PARENT INFORMATION HANDBOOK

Pre Primary and Kindergarten Centres

CONTENTS

• Role of Kindergarten/Pre Primary

• Caversham Primary School- Vision, Purpose and Curriculum

• Important Information/Contact with Connect and applications available

• Session Times

• Voluntary Contributions

• Charges for Incursions/Excursions and Activities

• Personal Items List

• Canteen

• Food at School

• Food Allergies

• Birthdays

• Factions

• Uniform

• ‘No Hat – Play in the Shade’ Policy

• Dropping off/Picking up students

• After School Care Facility

• Clothes

• Lunches/recess/food at school/allergies

• Handwriting

• Library

• Medication Administration

• Medical Conditions

• Sickness

• Headlice

• Laundry

• Toys and Jewellery

• Money

• Access Arrangements

• Parking

• Parent Involvement

• School Board

• Support Services

• Website

• Appendix 1: Infectious Diseases

• Appendix 2: Parking Program

HELLO AND WELCOME TO OUR KINDY/PRE PRIMARY CENTRES

Role of Kindergarten and Pre Primary Kindergarten is your child’s first introduction to school based learning. It is a year in which your child will become accustomed to school routine and consolidate the early understandings and skills necessary to become successful life-long learners. They will develop their early mathematical skills of number, shape and measurement. They will discover the magic of language and how we can use it to sound out and manipulate words, rhyme, alliterate, listen to and read stories. They will learn about friends, friendships, problem solving, developing physical skills and being creative. How to be safe, recognise emotions and how our actions affect others. They will engage with their teachers and curriculum within a social, play-based learning environment that involves both self-discovery and teacher directed, explicit teaching. In Pre-Primary, children will build upon the foundations of learning explored in Kindergarten. They will extend their mathematical skills of number, shape and measurement and start the more formal components of reading and writing by learning to segment and blend words by listening to the sounds they hear and connecting these to the associated alphabet letter (phonics). And they will continue to build on their developing social and emotional skills to promote their confidence, resilience and self-control and independence. And because children learn best in a fun, safe and engaging environment, your child will engage with their curriculum through a blend of teacher directed, explicit teaching and through purposeful, play based exploration.

VISION

We have a vision that as a school community we will teach, learn and reflect society’s expectations whilst embracing educational change through a supportive environment that recognises and acknowledges individual needs and achievement.

PURPOSE Our purpose is to ensure that the students at Caversham Primary School reach their individual potential by developing personal attributes and skills to become citizens with a positive attitude towards life-long learning.

CURRICULUM

The school has developmental programmes for students in all learning areas. Programmes within Caversham are linked to the Western Australian Curriculum. Staff plans ensure that the curriculum is balanced and appropriate.

COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS AND SCHOOL

SCHOOL NEWSLETTERS School Newsletters are sent to parents on a fortnightly basis (Tuesday) through the ‘Connect’ communication platform.

A free App can be downloaded to your phone or tablet. This app displays all the latest activity from your children’s school. Read notices, view photos and discussions, post a comment directly from your mobile device and access attachments like excursion information.

Parents who did not supply an email address on their child’s enrolment form are invited to attend the office to provide their email details in order to access Connect. If your email address contains numbers please ensure when completing forms that numbers are clearly distinguishable from letters (eg 1 and l).

Once you have supplied your email address and your child commences school you will be sent a login and password to CONNECT. This provides you with a quick and easy way to engage with Connect. All your Notices and Discussion in one convenient place.

Please contact the Administration office on 9250 2711 or email Caversham.PS@education.wa.edu.au if you have any trouble with accessing Connect.

Teachers will communicate with parents through the App so you will be up to date with all information. School Reports are also sent electronically through Connect. Logging on to a computer will provide you with additional information, visit www.connect.det.wa.edu.au. SESSION TIMES Kindergarten 8.30am – 2.45pm on scheduled attendance days and Pre Primary 8.30am – 2.45pm school days. Classroom doors are open at 8.25am for students to come in and prepare for the day. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS Caversham Primary School Voluntary Contributions are outlined on the fees and charges schedule provided. Voluntary Contributions collected are used to purchase additional resources and provide additional funding to support education programmes. Payment can be made by cash or cheque at the school office. Electronic payment is also available. Please see the bottom of the Voluntary Contributions and Charges sheet for details. Payment Option 1:

• Payment in full of Voluntary Contributions per student on enrolment at the school: or Payment Option 2:

• Split payment of Voluntary Contributions per student with the first instalment on enrolment at the school and a second payment at the commencement of Semester Two.

