Barwon Heads Primary School Home

Barwon Heads Primary School

Information Guide: ...Our School from A to Z

Nearly everything you need to know about Barwon Heads Primary School can be found by clicking onto the index above. Alternatively if you would like to print a copy of this guide, click here: Information Guide

After School Hours Care
The After School Care Activity Program operates in ‘The Residence’ every school day between 3.30pm – 6.00pm. Fees are set by School Council and are currently $10 per session. Enrolment forms and information are available from the office are program coordinator.

Alternative play – ‘Burruwang’
An alternative to outside play exists each lunch time in the MP Room ‘Burruwang’ where students can participate in passive/indoor activities should they desire.

Assembly – whole school
Whole school assemblies are conducted on most Fridays at 3.15pm outside/in the Multi Purpose Room where we celebrate the week with student ‘You Can Do It’ awards, house points, and special events. It is also a time for students to celebrate individual success outside school and to relay important messages to the whole school. Parents are welcome to observe but we do ask – no mobile phones, no pets and please keep toddlers with you.

Attendance
Absences – If your child is to be absent from school a legal requirement is to approve the absence by note, informing the teacher or a phone call. Children are not permitted to leave the school grounds during school hours and every endeavour should be made to make sure children attend regularly and on time.

Leaving early – If it is necessary to take your child out of school during the course of the day the class teacher or office must be informed. Please sign your child out in the book provided. We are not allowed to have children meet parents out at the car – they must sign them out and if they return during the same day, be signed in again.

Late Arrivals – if your child arrives at school any time after 9.00am they must be signed in through the office and not taken directly to classrooms.

Picking up children - please make certain your child and your child’s teacher know who will collect them after school, especially if the routine is to be altered. Please note, non custodial adults(friends) are not permitted to pick up other children without the school receiving prior notification from the custodial parent.

Art –protective clothing
To protect clothing, children are required to wear a smock during all art sessions. These are easily made from an old shirt.

Bank Day
Bank Day is Monday. Monitors collect books and money in the morning and are returned to classrooms later in the day. The Commonwealth Bank supplies deposit books. These are available from the office at any time. Watch your newsletter for details.

Bikes
Policy – Children below Grade 4 are not permitted to ride their bikes to school unless directly accompanied by an adult, that is, children in Grades Prep-3 must be accompanied by an adult – as recommended by the VicRoads. All riders must wear an approved helmet and are expected to demonstrate responsible riding habits at all times. Bike riders must use the crossing to cross Golf Links Rd if they intend to travel along Bridge Rd.. Children living in the Sheepwash area are expected to use the ‘Safe pathway’ to and from school, including the Geelong Rd Crossing.

Bike Education – is introduced to Grade 3/4 students in preparation for riding to school the following year. During Year 4 students undergo an intensive traffic safety program and Year 6 students participate in a bike day.

Booklist
Parents are asked to make contribution to the cost of classroom materials required by students. School Council has set the costs at $120 with a $20 voluntary contribution per family. Payments are made and books picked up for Gr 3-6 during the last week of term 4 and in the first week of the new school year.

Buddy System
Students in Grade Prep and Grade 6 participate in a buddy system where the children from the higher grade are paired for the year with a younger ‘buddy’. This is to assist younger children in different activities in the classroom and in the yard. The buddy system is initiated as part of the kinder to Prep transition program so that the child has a point of contact upon arrival in the new school year.

Calendar of Events
A calendar listing upcoming school events is published weekly in the school’s newsletter.

Camping Program
A developmental outdoor education/camping program is organised for Prep to Year 6. As well as classroom activities the following program is organised:

Prep to Grade 1 – tea at school and games.
Grade 2 – one night sleepover at Cottage by the Sea.
Grade 3 & 4 – 3 day overnight camp for Gr 3 and Maldon Bike Camp for Gr 4
Grade 5 & 6 - leadership camp for Gr 5 and Melbourne Urban Experience for Gr 6 students

With all these camps we attempt to keep costs as low as possible to enable all children to attend. A time payment system operates in an effort to assist parents. Please contact the office for details.

Clothing
Uniform
A school uniform policy has been set out by School Council. Uniform assists the child to identify with the school and take pride in their appearance.
A selection of uniform items is available through the supplier Coastal Uniforms, 9 Smithton Grove, Ocean Grove, Ph 52554897. Order forms are available from the school office with a display in the foyer. Bags and hats are also available.

Hats/Sunscreen
In support of the school’s SunSmart Policy all children must wear a broad brimmed hat when participating in outdoor activities including recess and lunchtimes during Terms 1 & 4 (no baseball caps please). Children without hats will be directed to a shade area. Parents may supply their child with sunscreen. Prep students are presented with a blue broad brimmed hat on the first day of school courtesy of School Council.

