1.1 COMMUNICATION
Our school website is www.edithvaleps.vic.edu.au. Here you will find all the information you need in the online purple pocket.
Important information is also regularly sent out on Compass. Compass is a web-based system that is accessible on any modern web browser or by using the ‘Compass School Manager’ app available for iOS or Android.
The Compass program is used for:
- Student Reports
- Attendance Notification
- First Aid Reporting
- Incursion/Excursion Payments and Permission Forms
- Messages/Reminders to the School Community
After enrolling your child, a letter will be sent home to new parents with their login details, needed to set-up Compass. To access our Parent Portal, go to https://edithvaleps-vic.compass.education. We advise all our families to use Compass to avoid missing out on important information.
1.2 BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE PROGRAM AND VACATION CARE
Team Kids runs a Before School Care Program and an After School Care Program in the school hall each weekday. Sessions run from 6.45am to 8.45am and 3:30pm to 6:15pm. School Holiday Programs are run at Edithvale Primary School over the term holidays. For all enquiries regarding costs and enrolments please call 1 300 035 000 and follow the prompts to speak to one of the team members or email info@teamkids.com.au Alternatively go to http://teamkids.com.au/venues/edithvale-primary-oshc/
1.3 ASSEMBLIES
Whole school assemblies are student driven and held every Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm. Parents and friends of the school are welcome to attend. This is run by our student leaders and a different year level “hosts” assembly each week.
1.4 BICYCLE SAFETY
Parents should ensure that children who ride to school have the necessary skills to ride with safety, including the wearing of a correctly fitted helmet, which is compulsory. A bike enclosure is provided for the housing of bicycles. Although care will be taken; the school cannot accept responsibility for bicycles (or scooters) brought to school.
Bike Education is taught to our Year 4 and Year 5 Students in Term 4 every year. The program aims to teach students the necessary skills and road rules to make them safe cyclists.
Please note: Road Safety Authority research indicates that children under 8 years have rarely developed the skills required to cope in traffic, i.e. vision, distance estimation, attention and understanding of rules. We recommend that junior school children do not ride their bikes to school without parent supervision. Skateboards and rollerblades are not to be ridden at school.
1.5 CANTEEN
Canteen orders can be made using Qkr, which is an App. you download on your Smartphone. QKR orders need to be lodged by 8.30am for lunches on that day.
Lunch orders are available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from our canteen. The school canteen is not open on Wednesdays. If not using QKR, orders need to be written on a clean paper bag with the child’s name and class clearly printed. Pre-printed lunch order bags are sold at the canteen for 10¢ a bag, 10 for $1.00, 25 for $2.00 or 50 for $4.00.If written on an envelope an extra 10c will be charged. Canteen price lists will be sent home and are available from the office, canteen or on our website.
1.6 LUNCHES
Children are supervised while they eat their lunch in the classroom or in designated eating areas. Children who have not finished, sit in the eating areas whilst they finish. The lunch break is between 1:30pm and 2:30pm.
1.7 LOST & FOUND PROPERTY
Lost property is collected and taken to 3 locations. Inside the Foundation and Grade 1 buildings, and the Senior Learning Centre. Every endeavour is taken to return lost items to their owners. For easier identification please name all jumpers, hats, lunch boxes, etc. Any unnamed & unclaimed items of clothing are washed and placed in our Second Hand Uniform cupboard. More valuable items such as money, jewelry, toys, etc; are held at the office for one month before they are disposed of.
1.8 EXCURSIONS
Our school has an extensive excursion and incursion program. These visits are delivered each term and prepared as part of the teaching program. If the excursion requires payment and permission, a notification will be sent from Compass for you to login and complete the permission form and make payment. A permission form will only be sent home to be signed, on request, if you are unable to access Compass. Money due should be paid via Compass or returned in an envelope by the due date, to ensure student participation. If you have not paid by the due date, we understand you have chosen for your child not to attend the incursion/excursion and they will remain behind with another class.
1.9 LIBRARY
Parents, as well as children, are welcome to browse and borrow. Each child should have a named, large material bag for borrowing books. Please check that books are returned, or re-borrowed weekly. Lost or damaged books must be paid for. This is reviewed regularly and a notice is sent home if a book is overdue.
1.10 MONEY SENT TO SCHOOL
To make payments easier, we have Qkr, Eftpos, direct deposit, and Bpay and Compass facilities. Qkr can be downloaded from the App Store on your Smartphone. Please note for Bpay, payments must be of $20.00 or more and you should send an email to the school at edithvale.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au or send a note along to school with your child, letting us know what the payment is intended for, otherwise it will be allocated to your oldest outstanding charges.
Each time money is sent to school eg. Swimming, Book Club, etc; it should be sent in an envelope, labeled with your child’s name, class, and the amount within. Please forward all money to your child’s teacher, not the office. Pre-printed envelopes are available at the school office at a cost of $2.00 for 10 envelopes.
At least 6 times a year, a family statement will be sent home electronically where an email address has been provided; or a hard copy sent home with your child. This statement will itemise all details of charges recorded and receipts made against those charges. Note that Voluntary Charges do not show on your statement until they have been paid.
