Term 1 Week 5
26 February , 2009
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
Friday 27
February Clean Up
Monday, 2
March Mathletics Information
Session 7pm
Thursday 5
March School Council Meeting
at 5pm
Dear Parents
& Caregivers,
ROAD SAFETY – CROSS AT THE CROSSING
The teachers and staff are very concerned about the accident that
happened on Monday outside the school. A
letter was sent home to all parents asking them to talk about the correct way
to cross a road with their children.
Today outside the school, we noticed children still running across the
road without looking to see if there was any traffic coming; a car that stopped
on a pedestrian crossing to let children into the car; and parents calling their
children across the road and not using the crossing. From now on any child found crossing the road
and not using the crossing will be placed on a discipline level. We would hope that you, the parents, will work
with the school to get the message across.
YOUNG LEADERS’ DAY
The National Young Leaders’ Day is the largest and most significant youth
leadership event in
MATHLETICS INFORMTION
Next Monday
night at 7pm, Mrs Ferguson and a representative from Mathletics will be in the
school Library to talk to parents about the highly successful and beneficial
program for students. Come along and
hear how Mathletics can help you and your child.
SCHOOL COUNCIL MEEETING
The School Council will meet on Thursday, 5 March, 2009 at 5pm. At School Council Meetings the elected
representatives from the parent and community body and the teaching staff meet
to discuss the financial state of the school and other issues impacting on the
school. The President of the School
Council is Mrs Jenny Wise.
The Education Tax Refund – Get 50% back
Under the new
Are you eligible?
To be eligible you must have received Family Tax Benefit Part A for each
child whose education expenses you wish to claim. You can also claim the
Education Tax Refund if you were stopped from receiving Family Tax Benefit Part
A because your child received any of the following:
·
Youth Allowance (student) aged 18
·
Disability Support Pension
·
ABSTUDY
·
the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme
·
the Student Financial Supplement Scheme
·
a scheme under s258 of the Military Rehabilitation and
Compensation Act 2004
·
an Australian Postgraduate Award.
Independent students are also eligible to claim.
What can you claim?
You can claim the
purchase, lease, hire or hire-purchase costs, repairs and running costs
of:
·
laptops, home computers and associated costs — for example,
internet and paper
·
educational software, printers, USB flash drives, disability
aids to assist in the use of computer equipment for students with special needs
·
stationery and art supplies
·
school textbooks and associated learning materials
·
trade tools and safety equipment for secondary school trade
courses.
Some of the expenses you
cannot claim include school fees or the cost of school uniforms, school
excursions or travel to and from school, musical instruments or sporting
equipment, clothing or footwear. For a more comprehensive list visit www.educationtaxrefund.gov.au
When can you claim?
You can claim your education expenses in your 2009 tax return. If you do
not have to lodge a tax return, you will be able to lodge a separate claim with
the Tax Office from 1 July 2009.
Remember, you need to keep all receipts for
expenses you claim.
If your education
expenses in one year are more than the claim limit for your children, you can
add the excess to your education expenses for the following year.
For
more information:
·
visit www.educationtaxrefund.gov.au
·
phone the Tax Office on 13
28 61.
HEAD LICE
Parents at regular times during the year we ask you to check your child’s
hair for head lice. There are many good
treatments available and although it is inconvenient it is worse for the child
to have to suffer the discomfort of an itchy scalp. If you need more information on how to treat
the head lice please talk to your chemist.
ATTENDANCE
Last year the
Department of Education introduced new procedures for monitoring attendance at
all public schools.
Extended Leave (total over 15 days in the year)
All leave
(excluding sick leave) over 15 days in a school year needs to be approved by
the School Education Director. This will take some time, so it is important
that, as soon as you plan your leave dates, the school must be contacted and
the forms filled in advance. It is also necessary to be interviewed by the
Principal or one of the Deputy Principals.
This type of
leave does not have to be 15 days in one time span, but 15 days in total for the year.
Late arrival at school
All students who
are late must have a note from their parents or their parents must sign the
form at the office before their child can go to class. It is not acceptable for
students to supply the information themselves.
Absence notes
The Home School
Liaison officer (HSLO) monitors the school attendance roll on a weekly basis.
They are concerned about the high number of students who do not supply a note
explaining their child’s absence from school. If no explanation is received
within 3 days it is recorded as “unjustified” and may be referred to the HSLO,
who can make home visits.
If you are going
overseas or on leave for the period of time stated above you must come to the
school to complete the form in the office.
If your child is sick for 3 days or more please expect a phone call from
the school if you have not notified us to let us know that your child is ill.
PLAYGROUND ISSUES
If your child has
a problem in the playground the children are encouraged to talk to the
teachers. This may be the teacher on
duty or the class teacher. The teachers
will investigate the problem and deal with it.
It is neither appropriate nor acceptable for parents to approach
children in the playground. They are
only children and are learning how to exist with others. If you have an issue, please come and speak
to the teachers.
SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Thank you to Mrs
Hanley and Mr Clark for organizing a very successful swimming carnival. There is a great deal of preparation that goes
into ensuring the safety and well being of all students and teachers in an
event of this type. The students were
very well behaved and tried very hard in their events.
CLEAN UP
This Sunday is ‘Clean
Up Australia Day’ across our nation. To
help be a part of this great ‘Aussie’ environmental project, this Friday we are
asking children to get into the ‘Clean Up Australia’ spirit and come to school
with a plastic bag for rubbish collection and to bring in their own gardening
or rubber gloves, which can be coloured gloves to brighten up the day.
Teachers and
children during the day will clean up an area of the school or a local park.
This activity teaches students about responsibility for the environment and
encourages civic pride in the local area.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (SRC)
Children in Years
2 to 6 have been voting for two of their class members to be on the school’s
Student Representative Council. This is an important leadership position in the
school. Students on the Council are expected to attend regular council
meetings, contribute ideas and report back to their class. Ms Uzunovska will be looking after the SRC
this year and we will announce the SRC representative for each class in the
next few weeks.
HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT
It is never too
early to start looking at a suitable high school for your son or daughter. Many parents begin to visit high schools when
their children are in Year 4. Every
school is different, and not every school is suitable for every student. At different times throughout the year, we
will publish when the different high schools are having Open Days for parents
and students. You are always welcome to
ring the high school and make an appointment to talk to the Principal or a
representative from the school. High
Schools will take some “out of area” placements, but this will depend on a
variety of factors that need to be discussed with the school. We will continue to let you know when the
different high schools have open nights.