Parent handbook

Information for new and existing families.

Welcome

It gives me great pleasure to welcome new students and their families to Stanmore Public School. Our school has a long, proud history, it has stood on the lands of the Gadigal people since its establishment in 1884. Today we continue our rich history as we prepare students for exciting futures in a dynamic world.

We offer a vast range of opportunities within and beyond the classroom including specialist Music and Drama programs as well as a choice of community languages including Mandarin and Greek. Our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program is a flourishing example of what can be achieved in partnership with our community and our comprehensive sporting programs allow students to develop their skills and compete at the highest levels. Extra-curricular programs include band, strings ensembles, choirs, drama, environmental groups, chess, art, computer coding and tennis coaching.

We have an outstanding team of teachers and support staff who are committed to high expectations for all students. Strong high potential and gifted education programs as well as well-developed learning and support processes ensure that every student experiences opportunities to achieve excellence and thrive in their learning.

We work in partnership with parents, carers and our community for the benefit of our students and the school provides opportunities for families to connect in a thriving community. Our Parents and Citizens Association meets monthly and supports the development of our school and community and the school partners with TASK, our on-site out of school hours and vacation care service to meet the needs of families.

Welcome to Stanmore Public School, in enrolling your child here, you have made a great choice. We look forward to sharing in your child’s learning journey with you as we present them with opportunities to thrive and have a positive impact on our world.

Ben Heinecke
Rel. Principal

School hours

Children are expected to be at school by 8:55 am. In the interest of safety, students arrive at school after 8:30 am when playground supervision commences and are picked up promptly when school ends. When students arrive, they should proceed to the Back Playground (K-2) or COLA (3-6) which are the supervised areas before school. All other areas, including inside buildings, are out of bounds before school.

In the afternoon, arrangements must be in place for pick up, independent travel home or formal after school care. When school ends at 3:00 pm. Teachers wait with their students until all students are accounted for.

Kindergarten students going to after school care are collected by educators from TASK while those in Years 1-6 go directly to TASK. Students enrolled in an after school activity go directly to that activity.

If emergency circumstances prevent parents and carers collecting children on time, they should ring the school as soon as possible so that alternative arrangements can be made.

Campus map

School values

These are known across the school as the Triple Rs. Each week our school focuses on teaching one of these core values in classrooms and in the playground. The core value of the week is also displayed on the School Website and in the School Newsletter (SNIP) so that families can share and discuss the value at home as well. Each week, each teacher will nominate a student whose behaviour and engagement with learning displays the core value of the week. This student is acknowledged with a merit certificate at the Principal's Merit Assembly.

Our school has three core values:

School uniform

Wearing school uniform encourages pride in the school, develops a sense of shared identity among students, and reinforces the school’s values of Respect and Responsibility.

Students are expected to wear full school uniform, including black shoes and a school sun-safe hat, to school every day.

Sports shoes and Balmain PSSA hoodies may be worn on days when students participate in sports lessons or programs.

For further information, visit our Uniform page

Reporting to parents

Written reports are sent to parents twice a year, at the end of Term 2 and Term 4. Teachers report on students’ achievement in all Key Learning Areas, progress towards learning goals in reading, writing and numeracy, commitment to learning and upholding of school values, participation in co-curricular activities and attendance. Reports are accessed via the School Bytes Parent Portal.

Parent-teacher interviews are scheduled for the end of Term 1 each year. This provides an opportunity for parents and teachers to exchange information about children’s progress towards learning goals, and discuss how their learning can be supported at home and at school. Additional interviews can be scheduled through the year, if required, by contacting the school office.

Assemblies

Assemblies are held weekly on Mondays at 11:20 am under the COLA, where we present awards celebrating students’ successes in learning and upholding the values of the school. Year K‐2 classes and Year 3‐6 classes hold assemblies on alternate weeks.

Parents are welcome to attend assemblies, particularly when their child’s class is hosting or presenting an item. Days and times vary from year to year and parents will be advised of these arrangements prior to each event.

Eating at school

Students require food for crunch and sip, lunch and recess breaks. We ask that where possible, families minimise single use plastics in lunchboxes, and provide nutritious food which supports students’ learning and development.

Allergen awareness

A number of our students have severe nut allergies. To support the safety of these students, please do not send any nuts or nut products to school at any time.

Times

Crunch and Sip

Crunch and Sip is a set break during the morning session, where students refuel with a fruit or vegetable snack and water in the classroom, which assists their concentration and learning capacity. Please provide your child with a fresh fruit or vegetable snack and a reusable bottle of water each day.

Canteen

The school canteen is open five days a week, providing healthy lunches for students and over the counter sales at recess and lunchtime.

Lunch orders should be ordered online before 8:30 am, or by cash in a paper bag with the child’s name, class and order clearly marked.

