How you can be involved
Building strong partnerships
Teesdale Primary School has adopted a best practice approach to parental involvement at school. We believe that strong home-school partnerships greatly enhance our students’ educational experiences and results.
Please subscribe to iNewsletter to receive our fortnightly newsletter via email or login to the Sentral Parent Portal or the Teesdale Primary School website and read our school newsletter to find out what’s going on and other ways of becoming involved.
It enables children to see that there is a unity between two very significant groups of people in their lives and promotes our mission to “make a great school better.”
Parent Participation
Parent participation is integral to the success of Teesdale Primary School. While we understand that parents lead extremely busy lives, we welcome any time that you are able to spare.
There are a number of ways that you can lend a hand and make a great school better:
- Make an effort to try and understand what the School is trying to do and express your support.
- See the school as “your” school and encourage your child to see it in the same way.
- Being a member of the School Council.
- Being a member of the Parents' Club and support fundraising ventures.
- By all means offer constructive feedback and suggestion, but direct your comments to the “right” person.
- Welcome new parents and help them feel like they belong.
- Encourage your children to join in school activities and to take pride in the school.
- Assisting in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program (SAKGP)
- Attend Parent Courses and offer classroom assistance.
- Assist with Excursions and Sports Days
Working with Children Check (WWCC)
All volunteers are required by law to have this certification before being able to work with children. This is a simple procedure that can be arranged on-line and at the post office. You will need to complete an application form, provide a passport photograph and provide proof of identify. There is no cost to obtain a volunteer WWCC and the card is valid for 5 years.
School Council
The Education Act provides that a School Council shall determine the general education policy of the organisation within the guidelines issued by the Minister.
The School Council is responsible for the development and management of the School in conjunction with the Principal. School level decisions about policy, curriculum and use of resources available to the organisation are made by the legislation and Ministerial guidelines.
The role of the School Council is concerned with the following:
Education Policy, Financial Management, Promoting Interest in the School, Reporting to the School Community, Construction Works, Use of School Facilities, Fundraising.
Elections for half the School Council positions are held early in the year and parents are strongly encouraged to support their children and school community by becoming involved with the School Council.
Parents' Club
The Parents’ Club generally meets once a month. All parents are welcome to attend any of its meetings. The Annual General Meeting of Parents Club is held in March. At this meeting an annual report is presented and the election for office bearers is also conducted.
The Parents’ Club provides many valuable services for our children. These include:
- fundraising for the school including Walkathons, Raffles and Mother’s and Father’s Day Stalls
- assistance with various school activities such as the Swimming Program and Athletics
- catering for various school functions including lunch days
- assisting with classroom activities
The Parents’ Club plays an important role in providing feedback to the School Council.
Please support the Parents’ Club and its fundraising activities, so that improvements to the school can continue.
School Reports and Student Led Conferences
These meetings provide formal opportunities for you to discuss your child’s progress with the class teacher. Soon after your child starts school, you will be given the opportunity to share with your child’s teacher all that you know about your child. Formal reporting occurs in June and December. The dates for distribution will be placed in the school newsletter.
If at other times there are issues of concern that you need to discuss with your child’s teacher, please make an appointment either with the class teacher directly, or via the office. Often, what can be perceived as “big” problems can be easily handled and rectified and a strong partnership can be built between school and home.