CHARGES FOR INCURSIONS/EXCURSIONS/ACTIVITIES (OPTIONAL) Through out the year the school provide incursions, excursions or activities to compliment learning and teaching programmes. These activities generally have an associated cost to be paid by parents. Prior to the commencement of each school year the maximum cost of these activities is set and approved by the School Board. Students will only incur costs when they are involved in a particular activity. However, we encourage ALL students to participate, as they are integral to the learning and teaching programmes. The maximum cost of these activities is outlined on the fees and charges schedule provided. Please see the office is you have not received a copy. Students are unable to participate if payment is not made prior to the activity. We make families aware of these maximum charges in advance as we know that family budgets can often be under pressure. If you are finding it difficult to pay by the due date for an activity and wish for your child(ren) to participate please contact the office to discuss payment arrangements. Payment is given to Classroom teachers in marked envelope.

FOOD AT SCHOOL Please try to ensure your child has a healthy snack such as a piece of fruit or vegetable each day for Recess. We also encourage a nutritious lunch and water for drinking as it is the best thirst quencher. Keeping foods separate, well wrapped and ensuring that little fingers can open each pack helps to make students more independent.

���� ����Please don’t send chips, sweets, lollies or soft drinks. FOOD ALLERGIES If your child has a food allergy, make sure you let the school administration and the class teacher know exactly what the allergy is and what to do in case of an emergency. We are a ‘nut and egg’ friendly school as we have a number of students who have allergic reactions to these products. Items not suitable to bring to school Peanut Butter, Nutella, egg sandwich, quiche and other products containing nuts or egg for example.

BIRTHDAYS You are welcome to bring in cup cakes to celebrate you child’s birthday. Please check with the class teacher beforehand regarding times and type of cake as we have students who are allergic to certain ingredients.

FACTIONS

All students belong to a faction. These factions are named after the first three Principals of our school. Students in Kindergarten and Pre-Primary participate in a flat race and team games at the school carnival in Term 3. The Factions are: ARNUP – red BODLEY – green CAREW – gold UNIFORM School uniforms are available for purchase at the school on Monday afternoons from 2.30pm -3.30pm (non-assembly days) or 3.00pm-3.30pm (assembly days) and Friday mornings 8.30am - 9.30am or by leaving a completed uniform order at the office with payment in a clearly labelled envelope. Online payment is also available and details can be found on the order form. Uniform orders can be left at the front office for collection on verification of payment. Parents are asked to order uniforms in advance if possible as the uniform shop is run by volunteers. GIRLS: Royal blue skirt/skort or royal blue pants Gold Caversham T-shirt, polo shirt or skivvy Royal blue shorts. Blue checked dress Royal blue jumper or zip jacket Royal blue Caversham tracksuits BOYS: Royal blue shorts Gold Caversham T-shirt, polo shirt or skivvy Royal blue jumper or zip jacket Royal blue Caversham Tracksuits School Bag, with logo are available. Please ensure your child is wearing safe shoes. Thongs, gumboots, and raised heels are not suitable. Shoes with velcro tabs are easier for children to manage independently. Please ensure all articles of clothing are clearly labelled, including jumpers and hats.

NO HAT- PLAY IN THE SHADE It is school policy that hats are worn during outside play. Shaded play areas will be provided if children forget their hat. In case of accidents, please supply a complete change of clothes, including underpants, in a labelled, plastic bag). These need to be swapped in winter months for suitable warm clothing. DROPPING OFF/PICKING UP CHILDREN Parents must always accompany their children to the door (the car park can be busy and dangerous for children) and remain until the session commences. Children like to feel secure in their environment. Would you please ensure your child arrives and is collected at the correct times, as most children are distressed if you are late. In all Kindy/Pre Primary situations, parents/carers need to complete a ‘handover’ at the classroom door. It is necessary for you to collect your child from the centre, as we are responsible for him/her until they have been collected by you. Any other responsible person must be nominated in writing. Please phone the school on 9250 2711 if you are running late. Classroom teachers will open the doors at 8.25am to accept students into the classroom. Arrangements can be made with other parents/carers to look after your children in the event that you can’t complete the ‘handover’ personally.