Order online via your Spriggy Schools account and through the Spriggy Schools App. Lunch orders should be ordered online before 9:00 am.

Visit our Canteen page for further information.

Health care procedures

Parents must advise the school of any medical condition that affects their child and requires prescribed medication during school time. Parents need to complete the School Prescribed Medication Form, which allows the school to administer prescribed medication. The school does not administer Panadol and other non‐prescription medication.

Wherever possible, the school requests that families organise with their doctor for medication to be taken at the start of lunch at 12:40 pm.

If a child suffers from Anaphylaxis, Asthma or has an allergy, parents and carers must provide the school with an Action Plan and/or Health Care Plan completed by a doctor. Both these plans need to be updated annually. Parents need to deliver the medication to the school office with clear instructions regarding the dosage and time when the medication is to be taken. Please take note of the expiration date as the school requires all medication to be in date.

Teaching and learning programs

Our teachers work collaboratively to plan and implement teaching and learning programs addressing the Key Learning Areas of the NSW syllabuses:

Our teachers design differentiated programs, which modify the content and expectations of tasks to cater for the wide range of learning needs and stages of development in the classroom. They regularly meet in teams to develop a range of assessment strategies to assess students’ prior knowledge, guide their teaching throughout the course, and assess the impact of their teaching and students’ levels of progress at the conclusion of programs.

Formative assessment strategies, inquiry-based learning, making students’ thinking visible are key focus areas of our teachers’ collaborative practice.

Learning, support, high potential and gifted education

Our school’s Learning and Support Team collaborates with teachers and parents to identify students who are experiencing difficulty in areas of learning, students who need additional extension and enrichment, and students from language backgrounds other than English who are eligible for additional literacy support. The Learning and Support Team works with teachers to collaboratively plan supports and/or interventions to meet students’ individual needs, and consult with parents.

Support provided may include in‐class support or withdrawal groups led by specialist teachers, focused on particular areas requiring support or extension; professional learning and support for teachers to develop their capacity to cater for students’ needs; and/or referral to the school counsellor or external agencies to seek additional support or assessment.

For students working beyond stage level, the school provides a range of programs to cater for the development of higher order thinking skills as well as the development of creative and sporting talents in students. Programs include chess coaching, public speaking and debating, English and Mathematics competitions, Dance, Drama and Music Ensembles, PSSA Sport competitions at the school, zone, region and state level.

Home reading program

A Home Reading Program operates in all classes across the school. This provides regular reading practice on books at an appropriate level for each student. Every day, younger students take home a book at their instructional reading level to read aloud for 10 to 15 minutes with a parent or other family member. Older and/or more capable readers, who are borrowing novels, will not change their book every day and may also prefer to read quietly to themselves.

This daily independent reading is a valuable part of developing and enhancing good literacy skills and is an integral part of the school’s successful Literacy Program.

The school appreciates parents’ support in encouraging their children to read a little every day.

Specialist programs

Our school offers a great range of specialist programs to all students.

Music and Drama

All classes in Years K-6 participate in one Music and one Drama lesson each week. Our teachers, Ms Poon (Music) and Ms Lopes (Drama), are very skilled and experienced in differentiating the Creative Arts curriculum to cater for different ages. As well as developing students’ basic skills in performance and appreciation of performing arts, a key focus of these programs is preparing performances for the school’s annual Performing Arts Showcase Concerts, in which every student performs on stage as part of a class item.

Languages – Greek and Chinese

Students are placed in a Language class (Greek or Chinese) on enrolment. Parents can nominate their preferred language, but preferences cannot always be accommodated due to numbers. Our teachers, Ms Vezos and Ms Ji, are highly experienced teachers and native speakers of their languages.

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program

Stanmore Public School is a member school of the  Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden (SAKG) Program,  which teaches students positive food habits through fun, hands-on learning.

All classes participate in lessons in the garden and the kitchen two terms per year.

Family members are encouraged to volunteer to support the teaching in our kitchen and garden programs. You can register for these lessons on the school website.

Visit our  SAKG page  for further information.

Sporting programs

Stanmore Public School has a strong tradition of sporting excellence. A wide range of sporting opportunities are available to students, catering to all levels of ability and a variety of interests.

Physical education

Sport is taught as part of the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) curriculum and all classes engaging in sport and Physical Education lessons.

The school employs external providers to deliver targeted sporting programs to all students K-6.

Sports carnivals

Every year the school holds Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics Carnivals for students in Years 3–6. Students who meet qualifying times are selected to represent the school at Balmain Zone Carnivals.

Students in K-2 participate in a sports carnival towards the middle of the year.

Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) sport

Stanmore Public School is a member of the Balmain PSSA competition, fielding Senior and Junior teams with students from Years 3-6.