Lost Property
Each Year the school disposes of many bags of unclaimed clothing as part of lost property. Unclaimed items are held in the lost property container near the office for one term before being sent to charity or cleaned and resold as used school uniform through the Parents Association.
Please clearly mark each article of clothing and all personal belongings with permanent markers.

Unacceptable Clothing
Please note that some items are not suitable for school. These include tank tops, thongs, pen toed sandals, printed Tshirts, basketball and board shorts and fatigue pants. Our uniform policy will go home early in the year.

Code of Conduct
Our code of conduct aims to encourage self-discipline and respect. It identifies goals for standards of behaviour expected at Barwon Heads Primary School. The rights and responsibilities of students, parents and teachers are prescribed within this code. We ask families to sign an acknowledgement and return it to their class teacher.
The ‘You Can Do It’ program underpins our student code of conduct and welfare program.

Complaints
Any complaints regarding staff, teaching or happenings at the school should always be directed through Administration, not through classroom teachers please. All families will receive a copy of the school code of conduct at the start of the year. Feedback and parent input is always encouraged and if it is on your mind, it’s worth talking over. Please just contact the school and arrange a suitable time.

Curriculum Days
School Council has the authority to declare a number of pupil free days each year for staff professional development and reporting. Parents are notified of these dates in advance in the weekly newsletter.

Education Maintenance Allowance
A parent or guardian of a primary or secondary school student, up to the age of 16, who holds a current pensioner concession card or health/benefit card on the first day of the first and/or third terms in the school year is eligible for the payment of the Education Maintenance Allowance. Please enquire at the office.

Environmental Education
The school is keen to raise awareness of local environmental issues and their global effect. To this end we run a variety of environmental programs like paper and food recycling, plant propagation, vegetable gardens, worm farms, sand dune revegetation, water conservation etc., to give the students both pride in their local environment and an environmental awareness.

Excursions and Performances
Excursions and performances enable us to extend the opportunities for learning. These experiences are a valuable, planned and integral part of the school program. You will receive advance notice of every excursion being planned for your child. It is essential that you give written permission for your child to be taken from the school’s grounds for excursions. Parents will be asked to pay the costs of all excursions.

First Aid
At school we have qualified Level 2 first aid officers. If your child is ill or injured they will be treated at school and if the need arises you will be contacted. For this reason it is very important to have your own plus 2 emergency contacts up to date on file at school.

Fundraising
The major fundraising event each year is our Easter Fair incorporating the Sheepwash Classic Fun Run and Art Show. An organising committee is formed each year with regular meetings. All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend and to become involved with the stalls and activities on Easter Saturday.

Health
Accidents/ Illness
School is not the place for sick children and we encourage parents to monitor their children before sending them. Parents will always be contacted if first aid officers believe the children are too ill for school.

Emergency Information.
A file of emergency information is kept at the school so that parents can be contacted if any child has a serious accident or becomes ill at school.
It is essential that parents let us know any changes of address or telephone numbers. Please keep us up to date with current mobile phone numbers.

Headlice/Pediculosis
Periodically there are incidents of head lice, and contrary to popular belief they do not need dirty heads to live on. If we are aware of the problem any outbreak can soon be eradicated.
We ask every parent to:
• Inspect their children’s hair at regular intervals.
• Inform the school whenever lice are detected. Take proper care of children’s hair – the chance of outbreak will be reduced.
• Tie back long hair.

Infectious diseases
Communicable Disease information and school exclusion is attached.

Medication
If your child has a condition and needs to take medication of any sort during school hours, please contact the teacher concerned and the school can coordinate its distribution. Please send only the required dosage, clearly named including the time to be administered and details of any injury/illness/medical treatment. Please do not leave medicines solely to the responsibility of children.
Parents may authorise us to give Panadol to students via the permission form at the start of the year which we keep on file for the duration of 2007.

School Dental Service
The School Dental Service offers dental care to all primary school children for a co-payment fee of $25, unless the parent holds a valid concession card in which case there is no charge. Details can be obtained from the office.

School Nurse
A community health nurse will conduct general health evaluations on all Prep students but is also available for other students on request.

Hours of Supervision
Staff are on yard duty from 8.45am until 3.45pm and students are supervised by staff between these times. We have at least 3 staff on yard duty every recess and lunchtime to supervise student breaks. At pick up time after school (3.30pm) if you are detained and unable to collect your child, please contact the office and let us know so alternative arrangements can be made. Non contact by 4.00pm will result in After School Care.

Insurance – items brought to school
Private property brought to school is not insured nor is the school responsible for any damage or loss. Parents are reminded of this policy as expensive personal goods can be brought to school by students for display, play or to show other children.

Information Sharing Sessions Term 1
Parents have opportunity to give teachers necessary information about their child early in Term 1 as well as our the Parent Information Session where info regarding the year’s activities for the particular level will be presented. Mid year and end-of-year interviews discuss the child’s progress, report and review goals. Further interviews can be arranged by the teacher or parent as requested.