1.11 CAMPS SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF) INFORMATION/CENTERPAY
Camps Sports & Excursion Fund (CSEF) will be provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions, or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is currently $125 for primary school students. Contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application.
Centrepay is a free direct bill paying service available to parents/carers who receive an Australian Government Department of Human Services Centrelink Payment, Family Assistance Payment, or Parental Leave Payment.
Payments can be made directly to the school and credited to your child’s account, and can be used to pay for school charges, camps and excursions.
If you would like to set up a deduction, please contact the office.
1.12 NOTICES / NEWSLETTERS
A weekly update from the principal is shared weekly on Compass. It is uploaded to the school website and posted via Compass. It is an important form of communication – please read it carefully. Any notices are placed in a purple pocket which will come home every night – with or without notices. Please check your child’s bag for these.
Some of the items you may expect to find in the newsletter include:
- School Council Notices
- Notices of excursions / incursions / school activities
- Key dates
- Important messages
- Upcoming Events
Family notices will only be given to the youngest child in the family.
Parents in separated families can organise with their child’s teacher to have their own purple pocket for family notices.
1.13 PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS
Parent Partnership meetings are an important means of finding out how your child is progressing. These take place after the mid-year reports in June and bookings are made through Compass. In addition, you are always welcome to discuss your child’s progress at any time. Please phone or call in at the office to make an appointment time with the class teacher.
1.14 USUAL SCHOOL HOURS
There are always 3 Staff Members on Yard Duty at any given time.
Foundation Students:
Foundation children do not attend school on Wednesdays in February except, by appointment, for assessment purposes.
1.16 VISITORS/CLASSROOM HELPERS
If visiting the school to assist with classroom programs, please sign in on the iPad at the front office and collect a Visitors badge. This is a safety arrangement for you and your children, and to assist the staff in case of emergency. All helpers with direct contact with children must have a current Working With Children Card, available at no cost via the Depart of Justice website. At the time of writing, the current Operations Guide states that all parents who enter the school building, when on school site, are required to check-in using the Service Victoria QR code to enable the effective contract tracing of any COVID-19 cases. Please note parents who come onto school grounds for drop off or pick up, but do not enter the building are not required to sign in.
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1.17 TERM DATES FOR 2022
The teaching staff will resume duty on Friday 28th January 2022. All students will start on Monday 31st January 2022.
Term Dates for Students & End of term dismissal time
- Term 1 – 31/01/2022 – 08/04/2022 2:30 pm
- Term 2 – 26/04/2022 – 24/06/2022 2:30 pm
- Term 3 – 11/07/2022 – 16/09/2022 2:30 pm
- Term 4 – 03/10/2022 – 20/12/2022 1:30 pm
1.17 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DRILLS
We regularly conduct emergency evacuation or lockdown drills. This practice is designed to support our students to become accustomed to moving in a safe, calm, and orderly fashion to designated safety points throughout the school. Staff explain the expectations and requirements to our students step by step; and expose them to the sounds of the alarm and loud speakers.
1.18 SCHOOL UNIFORM
School uniform is compulsory at Edithvale Primary School and can be purchased from the school’s uniform supplier, Primary School Wear (PSW), located at Unit 22 / 13 The Gateway Drive, Carrum Downs, or shop online at www.psw.com.au
The Second Hand Uniform Shop is located in the main building between Room 1 and 2. It is open on a Monday between 2:45 pm – 3:30 pm (please note this is subject to COVID restrictions that is currently in place).
The uniform includes:
- Royal blue windcheater/bomber jacket/polar fleece jacket
- Royal blue tracksuit pants/bootleg pants/shorts
- Royal blue polo shirt
- School dress/royal blue skort
- Winter tunic for girls
- Wide brimmed/bucket hat – compulsory for Terms 1 & 4
- Royal blue beanie hat for winter (optional)
Jewelry should not be worn to school. Please see the Uniform Policy on the school’s website for further details. We request that all personal items and removable clothing be clearly marked with your child’s name. Please label school bags inside, with name, address, and telephone number. It also assists identification if a name tag containing your child’s name is clipped to the handle ring.
Dress for PE & Sport
For children to move safely and participate fully in the Physical Education program at Edithvale Primary School, it is advisable for students to wear appropriate footwear. Children need to wear a soft/flexible-soled shoe.
1.19 HATS
Hats are compulsory here at Edithvale Primary School in Terms 1 and 4. We are a Sunsmart School! Although the weather may be cool, the UV levels are still high so please remember to use sun protection each day during the sun protection times – not just on hot or sunny days. Information for families is available from http://www.sunsmart.com.au/communities/parents
The school’s SunSmart policy states that children must wear a hat if they wish to play outdoors in Terms 1 and 4. Children not wearing hats need to stay in the eating area during playtimes. They also need to sit in a shaded area when the class is participating in sport activities.
Winter Beanies are available for purchase from PSW and are optional.
1.20 STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Neither the Department of Education & Training nor Edithvale Primary School, provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance/transport and any other transport costs.
Student accident insurance/ambulance cover policies are available from some commercial insurers and can be obtained by parents/guardians for individual students.