Students who participate in PSSA complete in a weekly inter-school competition every Friday, at an external location. Sports offered include cricket, OzTag and netball in summer, and soccer, touch football, AFL and netball in winter.

For those who do not choose to participate in PSSA sport, a range of school sport options are available including tennis, Tae Kwon Do, ice skating, bouldering and other sports.

Student leadership

Students at Stanmore Public School have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through the Student Representative Council (SRC) and Year 6 Student Leadership positions.

Classes from Years 2-6 elect a representative to the SRC each term. The SRC collaborates with Year 6 Student Executive and staff members to contribute to environment, sustainability, charitable and fundraising initiatives.

At the end of Year 5, ten students are elected as Student Leaders for Year 6 (two School Captains, two Vice Captains and six Prefects, with an even gender balance). House Captains and Vice Captains are also elected for each of the four sporting houses.

Educational technology

Teachers at Stanmore Public School are trained to flexibly integrate technology to support and enhance quality teaching. Our learning spaces are equipped with cutting edge educational technology, including interactive panels or smart boards in all classrooms, and an extensive fleet of iPads and laptops for students to access. Use of technology complements more traditional media for learning, with a balanced approach taken in all classrooms.

In Years 3-6, we operate an ‘opt-in’ Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. Families who are able to provide a device for students to use in class are asked to provide one where possible.

Library

Stanmore Public School boasts a state of the art, architect‐designed library which is stocked with an impressive range of fiction and non‐fiction resources, suitable for all reading levels and interest areas. Our dedicated teacher‐librarians teach every class weekly, promoting a love of reading and quality literature and loaning books out to children.

The library is also equipped with laptops for browsing the catalogue and research projects and an interactive display panel.

The library hosts regular events including author talks, writing competitions and the annual Book Week Donation Drive.

Extra-curricular programs

Stanmore Public School offers a wide range of extra‐curricular programs including band, strings, choir and other musical ensembles, drama, chess, and debating. These programs are offered outside of school hours or at lunchtimes, and most incur an additional cost.

Music and ensembles

These include two bands (Training Band and Senior Band), three string ensembles (Junior Strings, Intermediate Strings and Senior Strings), two choirs (3‐6 Choir and K‐2 Choir), Ukulele, Tuned Percussion and Drumming ensembles, and three dance groups.

For more detailed information, visit the Instrumental Music Program page on the school website.

Public speaking and debating

Public speaking is taught in all classes as part of the English Curriculum and students are given the opportunity to compete in various public speaking competitions at school, zone, regional and state level.

Students in Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) have the opportunity to trial for the school’s debating teams, which participate in local and state‐wide competitions.

Special Religious Education and Special Education in Ethics

NSW schools offer special religious education (SRE) and special education in ethics (SEE). These programs are non-compulsory. Volunteers are trained and accredited by approved providers deliver SRE and SEE classes on Monday afternoons. Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Greek Orthodox and Jewish SRE classes are offered at Stanmore Public School (subject to volunteer availability).

Families who opt out of SRE can enrol their children in SEE (subject to available space) or elect for children to participate in alternative activities (non-SRE) at this time.

Alternative activities during SRE/SEE time include reading, homework, private study or other meaningful activities appropriate to the age of the students.

School communications

Clear and timely communication is essential to well-functioning partnerships between families and the school. Stanmore Public School uses a variety of platforms and strategies to communicate with families.

School website

It is regularly updated, and we aim to ensure that it is easy to navigate and provides families with relevant information when needed. Please check the website if you have a question or require information.

School Bytes

Notifications of school activities and excursions, parent consent forms and information are managed through an online platform called  School Bytes.  This means that the school rarely distributes or collects paper‐based forms.

Please ensure you check all emails from School Bytes and respond prior to the closing date, to ensure your child’s participation in activities and excursions.

We suggest that you download the School Bytes app (Android | Apple) to your smart phone and register for the School Bytes Parent Portal to keep up to date with all school communications.

Activities statements and payments

At the beginning of each term, the school sends out an Activities Statement for each student.

The Activities Statement shows payments for activities, excursions and camps; and voluntary contributions that support school resources. The school relies on contributions from families to enhance the range and quality of programs and resources on offer, and we are grateful for the generosity of our school community.

Families who are experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to pay fees for activities, excursions and camps are encouraged to contact the office to discuss a partial fee waiver and/or a payment plan.

Absence notifications

Regular school attendance is important for your child’s learning and social development.

If your child is absent from school, you must ensure that you provide the school with a written explanation. You can submit your child’s absence through the School Bytes Parent App or by email. If there has been no explanation for your child’s absence, you will receive an SMS with a link to the School Bytes Parent App. This is an automated service.

Partial absences cannot be submitted on the School Bytes Parent App. Parents must come to the office and sign their child/ren in or out of school.