Instrumental Music
We offer the services of a music provider for students to study an instrument like keyboard and guitar. Enrolment forms will be attached a newsletter early in the year for these parent funded sessions.

Integration Program for Students with Disabilities and Impairments
The school runs programs for students with disabilities and impairments on a needs basis. Regular in-class tuition is supplemented with aide assistance. To be part of this program students must be assessed by government agencies and qualify for funding.

Jewellery
Apart from watches, jewellery is not appropriate for school wear. Earrings, other than studs can be potentially dangerous as can necklaces. We ask parents for their cooperation in helping to monitor this please.

Junior School Council
Junior School Council is a group of students lead by the School Captains who consist of a representative from each grade (Grade 2-6) who attend monthly meetings and help decide on different issues affecting students at our school. Representatives report back to their class and bring ideas from classmates to the meetings each month. Junior School Council organises fundraising with Junior Red Cross as well as student interest activities such as discos, theme days or other special events.

Learning Technologies
Our school utilises the latest in computers and information technology to support our work in all areas of the curriculum. We have mini labs of computers between classrooms all networked with email and internet access. Our Interactive Whiteboards give teachers and students the opportunity to learn together with regular sessions using a data projector for group work. We also have a classroom set of laptops to support program delivery using the cutting edge technology.

Library
All children in the school will be able to borrow library books to take home. Children will begin borrowing at the commencement of the school year.
All children must have a named library bag. (these are provided for preps and available for purchase). Loaned books are the responsibility of the borrower and damaged/lost books will have to be paid for. We actively encourage all families to be members of our library and to borrow regularly!

Lunch
At School – children are expected to have lunch at school. Please – no glass bottles. Make sure that your child has lunch in a clearly named container. Please explain about ‘play lunch’ and wrap it separately. Children eat lunch under teacher supervision in the classroom from 1.30- 1.40pm. Staff will ensure students eat what they bring or alternatively return home what they cannot for parents to organise appropriate amounts.

Lunch Orders – Lunch orders are available everyday and are delivered to the school. Children must have individual envelopes, clearly labelled with name and grade, containing the correct money. Menu lists and prices are issued at the beginning of the year and updated as necessary. Late orders may result in a sandwich organised at school.

Newsletter
A weekly newsletter is issued in hard copy each Wednesday to the eldest member of each family at school. Please take time to read it as it outlines important dates in the school calendar and will keep you as parents informed as to what is happening around the school. Copies are kept at school should students be absent and can be collected from either classrooms or the office. An electronic version is also available on the school website at www.bhps.vic.edu.au and follow the links.

If it’s important to our school – it’s in the newsletter!

Click here to view our weekly Newsletters

Parent Involvement
Curriculum
Our school policy recognises the importance of the role of parents in their children’s’ learning and your assistance is encouraged. Many aspects of our School program could not be implemented without the ongoing assistance of parents. Teachers will notify parents of their individual needs.

School Council
Parents are represented on the School Council and its sub committees. You can be a member of a sub committee without being on school council. School Councillors serve a 2 year term elected in March while sub committees worked on an annual basis and include Resources (finance), Environment, Teaching and Learning, Out of School Hours Care. Your input and contribution is both welcome and encouraged.

Parking and/or Driving in the School Ground
Parking is available in the car park by the library or on Golf Links Rd except in the designated crossing area before and after school. Please obey local laws as offenders will be prosecuted. Even in times of lateness please avoid the crossing area when flags are out. Driving into the school grounds is strictly forbidden at all times without permission.

Religious Education
Religious Education is provided for all students unless specifically requested by parents with a note to the classroom teacher. The program consists of 30 minutes per week for Prep-2, and term sessions for Gr 3-6. Sessions is non-denominational and approved education department program taken by approved instructors.

Reporting Process
Written Reports - these indicate to parents student progress in all the key learning areas of our primary curriculum. These are done in June and December with an interview accompanying the mid year report and on request at the end of the year.

Assessment Portfolios – these individual books monitor and highlight at regular intervals each term the work students are assessed on. They go home at the end of each term , are signed by parents, then returned. At the end of the year these become the property of the family and will be a great keepsake for future years.

Individual Learning Plans – for some students, these will be an agreed plan between the teacher and parents to best meet the needs of the student. These will be formulated early in the year, reviewed mid year and be part of the reports process.

Safe Bike Pathway
The Bollards mark the safe bike pathway from the school to the sheepwash area. It is the preferred path for all children when coming to school and returning home.