Students need to be collected from the classroom at the end of the school day at 2.45pm. If parents/carers are running late, staff will bring students to the administration block for supervision. Teachers must always be aware of who will be collecting each child. Please notify staff of any changes to ‘normal’ pick up arrangements in the class book or via a telephone message to the office. HANDWRITING The school uses Infant Sassoon Font for handwriting. If your child is interested in writing their own name, you can assist by showing them the correct lettering. Upper case letters are easier to write but should only be used to start a name, with the other letters being in lower case. Whenever you write something for your child, it would help them greatly if you could use this writing. It is also important that children are taught to hold writing tools correctly whenever they draw and write. LIBRARY Pre Primary children borrow a book from the School Library and return it the following week. Kindergarten students borrow on alternating Wednesdays. In order to protect the books, all children are required to have a library bag with their name on it. MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION The school cannot give children analgesics, i.e. non-prescribed pain suppressants, e.g. aspirin, Panadol, or anti-histamines. If a student is required to have prescribed medicine at school, the parents must advise the Principal and teacher of all relevant details and complete a medical requirements form available from the school office. Teachers are under no legal obligation to administer any medicines or medical treatment on behalf of parents. However, staff may assist following a discussion between the Principal, teacher and parents.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS Please keep the school informed of any health issues e.g. Asthma, Seizures etc. which may restrict your child’s ability to participate in all learning activities. For serious medical conditions, such as Anaphylaxis, a Medical Response Plan will need to be developed in consultation with the school. SICKNESS

HEADLICE Headlice are very common, particularly in schools where children often have their heads close together. Headlice can live in the cleanest hair. Parents are advised to check their child’s hair daily/regularly. If all parents take this course of action we will be able to avoid a serious outbreak in the school. If you find your child has headlice, your child can return to school as soon as treatment has begun. A few remaining eggs are not a reason for your child to stay away from school. Further information is available from the office for parents on request. LAUNDRY You will appreciate that aprons, towels and occasional dolls or dress-up clothes must be washed. A roster will be prepared in the first few weeks of Term One. Please volunteer your time on our rosters. TOYS AND JEWELLERY When at school please discourage your child from wearing jewellery and bringing toys. The school cannot assume responsibility for loss or damage to any personal property. MONEY If your child has to bring money to Kindergarten and Pre Primary for excursions etc, please ensure it is always in an envelope with your child’s name, the exact amount and what it is for on the front. This saves confusion when handling money. Hand in to classroom teacher. ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS In situations where the child does not live with both parents, parents and carers need to provide the school with any copies of Family Law Court documents. This will safeguard the interests of all parties. If there are any changes to documentation, you are required to submit a copy to the office immediately. PARKING Please park in the car park in front of the school. When leaving the street car park please observe and watch for other parents and children. We thank you for your co-operation in this matter and look forward to ‘hassle free’ parking. Please observe the parking rules i.e. NO

Children should be kept at home when unwell. It is important to ensure that correct address and phone numbers (also emergency numbers) are kept up to date, in case we need to contact parents in an emergency. You must inform both class teacher and the administration of any changes to contact or address details.

PARKING IN THE STAFF CAR PARK. Please see APPENDIX 2 and our Parking Brochure in your enrolment pack for full details.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT We welcome parent help – please let us know if you are interested in helping and what day is suitable. SCHOOL BOARD The School Board has the role to discuss pertinent issues, including policies, school plans and community concerns. The membership includes the Principal, elected parents and/or community members and staff representatives. The School Board meets at least once per term. Newsletters and Term Planners give further information periodically. SUPPORT SERVICES The following services are available through the school free of charge. These are: School Psychology Services – This service assists our school to improve learning outcomes for all students through the application of specialist educational counselling and Education Psychology Services to assist with the academic, social, emotional and behavioural needs of students, in matters related to the child’s schooling. This service is accessed via the school administration. School Health Services – All students in kindergarten are offered vision and hearing screening. If you are concerned about your child’s vision, hearing, growth or development and wish for your child to be assessed, please discuss this with the class teacher. A “Referral to Community Nurse” form needs to be completed and signed by the parent/guardian prior to any health assessment. Dental Service – Dental treatment is available through the Dental Therapy Clinic located on the grounds of Guildford Primary School. Parents will be asked to fill in Dental History sheets prior to treatment. Contact Phone: 9279 5869. OSHCLUB BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE Please see the OSHClub brochure provided for full details. Enrolment information and details about the Caversham OSHClub service are provided on the brochure. Many families are eligible for Child Care Subsidy, which reduces the out-of-pocket costs of schoolhours care. All enrolments and session bookings are managed via the website at www.oshclub.com.au. Please contact OSHClub on 1300 395 735 for all enquiries. Vacation Care is available at alternative OSHClub centres. Please visit their website for details about their Vacation Care options. OSHClub at Caversham Primary School can only provide Before and After School care for students enrolled and attending at the school on those days the student is required to attend.

