1. Healthcare

Ascot Vale Primary School
Information Booklet for Prep
Parents
v1.0
2015
Ascot Vale Primary School
No 2608
Address:
Bank Street, Ascot Vale 3032
Web www.avps.vic.edu.au
Twitter www.twitter.com/AscotValePS
Telephone: 9370 6507
Fax:
9370 5150
Email:[email protected]
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Our Vision
Providing an education and a future for all children by establishing a sense of self and
place in a global community.
We are committed to equity principles and strive for all students to experience success,
develop confidence and self-esteem, and achieve the highest possible learning and social
outcomes. We recognise the need to develop ongoing relationships by maintaining children
in the same small cohort over a number of years. Our programs aim at high quality
academic learning, and all round physical, social and emotional development.
Welcome to our school. We believe in nurturing each child to their potential through
developmental learning practices and an integrated holistic approach to education.
We value:
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Innovative programs that engage students in their education, the community and their
future
Team teaching because groups of teachers can plan and assess each child’s progress
and capitalise on individual teacher strengths and abilities
Peer and cross age student learning because students learn from each other through
observation, shared experiences direct teaching and reporting
Progressive learning as it enables students progress at their own rate rather than being
held back by a curriculum aimed at one year level
Negotiated learning because learning outcomes match the student’s needs and
capabilities and develops key skills and competencies
Inquiry directed learning, as it is based upon individual and student interests and needs
The development of Individual Learning Plans for students above and below standard
Mid-year student led conferences to increase student involvement and responsibility for
their own learning
Sue Osborne
Principal
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AusVELS & VELS – Curriculum at Ascot Vale PS
AusVELS is the Foundation to Year 10 curriculum that provides a single, coherent and
comprehensive set of prescribed content and common achievement standards, which
schools use to plan student learning programs, assess student progress and report to
parents. AusVELS incorporates the Australian Curriculum F-10 for English, Mathematics,
History and Science within the curriculum framework first developed for the Victorian
Essential Learning Standards (VELS). AusVELS uses an eleven level structure to reflect the
design of the new Australian Curriculum whilst retaining Victorian priorities and approaches
to teaching and learning. In 2013 AusVELS curriculum comprises of: four Australian
Curriculum subjects, the remaining 12 VELS domains and three embedded cross curriculum
priorities. More details can be found online at: http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
We offer a range of curriculum support and enrichment programs reflecting student needs.
These include:
• A comprehensive and exciting parent funded instrumental music program from Year 3
onwards
• Choir for Years 1 – 6 and recorder for Years Prep – 1
• A fully equipped Learning Studio that incorporates our Library, visual and performance
Arts, multi- media and community learning
• A camp / outdoor education program (years 3-6)
• Information communication technology – 1:1 iPad program for Year 4,5 & 6 students(ICT)
• Physical education and interschool sport
• Parent funded before and after school activities
• Sustainable Schools and eSmart approaches
• “Beyond the Classroom Expo” - Science, LOTE, ART Multi-media and Book Fairs
• Mathletics – an online Maths engagement and learning program
• School Concert (bi-annually)
Learning and Teaching
At Ascot Vale PS we learn in multi-age groups to enable all children to learn at their
appropriate developmental stage whilst taking into account individual learning needs. The
structure will change over your child’s years at school as we refine and re-organise the Units
according to the educational needs of the children. When this does happen parents are
informed. The multi-age methodology however is the foundation upon which all educational
decisions are made.
Multi-age
Our multi-age classrooms utilize an organizational structure in which children of different
ages (at least a two-year span) and ability levels are grouped together, without dividing them
or the curriculum into steps labelled by grade designation.
Ascot Vale introduced multi-age classes over a number of years ensuring an understanding
of critical factors. These included issues such as teacher readiness, staff ownership,
parental involvement, and collaborative planning to ensure that the multi-age program has a
positive impact and is lasting.
At Ascot Vale PS we believe that children’s uneven developmental patterns and differing
rates of progress are ill matched to the rigid grade-level system. We believe that multi-age
education has benefits for a wide range of children. These include:
• gifted and special-needs students who are challenged to achieve to their potential
because there is no limitation of a grade-level curriculum.
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• Special-needs children in mixed-aged grouping who find that their individual differences
are accepted and their contributions are recognized.
• At-risk children benefit from the multi-age classroom as it encourages self-respect and
creates a learning environment that keeps students involved and motivated.
