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SCHOOL COUNCIL
The School Council is the administration body of the school. It is responsible for:
educational policy
buildings and grounds
cleaning
financial management and accountability
promoting interest in the school
reporting to the school community
non teaching staff
fundraising
formation of sub-committees
purchase of equipment
School
council consists of elected parents, teachers and nominated members. Elections are held in March each year. Meetings are held twice a term or when the
need arises. Our current sub-committee
structure comprises of finance, buildings and grounds, transitions,
social/fundraising. All Little Bendigo Primary School
community members are welcome to join a sub-committee.
Junior
school council also provides a report at each School Council meeting. (top)
PARENTS
AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION
Parents and friends is an active body that either conducts or helps to conduct a variety of activities throughout the year. For example the P.F.A. provides the Father and Mother’s day stall, activities and catering for the family fun night, drinks and fruit for children at sporting events, special hot lunches for the children and lots of interesting dress up days. The P.F.A. through its fundraising activities subsidizes camps, excursions and uniforms. The P.F.A. also re-cycles our school uniforms.
The Parents and friends association help to create the wonderful community/family atmosphere of our school. (top)
Available upon request (top)
1. ATTENDANCE
An absence note is required if your child is away; these
must be given to the classroom teacher.
2. SCHOOL HOURS
Session
1
9:00a.m. to 11:00a.m.
Recess 11:00a.m. to 11:30a.m.
Session 2 11:30a.m. to 12:30p.m.
Lunch 12:30p.m. to 1:20p.m. (Children eat their lunches in their classrooms from 12:30 to 12:40p.m.)
Session 3 1:20p.m. to 2:20p.m.
Recess 2:20p.m. to 2:30p.m.
Session 4 2:30p.m. to 3:30p.m.
3. SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
A newsletter is sent home each Monday with the eldest child in the family.
4. BANKING
Bank Day is alternate Wednesdays. New accounts can be opened at any time.
5. ROAD SAFETY
Road safety is part of the school program
and in order to ensure children arrive and depart safely by car, please drop
them off and pick up from the school side of the road.
6. LOST PROPERTY
All clothing should be clearly labelled with the child’s name. Each year we have quite a supply of unclaimed lost property. If your child has lost any items of clothing please check the lost property box.
7. SCHOOL UNIFORM
School uniforms are compulsory. The color is royal blue with our gold school logo.
Each year the grade six children design their own tops to be their uniform.
All children starting at Little Bendigo are provided with a sun hat.
8. DISCIPLINE - SCHOOL RULES
Conflict resolution is the major process used to resolve issues between students. This empowers students to resolve their own conflicts. It involves:
a) each student expressing their side of the story without interruption,
b) a time for questions by both students,
c) the students create strategies or solutions to the problem and;
d) then decide on the best one that they will both follow.
We also use a ‘Social autopsy’ approach (Lavoie 1994) which involves ‘the examination or inspection of a social error in order to determine why it occurred and how to prevent it from occurring in the future’. Through using this approach we aim to develop the children’s ability to recognise, evaluate and appropriately respond to various social interactions and to use these situations to prepare our students for the future.
9. SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS
Staff responsibility for pupils extends from fifteen minutes before school starting time to fifteen minutes after school close. Yard duty rosters cover recess and lunch times.
10. JUNIOR STUDENT COUNCIL
Meetings are held regularly and reports are provided to staff and School Council. Students elect Junior School Council members, comprising of two members from each grade level from grade three up.
11. SPORTS UNIFORM
Boys – Royal Blue Shorts, School T-Shirt
Girls – Royal Blue Shorts, School T-Shirt
12. PUPIL REPORTS
Pupil reports are issued in June and December. Parent/teacher interviews are conducted in first term. All teachers do after school yard duty at the front of the school which is often an invaluable, informal time to catch up about student progress. Teachers are also available at other times by appointment.
13. SCHOOL LIBRARY
Library is held on Friday mornings, children particularly enjoy sharing books during this time. Please help children remember their library books each Friday as they do get quite disappointed when they forget them and can’t borrow another one.
14. SUPPORT SERVICES
There are a variety of professional services including, Speech and Hearing specialists, Guidance officers, Social workers, State school relief which are available to assist your child should it be necessary.
All prep children are screened for general health, sight and hearing.
15. PERSONAL DETAILS/ PERMISSION FORMS
Each year in February forms are sent home to update student information:
These include
Student personal information forms
Emergency contacts
Permission forms for ‘Local Excursions’ held throughout the year
Photo Permission forms (used for local newspaper reports)
It is important to fill these in and return to the school as soon as possible to ensure the school has your current information. Please remember to provide the school with an updated phone number or address if you change these.