Families are encouraged to travel during school holidays. If travel during school term is necessary, you can only submit up to 4 days leave on the School Bytes Parent App. If travelling for 5 days or more, you will need to complete an Application for Extended Leave Form. You can download this from the school website and return to the school by email or in person to the front office along with your travel itinerary or flight details.

After school arrangements

Parents are required to complete a form each year advising the school of the arrangements they have in place for their child after school each day. At the end of the school day, teachers bring their class to the designated area (check with the class teacher each year) for dismissal. The teacher then directs the remaining students to TASK, Kiss & Go or After School Activities etc. TASK educators collect Kindergarten students directly from their classroom. Students in other year groups proceed directly to their TASK meeting location or other activities. If parents are running late for any reason, they should phone the school as soon as possible so that emergency arrangements can be made.

Kiss & Go Zone

How do Kiss & Go Zones work?

In the morning, drive in, drop off and drive off. In the afternoon, drive in, pick up and drive off. When children are not there ready for pick up, drivers go around the block so that traffic can continue flowing through the zone. Whilst in the zone, drivers must remain with their vehicles. The maximum time a vehicle is permitted to stand in the zone is 2 minutes. The penalty for breaching these rules is significant and attracts a fine exceeding $187 and 2 demerit points.

The Kiss & Go Zone

Holt St exit, near the Library.

• Drop off: 8:30 am ‐ 8:55 am
• Pick up: 3:00 pm ‐ 3:10 pm

Families wishing to use the Kiss & Go service first need to register here.

After school activities

There are a great range of after school activities available at school. Those on offer vary from year to year, depending on interest and availability of personnel. In recent years, they have included drama classes, tennis coaching, computer coding, art classes, chess coaching and music tutoring. Parents arrange for their children to participate directly with the personnel who provide the service. There is a cost involved and parents pay the service providers directly.

Visit our Student opportunities and activities page for further information.

Out of School Hours Care (OOSH)

We have Before School Care, After School Care and Holiday Care at Stanmore Public School.

OOSH services at Stanmore Public School are provided by TASK (The After School Klub). TASK operates OOSH services from 7:00 am until 6:00 pm, and vacation care during school holidays.

For more information and to enrol your child, visit task-kids.com.au or email enrol@task-kids.com.au.

Visit our Outside of school hours care page for further information.

Transport

The School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) gives eligible students free or subsidised travel between home and school, on the approved train, bus or ferry services. A School Opal Card is provided to eligible students. There is no minimum distance for students in Years K‐2 but, for students in Years 3‐6, there is a minimum distance requirement of 1.6 km straight line distance or 2.3km walking distance between home and school.

Parents are required to complete an application online at transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/ticket-eligibility-concessions/school-student-travel.

Communication with teachers

Your child’s class teacher should be your first point of contact if you need information about your child’s learning or wellbeing. Email is a good way to get in touch with your child’s teacher, to ask a question, or schedule a phone call or meeting. If you do not have their email address, please send your email to the school address and we will pass your message on, or submit a Teacher Meeting Request form through the Online Forms section of the school website.

Parent-teacher interviews

Formal parent-teacher interviews are scheduled for the end of Term 1, and can be arranged by parent request at any other time during the year as needed.

Meet the Teacher evening

At the start of each school year, parents are invited to attend a Meet the Teacher event, where class teachers give a brief presentation for parents, and answer any questions they may have.

SNIP - Stanmore News In Print

The school newsletter, SNIP is sent out every Friday via email. The school’s email distribution list is also used to send out other important messages and information at times.

Please ensure you have subscribed to the SNIP and school emails via our website.

Emails

Email is the preferred mode for non-urgent communications as we have limited administrative staff to receive phone calls. The school email address is stanmore-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au.

Seesaw

Seesaw is an app where students and teachers post photos and videos showing students’ work and learning, and parents can view their child’s work and easily make contact with the class teacher.

Facebook

The school and the P&C operate a joint Facebook account, which is regularly updated with news, photos and links.

Lost property

Lost property is collected and stored on the verandah next to the Out of School Hours Care building, near the Cavendish St driveway gate. Parent volunteers assist with sorting and re-distributing lost property. Please ensure all hats, jumpers, drink bottles and lunches are clearly labelled with the child’s full name.

Parents and Citizens Association (P&C)

Stanmore Public School is fortunate to have a highly engaged and supportive parent community, and the P&C Association is an integral part of the school.

The P&C supports the school in a number of ways. Monthly P&C meetings are a key forum for information and consultation between the school and parents and community members.

The P&C organises community events and celebrations to engage the community and develop links between families, and to raise valuable funds to support school resourcing and programs.

The Stanmore Public School P&C Association meets at 7:00 pm on the third Tuesday of every month. All are welcome to attend meetings, yearly membership fees cost $5.

Visit P&C website for further information.