• Children whose primary language is other than English receive special support and
assistance from their multi-age classmates
In implementing developmental learning within multi-age groups teachers use the following
strategies:
• Cooperative learning
• Heterogeneous grouping
• Developmentally appropriate learning tasks
• Cross-age tutoring flexible scheduling
• Positive evaluations
The curriculum is planned around Integrated Curriculum topics. Children apply known skills
and expertise to situations in order to learn. The children have learning experiences that
build upon their skills academically, socially and personally.
Prep – Year 4 – Laying the Foundations
In these years the curriculum focuses on developing the fundamental knowledge, skills and
behaviours in literacy and numeracy. Other areas include physical and social capacities
which underpin all future learning. Children have as their main focus Literacy and Numeracy
and other areas of the curriculum are integrated into these. Their social and personal skill
development is important at this stage.
Year 5 / 6– Building Breadth and Depth
In these years the students’ progress beyond the foundations as their literacy and numeracy
becomes more developed. An expanded curriculum program provides the basis for in depth
learning within all domains in the strands. (See AusVELS website domains
http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Domains )
In Years 5 to 8 young people become more complex thinkers. They begin to understand
more abstract cognitive processes such as how to apply logical reasoning to both ideas and
concrete objects. In other words, they begin learning how to apply many of the practical skills
they have mastered in earlier years. Our integrated teaching approach aligned with our use
of technology in the classroom assists our senior students to remain engaged and focused
on their learning.
iPad 1-1 program.
A one to one iPad program is implemented for all year 4, 5 and 6 students. Sets of
notebooks and ipads are available for students in Year Prep to 3 to use to support their
learning. Access to technology will enable students to access the internet for information and
research, plan, create,publish and to connect with their peers and staff to communicate and
collaborate, supporting their learning.
Habits of Mind
The students at Ascot Vale PS are introduced to Art Costa's 16 'Habits of Mind' from Year
Prep. They develop a deeper appreciation as they age. Habits of Mind are behaviours that
people employ to enable them to problem solve successfully. Students are required to reflect
upon their own behaviour in light of the Habits of Mind and to collect evidence of these
habits from their school work, activities they do at home or at their leisure time pursuits. They
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keep a record of this learning and thinking within their individual student digital portfolios.
The Habits of Mind can be found in the appendix of this document and on our website.
Specialist Subjects
Specialist classes are held weekly or fortnightly in each year level, these include: physical
education, art and Italian LOTE (fortnightly). Children in Years Prep – 1 also participate in
recorder classes each week. There is a choir group for interested children in Years Prep –
6. Our choir performs annually in a community performance and at school assemblies. We
have an extensive instrumental music program that caters for interested children in Years 3
– 6.
Items your child requires for specialist sessions include:
Art – Smock
Physical Education – Sport Shoes, Sun Smart Hat, Sunscreen (April - September)
Library – Book bag (Can be purchased from the Uniform supplier)
Choir – There is a choir group for children in Years Prep – 6. Our choir performs annually in
a community performance and at school assemblies.
Recorder – Children in grades Prep – 1 participate in recorder classes each week.
PAID BY PARENTS/ CARERS
MVIMP – Moonee Vale Instrumental Music Program (Years 3 – 6) This is an instrumental
music program organised in collaboration with three other schools in our area: Ascot Vale
West PS, Moonee Ponds PS and Moonee Ponds West PS. Children attend an instrumental
music lesson each week and have the opportunity to participate in concerts and the school
band. Our combined concert is held every year in term four at Moonee Valley Racecourse.
Piano – Lessons are available for students in Years 1 – 6. There is also an opportunity for
students to participate in piano exams if they wish. All piano students participate in the
annual piano concert.
Guitar – Lessons are available for students in Years 2 – 6.
Camps and Excursions are an important part of our program. We believe that to assist
children with their physical and social development, understanding of their world and for their
enjoyment in the arts, excursions and camps are essential. The children will participate in
excursions or incursions each term and students from Years 3 – 6 are able to attend camp.
All excursions and camps are linked to learning objectives.
Communication
It is important for your child to develop a sense of belonging at school. School then becomes
a familiar and safe place and this feeling of connectedness is optimal for learning. We
approach student welfare via our multi-age teaching approach, our teams and our buddy
system. There may be times however when you feel there are issues you want addressed.
