RPS Chatter March 2023

It’s that time of year again when the School Council Election process will take place from Monday 6th March, 2023.  We are always welcoming of new members so please don’t hesitate to put yourself forward if you are interested.

Richmond Primary School Council consists of:

6 elected parent positions, 3 elected DET positions, 1 Executive Office (Principal).

We have parent vacancies to be filled.

If you decide to stand for election, you can arrange for another school parent to nominate you or you can nominate yourself. Nomination forms are available from the office or attached to this Compass notification.

Once the nomination form is completed, return it to the office within the time stated on the notice of election which is stated below.

If there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be conducted after the call for nominations has closed.

 

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2023 Election Timeline

• Notice of School Council elections and call for nominations -6th March, 2023
• Close of nominations – 14th March 2023 at 4pm
• Display list of candidates, nominator & seconder (if required) – 15th March, 2023
• Prepare ballot papers and Distribute (if required) – On or before 16th March 2023
• Close of ballot (if required) – 30th March 2023
• Count votes & declare ballot (if required) -31st March 2023
• First Council meeting to elect office bearers (the Principal will preside) – Tuesday 4th April, 2022

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Frequently Asked Questions:

 

1. What is a school council and what does it do?

All government schools in Victoria have a school council. They are legally formed bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines. In doing this, a school council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students.

2. Who is on the school council?

There are three possible categories of membership:

• A mandated elected Parent category. More than one third of the total members must be from this category. Department of Education and Training (DET) employees can be Parent members at their child’s school as long as they are not employed at the school.
• A mandated elected DET employee category. Members of this category may make up no more than one third of the total membership of school council. The principal of the school is automatically one of these members.
• An optional Community member category. Its members are appointed by a decision of the council because of their special skills, interests or experiences. DET employees are not eligible to be Community members.

The term of office for all members is two years. Half the members must retire each year, creating vacancies for the annual school council elections.

3. Why is Parent membership so important?

Parents on school councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the direction of the school.

Those parents who become active on a school council find their involvement satisfying in itself and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.

4. How can you become involved?

The most obvious way is to vote in the elections, which are held in Term 1 each year. However, ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates than there are positions vacant.

In view of this, you might seriously consider standing for election as a member of the school council or encouraging another person to stand for election.

5. Do I need special experience to be on school council?

No. What you do need is an interest in your child’s school and the desire to work in partnership with others to help shape the school’s future.

6. What do you need to do to stand for election?

The principal will issue a notice and call for nominations following the commencement of Term 1 each year. All school council elections must be completed by the end of March.

If you decide to stand for election, you can arrange for someone to nominate you as a candidate or you can nominate yourself in the Parent category.

DET employees whose child is enrolled in a school in which they are not employed are eligible to nominate as parents for the school council where their child is enrolled

Once the nomination form is completed, return it to the principal within the time stated on the notice of election. You will receive a Nomination Form Receipt in the mail following the receipt of your completed nomination.

If there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be conducted during the two weeks after the call for nominations has closed.

Remember

Ask at the school for help if you would like to stand for election and are not sure what to do.

Consider standing for election to council this year.

Be sure to vote in the elections.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Megan Dell on 9428 1909 or 0412431228 for further information.

Communication Processes at RPS

Following our review, it has come to our notice that we want to improve our communication and welcome parent interest and transparent communication processes.

We need to be clear with you what our formal and informal communication looks like.

 

FORMAL

Formal communication is critical and essential. There are 3 avenues of formal communication

1.   Compass 

It is expected families have the Compass app on their mobile device with notifications on. This is a quick and direct means for our school to contact all our families.

2. The Richmond Primary School Website 

The school website has the school newsletter, important dates and events as well as school policies and grade information.

3. Parent teacher emails

These emails come directly from your child’s teacher and vice versa. It is important that emails are clear, respectful in tone, specific, and are supportive of each other because we are partners together in your child’s education.

 

INFORMAL

1. Class rep emails

They communicate important information from your class teacher to just that classes families.

They send out community flyers.

2. Facebook

Positive promotion of our school and not a vehicle for negative comments.

Managed by a member of school council.

3.  Instagram

Managed by school staff.

Provides direct contact with you and the wonderful things that happen at our school.

 

Parent Concerns

If and when you have a query or concern about your child, your class teacher is your first contact. They know your child really well. If there is further concern you may wish to make a time to discuss the issue with Nerida.

If there is still further concern, then please make an appointment to meet with Megan.

WhatsApp is not part of our school’s communication platform.

