General Information

The special needs and talents of individual children are catered for and specialised programs are also offered in Library, Integration, English Special Assistance, Reading Recovery, Maths Problem Solving, Extension and enrichment for talented children, Camping, Swimming, Sport, Bike Education, Life Education, Art/Craft, Music, Drama/School Productions.

By acknowledging and addressing the inter-relationship between curriculum programs we provide quality teaching and learning opportunities that assist all students to develop to their full potential. The school aims to provide a high quality education in a positive and supportive environment.

Mentone Primary School has just completed and extensive building program which has resulted in virtually a new school being constructed too the latest accommodation standards. Mentone Primary School is now the newest school in Victoria but with 115 years of tradition.

Mentone Primary School is proud of its long history of commitment to offering progressive educational opportunities in partnership with the whole school community and will continue to encourage participation, openness and equality of opportunity.

As part of the transition from Pre-school/home to school, Prep children are to be collected from school at 2.15pm during January and most of February. Children must be collected from the class teacher - please wait at the door until your child is called. However those not personally collected by parents or an authorised representative must wait until 3.30pm - the normal hour of dismissal. If you are unable to collect your child at 2.15pm when the Prep program finishes, please notify the school and he/she will be supervised in the classroom. From Monday 28^th February Prep children will stay at school for the full day.

If an emergency arises and it is necessary to collect your child during school hours please complete the sign/out book at the school office first - this is an obvious safeguard in regard to lost children. The sign in/out book should also be completed if your child arrives at school late.

If you are going to be late picking up your child it is most important you contact the school on 9583 2995. Any children still at school when school ground supervision finishes at 3.45pm are sent to wait for their parents/guardians at the school office. The office closes at 4.30pm.

Children eat their lunch under supervision either in their classrooms or as a group outside between 1.05pm-1.15pm.

There is no provision for children to buy their lunches, however Parents’ Club run Special Lunch Days on many occasions throughout the year. Notice is always given at least one week in advance about the Special Lunch Days.

On wet days normal dismissal times occur although changes may be made to recess and lunch times. This is to assist working parents or those who might be in another locality on a rainy day and not know local weather conditions.

Children are encouraged to use toilets during break time. If a child needs to visit the toilet during lesson time they must be accompanied by two friends.

The school has a compulsory school dress code which means that children must wear clothing to school in a combination of any of the following colours: Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Gold/Yellow, Grey, White. The only logo that is allowed is the school logo. School monogrammed polo shirts, windcheaters, hooded windcheaters, skirts, shorts, caps, etc. can be purchased at the Uniform Shop on Friday mornings between 8.45am-9.15am or orders with money can be left at the office . Orders received without money will be kept at the school office for collection.

Your child will also require an Art Smock. These are available at the Uniform Shop however an old shirt or large T-shirt is also suitable for Art classes.

Mentone Primary School is proud to be a declared SunSmart School. The Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria has looked at our policy regarding Sun Awareness and declared us an official SunSmart School.

Children are to wear legionnaire or brimmed/slouch hats during all outside activities as well as recess and lunch breaks during Term 1 and Term 4. We have also incorporated changes to the timetable to lessen the need for children to be out in the sun during peak times.

(a) Please label all articles of clothing and hats. We always have a large amount of lost property and named items can always be returned to owners promptly.

(b) Young children should be trained to look after their belongings and taught to do up shoe laces, etc.

(c) Wear suitable school clothing. Singlets/tank tops and sleeveless dresses are considered inadequate protection from the sun and therefore should not be worn.

(e) It is advisable for Prep children to bring a change of clothing to school and extra underpants/panties in a plastic bag clearly marked with their name. These can be kept in their school bag in case of emergency.

Voluntary Instructors from the Council for Christian Education in Schools provide classes for children at all grade levels. Instructors follow an agreed non-denominational syllabus “Religion in Life”. A small annual fee is charged to cover classroom materials. All children attend these classes unless parents ask for an exemption or indicate on the Confidential Student Information Form that their child is not to participate.

Children should not bring money to school except for school purposes. School monies should be sent in a sealed envelope with your child’s name, grade and amount enclosed written on the outside and also indicating reason for payment e.g. excursion, special lunch, etc. Parents’ Club run icypole days during Terms 1, 2 & 4 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (unless otherwise advised in the weekly newsletter). Children may bring small amounts of cash to purchase an icypole.

On the last school day prior to Terms 1, 2 and 3 holidays dismissal time is 2.30pm. However children are dismissed at 3.30pm on their last day of school in Term 4 as they do not attend school on the last “official” school day which is a Curriculum Day for staff. A reminder notice is included in the regular newsletter. If there is any change a special notice will be sent home.

Due to safety requirements School Policy states children from Grades 4-6 only are permitted to ride bicycles to school providing they:

Teachers make their own decisions regarding homework for their grade. Homework may cover reading, revision, finishing school activities, etc. Aims of homework at all levels: skills extension, revision; development of independence; development of desirable attitudes to learning; parental involvement.

A “Term Happenings” booklets is sent home in the first few weeks of each term providing parents with information on activities planned for all grades by classroom teachers (except Preps**) and specialists.

Throughout the year a weekly newsletter is printed and distributed to every child on a Thursday. This is the key means of communicating to parents news of events in all branches of the school’s operation and so it is a vitally important publication. You should ask your child for the newsletter and so encourage him/her to bring it home safely.

**Each Friday a special Prep News is published to keep Prep families up to date with classroom activities completed and anticipated.

The school maintains on file for each child, information essential for the efficient handling of emergency situations. You are requested to advise the classroom teacher and school office immediately of any changes to home/work addresses and phone numbers, etc.