It is best to discuss any issue in the first instance with the Unit teacher. They have a close
relationship and understanding of all the students in their care and knowledge of the class
environment. You will find that by approaching the class teacher you will resolve most of
your issues quickly and amicably. If you feel that the situation has not improved then you can
make an appointment with the Assistant Principal who is also the Student Welfare
Coordinator. If the Assistant Principal or parent believes the situation is still not resolved then
it will be referred to the Principal.
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If you approach a teacher about a matter then it is important that, for all concerned, there is
enough time to discuss any concerns uninterrupted. We therefore request that you make a
mutually acceptable time to meet. Often teachers have other commitments such as staff
meetings after school and rather than feel that your concerns have not been addressed, it is
recommended that you ring the teacher to make an appointment. The school phone number
is 9370 6507.
Newsletter / Twitter
The newsletter is currently distributed fortnightly and it is an important source of information
for parents. It contains dates, events happening around the school, information on
curriculum changes and student achievements. Please supply us with your email address
so your copy can be emailed to your home. As a sustainable school we are promoting the
email option as an environmentally friendly one. The newsletter is also on our website in pdf
format, handy if you miss it one week. Go to www.avps.vic.edu.au Make sure you read the
newsletter each fortnight so you don’t miss out on anything happening at the school. It is
distributed on Wednesdays. You can also follow us on Twitter where school news and
messages are posted regularly. www.twitter.com/AscotValePS
Facilities
Considerable developments have taken place at Ascot Vale PS in recent years. A
refurbished Art, Library and ICT space (Learning Studio) with a Science area, sound studio
and stage was built in 2011. Portable buildings were replaced with a music pavilion and
community room with a shared kitchenette. The Learning Studio and the new buildings are
surrounded by learning and play decks and tiered seating facing our oval and running track.
We have a hall for assemblies, excellent physical education facilities and an Out of School
Hours Care program room that operates from our community room. The buildings have
been designed to support community partnerships and joint school community use of our
facilities.
The school has sets of laptops on trolleys in Units and a trolley of iPads. We are now a
predominantly wireless school. We have all the necessary equipment and a sound studio to
support animation and film production. Interactive whiteboards are in 4 out of 5 units and in
the Learning Studio.
Our classrooms are well resourced and there are specialist rooms for art and craft, reading
recovery, science and cooking.
The Community & Partnerships sub-committee of School Council is comprised of parents
and staff who work very hard to coordinate the development of our school facilities. Future
programs will include enhancing our entrance at Bank Street, creative and passive space in
the playground and a healthy eating garden. Upgraded bike racks have been installed to
encourage more students to ride to school. If facilities (buildings and grounds) development
is your passion, please join this sub-committee.
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Times for the School Day
School starts at 9:00am and finishes at 3:30pm each day. It is important that students are
at school at least 5 minutes before 9am. When the music plays at 8:56am, classrooms
are open so students can unpack and prepare for the start of their day. The school grounds
are supervised from 8:45am before school and until 3:45pm after school. We discourage
children from arriving earlier than 8:45am and children who have not been collected by a
parent or guardian by 3:45pm need to come to the office, where parents/guardians will be
phoned. If this happens frequently, arrangements need to be made for children to enrol in
Out of School Hours Care.
The school day is divided up as follows:
9 – 10.45 am – class time
10.45 – 11.00 am – morning tea eating time
11.00 – 11.30 am – morning recess
11.30 am – 1.30 pm – class time
1.30 – 1.45 pm – lunch eating time
1.45 – 2.30 pm – lunch recess
2.30 – 3.30 pm – class time
For February 2015 only – To accommodate Prep Entry testing and to allow beginning
children time to settle into school gradually, the Prep children do not attend school on
Wednesdays in February. As from the first week in March 2015, the Prep children attend
each day, Monday to Friday for full days.
**Preps first day of school in 2015 is Monday 2nd February, 9.00am – 3.30pm
All other students, from grade one to six, start school on Friday 30th January 2015**.
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Reading
1. When your child brings home their first book from school, sit with them in a quiet spot
and ENJOY it together. This might include talking about the character(s), discussing
the plot of the story, pointing out amusing pictures, etc. etc.
2. Reading at home should be a pleasant experience for all concerned. Books that the
children take home are books that they are familiar with and can read competently.
Don’t be concerned if you child seems to be ‘reading from memory’, as this plays a
beginning part in the reading process.
3. It is your child’s teacher’s job to teach your child to read and the parent’s task to
support this process. Ideally, you will spend about ten minutes most nights sharing
reading with your child, remembering that this reading is designed to allow your child
to show you how well they can read, and for them to practise skills taught at school.