School Crossing
The crossing supervisor is on duty from 8.15am until 9.10 in the mornings then from 3.15 – 3.45pm in the afternoons. Children are given training in the correct use of the school crossing, however parents need to support us by reminding their children of road safety rules.
If you drop off or pick up your child at the school, please ensure that you do not stop within the defined area of the crossings. It is illegal and your cooperation in this matter is requested. Children must cross between the flags, as indicated by the crossing supervisor. Parking is available in Golf Links Rd. and Clifford Pde.

School Council
School Council is the official body that has responsibility for formulating school policy and overseeing its implementation. Barwon Heads School Council has 15 members – 8 parents, 2 coopted members and 5 DE&T reps.
School Council meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month and terms for councillors are for 2 years with half elected each year in March.

School Curriculum
Curriculum at Barwon Heads is based on the Curriculum and Standards Framework II in conjunction with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), which covers the core learning areas of Education Department Policy. These include English, Mathematics, Science, Technology, The Arts, Studies of Society and Environment, Health & Phys. Ed and Languages other than English. LOTE Japanese is our language of study and all levels participate (Preps Term 2-4).

School Policy/Curriculum Documents
Copies of policies are available form the office on request.

Session Times
Sessions times are listed and with the later lunch we have a brain food break at 10.00am and ask that lunch is halved with playlunch. These session times optimise students abilities when they are most receptive.

Session 1 9.00am – 11.00am

Recess 11.00am – 11.30am

Session 2 11.30am – 1.30pm

Lunch 1.30pm – 2.30pm

Session 3 2.30pm – 3.30pm

Warning music is played for 5 minutes prior to the morning start and 3 minutes before the end of recess and lunchtime for students to get a drink and go to the toilet before the following sessions.
Teachers are on duty supervising students from 8.45am onwards and also after school from 3.30-3.45pm.
Arrival at school in the morning is best from 8.30am onwards when staff are around. Students are expected to leave the school on dismissal unless attending after school care or other organised programs.

Social Services
From time to time children will be encouraged to support various worthwhile appeals. We believe it is a valuable character building experience if you encourage them to contribute from their own pocket money or to assist in the organisation of simple fundraising efforts.
Students also sponsor a World Vision child – ‘Thaise Fernandes’ aged 5 from Brazil.

Special Programs
As part of our policy to cater for the educational needs of all children and to encourage a sense of community, we provide a variety of educational experiences in addition to the core curriculum. These include:-
Peer Support; Prep-Grade 6 Buddy System; Schools Music Festival; District, Zone and statewide sporting events; instrumental music lessons; local environmental support to the bluff and native river areas; ChiP(children with high intellectual potential) & Up, Up and Away; Reading Recovery; Bridging the Gap.

Sport
Phys. Ed:
Children should be appropriately dressed for P.E. and sport sessions. Sensible shoes are most important. From time to time children will participate in sporting events outside of the school. Parents will be informed of these in advance.

Swimming:
This is an important part of the curriculum that includes Prep-6 in an intensive 9-day program at an indoor venue with qualified instructors. Parents will be advised in advance of venues and costs. All students will be involved in our swimming program for 2007 that moves to the new upgraded Kardinia Pool.
Grade 3-6 Swimming – Term 1
Grade P-2 Swimming – Term 4

Surfing Awareness:
For students in Grades 3-6 who have level 4 or better we offer a surfing/lifesaving awareness program during the learn to swim program for gr 3-6 where students attend the local beach for both on the beach and in the water activities in conjunction with life saving Victoria.
A selected group from this program go on to the regional Surf League competition in December each year.

Support Programs
We offer a wide range of support programs throughout the year that raise awareness of social and emotional issues. These include Music/Drama, PhysEd/Health, LOTE Japanese, Life Education, Police in Schools, Drug Education, Responsible Pet Ownership, Health and Human Relations and Instrumental Music. Information of these will be on the newsletter leading up to their implementation.

Term Dates: 2009

Term 1	2 February - 3 April
	(Easter 10th – 13th April)
Term 2	20 April - 26 June
Term 3	13 July - 18 September
Term 4	5 October - 18 December

Weather – Special Arrangements
Wet weather – students are directed inside from 8.30am in wet weather and have passive play inside during the day if it persists. After periods of rain students are kept off playground equipment and grassed areas if possible.

Hot weather – if the temperature is expected to go over 35 degrees with hot northerly winds students are kept inside during play times. All classrooms are fully air conditioned and it is safer to have them passively engaged inside. Sealable water bottles are permitted in class during hot weather.

Website & Email
The school website for information is found at www.bhps.vic.edu.au with links to email.

Xtra-Curricular Activities
Besides our commitment to literacy and numeracy we have a host of support extra-curricular activities during the year that round off our work and give more value to the students educational experience. These include excursions and camps, concerts and performances, visiting performances, environmental activities, Book Week, Life Ed, Health & Human relations, Special Days, Japanese performances and activities, Sporting activities and a host of teacher inspired and student initiated activities throughout the year.