First Day: Information Update

First Day, Information Update
Contacts: Ph: 8264 8099 | Out of School Hours Care: Ph 8396 4069
Email: [email protected] | Principal: Mark Hansen | Dep Prin: Deb Pryor

Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Welcome to Ardtornish Primary in 2022

Our vision as a school is to empower students to create positive futures through high quality teaching and communication is a key to making sure this happens.

This newsletter contains a summary of information that is important to know at the beginning of the year. It is downloadable at www.ardtornps.sa.edu.au

Starting in week 3 Newsletters will be delivered via the internet and the Skoolbag app, rather than in a paper format. Newsletters are available every second Friday in odd school weeks. We also use the Skoolbag app to make it even easier to access this information. See the back page of this newsletter for download instructions.

If you would like a paper copy, you can collect one from the front office.

Information about how to set up tablets and smart phones to receive information is available from the front page of our school website and additional information will be distributed over the next few weeks.

To ensure that all students understand the behavioural expectations we have for all members of our community we promote 5 key Student Responsibilities from which all other school processes flow. (See overleaf)

Individual classes develop specific procedures to ensure that these are met in each room e.g. “In our room we put up our hands to ask a question”, “We store our hats in our trays” etc.

If you have any concerns or questions about the school please feel free to contact me so that they can be effectively raised and addressed. At Ardtornish we value your feedback and view it as essential for ongoing school improvement.

I hope you and your child/ren enjoy their start to an exciting year.

Mark Hansen:
Principal.

COVID 19 Requirements

To ensure that our students and staff are as safe as possible at school, we will be implementing the following measures as advised by the Department for Education and SA Health:

Please keep your child home if they are unwell, even mildly
Masks are required for all adults when indoors (except if it impedes staff’s ability to communicate while teaching)
Masks are strongly recommended for children in years 3 to 6 when indoors
Natural ventilation will be maximised by leaving doors/windows open, continued use of air conditioning (set to fresh air intake where available) and fans where possible
Outdoor learning where appropriate
Physical distancing where possible
Minimise student intermingling indoors, for example across class groups
Limit non-essential visitors on site. We will work with parents of students who are starting school to make sure you are able to come on site to be part of your child’s transition (in a COVID safe way)
An extra daily site clean (funded by the department)
Temporary postponement of the following activities (until week 4 of term);

Camps, excursions and incursions
Interschool sport trials and competitions
Large gatherings such as assemblies, events and concerts

Out of school hours care will continue as normal. We appreciate you might have some questions about these changes. We’ll do our best to start planning a smooth start to the 2022 school and preschool year. We look forward to seeing your child face-to-face or online to start the school year.

Acquaintance Night & Annual General Meeting

Due to Covid-19 the Acquaintance night and Annual General Meeting have been cancelled.

Arriving at school before 8:50 helps everyone to make a good start to the day

Teachers only begin morning yard duty at 8:35am, so children, for their safety, should not be on school grounds before this time.

Classes commence at 8:50am.

The first few minutes of the school day are very important as this is when reminders about events are given, money & notes are collected, communication books are checked, the school diary is shared and staff deal with a range of other important organisational matters.
Students who arrive even a few minutes late, disturb this process & disadvantage themselves and their peers.

Likewise, parents wishing to speak to teachers should do so before 8:50am so instruction can start promptly.

ABSENCES

If your child is going to be absent you can inform the school by sending a text message to the school mobile on 0447 467 152 or by using the function on the Skoolbag App.

Please ensure your child eats a healthy breakfast before beginning school and has food for recess & lunch that is low in sugar.

Updating Student Information

Please ensure you promptly return the student information and permission updates that will be sent out to you.

During the year any changes to contact numbers need to be communicated to the school as soon as they occur.

The Skoolbag app can be used to update details.

Materials & Service Fees

The Finance window is open each morning from 8.30am - 9.30am. Payments may also be made if the blind is open.

Our preferred method of payment is via the “QKR!” app which can be downloaded onto a smart phone or tablet, however we also accept cash and credit card.

Payments are not accepted over the phone.

School Fees are $360 for the year.

Staff Meeting Time and Parent Interactions

Staff meetings are held as soon as possible after 3:00 pm in the library each Tuesday, so please be aware that, because of this professional commitment, staff are unable to talk with parents or resolve problems at length on this day. Please consider raising or dealing with any issues you may have the following morning.