4. Most importantly, if you have concerns/ queries/ issues with your child’s reading
progress, it is vital that you make a time to talk to the teacher about it. The
home/school partnership is rarely more important than when it comes to children
learning to become confident and competent ‘readers’.
Reading diary
Each Prep student will have a reading diary. This will continue until the end of Year 2.
Parents/ Carers should record the title of the book and date in this diary daily. More
information can be found in the diary. Children will usually choose a new book to take home
daily. An example of the diary is below.
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Attendance: IT’S COOL TO BE AT SCHOOL!
Regularly attending school is very important for a child’s connectedness and continuity of
learning. Being away from school, unless the child is ill, disrupts their learning and in the
early years at school some children may find it difficult to make friends. We recommend that
unless your child is ill, your child must attend school each day. Holidays during school time,
if taken rarely, are great learning experiences but, if taken every year, can disrupt your
child’s education. It is expected that the school will be notified via phone, email or written
note regarding all student absences. As part of your transition to our school, we will give you
a pad of absentee notes to stick on your fridge (see below).
Punctuality: ON TIME AT NINE!
For the same reasons as outlined in attendance,
punctuality is very important. Young children can get very
distressed if they are late and have missed out on the
beginning of a lesson. Also, it is disruptive to the rest of
the class if the teacher has to ensure that any late
students ‘catch up’ on the class activity. Importantly,
being on time is a good life skill to develop. Any students
that are late MUST have their parents/ carers sign the
late register at the office or each unit before attending
class.
Eating
Children often have different eating habits than adults.
We have structured our times of the day to suit most children and their need for food and
drink throughout the day. There is a break every two hours for eating and drinking. This is
designated eating time where the children sit down and eat. It is not a playing time. To help
your child in their first year it is a good idea to pack two small lunches, one to be eaten at
10:45 am and the other to be eaten at 1:30 pm. Children often need small and frequent
serves to keep them going throughout the day. It is also a good idea to give your child a
water bottle with their name on it so they can access water in the classroom all day. Your
teacher will talk to you about this.
Emergency Information
It is important that the office has your current contact details and your emergency contacts
details. If these change at anytime please inform the office.
School Material Charge
Currently the school material charge is $130.00 per year. This charge covers the costs of
consumables the students use in their classrooms. Items such as pencils, paper, pens,
stationary, art and craft materials, computer consumables are paid for from this charge. The
funds go directly into the class budget for use in that particular year. The material charge is
payable at the beginning of each year or paid by termly. You will need to talk to the office
staff and inform them of your preferred method of payment. If you have any queries
regarding the school material charge contact the Principal, Sue Osborne.
Excursion Levy
Currently the school excursion charge for every child is $70.00 for Prep – Year 2 students
and $100.00 per year for students in Years 3-6. An additional Interschool sport charge of
$70.00 per year applies to Year 5/6 students only.
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Voluntary Contributions and Sponsoring
A voluntary contribution to either the Building or Library trust funds can be made and is tax
deductible. These donations assist us in oval maintenance, ground development, purchasing
books etc. You might also like to sponsor other children for camps, excursions or sporting
events. More details are included in the annual student materials charge letter or you can
contact the office for more information. Not all families are able to attend our working bees
held on a Sunday (10:00am – 12:00 noon) of terms 2, 3 and 4. In lieu of attendance or other
voluntary work at the school, families can make a grounds donation to help fund ongoing
garden maintenance.
Payment envelopes
Most payments need to be made with a school payment envelope (purple & white). This
helps with the processing of information quickly and easily. There is also a red payment
envelope that is for fundraising payments. Please collect some for your use from outside the
office.
Reporting to Parents / Student Led Conferences
Reporting to parents is integral to the teacher’s role. We have two timetabled sessions each
year and there are two written reports. The first interview is at the end of February where the
teacher gets to know the parents and informs them of the yearly program and any class
routines parents need to know. Student learning goals will be discussed at this meeting.
