Important Information for Parents

Our first newsletter edition of the year is always full of important information and reminders for parents. Please spend a few minutes reading this page to be up to date.

School Policies

All policies relating to school operations and adhering to our child safe standards are updated as per our School Council policy schedule.

An up-to-date list of policies can be found on our school website.

Updates to Student Enrolment Information

Within the next couple of weeks families will receive via email, a Student Enrolment Form for each child to review and check all information is correct. There is no need to print this form. If there is any information that is incorrect, please notify the school in writing either by emailing teesdale.ps@education.vic.gov.au or if you choose to print the form and hand write any changes, you may do so. Please update personal information in a timely manner. We kindly request any updates to your information be advised by Tuesday 28th February.

If you do not receive this email, please contact the office.

Confidential Student Medical Forms

This form is updated each year for the purpose of a teacher excursion register and to note if any changes have been made to your child's emergency and medical details. A copy of this document will also be emailed to all families. If there are any changes to your child's medical information, please complete and return this form to the office by Tuesday 28th February. One completed form is required for each student. N.B. Most Foundation students have already completed one with their enrolment documents last year.

You may also print a copy from the below attachment.

Back To School Payments

A huge thank you to all families who have already contributed to book packs, essential learning items and voluntary payments. We appreciate the timely manner in which payments have been received. If you have not paid, please pay via BPay using your family's unique reference as soon as possible.

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF)

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible.

Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

It is important that funding made available in 2023 supports students to participate in school trips, camps and sporting activities this year rather than being held for future years. This funding can also be used in conjunction with any funding accrued from previous years.

If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

If you would like to apply for the first time, please contact the school office on 5281 5218 and ask for an application form.

You can also download the form, and find out more about the program and eligibility, on the Department of Education and Training’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund web page.

Check with the school office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible.

Medical Management Plans

For parents who indicated that their child suffers from asthma, anaphylaxis, epilepsy or diabetes, it is a Department requirement that the appropriate plan is signed off by your child’s doctor and returned to school. Please return these forms to the school office at the start of term 1 if applicable. Parents should notify the school immediately if there are any changes to the plan. Students are required to have their own asthma medication and spacer. We are not allowed to disinfect and reuse the spacers. We do have disposable spacers on hand, but parents will be invoiced to reimburse the school for the cost.

What is Anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is a severe and sudden allergic reaction when a person is exposed to an allergen. The most common allergens in school-aged children are eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, cow’s milk, fish and shellfish, wheat, so, certain insect stings and medication. The key to prevention of anaphylaxis is avoidance of any know triggers.

We currently have one student and one staff member at risk of anaphylaxis.

Illness and Emergency Medical Care

Children who are unwell should not attend school. If your child is unwell or injured at school, they must be collected from school in a timely manner. If a parent is unable to collect their child due to work commitments, you must arrange an alternative emergency contact to collect them. The school is unable to provide emergency transport for sick children. Parents are therefore advised to consider the need for ambulance cover for their families, as ambulances will be used in cases of serious illness or injury.

Medication

At times children attending school need medication to manage certain illnesses.

Parents are required to complete the appropriate medication permission form (available at the office) noting the dose and time the medicine is to be given. The medication should be clearly marked with the student’s name and parents are requested to discuss the matter with the child’s teacher.

Under no circumstances, are children permitted to have medication at school without the teacher’s knowledge.

Visitors and Parent Helpers

All visitors, parents and friends are asked to please report to the office before visiting any classroom or school grounds. We ask all parents to avoid entering classrooms unless absolutely necessary and limit time on school grounds. We also try not to disrupt class time programs and activities and for this reason, we politely request that you wait for your child outside the school buildings at home time.

Visitors and voluntary helpers are requested to sign in and out of the register at the front office, as a security and safety requirement. A current Working with Children card is required for all parent helpers and volunteers. To apply go to: https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

Further information will be made available regarding Volunteer Information Sessions at a later date.

Late Arrivals and Early Departures

Should you child arrive late or depart early, please report to the office and staff will facilitate your child getting to or from their classroom. Teachers are responsible for marking attendance and will update their roles accordingly.

If you need to collect your child before 3.15pm, please notify your child's teacher via Sentral or by calling the office. Please note parents are not permitted to go directly to the classroom during school hours. Please report to the office to collect your child. Whenever possible, to avoid disruptions to learning time, please arrange collection of your child at the end of a session time.

Student Absences

Parents are reminded that an absence notification is required for all student absences by 11am on the day. The most efficient way to advise an absence is via the Sentral Parent Portal where you use the Absence tile on the mobile app to send a message directly to your child's teacher. For all new families, a Sentral log in will be issued in the next couple of weeks giving you access to Sentral. In the mean time, please either email or phone the school to notify of an absence.

Click here to go to the Parent Portal

Using Sentral

Sentral for Parents allows you to monitor your child’s school journey simply and efficiently and is an important tool for communicating with families. Parents can access Sentral via the school website or after your initial log in, download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. You will find numerous smart features that help streamline communications with the school. Receive messages and notifications from teachers, report absences, and more.

Further information will be provided in the next newsletter on how to set up and use Sentral for new users. New families will receive Sentral log in details within the next couple of weeks.

Parking

The parking outside the school is very hectic at 8:45 a.m. and especially at 3:15 p.m. We understand that car parking is limited and we ask parents to be diligent and patient.

Please do not back out against the traffic, or complete U-turns in our neighbouring driveways. Children are to remain inside the school gate until their parent has arrived to collect them.

Staff are on duty 15 minutes before and after school to supervise students. Remember that our OSHC program is available, so please book children in if you are going to be later than 3:30 p.m.

The west side of Sutherland Street outside the school office is a NO STANDING ZONE at these times and parents should not park in this area.

It is very dangerous to park there, as cars back out into the zone and children are not permitted to cross over the busy road.

As this No Standing Area is a local law Council Rangers do monitor parking in this area and will issue fines to motorists parked in this area.

Please be aware of the “4 hour parking limit during school days” and the CFA “no parking signs” near the fire equipment.

PLEASE PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND MEET YOUR CHILD AT THE SCHOOL GATE.

PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW STUDENTS TO WALK ACROSS SUTHERLAND STREET OR WALK THROUGH THE STAFF CARPARK. PLEASE USE THE DESIGNATED WALKING PATHS.

SCHOOL ZONE 40km SPEED LIMITS APPLY

8:00 – 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Remember the priority to student’s safety is of paramount importance.

Riding Bikes

Students in junior grades are not encouraged to ride their bikes to school without adult supervision. Please ensure all students and their parents wear the appropriate helmet protection when riding bikes, scooters and skateboards to school.

For safety reasons, students must not ride in the school grounds. Please dismount to walk bikes to the bike shelter.

Annual Privacy Statement

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy. For more information about privacy, please refer to the attached document.

Enrolment Handbook

Further information for the start of school can be found in our Enrolment Handbook. Please see the 'Other Links' page of the newsletter for access.

Other Links

Teesdale Primary School Website

Teesdale Primary School Facebook page

Sentral Parent Portal

Enrolment Handbook

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden page