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Reducing traffic chaos!
If your school suffers from traffic congestion and questionable driver behaviour, but you don't know how to reach parents, some new resources from Transport Canberra may help. The Active Travel Toolkit supports P&Cs and schools wishing to promote active travel, road safety and safe driving behaviours around schools.
The resources include brochures, posters, videos, fact sheets, and quirky cartoon images to promote safe conduct and travel. P&Cs are free to share them as they wish - for example via social media, email or in newsletters.
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Photo competition
Entries for our P&C photo competition have been rather slow - don't miss the chance to win CASH for your P&C!
We would LOVE to see what your P&C does at your school. It could simply be your next meeting, some food from your canteen, a happy customer at your uniform shop - the options are endless! Feel free to share the graphic below with your school community - any parent can submit an image and then your P&C can win a great prize!
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Re-inventing the P&C
We've been looking at how parent associations might work in the future - different business models which could be adopted - as some P&Cs start to struggle with volunteers and regulatory requirements. We've come up with some options and have been taking your feedback on them (it's not too late to provide your views via a short survey).
All this will provide an excellent starting point to what we hope is a lively and useful discussion of the options and best way forward that will take centre stage at our Business Model Forum. Everyone is welcome to come and contribute to this important discussion about the future of our parent associations. It's on Tuesday 25 September at the Centre for Teaching and Learning in Stirling.
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Policy Conference
Our next meeting will also include our annual Policy Conference. OK, so it is hard to make that sound exciting, but it IS important!
Each year our Policy Conference is a chance to keep Council policy up to date as a true reflection of the views of our members so that it can guide our activities in representing you to Government and in the media.
This year, four new policies are up for consideration covering inclusive education, cultural integrity, managing violence, and school capacity and facilities. There is more information here and your feedback to Council's Policy Officer, Veronica Elliott, is most welcome. All be discussed at the Policy Conference - Tuesday 25 September at the Centre for Teaching and Learning in Stirling, 6:45 for 7pm.
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Schools for All focus group
Following the 2015 Schools for All report and subsequent implementation of recommendations, the Education Directorate (EDU) is evaluating the process and outcomes of the project. As part of this, focus groups are being run with parents to discuss perceptions of safety, learning and fun at schools, particularly for students with complex needs. Council has arranged for an EDU-run focus group to be held at 7pm on Wednesday 5 September at the Centre for Teaching and Learning in Stirling (NOTE the change of venue). Any parents wishing to take part can contact Terry (6241 5759).
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... from suspensions to asbestos
Several topics have kept our office busy over the last few weeks. Council has provided feedback to the Directorate on changes to their Suspensions Policy, which we see as largely positive. We have also been working with the P&C at Harrison school on the worrying discovery of asbestos-containing material in garden beds at the school. We are calling on the Directorate to investigate how the material got there and whether it has been used elsewhere in the ACT, as well as how timely and appropriate their response was. We are also stressing the need for excellent communication with parents.
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Tuggeranong
We had a fabulous meeting in Tuggeranong last week - many thanks to all who came and shared their views. Our job is now to represent what we heard to the ACT Government. We have already had discussions about policing of illegal and dangerous parking and will be following up on other areas in due course.
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Early Learning
The first ever meeting of our new Early Learning Committee is on next week and all parents interested in early childhood education are invited to take part. It's on Wednesday 12 September, 7pm - 8:30pm at Maitland House, 100 Maitland Street, Hackett. You can take a look at the agenda here.
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New staff
We are delighted to introduce two new faces in the Council office. Melissa Lee is our new Administrative Assistant, keeping the office running smoothly. We also welcome our Early Learning Officer - Marina Spurgin - who will focus on advocacy for our early childhood members and promote preschool and early years learning.
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Upcoming events
- Executive Meeting, Tuesday 11 September. 7pm start
- Early Learning Committee - inaugural meeting. Wednesday 12 September, 7pm - 8:30pm at Maitland House, 100 Maitland Street, Hackett.
- Our annual Policy Conference, along with a Forum to discuss alternative P&C Business Models (see above). 6:45 for 7pm start. Ends 9:30pm. 51 Fremantle Drive, Stirling. All welcome.
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You might be interested...
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Restrictive practices Senior Practitioner
The newly appointed ACT Senior Practitioner, in partnership with the ACT Human Rights Commission, is presenting a series of information sessions for disability, education and out-of-home care providers. Attendees will have opportunity to hear more about the role of the Senior Practitioner and whole-of-government approach to reducing and eliminating restrictive practices, and reporting requirements. The sessions will be held throughout September and are free of charge, but bookings are required.
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Protective behaviours training
Nell O’Connor, Director of Healthy Relationships Training is offering free 30 minute information sessions for parents on protective behaviours. This may be of interest to P&Cs who run Parent Forums at their schools.
Nell is a qualified Teacher and Social Worker and is currently practicing as a Family and Child Therapist. She regularly provides consultation and targeted therapeutic interventions to reduce and manage problem sexualized behaviours in children. When children learn about protective behaviours, they are empowered to recognise situations in which their personal space and sense of safety may be compromised. This session would be helpful for parents of children aged between 4 and 12 years. The session focuses on everyday situations. Please contact Nell at nell@healthyrt.com.au or phone 0410 636 318 to book a time/request further information.
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Pass it on!
We strive to provide information of interest to all school parents in the Council Communicator. If you think any of the items above are of interest to parents at your school, please pass them on via your school newsletter or whatever other means you wish. We would be grateful if you would share our school traffic survey, in particular.
We now have a template page for school newsletters to make it easier for you to cut and paste items to submit to your school newsletter under the P&C Council banner if you wish to share the information with your school community.
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Teaching awards
Fabulous teachers are well worth recognising and you can nominate a great teacher for a Commonwealth Bank Teaching Award until September 27. Twelve outstanding teachers and school leaders will receive a $45,000 Teaching Fellowship including support for professional development and a $30,000 school project to improve student outcomes.
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