helps our wonderful school support our little humans to get the best education they possibly can.
Jacqueline Ferguson
Ringwood North School Council President