Message from the Principal

Dear Families,

Last night we hosted our first School Council Meeting for year. It was fantastic to have our committed and passionate parents group together engaging in the conversations that help drive our school's continued improvement. Our next meeting is scheduled for March 15th and will include our Annual General Meeting (AGM). This is where we induct our newest members who are elected to our School Council. We are inviting all family members who may be interested in joining our School Council to reach out and complete a self-nomination form. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences 

Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th of April from 3:30 pm. During these conferences, families will have the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress toward their current learning goals and transition into their new class. Teachers will also discuss students' Individual Learning Plan which includes their next learning goals based on their latest learning data. Teachers will spend time unpacking the learning goals with families explaining the strategies we will use at school and demonstrating how families can support their children to work toward their goals at home. More information will be sent out in the coming weeks including booking details through Compass.

Updating Family Information

Families received a copy of their Student Enrolment Information to be reviewed and updated. It is very important that our school has the most up-to-date information for all our students and families if we should need to contact them in an emergency. Therefore, we ask that parents make any changes to personal details and phone numbers on these forms, and that they are returned to the office as soon as possible. Your cooperation with this is greatly appreciated.

Student Absences

We all want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day. Missing school can have a major impact on a child’s future – a student missing one day a fortnight will miss four full weeks by the end of the year. By Year 10 they’ll have missed more than a year of school. There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes. If your child is going to be absent due to illness, please contact the school on the morning of absence via the absentee line, 9367-2197 or input the absence on the COMPASS app. If their absence is greater than 3 days, please supply the classroom teacher with a medical certificate. All family holidays should be taken during school holiday times.

Uniform 

School uniform promotes a sense of identity, pride, cohesion, and good order in a school. It allows students to feel equal and enhances individual student safety and group security, as well as enhancing the profile and identity of the school and its students within the wider community. The School Council Policy of Albanvale PS states that uniform is compulsory for the students of Albanvale. It is important that parents are vigilant in ensuring students’ appearance reflects the expectations of the school community. We would appreciate your assistance in ensuring that a high standard of uniform is maintained. Please note: Leggings are not permitted to be worn at any time and head scarves must be in the school colours. Please refer to the uniform list that is attached to this newsletter for further information. PSW in Ravenhall is our designated Uniform provider. Order can be placed on like here, alternatively you can access this through ‘Parent Links’ on our school website or purchase in store.

How much sleep does my child really need?

Getting a good night’s sleep helps your child stay settled, healthy, happy, and ready for school the next day. Children are usually tired after school and should look forward to bedtime from about 7.30 pm. Your child needs 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night to ensure learning is maximized at school.  A bedtime routine is very important for your child as it helps them wind down at the end of the day and settles them prior to going to sleep. Getting ready for bed at the same time each day is important. The predictability of going to bed at the same time each night helps children develop a positive sleep routine and feel secure. Allowing children to stay up late, even on weekends, is not recommended as it disrupts this routine. Assist your child to wind down about an hour before bedtime by turning off the television and computer games and encouraging quiet activities. It may be useful to not have Televisions, phones, laptops, or other digital devices in children’s bedrooms overnight. Reading to or with your child is a great activity to incorporate into their bedtime routine.

For more information or great parenting ideas check out the Parenting Ideas Blog: https://www.parentingideas.com.au/blog written by renowned, Australian Psychologist Michael Grose