The second session is in the form of student led conferences (SLC) that are held at the end
of term 2 after the semester 1 reports have been distributed. The SLC’s replace the
traditional parent teacher interview and provide very real opportunities for students, of all
ages, to develop a sense of responsibility and accountability for their learning. Educators
world wide are recognising the need to involve the learner in his/her assessment and
evaluation. SLC’s present differently in each level of the school and reflect the development
of students as they progress through the school. Parents will see their child’s portfolio of
work that reflects a snapshot of their ongoing development, noticing the development of
more astute comments from children that demonstrate their opportunities for improvement –
reflecting the content of the mid year report. As the name suggests, these conferences
provide an opportunity for students to share their learning with parents and the classroom
teacher, discussing their achievements and their goals for future learning. Portfolios are an
important component of SLC’s.
The second report is sent home during the last week of term 4. Interviews are not scheduled
at this time but if a parent wishes to request an interview to follow up on any issues in the
report they can do so. The school has introduced a parent reflection sheet with written
reports. This reflection will inform individual student goal setting for the following school
year.
Parents are welcome to make an appointment to meet with their child’s teacher at any time throughout
the year as they feel necessary.
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Parent and Community Involvement
Parent Reps
At Ascot Vale Primary School, the Parent Representatives from each unit play an important
role in the running of the school. The role of the parent rep is outlined below. The number of
parent reps per unit is usually 2 or more. This is a great way for new parents to meet other
parents from their own and other units.
Role:
Help organise classroom support in the delivery of the program. This involves liaising
with the teacher and other parents to support programs such as reading, excursions,
publishing, swimming, special days and the making of resources.
Informing parents about school programs, assisting with parent information nights,
developing the phone tree and keeping the Parent Representative Unit notice board
up to date.
Meet with teachers and Principal as requested and attend monthly meetings as a
group.
Assist in unit fundraising.
Direct any parent concerns to the appropriate person in the school.
Organise social events as interested.
School Council and subcommittees
Ascot Vale PS School Council meets every 3rd Monday of most school term months.
Decisions regarding strategic planning, school policies and the allocation of resources are
made following the work undertaken by the School Council’s four sub-committees:
Finance
Education
Community & Partnerships
Grounds
ALL parents are welcome as observers at all School Council meetings and are able to be
part of any sub-committee, as interested and available.
Classroom support and involvement
Parents are invited to be involved in their own child’s education in the following ways:
Setting learning goals with their child and the teacher
Attending Parent Teacher interviews
Attending Unit Information sessions
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Helping in the classroom- reading, writing cooking, sharing a hobby, their work or an
interest
Excursion attendance
Helping co-ordinate a whole school event- e.g. book or science fair, arts festival,
fundraiser
Attending grounds working bees once a term
Unit Parent Rep
School Council and/or sub-committee of School Council
Attending a Curriculum day
Attending parent literacy training programs
School Uniform
There is a school uniform available for children to wear to school. It is not compulsory but
many parents, particularly in the early years, believe it is much easier for their children to
wear the uniform. It is cost effective and the children have less trouble in the morning
getting dressed when they know what to wear. It is available from Primary School Wear who
operate a uniform shop at the school each first Tuesday of the month, from 3-4pm. Orders
can also be placed by phone (9363 8458) or on-line (www.psw.com.au) and delivered to the
school or posted to parents. All items are available including school bags. Order forms are
available from the office. All clothing should be clearly labelled with your child’s name.
A second hand shop is also available. More details about the second hand shop will be
made available in the newsletter.
Parent Participation
Parent participation is encouraged and we welcome parents’ skills and expertise in
supporting the school. Children have more positive attitudes towards school if their parents
support the school. You can become involved in School Council, as a Parent Rep,
fundraising, School Council sub-committees, helping in the classroom, literacy programs and
working bees (held each school term). Often we ask for parental assistance for special
events advertised in the newsletter to help with events such as the Art Show or Science Fair.
Helping at school is a good way to meet other parents, particularly when you are new to the
school.
Your Child’s Health
General Health & Wellbeing
Ascot Vale Primary School believes that each child has the right to learn and grow in a
supportive environment among people who are caring and co-operative. The Student Code
of Co-operation has been formulated within this framework and is consistent with DEECD
guidelines and regulations. It was developed via the Student Representative Council.
Our
‘Student
Code
of
Cooperation’
can
be
viewed
http://www.avps.vic.edu.au/images/pdf/AVPS-CodeOfCoOperation_A3.pdf
online
at:
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Ascot Vale Primary School has a welfare program which focuses on primary prevention and
early intervention strategies. Our policy is based on the following core values aimed at
building resilience:
Integrity
Support
Co-operation
Acceptance of Difference
Respect
Friendliness
Students participate in working through the Code of Co-operation in class and with their
families. This code is an important component of our overall Welfare and Discipline policy.
