Attendance

It has been a challenging period in terms of student attendance. Our data is indicating that a number of students have attendance for the year now falling below 85%. 

We realise some absences are unavoidable due to health issues or other circumstances. In fact we encourage you to keep your child at home if they are unwell to ensure a speedy recovery and to help restrict the spread of germs. This has been a major factor this term, with chest infections meaning some children are missing school for more than a week as they recover!

However, we also know that when students miss too much school, no matter the reason, it can cause them to fall behind academically. The more absences your child has the harder it is for them to catch up on missed learning, to complete assessments and stay connected to their school community. Absences add up quickly. If your child is absent just one day every two weeks over the course of a school year this will add up to 20 days of lost learning. This is almost half a school term. 

So how do we strike the right balance? Generally positive steps include:

• Expect your child to attend everyday. School is not a choice.
• If one sibling is sick, send the well siblings to school.
• Arrive on time every day and schedule appointments, whenever possible, for outside of school hours. 
• If you are planning a family vacation in term time, please give the teacher plenty of notice and enter the details in Compass. If the leave required is more than 11 days, notice of this must be made to the office. The office will complete Compass for you and advise you to discuss learning with your child’s teacher. Planned absences of more than 25 days across any school year require parents to complete an application for extended leave.
• Talk to your child’s teacher early if your child is exhibiting any signs of school refusal. We can do many things to support your family.

Community holiday program for children from migrant backgrounds

https://rebustheatre.com/programs/another-home/

This free four-day theatre program is designed for migrant and refugee children aged 8–12, offering a fun and inclusive space to explore creativity, build confidence, and connect with their community through drama and performance. 

Children’s crossing safety 

Children’s crossings are provided near schools to make it safer and easier for children to access the school. When driving and parking around the school, please keep a lookout for pedestrians when approaching the crossing and remember to stop and allow pedestrians to clear the road completely prior to proceeding. 

Never park on the approach to a crossing, it reduces visibility and safety, particularly for children who are less visible to motorists. It is also important that motorists never try to pass other cars at a crossing or queue through a crossing, this type of behaviour significantly reduces safety for children. 

Please drive slowly and be patient near the school to keep our community safe. 

Yours in working together

Kerry Wode