Borrowing from the library is not available on Tuesdays after school.

Medication Management

Please make sure you return your child’s medication and updated medication plan.
“School Staff should only accept responsibility for the administration of medicine when no practical alternatives exist, as it is primarily a parent’s responsibility.” DfE regulations.
When a student must take medication, for a short period of time, parents need to make a request for it to be administered through the Front Office. A doctor’s authorisation is compulsory and needs to be provided, along with a health care plan. Information about the procedures for administering medication is available from the front office.

Safety and Parking

Do not park your vehicle or walk your children through either staff car park.

Both Police and Council Officers regularly observe parking behaviour near the school and give substantial fines to people who stop in incorrect areas or drop students off in an unsafe manner.

Hats and Sun Safety

All students are required to wear a sun safe hat during Term 1, 3 and 4, and whenever UV levels reach 3 and above at other times. Please ensure that your child has a school hat, or else they have to play in a supervised shaded area.

Lost and found Library books

If you came across any library books during the holidays we would appreciate you returning them to school so that they can be made available for others to borrow.

Please return all books, even if they are damaged, so we can repair or replace them.

Instrumental Music lessons / Band / Choir 2022

Students have a number of fabulous opportunities to be involved in extracurricular music activities.

Year 5 & 6 Festival Choir
Year 4 - 6 Woodwind (Clarinet/Saxophone/Flute)
Year 4 - 6 Brass (Trumpet/Trombone)
Year 4 - 6 Percussion
Year 1 - 6 Piano/Keyboard
Year 3 - 6 Guitar

If you filled the online form last year you do not need to re submit. If you have not here's the link, please do so as soon as possible as organisation has already started.

Music Online Form

Students who are continuing to learn from 2021 can you also fill in the online form (if not already done last year).

If you have questions or need more information not found on the link above please send me an email.

Anne O'Dea - Music teacher
[email protected]

Bell Times

Chromebooks

Chromebook Collection Agreement

To support online learning we are making Chromebooks available for students in Years 4 to 6.

Parents can pick up the Chromebooks from the computer room next to the library, this week from Wednesday 2nd Feb – Friday 4th Feb and in week 2, between the following times:

8.00 – 9.30am
2.00pm – 3.00pm

Caregivers collecting Chromebooks do so in the knowledge that they need to be used in keeping with the school’s internet and Chromebook agreement. To minimise physical contact we are not asking that your formally sign this at present. The agreement can be viewed on the school website under: Teaching and Learning/ Chromebook program.

The School Internet and Chromebook User Agreement will be sent home for signing by a parent and the child on the Monday of Week 3 after students and parents read it together and discuss how it will be followed. Further information about how Chromebooks are used will be provided for parents when all students return.

In accepting a Chromebook this week, parents are acknowledging that they are committing to either:

Fully purchasing the Chromebook outright, for a reduced fee of $450.00 OR
Choosing to undertake its purchase over 2 years – at a cost of $250 per year (this payment can be made on a term by term basis.)

The Chromebook is the latest Lenovo 11.5 inch model and comes with a 3 year warranty and an educational management program that is not available when store bought.

Canteen

The Canteen will be operating as usual from Wednesday 2nd February.

Ardtornish Primary is Nut Aware
Please do not send any nuts or nut products to school

School Card Applications

The School Card Scheme offers financial assistance with school fees (materials and service charges).
The eligibility criteria are based on the applicants combined family income for the 2020 / 2021 financial year.
There is now an online application form as well as a paper version. The forms and online version of the Application just Google the phrase (School Card 2022).

Police Clearances for Volunteers

All school volunteers are required to have a Working With Children Check (police clearance), have RAN Training, which needs to be the new RRHAN-EC Training (updated 2021) and will need to show the front office you have had your Covid-19 vaccines. Please note: All of the above are required by The Department for Education to be able to volunteer in a school.

RRHAN-EC is now done online, please send a text message to the school mobile and we will send you the link to complete the training.

Before working in classrooms volunteers must sign in at the front office and receive a volunteer’s badge.

Policies and Information booklets can be downloaded from the school website at www.ardtornps.sa.edu.au

If you would like to provide feedback about the site email us at [email protected]