Students are further enriched through participation in the school's multi-age approach to
teaching and learning through programs, music, camps, excursions and inter school sporting
events. The Student Welfare Committee meets weekly to monitor and review welfare issues
and to initiate programs to enhance welfare across the school. The Assistant Principal is
responsible for more serious issues and parental involvement is essential in these cases.
A play survey is undertaken each year and the results of this are carefully analysed by the
Welfare Committee. A student attitude to schooling survey is also administered to all Year 5
and Year 6 students annually to monitor and respond to student perceptions and any
common concerns.
Visiting School Nurse
The visiting school nurse checks Prep children for general health, vision and hearing in their
first year at school. You will receive a form to complete before this visit and there is a parent
information session that will outline the procedure and give you the opportunity to ask
questions. You will receive notification of the visit via the newsletter.
Immunisation
Immunisation status certificates can be attached to the enrolment form or given to the office
before your child starts school. All children MUST have an up to date immunisation status
certificate (not a photocopy of their health check book) before they can start at school.
Please see the office staff if you require any further information. For more information see:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/fact-sheets/factsheets/primary_school/
Sunsmart / Hats
Ascot Vale PS is a Sunsmart school so we require all students to wear hats for all outside
activities during 1 September until 30 April each year. A broad brimmed hat or a
legionnaire’s hat provide the best protection in the yard. All hats should be clearly marked
with the child’s name.
Student Medication
Non‐prescribed oral medications (eg: head‐ache tablets) will not be administered by school
staff unless a parent or carer has:
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•
•
Completed a medication authority – see link below for authority form (a practitioner
does not need to complete this)
Labelled the medication clearly with the child’s name
All parent or carer requests to administer any prescribed medications to their child must be
in writing on the medication authority form provided, signed by a medical practitioner and
must be supported by specific written instructions including the name of the student,
dosage and time to be administered (original medications bottle or container should provide
this information clearly labelled)
It is the parent or carers responsibility that medication is within its expiry date
Students who suffer from Anaphylaxis and Asthma do not need a completed medical
authority form. This information should already be covered in their relevant health plans,
signed by a medical practitioner
http://www.avps.vic.edu.au/documents/StudentMedicationPolicyFINALMAY2013.pdf
First Aid
As with all aspects of the school, your child is our main focus. If you child gets sick then an
assessment is made as to whether to call you. In most cases we will call you.
If you child is injured in the yard, a staff member who is currently first aid trained will attend
to your child. If an assessment is made that you need to be notified you will be called by the
office staff. Our policy for any head injury is that you will be contacted immediately even if
minor and you will inform us of the action you wish to take.
Please notify us of any allergies, conditions or anything else that we need to know about
regarding your child’s health. This information is strictly confidential but needs to be
recorded (and updated if things change) on our computer system to help us care for your
child. We have 6 staff trained at level 2 First Aid level that attend to the needs of students
on a rostered, needs basis. See below for more information.
Anaphylaxis and Asthma
All students who suffer from Anaphylaxis or Asthma must have an up to date action plan
presented to school. Please refer to our anaphylaxis management policy:
http://www.avps.vic.edu.au/documents/AVPSAnaphylaxisManagementPolicy2014.pdf
Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) Program
Ascot Vale has a before and after school program, known as OSHC . Parents who wish to
use the program must register with Camp Australia. Registration forms are available from
the office. Parents can make permanent bookings and there is a facility for casual bookings.
The phone number for the program is 0423 795 247 and during the day parents can leave a
message for the Coordinator. The hours of the program are 7.30 to 8.45 am for before care
and 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm for after care. During term 1 the Prep children will be collected from
their classrooms at the end of the day by an assistant in the program. The program and
information regarding the program is included in the newsletter each week.
Policies
A list of up to date school policies can be found online on our website:
http://www.avps.vic.edu.au/avps-policies.html
Please familiarise yourself with our policies.
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Class Placement of students each school year: Staff work together to create mixed
ability teaching and learning groups/Units for the beginning of each school year and have to
take on board a complex mix of ability, personality, friendship and gender needs. If possible,
student teacher relationships are longer than the usual one year so that we know your child
well and can plan accordingly.
Parents have particular views regarding siblings being
together in a multi-age Unit and we ask you to guide and inform this placement. All other
student placements will however be decided by the staff and trialled for at least the
month of February each school year. If you feel there are ongoing issues for your child,
please inform the Principal team immediately and they will meet with you around any
identified problems and work on solutions with you.