16. BOOK CLUB
Catalogues are distributed to each child every month. Orders and money are due at school within a week and books are distributed as soon as they arrive.
17. BUSHFIRES/DISASTERS
Procedure for bush fires is fully covered in the School Disaster Policy which parents are welcome to read. However, in the event of a bush fire very close to the school all children will be kept at the school until picked up by their parents or moved by police, or the local C.F.A.
Please note: The school is designated as a “Safe Area” and will be protected.
18. BICYCLES
Children must wheel and not ride their bikes into the school grounds. Bicycle helmets are compulsory and must be worn.
19. SCHOOL FEES
An annual school fee will be charged in 2008. This fee covers all school classroom supplies, art material, text books and reading material, which your child will use during the year. The fee for 2008 will be $50 first child, $100 – 2 children, $125.00 - three children and $150.00 – four children.
20. EXCURSIONS
Excursions occur regularly and are an extension of class activities. All excursions are to be paid for prior to the event taking place.
Some costs are subsidized by School Council or P.F.A, and are kept to a minimum.
21. HOMEWORK
Teachers decide on an appropriate homework program for their class. This is put in the newsletter at the start of the year or if there are changes throughout the year. It is important that Parents work closely with Teachers.
22. PUPIL HEALTH
A pupil health list is attached for your personal benefit and reference. Please advise the school if your child/children come into contact with any listed disease. If your child is not feeling well do not send him/her to school. If your child becomes ill at school we will contact you as soon as possible.
23. PHOTOCOPYING, FAX AND EMAIL
These services are available at the school for a nominal charge. Contact the school office.
24. SCHOOL QUERIES/PROBLEMS
As part of creating a ‘Community of inquiry’ it is important to share queries/problems together so that we can learn together and do the best possible for our students. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have a concern.
To
ensure our effectiveness we use the following action research process:
1.
The whole school community creates common goals - as part of the School Charter
(long term) or as based on current needs (short term)
2.
Strategies or activities are developed to achieve those goals
3.
Evaluate our performance of achieving those goals on a regular basis, modifying
strategies and activities where appropriate.
Our
school community believes an effective school involves the following: (top)
STUDENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Caters
for all children
High
standards
Students
continually strive to reach their full potential
Pride
in work and each others
Excellent
resources
Self
confidence in their abilities
A
balanced curriculum that is thoroughly planned
Developmental
and sequential programs building on the skills and knowledge of students
Programs
that meet the individual needs of students, including gifted students
Imaginative
learning opportunities – vibrant/stimulating/ “doing”
Unique
programs to enhance/enrich the students/community
High
but attainable educational standards
Applies
teaching strategies based on evidence in research
Part
of a whole community working together
Enhanced
parental involvement
Fosters,
provides and creates a ‘learning’ environment
Meets
needs of community
Effective
reporting and evaluating process to improve student learning
Meets
budget allocation
Meets
audit requirements
Administration
well defined
Shared
decision making
Growth
– implements initiatives and plans – keeps abreast of curriculum, change and
modern technology
Creates
and provides a unique school structure to meet the individual needs of students
Stimulating
and motivating classroom programs
Provides
adequate resources/fun activities
Integrates
technology into classrooms and provides a computer center
Encourage
students self-improvement – Academic excellence –
Self-assessment
‘Four
Pillars’ curriculum
Provide
opportunities to develop self-confidence
STUDENT
ENGAGEMENT/WELLBEING
Pride
in themselves, each other and their school – parents involvement
Excitement
Excellent
staff
Purpose
for their work
Safe
environment
Happy
people
Effective/Open
communication
Diverse
programs
Excellent
resources
Easy
access
Fosters
respect for people with different abilities
Provides
harmony and stability
Community
feeling
Focus
for school community
Enhanced
parental involvement/fosters family atmosphere
Maintaining
school grounds/physical environment/aesthetically pleasing
Fosters,
provides and creates a ‘learning environment’
Caring
positive atmosphere/environment
Values
each school community member/respect/self-esteem
Implements
an appropriate code of discipline
Meets
needs of community
Administration
well defined
Shared
decision making
Creates
and provides a unique school structure to meet the individual needs of students
Exciting,
interesting and safe playground for children
Stimulating
and motivating classroom programs
Provides
fun activities
Growth
– implements initiatives and plans – keeps abreast of curriculum, change and
modern technology
STUDENT
PATHWAYS/TRANSITIONS
Orientation
days
Prep
days
Provides
transition activities to Secondary school
To
introduce perspective families to the benefits of the school by encouraging
them to participate in the playgroup
To
map student achievement utilising ‘Individual Education’ plans
To
encourage independence through analysing various situations and making
appropriate decisions
Deal
appropriately with setbacks or difficult circumstances (top)