Parents / Carers
School Council
The School Council is responsible for the school’s general educational policy as well as the maintenance and improvement of the buildings, grounds and gardens, control over all money coming into the school from the Department and parental sources, and the stimulation of community interest in the school.
There are 10 members of the School Council – 5 of these members are parents/carers elected by the school community, 2 DET representatives elected by the school community, the Principal (executive officer) and 2 community members. Elections are held in March each year. If you are interested in being a School Council member please contact the office.
Council Sub Committees
- Policy
- Finance
- Grounds / Master Plan
- Environment
- Social
- Out of School Hours Care
- Koorie Education and Community
- Communications
Parent/carer involvement
Parent/carer involvement is welcome in all formal and informal aspects of school life. We encourage parent/carer interest and support to help create a friendly and effective school environment.
We realise all parents/carers are busy – some have no time to spare and others just a little.
We hope that there is something that may suit your time, needs and interests. Remember that you need a current Working With Children (WWC) card in order to be able to assist in the school.
The school would appreciate any assistance or time you can offer. Please get in touch with the office or our teachers if you want to help out.
Fundraising
Our active fundraising group brings together the school community in fun, social events to raise funds to support our school programs. The group welcomes new members to assist with events.
Class Helpers
Helpers are always welcome in assisting in classrooms under the direction of the classroom teacher. Working with small groups, hearing reading, being a role model, supporting and encouraging children in their efforts, helping on excursions, during the swimming program, gardening etc. are invaluable for our school. To work in schools as a helper you will need a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) available from major Australia Post offices. They are free for volunteers.
Social Events
The Arts Festival, NAIDOC Day and Winter Festival are a few examples of occasions that showcase student skills and talents but they are also great opportunities to mix socially – parents/carers, teachers, children, extended family and friends of TPS.
Some ways parents/carers can help:
- Help on excursions or barbecues
- Join the fundraising team
- Offer to help in classrooms eg. hear children read, type stories, tell stories, sing songs
- Help in Working Bees to fix up the buildings, school grounds and gardens
- Assist with the Swimming Program
- Assist with the gardening program
- Help in the art room eg. put up displays
- Help in the library eg. repair, cover books, re-shelve books, make books
- Attend information afternoons/evenings
- Repair broken furniture, games etc.
- Represent parents/carers on the School Council
- Assist with coaching, training of school sports teams
- Demonstrate skills to children/other parents/carers eg. crafts, cooking, music, work skills
- Support Koorie Culture Classes
Compass School Manager
We are introducing Compass School Manager as our Parent/Carer Portal.
Using our Parent/Carer Portal you will be able to: – View up-to-date class and school attendance information – Approve or enter upcoming or past absences for your son/daughter – Update your registered email and mobile number (used for SMS alerts) details – Keep up-to-date with upcoming events, newsletters and notices
Coming to Compass Parent/Carer Portal in 2018: – Access your child’s Semester Reports – Book your Parent/Student/Teacher conferences – Download, print and approve upcoming excursions
We will use both Compass and FlexiBuzz for the remainder of 2017 and only Compass from Term 1 2018 onwards.
Accessing Compass Compass is a web-based system that is accessible on any web browser or by using the ‘Compass School Manager’ app available for iOS or Android.
To access our Parent/Carer Portal, please click the link: https://thornburyps-vic.compass.education and enter your unique login and password.
If you are having trouble logging into your account or forget your username or password, it is very easy to recover your details. When you are on the login page, simply select ‘Can’t access your account?’ and follow the prompts.
If you have any questions please see the Compass School Manager guide below or contact the Lauren at the office for assistance.
School Hours
8.50am Music
8.55am Bell
9.00am – 11.00am Teaching and Learning
11.00am – 11.15am Eating time
11.15am – 11.45am Play Break 1
11.45am – 1.30pm Teaching and Learning
1.30pm – 1.45pm Eating time
1.45pm – 2.30pm Play Break 2
2.30pm – 3.30pm Teaching and Learning
3.30pm Dismissal
The last day of each term dismissal is usually 2.30pm and the last day of the year is generally 1.30pm. Children should be at school before 9.00am so that they are settled and ready for their first lesson.