WEBSITE The school website is www.cavershamps.wa.edu.au and provides the opportunity to keep up-to-date with current information and access to Google Translator for community members with a language background other than English. The website has an additional feature called Up-dated which is a mobile app available for android and apple devices. The App is great for a fast way to notify the school if your child is absent. Please follow the instructions below to access the app.

To download the app just visit the App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Android’s. Search for Updat-ed and from the menu select our school. We’ll receive your registration request and will need to approve you before your app is up and running.

APPENDIX 1

Infectious Diseases The following diseases require exclusion from school: Chicken Pox Rubella Measles Influenza Trachoma Ringworm Mumps Headlice School Sores For your information a list of the infectious diseases and their exclusion period is included. Conjunctivitis Exclude from school until discharge from eyes has ceased. Chicken Pox Exclude for at least 5 days after vesicles (rash) appear and until vesicles have formed crusts. Infectious Hepatitis Exclude from school until certified well by a medical practitioner or when symptoms have subsided. Impetigo (School Sores) Exclude for 24hours after antibiotic treatment commenced. Lesions on exposed skin surfaces should be covered with a waterproof dressing. Influenza-like illness Exclude until symptoms resolved. Measles Exclude for 4 days after the onset of the rash, in consultation with Public Health Staff. Mumps Exclude for 9 days after onset of symptoms. Consult with Public Health Staff. Nits (Head Lice) Nits, eggs, head lice – exclude from school until after treatment has commenced and live lice removed from hair. Contacts: Family contacts will probably be infested and should be treated accordingly. Cooperation is sought from all parents to prevent the spread of head lice. Ultimately it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that their children are not affected. Control of the problem is only possible if all parents regularly check their children’s hair. This should be done at least weekly, preferably on a Friday. Parvovirus “Slapped Cheek” Syndrome Not infectious after the rash appears. Exclusion not necessary. Pregnant women who may have been exposed to parvovirus B19 should consult their doctor. Ringworm Exclude until person has received anti-fungal treatment for 24 hours. Rubella (German Measles) Exclude for 4 days after onset of rash Whooping Cough Exclude from school. Re-admit on medical certificate of recovery or four weeks from onset of whoop. Check with the Principal for the length of exclusion. If in doubt, consult your doctor. Children suspected of having an infectious disease will be sent home. Note – Information from Department of Health Communicable Disease Guidelines 2017 Edition

APPENDIX 2

WHAT IS THE PARKING PROGRAM?

In the interest of providing the safest possible environment for all students at Caversham the school has

designed a parking program to assist in minimising the number of junior students required to cross the main

road before and after school. A copy of the Parking Program Brochure is included in your enrolment pack and

from the School Office.

HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

The school asks that parents use this brochure as a guide to where they will park to set down and collect their

children.

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

The carpark areas of the school have been divided into areas in relation to the age of students. Parents are

asked to park in the area designated in relation to the youngest student they are collecting.

WHAT TO DO IF THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF PARKING?

If there is a shortage of parking for a particular age group resulting in younger students being required to cross

the road, parents are advised to collect their child/ren from the school and walk them across the road.

Designated Areas for parking –

Kindergarten/Pre-Primary Students:

Students who attend the Pre – Primary and Kindergarten Centre are provided with parking near the Centre.

Access to this area is via a driveway on the left hand side of the Pre – Primary / Kindergarten.

Families that have youngest child in Years 1 – 3:

Families who have a child attending the school in Years 1 to 3 are encouraged to park on the same side of the

road as the school is located. As younger children seem to make a bee-line straight for their parents they are

not always looking out for cars on the road.

Families that have youngest child in Years 4 – 6: Families who have a child attending the school in Years 4 – 6 are encouraged to park on the road opposite the

school. It is recommended that these students are educated in the safety rules of crossing the road. This also

encourages the senior students of the school to take responsibility for their own safety.

Disability Parking:

The parking bay indicated by the disabled parking sign on the map overleaf has been set aside to provide

convenient parking for students/adults with disabilities. No parents are to drop off or pick up from the

staff carpark unless you or your child has a current valid ACROD permit, this is for the safety of all

students.

PARKING ZONES – PLEASE REFER TO THE PARKING BROCHURE FOR MORE DETAILS

STAFF PARKING

PARENT PARKING FOR STUDENTS YEARS 1 - 3

PARENT PARKING FOR STUDENTS YEARS 4 - 7

GARDENER

AND SPORT

SHEDS

ADMINISTRATION

STAFF PARKING

ONLY No dropping off or

picking up of students from

this area.

EARLY

CHILDHOOD

BUILDINGS

PRE – PRIMARY AND

KINDERGARTEN

PARKING AREA

Library

PARENT PARKING FOR

STUDENTS YEARS 1 - 3