 

Volunteering Courses – Term One

 

Volunteering Courses will be conducted in the coming weeks for those members of our community who want to volunteer in the classrooms or excursions/camps and haven’t completed the course yet.

When:  Wednesday 8th or 29th March (you only have to attend one of these sessions)
Time:  9:00 am
Place:  GP Room (where we have CommunityOSH)

If you are interested in attending, please contact Jake in the office to ensure we have the appropriate amount of materials.

Working with Children Checks

 

All volunteers are required to have a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) prior to volunteering within a classroom or excursion/camp. Once you have received your WWCC, please provide a copy to Jake either through email or at the school office.

Updating your WWCC details

 

If you are volunteering at RPS, please ensure that you access your MyCheck Account to update your details to include Richmond Primary School in your account.

Is your child well enough to attend school?

 

As a school, we have the responsibility to care for all students by preventing outbreaks of any contagious illness.  In doing this, we need students to stay at home when the following has occurred:

• Testing POSITIVE to a Rapid Antigen Test the night before or on the morning of school.  You must keep your child at home.  The current health advice suggests a 5 day isolation and once there are no symptoms, your child can attend school again.
• If your child has vomited at home, please keep your child home from school for a full 24 hours from the last vomit.  Many students are sent home again after coming to school due to vomiting in the classroom after they arrive.  This spreads the germs and greatly disrupts the classroom and learning of other students.
• If you need to administer Nurofen or Panadol to your child in the morning before school, then your child is unwell for school.  These drugs wear off around lunch time and the student starts to feel unwell again.  These drugs camouflage underlining illnesses and the germs can still spread.
• If your child has had diarrhea within the last 24 hours, stay home.
• Above average temperature (or fever) The average temperature for a child is: 35.9–36.83°C. Return to school when the temperature is back to normal (usually 24 hours later).
• Contagious diseases or illness (eg. hand foot and mouth, measles, mumps, chicken pox etc). Please inform the school and then get your doctor’s approval before attending school again.

Please discuss personal hygiene with your child.  Remind children to cover their mouth and nose when they cough or sneeze, dispose of any tissues in the bin and wash their hands properly and regularly.

If your child has been prescribed antibiotics that are to be administered three times per day, these can be administered at home. The first dose can be administered between 7am – 8.30am, the following dose can be administered between 3.45pm – 4.30pm.  Then the last dose can be given at 8pm or before bed.

Please be aware the school is not allowed to provide Panadol to students.

If your child becomes unwell at school, you will be contacted and required to arrange for your child to be picked up within a reasonable time frame.

While a child may feel better at home, if they come back to school too early, they will fall into a heap quickly due to going back into a busy classroom. If you have to give them Panadol before coming to school, then they’re not well enough to come back.

Thank you for supporting these procedures and helping to contain illnesses and keep our school community healthy.

Respectful Relationships at RPS

 

This term students are developing their Emotional Literacy which is the first module in the Respectful Relationships curriculum. This teaches students how to recognise and identify their own emotions, describe situations that may evoke these emotions and compare their emotional responses with those of their peers. To help students identify and regulate their emotions we use the Zones of Regulation which may be a helpful tool to also use at home!

 

 

 

Child safety and wellbeing at Richmond primary; information for families and the school community

Richmond Primary School is committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where students are safe and feel safe.

Our child safety and wellbeing policies outline the measures and strategies we have in place to support, promote and maintain the safety and wellbeing of our students: The policies listed are all available on the school website

 

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Child Safety Code of Conduct
• Child safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedure
• Complaints Policy
• Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy
• Bullying Prevention Policy
• Volunteers Policy
• Visitors Policy
• Digital Learning Policy
• Inclusion and Diversity

As valuable partners in promoting and maintaining child safety and wellbeing at Richmond primary we welcome and encourage your feedback.

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions in relation to our child safe policies and practices, please contact Nerida or Megan; 94281909

 

My friend threw his watch in the bin.

I told him “Stop! You’re wasting time”

 

 

 

State Youth Leadership Conference

Earlier this week, Nerida and I had the pleasure of joining our student leaders as they attended the Youth Leadership Academy Australia Conference.  It was a great day of action, learning and encouraging our students to be the best they can be.  Here are some of their reflections:

