Parking and Picking Up

Access Unit

Maintenance Allowance

Forthcoming Events

12 February 1999 No. 3

From the Head of Junior School

Many thanks are extended to the Junior School Parents' Association and especially our Class Representatives, for the wonderful morning teas arranged to welcome parents to a new school year. Each morning tea was well attended and provided a great start to the school year for those who were able to attend.

Our Prep to Year Three Parent Information Evening was also very well attended and I trust parents found the information shared of great value.

Ms Jocelyn Pride (Year 6 Coordinator) shared the following poem at the Year 6 night and it embraces my philosophy for the family and school working together. The poem (author unknown) is produced below for your interest.

I dreamed I stood in a studio
And watched two sculptors there.
The clay they used was a young child's mind
And they fashioned it with care
One was a teacher, the tools he used
Were books and music and art;
One was a parent with a guiding hand
And a gentle, loving heart.
Day after day the teacher toiled
With touch that was deft and sure,
While the parent laboured by his side
And polished and smoothed it o'er.
And when at last their task was done,
They were proud of what they had wrought
For the things they had moulded into a child
Could neither be sold nor bought.
And each agreed they would have failed
If they had worked alone,
For behind the parent stood the school
And behind the teacher, the home.

Throughout the week, I received a letter from Mr William Ryley, Manager Local Laws, for the Boroondara Council. Mr Ryley asked for an opportunity to pass information onto parents regarding Council By-Laws, specifically relating to drop-off and collection zones around schools. Mr Ryley's comments can be found later in this newsletter.

My theme for this week has been steadfastness. I encouraged the boys to think about their commitments to school, each other or to something of importance; to pace themselves and maintaining a rate they can maintain; and not to let doubts blow them off course.

Being "steadfast" applies not only to their commitments and friendships at school, but to every aspect of their lives.

I wish 6P a warm welcome home from their camp and extend best wishes to our 6I campers for next week.

GUY B MASON

Thought ...

You have powers you never dreamed of.

You can do things you never thought you could do.

There are no limitations as to what you can do, except

the limitations in your own mind as to what you cannot do.

Don't think you cannotÉ..

Think you CAN.

Parking or Picking up and setting down children in the vicinity of schools and school crossings

For the safety of our school children, residents are reminded to take care and obey parking signs in the vicinity of our schools. Illegally parked cars create traffic congestion which leads to an unsafe environment due to impatient and frustrated drivers carrying out unsafe and often dangerous manoeuvres.

In order to prevent this, Council Local Laws Officers carry out regular patrols and motorists detected breaking the parking regulations risk being fined (penalties up to $100.00).

Remember, as soon as you stop to let your children in or out of the car, you are deemed to be parked. You do not have to leave your car or turn the engine off to be booked.

At school crossings, you must remain stationary at the stop line while any person (including an adult or the supervisor) is on the crossing or the stop sign is displayed. Do not let your child alight at this time. Ensure they wait until you are safely and legally parked. All areas in the vicinity of schools are clearly sign-posted and it is the driver's responsibility to ensure they are parked in compliance with the relevant signs.

If you do not comply with the parking regulations, the Local Laws Officer who is monitoring the crossing will usually record your registration number and details, (usually with the aid of a video camera for evidentiary purposes) and the infringement will be posted to you within the next 3 days.

So please, let's make sure you and all our school children are safe. If your child needs assistance with a heavy bag or you need to go into the school for any reason, please make sure you allow extra time and park in a zone which gives you sufficient time to do this. Parking zones which give extra time are usually a few minutes walk further away.

Mr William Ryley - Manager, Local Laws
Boroondara Council

Educational Support - The Access Unit

Your Access Team, Mr Rod Carson, Mrs Chris Robertson, Mr Brian Sampson, Mrs Ros Edmandson, Mrs Michelle Harris and Ms Marcia Bacon have had a very busy start to the year. We feel we have developed many exciting programs, projects and groupings to meet the range of students' learning needs across the school.

The Junior Primary students will be supported through small group session along with classroom support. Many boys in Years 2 - 4 are already visiting the Access Unit or being supported in the classroom.

One of our new programs involves Access Teachers working with the Years 5 & 6 teachers to enable both consolidation and extension classes in Mathematics. Two other projects utilising Information Technology should offer great challenges for Years 4 & 5 boys.

n Term 4 of 1998, and at the start of this year, we have been carrying out comprehensive assessment to assist in the planning of the most appropriate programs to meet your children's needs, both academically and emotionally.

The class teacher, with whom we work closely , play the most important role in the education of your child whilst at school. Our Unit is here not only to support your child and the teacher but also you, the parent.

Ms Marcia Bacon
Director Education Support

Education Maintenance Allowance

We have been advised by the Ministry of Education that claims for payment of the first instalment of the Education Maintenance Allowance for 1999 should be made as early as possible in Term 1. To be eligible for the first instalment, a parent must hold a current Commonwealth Health Card on the first day of term. There are three such cards:

1. Pensioner Health Benefits Card
2. Health Care Card
3. Health Benefits Card

If you are eligible to receive the allowance, please contact the Principal's secretary, Mrs Rudd, on 9810 4321 to obtain an application form, which has to be returned to her by Friday, 19 February, 1999.

Forthcoming Events