Mobile Phones

All state schools are required to have a mobile phone policy that complies with Department policies.

We understand that students may be bringing a personal mobile phone to school, particularly if they are travelling independently to and from school. However they are not to use these devices whilst at school (unless there is a medical exemption).

Students are required to switch their device off and place them in their school bag during school hours. Personal mobile phones must not be used during school hours, including lunchtime and recess, unless an exception has been granted. If parents need to contact their child urgently, they should reach their child by calling the school’s office.

A mobile phone is a telephone with access to a cellular (telecommunication) system, with or without a physical connection to a network. For the purpose of the policy, “mobile phone” refers to mobile phones and any device that may connect to or have a similar functionality to a mobile phone such as smart watches.

All staff are responsible for the implementation of the Mobile Phones Policy. Students who use their mobile phone will be asked to hand it in and collect it at the end of the school day. Parents will be notified.

How You Can Help

Parents are asked to assist us with the implementation of this policy by:

- reading and talking to your child about the policy. Teachers will these conversations with the students.

- not sending mobile phones or smart watches to school unless they are absolutely necessary. These devices are expensive and easily damaged and the school does not take responsibility for their safety.

- not trying to contact your child during the school day on their mobile phone or smart watch. Please contact the office if you need to contact your child urgently.

- not encouraging or requesting your child to contact you on their mobile phone or smart watch during the school day.

- ensuring your child's smart watch is set to class mode (or similar) where they are unable to send or receive communications during the school day.

Information Evenings

Our 2021 information evenings for parents will be held next week. These meetings provide an opportunity for parents to meet the teachers and have the broad curriculum direction outlined. Areas covered include expectations, curriculum, homework, important dates (such as camps if applicable) excursions, sporting activities and specialist programs.

The level information evenings will be held slightly differently this year in order to support the Covid Plan. Levels will present their sessions over WebEx at the following times:

Wednesday 10th February

Prep: 6.00pm

Years 3 and 4: 7.00pm

Thursday 11th February

Years 1 and 2: 6.00pm

Years 5 and 6: 7.00pm

Teachers will send the information booklet and WebEx link out to families via COMPASS next Monday.

Excursion Levy and School Fees

The due date for all fees was the 31st January, we would appreciate parents paying these as soon as possible.

Excursions and Incursions are being charged each term in 2021. The Term 1 Fee will be sent home either at the end of this week or early next week and will cover only the activities that students are attending in Term 1.

COMPASS Permissions

There are a number of permissions we need to collect at the beginning of the year. Four of these permissions are already on COMPASS (Head Lice Inspection, Consent to Use Student Images, Use of Student Images on Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day and Sharing of Parent Emails with Class Coordinators). If parents have not completed these permissions, can we please ask for these to be completed as soon as possible? [In Compass these are called Course Confirmations. If you have already completed these, they will no longer appear in Compass.]

Curriculum Day

The next Curriculum Day is Tuesday 9th March. On this day staff will be continuing their work on Literacy. Students do not attend school on the 9th March.

Reporting to Parents in 2021

There will be four opportunities for parents to receive a progress update for their child in 2021.

Parents will:

- be invited for an interview with teachers at the end of Term 1 (Wednesday 31st March)

- be provided a written report at the end of Term Two

- be invited for an interview with teachers at the end of Term 3

- be provided a written report at the end of Term 4.

Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher at the beginning of the year if they would like to share information about their child. Parents are asked to contact their child’s teacher if they would like to discuss the Term Two report. As usual, parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher at any time during the year to discuss their child’s progress and needs.

Malvern Primary School Newsletter

2021

Issue 1 · 03 Feb 2021

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