A note is required on return to school following any absences. A phone call to the school is appreciated if the child has a contagious illness, such as Chicken Pox or Measles. If your child is to be absent due to a family holiday prior advice in writing would be appreciated.

An intensive 8 day swimming program is held during early December each year for all grade levels. Qualified Instructors teach the children in groups of about 6-7 using the Aquapass system of instruction. The swimming program is part of the Physical Education curriculum and all children are expected to participate.

A camping program is held for Grades 3-6 introduced by Grade 2 children having a “sleepover” at the school in either November or December.

Excursions and incursions are usually held each term some of which are planned at a grade levels and others, particularly incursions, as an all school activity. Special notices are always sent home advising parents of dates, venues, costs, etc. at least two weeks in advance.

· The School Council has set the 2007 contribution towards the cost of classroom requisites purchased in bulk for children’s use e.g. paint, paper, clay, clag, book binders, cooking ingredients, etc. @ $150.

$5 per child for handouts provided by the voluntary Religious Education teachers. This fee only applies to children participating in Religious Education classes.

· School Camps vary in price depending on venue but are usually in the range of $200-$300 for Grades 4-6 and the “sleepover” for Grade 2 children is around $10.

Through Centrelink and the Department of Education, an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available to parents/guardians who hold a Health Care Card. The allowance is available specifically to assist parents with educational expenses, eg school fees, uniforms, camps, excursions, sport, books, etc.

A parent who holds a Commonwealth Health Card current on the first day of Term 1 will be entitled to receive the first instalment and likewise a parent who holds a current card on the first day of Term 3 is entitled to the second instalment. Each instalment is made up of two parts: a cheque to the parent and a direct payment to the school, each are 50% of the total allowance.

In 2000 the school’s share of the allowance will be used to cover the Resource Contribution & Special Program Costs – Technology (representing a discount per child on these costs of $36.50). If you are not eligible for the second instalment you will be expected to pay $31.50 per child towards the Resource Contribution & CCC Levy but if you have paid the full fees at the commencement of year and become eligible for the EMA in the second half you can request a partial reimbursement.

Education Maintenance Allowance application forms are available at the commencement of Terms 1 and 3.

All children need to have a record of their Immunisation Status when enrolling at/transferring to our school. This is available through the Australian Immunisation Register or you can be registered via the City of Kingston offices on presentation of a health Centre Book or other proof of immunisation undertaken.

A child suffering from the following infectious diseases must be excluded from school and a medical certificate produced before re-admission.

Tablets, medication, etc must not be sent to school with children with the exception of asthma pumps. If your child needs medication please complete the form at the office setting out clear instructions of when and how medication should be provided and authorising a staff member to administer same. This form must be provided before this service can be undertaken.

Visits are made by the School Medical Service. Prep children are given a full medical examination and routine vision and speech checks are carried out on year 4 pupils. Children at other levels of the school may be referred by parents or teachers.

The School Dental Service is now based at the Central Bayside Community Health Centre, Nepean Highway, Parkdale. Telephone: 8587 0350.

(e) Head Lice:

In recent years the incidence of head lice in schools has risen. Parents are advised to make routine inspections of their children’s hair and to undertake treatment if an infestation occurs. The school must be advised if an infestation occurs.

When your child transfers from one school to another, a Transfer Note and your child’s Immunisation Certificate for School Entry should be obtained and presented upon arrival at the new school. We ask that you give reasonable notice when requesting a transfer. It is helpful if such requests are made in writing, stating the expected final day of attendance at Mentone, the destination and signed by the parent.

The Student Welfare & Discipline Policy is available at the office to anyone who wishes to access a copy. The School Charter also includes Codes of Conduct for school community information.

Early in the year Prep children are teamed up with a buddy in grade 5 or 6. The children eat lunch together and spend some time together in the playground. During the year the two grades meet regularly for ‘Buddies Time” during which a wide variety of activities take place, where the older children teach their buddies skills, or games or assist them to complete tasks. It is a very valuable program with enormous benefits to both age groups, particularly in fostering positive and caring relationships with the older children and providing additional support in the playground.

During the first weeks of school there will always be at least one Prep teacher on duty with the children at recess times, in addition to the two teachers who are normally rostered for playground supervision. We encourage the children to stay together in the Adventure Playground. We gradually decrease the additional supervision according to the needs of the children. By the time the children are staying a full day they are usually comfortable and confident in the playground, knowing there are two duty teachers and their buddy available if they have any worries.

The Junior School children (Prep-2) will have regular sessions in Fundamental Motor Skills and/or PMP in addition to Physical Education lessons.

Fundamental Motor Skills, such as the run, leap, kick, bounce, catch and overhand throw, form the building blocks which underpin the learning of more complicated sport and movement skills. Competence with these skills enable students to feel good about themselves and encourages participation in physical activity as a leisure choice throughout life.

These sessions develop fitness, co-ordination and motor skills and contribute to the child’s overall development. The benefit flows on to all areas of the curriculum.

Mentone Primary School operates a special reading program titled Home Reading. Its aim is simple: to help each child to enjoy reading and to read more books.

Parents are invited to share a reading time with their child each day as a complement to classroom teaching of reading skills (we suggest 10 minutes each day if possible).

At home the parents are encouraged to share the book with the child in a relaxed and warm atmosphere. If the book if too difficult for the child, then the parents may read to the child, or sometimes the reading may be shared by the adult and the child.

A full description of the program will be given by the class teachers early in the year.

Following the success of the Home Reading program, a Maths Share program has been developed by the Department of Education to build children’s skills, attitudes and confidence with the help of parents.

It is a program of activities for parents and children to do together, using everyday materials and real life situations. When parents give children the message that Maths is an enjoyable and essential part of everyday life, they are teaching an invaluable lesson.

2008