Lunchtimes
Please make sure your child has lunch each day in a lunch box. This prevents lunches being squashed and reduces unnecessary waste. Any drinks should be in plastic bottles which your child can unscrew. NO GLASS BOTTLES PLEASE. The fruit box style of drink is easily managed by young children. Children are supervised inside for lunch (1.30pm – 1.45pm). Good eating habits are reinforced at this time. Please aim for a healthy lunch and ensure all bottles and boxes are named.
Classrooms allow for regular fruit and water breaks during the day and water bottles are easily accessible on children’s tables.
We encourage students to bring their own drink bottles to keep in the classroom and refill with water throughout the day.
Children are NOT PERMITTED to leave the school at lunch time without school and parental/carer permission.
Lunch orders
Lunch orders are ordered through Classroom Cuisine. Lunch orders are available MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS
LUNCH ORDERS NOT AVAILABLE ON TUESDAYS
All orders are received by their easy to use website until 8.30am on the day the order is required.
For more information check out the website and register.
Uniforms
Our school colours are royal blue, gold and black. School uniform is compulsory.
Girls’ Tunic Dress can be purchased from the office.
Tunic Dresses: $72.00, Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
Uniform shop hours
The Uniform Shop is just beyond the School Office, opposite the stairs. It is open on Wednesdays: 8.30am to 10.00am
Alternatively, you can order directly online at www.psw.com.au
OSHC – Out of School Hours Care
Our Out of School Hours Care Program operates from 7am till 9am and from 3.30 pm until 6pm each school day. On curriculum days we run from 7am until 6pm and offer an alternate program for the day.
We are a registered and accredited program giving us CCB funding from the Commonwealth Government for 30 funded places in Beforecare and 60 at Aftercare. This enables all eligible families to access Child Care Benefits, which can be obtained from the Family Assistance Office (FAO) – to assist with their fees. The fee reduction is in accordance with the family’s annual income.
The OSHC Program offers both indoor and outdoor experiences. It gives both the choice of structured activities and creates opportunities for children to initiate their own play and have free choice to materials, encouraging independence and decision-making. The program encourages children to initiate and participate in recreational experiences, supporting their physical, creative, aesthetic development. The programming process caters for the needs, interests and abilities of all children.
Breakfast is available and a healthy snack and fresh fruit is provided each afternoon.
Students enrolled at Thornbury Primary School are required to register annually for Outside School Hours Care.
2019 Term Dates
Term 1: Tuesday 29 January (Teacher’s resume on Monday 28 January) to Thursday 5 April
Term 2: 23 April to 28 June (Easter Monday on April 22)
Term 3: 15 July to 20 September
Term 4: 7 October to 20 December
Curriculum days
Each year schools receive four student-free days. These days are used for professional development, school planning and administration, curriculum development, and student assessment and reporting.
The first day of Term 1 each year is a student-free day in all government schools to allow for appropriate planning to take place for the arrival of students.
School councils have the flexibility to schedule the remaining three student-free days each year to meet local needs.
Lost Property
At Thornbury Primary School we aim to minimise property losses and to return misplaced items to their rightful owners as efficiently as possible. There is a central collection point for lost property located under the centre stairwell where children and adults can look for missing items.
Parking Restrictions & Traffic Laws
Murray Street and Hutton Street can become congested, and we suggest that parking close to the school should be freed up for those who need it, such as families with preschool kids, babies or urgent matters.
If you can, park a street away from the school and enjoy the walk.
There are crossing supervisors on Hutton Street and on St Georges Road, who help teach our children road safety everyday.
We also have ‘Kiss and Go’ areas in front of the school. ‘Kiss and Go’ zones and ‘No Parking’ zones operate under the same conditions.
School Crossing
No parking or stopping within 18 metres of the school crossing.
Bicycles
Children under the age of 9 should not ride alone to school, adult company is required. Safety helmets must be worn. For eveyone’s safety all bicycles and scooters should be wheeled in the school grounds at all times. Bicycles are stored in a bike rack during the day. Please ensure you have your own lock to secure your bike and helmet.
‘No Stopping’ Areas
No Stopping means no stopping at all —even if you are only letting someone out of the car, and regardless of whether you leave the engine running and stay in the car. You must not stop where there is a continuous yellow line painted on the edge of the road.
‘No Parking’ Areas
You can stop in a No Parking area for up to two minutes provided you are setting down or picking up a passenger or loading or unloading goods, and you do not leave the vehicle unattended (‘unattended’ means you are more than three metres away from the vehicle).