Information from kindergarten transition forms and parents will help us to place Prep
students each year. Please speak to us at the Prep Transition programs at the end of the
year if you have particular information to share with us that would smooth your child’s
transition into schooling.
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Things to Remember:
1. Curriculum Days – there are four curriculum days each year when the teachers
undergo training and professional development. Children are not required to attend
school on these days. Two of these days occur at the beginning of the school year,
mid-year in lieu of report writing and the fourth in term 3. Dates will be advertised in
the ‘Key Dates’ section of the fortnightly newsletter.
2. If you have a concern, do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, the Assistant
Principal or the Principal.
3. Children should know their address, telephone number and the best route
between home and school.
4. Children should be able to recognise their clothes. All clothing and personal
belongings must be named. If your child has a school bag please put a key tag or
coloured ribbon on it to make recognising it easier.
5. If you need to collect your child from school before the end of the day you need to go
to the office and complete the early leavers register.
6. If you change your job, address, or emergency contact person during the year please
notify the school of the changes.
7. Children should be on time for school. Please have your child at school between
8.45 am and 9 am. If you are late, a late arrivals books needs to be signed at the
office or unit.
8. If your child is absent from school parents must provide an explanation either in
writing, email, phone or explain in person.
9. Excursions are an important part of the curriculum that your child is encouraged to
attend.
10. Thongs or open toed shoes are not to be worn at school. School shoes or runners
are the preferred choice for footwear.
11. If you drive your child to school please observe all the parking laws in Bank and
Moonee Streets. Do not double park as this puts your child and others in danger.
Avoid doing U turns in Bank and Moonee Street and go round the block.
12. Bicycles, skate boards and scooters are not permitted to be ridden in the school yard
during school hours (8.45 am to 3.45 pm), under any circumstances. There are racks
for bicycles to be stored during the day. Students need to provide their own bike lock
and ensure that helmets are always worn.
13. Hats must be worn from September to April by all children for all outside activities.
14. The newsletter is emailed to families fortnightly.
15. School Assembly is on every Monday afternoon 3.00 – 3.30 pm. Parents welcome.
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Term dates - 2015
Term 1: 28 January (school teachers start) to 27 March
Term 2: 13 April to 26 June
Term 3: 13 July to 18 September
Term 4: 5 October to 18 December
*Preps first day of school in 2015 is Monday 2nd February, 9.00am – 3.30pm
All other students, from grade one to six, start school on Friday 30th January 2015**.
Remember- school finishes at 2.30pm on the last day of terms 1, 2 and 3 and 1.30 pm on
the last day of term 4.
The first two days of Term 1 are student-free days to allow for appropriate planning to take
place for the arrival of students. Each year government schools are provided with four
student-free days for professional development, school planning and administration,
curriculum development, and student assessment and reporting purposes. The remaining
two student-free days are determined by each individual school, these dates will be
published in the school newsletter.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/pages/datesterm.aspx?&Redirect=1
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APPENDIX A. CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS AT SCHOOL
Ascot Vale Primary School Guidelines for Parents
Families have been surveyed by the Unit Parent Representative group in response to some parental
concerns over the amount and type of food sent to school to celebrate birthdays. The response to
this issue has been diverse and no clear consensus of opinion as a school community has emerged.
Discussion at school amongst students, teachers and School Councillors following this survey has
resulted in the publication of these guidelines:
•
•
•
•
Birthdays are special events for young children and a time of celebration and will be
acknowledged at school as they occur
Families may choose to send food or small token to their child’s classroom for distribution at
the end of that day. For safety reasons, please do not send lollipops on sticks or other items
that might cause injury during play.
In making their choices, parents are asked to be respectful of the fact that many families in
this school community value the development of healthy eating habits and that many children
at AVPS have nut and other food allergies. Ensuring small portions of any food sent to share
at school is therefore helpful.
As a school community wanting to model sustainable practices, less packaging and wrapping
might be a further consideration.
THE SCHOOL WILL:
• Acknowledge individual birthdays in the newsletter each week
• Provide ‘Birthday’ stickers to all Units for each child to wear at school on their birthday
• Distribute any additional items related to children’s birthdays at the end of the school day.
Staff will ask the children to take all food or items home with them.
