Loch Primary School

Important Information for Parents

School Council Elections 2018

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has issued instructions that all school councils are to conduct their annual School Council elections for 2018. All schools must ensure that the election process is concluded by 31st March, 2018.  Consequently nominations for positions on School Council are being called for from Friday 23rd February.The timeline for election of school council members is as follows. 

The process of the elections remains unchanged:

  1. Call for nominations – note that interested candidates are able to self-nominate without a nominee or seconder.
  2. Nominations close seven days later
  3. Ballot papers circulated, at least seven days before the close of the ballot (if there is a need for an election).
  4. Ballot closes seven days later. This must be fourteen days after the close of nominations.
  5. Poll declared.

The time line for the elections is as follows:

Friday                         23rd February            Call for nominations

Friday                         2nd March                   Nominations close 5pm

Friday                         2nd March                   Display list of candidates

By Monday               5th March                    Prepare and Distribute ballot papers

Wednesday             14th March                   Close of ballot 5pm

Thursday                   15th March                   Count votes and declare the poll

Monday                     19th March                   AGM : New School council is able to meet

 

Immediately following the declaration of the ballot, the first meeting of the new School Council can be called. This meeting is chaired by the Principal and the business of the meeting is to co-opt any new community members. The next Council Meeting will elect the Council Office Bearers. This second meeting can follow on immediately after the first meeting.

 

Our current School Council members are as follows:

Helen Lindton                             President                 (parent category member)

Sean Monson                             Vice President         (parent category member)

Lousie Sherar                              Treasurer                 (parent category member)

Emmaline Morris                      Secretary                   (parent category member)

Megan Le Serve                                                              (parent category member)

Julie Nettle                                                                       (parent category member)

Tim Richards                                                                    (parent category member)

Megan Kirk                                                                         (parent category member)

Stan Barrett                                       (co –opted community category member)

Dianne Jones                                    (co-opted community category member)

Tracey King                 Executive Officer   (DET employee category member)

Benita Spence                                                 (DET employee category member)

 

Four parent category members (Tim Richards, Julie Nettle, Helen Lindton, Sean  Monson ), one community category member (Stan Barrett) and one DEECD category member (Benita Spence) retire at the end of March 2018. Consequently we are seeking nominations to fill these positions. Of course, retiring members can renominate for positions.

 

Membership of School Council is a very effective way of becoming fully involved in your child’s education. However if parents are unsure of what is required please feel free to contact me or any other of our School Councillors to find out more about the process.

Working With Children Checks

Working With Children Check

On August 1st 2017 amendments were made to the Working with Children Act. The Act now states that even if a person’s contact with children as part of child-related work is supervised by another person, they will still need a Working with Children check.

 

Loch Primary School’s  Working with Children Check policy states that we require any person undertaking volunteer work at our school to have a valid Working with Children check. This includes helping out in the classroom, participating in working bees, attending camps, accompanying classes on excursions, helping at disco’s etc.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

*If you are volunteering at Loch Primary School and already have a Working With Children Check can you please present it to the School Office where they will take a photocopy and your name will be added to the School register.

 *If you don’t have a valid Working with Children check you can fill the form in online and lodge it at Australia Post. The link to the website is provided below for your convenience.

http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/home/applications/apply+for+a+check/apply+in+victoria

Working With Children Checks are free for volunteers.

 

People who are exempt from holding a working with Children Check are:

  • Student volunteers (e.g. work experience students)
  • Registered Teachers who have a permission to teach from the Victorian Institute of Teaching
  • Police Officers
  • Visitors to the School (e.g. grandparents who visit the school for Grandparents Morning Teas, visitors who come to watch Assembly) The decision on which events require a Working with Children Check is made by the authority of the Principal.

CSEF

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund for Families.

To be eligible for the CSEF: On the first day of term one (29 January 2018) or the first day of term two (18 April 2018), a parent or legal guardian of a student must:

  • be an eligible beneficiary of one of these cards:
  • Veterans Affairs Gold Card
  • Centrelink Health Care Card
  • Pensioner Concession Card
  • OR they must be a temporary foster parent
  • OR the student is 16 years or older and holds a valid concession card (such as a Youth Allowance Health Care Card)
  • AND the parent or legal guardian must submit an application by the due date.

Parents who receive a carer allowance on behalf of a child, or any other benefit or allowance not income tested by Centrelink, are not eligible for the CSEF unless they also comply with the above.

Eligibility will be determined when the parent’s concession card successfully validates with Centrelink on either the first day of term one or term two.​

The requirement for parents to complete and submit a new application form each year, has been removed from 2018. Parents that received CSEF in 2017 do not need to complete an application form in 2018, providing there has been no change in their family circumstances.

LUNCH ORDERS

Lunch Orders are available on Thursdays. Student orders are to be clearly written on a lunch bag with money enclosed and placed in the class tub at the office before 9.00am. Lunch orders are delivered just before 1.15pm.  Click below for lunch order menu.

SCHOOL BANKING

Students are able to join the Commonwealth Bank's school banking program.  Information has been sent home with students. Please follow the instructions to apply for a YouthSaver account. Bank books are collected Wednesdays at the school. See Lyn in the office for assistance if needed.

 

Loch Primary School

is now a FARMGATE

How exciting for our community  Loch Primary School has just become a FarmGate! Order your organic or conventional produce online before Monday and collect your order from the school each Thursday! 100% Australian produce sourced as locally as possible and the school gets a percentage of the value of the orders toward their annual fundraising. If you are interested jump online and check out the produce available. We are open to all of the Loch community. Please share   https://www.farmgate.online/

COLES SPORTS FOR SCHOOLS

Loch Primary School has registered for the Coles Sports for schools program. please collect your stickers and bring to the school office.

TERM DATES

2018

Term 1: 29 January (school teachers start) to 29 March (Thursday) *

Term 2: 16 April to 29 June

Term 3: 16 July to 21 September

Term 4: 8 October to 21 December

 

MONDAY 12th MARCH is a PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Students do not attend school on this day