• Erik: I am really grateful for this experience and this role.  I have enjoyed the privilege to learn new skills, make new friends and represent Richmond Primary School.  I would also like to thank Megan and Nerida for taking us there and back, as well as caring for us while we were there.  I now have so many ideas and can’t wait to share them with others.
• Millie:  I had such a fun time at the leadership conference!  I got to learn so much about all the different types of leadership.  My favourite was definitely supporter.  Supporter means being a leader, but no one realises you’re the leader.  Like helping people from below.
• Albie:  At the leadership conference, I learnt some new ways to introduce and applaud at our assemblies.  When we were listening to Wil Massara, he taught us that my age does not determine my ability to achieve extraordinary things.  Who you surround yourself with is who you become.  The leadership conference was so fun.  Thank you, Megan and Nerida, for taking us.
• Will:  On Tuesday me and 15 other captains went to the state youth leadership conference in the city.  We all had a fabulous time making new friends, having a sing and dance and most importantly learning so much about leadership and what makes a good leader.  Fun fact…. When you write your goals down you are 43% more likely to achieve your goals.  Plus, we learnt so many more great facts about leadership.
• Heidi:  On Tuesday, February 28th, the captains of RPS attended “Youth Leadership Academy Australia.’  I, Heidi, were one of those privileged to attend.  We learnt about how communication is key to friendship and relationships.  We also learnt about how far dream can take you, and that they most of the time grant other outcomes.  We had the chance to talk in front of many people while asking questions.  It was an amazing experience and I’m so glad I got to go.  Fun facts about dreams is if you were to write your goal/dream down there is scientifically 43% more chance of it coming true.  As well as telling someone else your dream/goal will add an amazing 76% to the possibilities.  I thank everyone who make this happen.  It was incredible.
• Bella:  It was such a great opportunity and experience to attend the conference.  I hope the captains for the following years enjoy it as much as we did.
• Edyn: I enjoyed this leadership meeting because they inspired us so much and I learnt so many different leadership strategies. All the leaders shared their stories on how their careers had up and downs. We all learnt so much like how leaders communicate properly but also how to talk to others, using either director, peer or supporter. I loved all the singing and dancing and if I could, I would have done it all again.
• Aarya: We learned that whether you’re’ in charge or just helping you can be a leader.
• Lily: By attending a leadership conference it made me more confident to talk in public and try new things. The guest speaker at the leadership conference explained strategies to get the attention of the audience when they are not listening and different ways to communicate.

Foundation:

• Oliver H – For being a positive and enthusiastic member of Foundation A. He gives everything a go and maintains an optimistic outlook when trying new things. Well done Oliver!
• Charlotte H – Congratulations Charlotte for being so kind, helpful and bringing your ‘good mood’ to class!

Year 1/2:
 

• Archie W -For settling into RPS in such a positive way and being brave to play with new friends each day at school. Go Archie!
• Adam C – For being a fantastic role model and always taking pride in your learning. Well done Adam!
• Diego N -For your impressive sportsmanship when playing games with others. Your positive attitude is something to be admired by others! Well done, Diego!
• Hiro S – Demonstrating his resilience during our learning sessions and talking through his emotions in our Inquiry activities – Awesome effort Hiro!

Year 3/4:
 

• Juno M – For her great attitude towards helping her classmates. Great job Juno!
• Polly DW – For the positive attitude and wonderful smile you bring to 3/4B every day. You are a wonderful learner Polly, and a friend to all!
• Hunter S – For your dedication and enthusiasm to learning. You have been going above and beyond in every lesson, particularly in maths! Keep challenging yourself, congratulations Hunter!
• Jacob LM – You have settled into Year 4 so well. It amazing to see how passionate you are learning more about Geography and the world around you. Keep it up!
• Jackson M -For working so hard in our writing lessons and coming up with excellent reasons for your persuasive piece. Keep up the concentration Jackson!

Year 5/6:

 

• Livinia V – For her enthusiastic and positive attitude towards learning everyday.
• Ned C – For setting a great example as a focussed and engaged student. I have really appreciated your efforts this week. Well done on being a friendly class Okily Dokily Neighbourouney
• Mai C – For your incredible effort during our Writer’s Workshop. Well done on creating an exciting and suspenseful narrative with many twists and turns!
• Heidi M – For all her amazing help to Jake in the First Aid Room, and a wonderful start to the year as School Captain. Well done Heidi!

Please see the below list of activities that you can enrol your child into for Term 1:

Drama lessons: Thursdays, Lunch Time

Music Lessons: Individual Bookings

Tennis Lessons:  Wednesdays & Thursdays, 8:10AM – 8:50AM

Dance Lessons: Wednesday’s, Lunch Time

Chess Club: Fridays, 8:00AM – 8:50AM

If you are interested in any of the above activities for your child, please see the flyers below for further information.

• Chess Club
• Drama Lessons
• Music lessons
• Tennis Lessons
• Dance Class