The School Council and School Administration expect that parents will counsel their own child
around managing any food allergies and any dietary expectations or limits that they have for their
own children. As necessary, parents are asked to inform the Unit teachers in writing if they would
like their child to be excluded from classroom birthday celebrations. There is clearly no expectation
that all families will want to celebrate their child’s birthday at school at all.
APPENDIX B. STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
Students at Ascot Vale PS will:
Recognise each other’s special talents and difference
Work in teams
Behave fairly
Act safely
Take notice if others are unhappy
Stand up for themselves in a helpful way
We will then see ALL students:
Getting a fair go
Playing by the rules and displaying sportsmanship
Talking about and solving problems together
Helping each other- being good buddies
Speaking politely to everyone
Respecting everyone’s personal space.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO WORK, BE SAFE & CO-OPERATE
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HABITS OF MIND
1. Persisting:
Stick to it! Persevering in task through
to completion; remaining focused.
Looking for ways to reach your goal
when stuck. Not giving up.
3. Listening with understanding and
empathy:
Understand Others! Devoting mental
energy to another person's thoughts
and ideas; Make an effort to perceive
another's point of view and emotions
5. Thinking about your thinking
(Metacognition):
Know your knowing! Being aware of
your own thoughts, strategies,
feelings and actions and their effects
on others.
7. Questioning and problem posing:
How do you know? Having a
questioning attitude; knowing what
data are needed and developing
questioning strategies to produce
those data. Finding problems to
2. Managing impulsivity:
Take your Time! Thinking before
acting; remaining calm, thoughtful
and deliberative.
4. Thinking flexibly:
Look at it Another Way! Being
able to change perspectives,
generate alternatives, consider
options.
6. Striving for accuracy.
Check it again! Always doing your
best. Setting high standards.
Checking and finding ways to
improve constantly.
8. Applying past knowledge to
new situations.
Use what you Learn! Accessing
prior knowledge; transferring
knowledge beyond the situation
in which it was learned.
solve.
9. Thinking and communicating with
clarity and precision:
10. Gather data through all
senses:
Be clear! Striving for accurate
communication in both written and oral
form; avoiding over generalizations,
distortions, deletions and
exaggerations.
Use your natural pathways! Pay
attention to the world around you
Gather data through all the
senses. taste, touch, smell,
hearing and sight.
11. Creating, imagining, and
innovating
12. Responding with wonderment
and awe:
Try a different way! Generating new
Have fun figuring it out! Finding
the world awesome, mysterious
and being intrigued with
phenomena and beauty.
and novel ideas, fluency, originality
13. Taking responsible risks:
14. Finding humor:
Venture out! Being adventuresome;
living on the edge of one's competence.
Try new things constantly.
Laugh a little! Finding the
15.Thinking interdependently:
Work together! Being able to work in
and learn from others in reciprocal
situations. Team work.
16. Remaining open to continuous
learning:
Learn from experiences! Having
humility and pride when admitting
we don't know; resisting
complacency.
whimsical, incongruous and
unexpected. Being able to
laugh at oneself.
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Ascot Vale Primary School - Local Excursion Permission Form 2015
From time to time during the year the units will walk to local venues on excursions or as part of the
sport program. Parents will still receive a permission form that will inform them of the excursion and
any costs involved but where the children walk to the excursion permission will have already been
sought. This permission form covers the 2015 school year.
I give permission for my child …………………………………… of unit ……… to
Walk in the company of a teacher to local excursions venues.
Name of parent / guardian: ……………………………………………………………..
Signed: ………………………………………………………………………
Ascot Vale Primary School - School Photography Permission Form 2015
During the school year the children have their photograph taken on many occasions and for different
purposes. Photographs are taken for class projects, digital portfolios, the Ultranet, on our web page
and occasionally for advertising (eg. boards in Moonee and Bank Street and for the local papers).
Types of photography may include video, digital, film (still).
I give permission for my child …………………………………… of unit ……… to
have their photograph taken for school purposes as outlined above.
Name of parent / guardian: ……………………………………………………………..
Signed: ………………………………………………………………………
Newsletter online - 2015
Our school newsletter is produced and sent out electronically. If you would like the newsletter
emailed to you please complete the form below and return to school. The newsletter is also located,
and archived for the term on the web at http://www.avps.vic.edu.au/newsletter.html.
Name of child: ……………………………………………………………Unit: ………
Name of Parent/s or caregivers who will receive the newsletter:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Email Address: ………………………………………………………………………………………
Please return these forms to your child’s teacher at the start of the 2015 school year.
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