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Council membership: connecting you.
At Council, we put you — our members — at the centre of everything we do. We connect you with the tools and skills you need to lead your P&C; connect you, through our representative work, with decision-makers in government; and connect you with each other! Find out more, and what members say about us!
We think this makes us great value for money to your P&C. But we know your P&C funds are precious, so we keep our membership fees as low as possible. At the request of one of our member P&Cs, our fee structure will be up for discussion at our next General Meeting (August 24 - see below). If you have comments or concerns, we’d love to see you there.
We have sent out invoices for our 2021 membership fees to P&C treasurers, for payment by the end of August. Thanks to those who have already paid.
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Free Cultural integrity workshops for P&C members
Places in this Cultural Integrity Workshop have been provided for P&Cs members by the Education Directorate. Children are welcome with an accompanying parent or carer.
Children’s literature, picture books and young adult fiction
There has been an explosion in publishing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers. Come and learn about the many books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and illustrators that are widely used in ACT public schools.
It's on Thursday 2 September,3:30-5:30pm at the Centre for Teaching and Learning in Stirling.
To register email: EDUindigenoused@act.gov.au or Mark.Bishop@act.gov.au
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School enrolments and planning in your region
At Council's June General Meeting, Deb Efthymiades, Deputy director General at the Education Directorate, gave an overview of their capacity and enrolment planning procedures. Many questions on specific concerns for particular schools followed! In response to this, Deb generously offered to attend more specific information sessions on particular regions in Canberra for principals and P&Cs. A session has already been run for the Inner North, and one is being planned for Gungahlin (details to follow to Gungahlin P&Cs). If your P&C would like to arrange a session for your part of town, please let Terry know.
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Share your story - parent engagement grants
When the ACT Government offered grants for parent engagement, our P&Cs sure responded! And the list of projects you are undertaking with the grants is impressive. We'd love to hear how your project went (or is going!) and share your successes with other P&Cs so that we can all learn together. If you are pleased with how your project is going, please drop us a line - we'd love to come out and take a look. Contact Janelle, our communications officer.
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New ACT CDS teaching resources
 The ACT Container Deposit Scheme (ACT CDS) is proud to partner with ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations to promote new - and Free! - teaching resources on sustainability, recycling and the ACT CDS for Early Learning through to Year 6. Get your school involved!
Find out more and download the resources!
Or teachers can attend a free event to collect the teaching resources, play some games and see the science of recycling in action.
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Canteens: Food safety supervisor course
All canteens require a staff member to have completed this training to ensure they can supervise and oversee day to day operations to prevent and recognise food safety hazards. The Nutrition Support Service is running the $250 course on Monday August 30 in Chifley.
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Transition to school parent forum - please share!
 In collaboration with the Education Directorate, Council is running a Transition to School webinar for parents on September 16. Parents and carers of children transitioning to school or preschool in 2022 are invited to hear about early education transitions and what the research tells us, important ways to prepare and support children, and understanding the school-family partnership.
Speakers:
Dr Kathryn Hopps, Adjunct Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University; Be You Consultant, Early Childhood Australia
Michele Foley and Linda Francis, ACT Education Directorate
Marina Spurgin, ACT Council of P&C Associations
Can you help us spread the word to parents of next year's preschoolers and kindy kids with this poster? Thanks!
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Join us for our August General Meeting!
Council's next General Meeting is on Tuesday 24 August at 7pm.
We will hear from the Education Directorate's (EDU) Paul Short (Executive Branch Manager, Communications, Engagement & Government Support) who will discuss their development of guidelines and protocols for schools to manage their social media and how this might also be used by P&Cs.
Also up for discussion: Council's membership fee formula, and school book fairs. Plus we will hear updates from recent Minister and EDU meetings, the launch of the Relationships & Sexuality Education Alliance (of which Council is part), and Council's strategic planning. And - there's still room for issues from your P&C!
Register for the meeting, and you'll receive a confirmation email containing everything you need to join us on Zoom..
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 2021 Volunteering awards
Nominations are now open for the 2021 Volunteering awards for the Canberra Region. Nominate a volunteer or team of volunteers today!
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Vaping fact sheets - please share
In response to requests from schools Lung Foundation Australia has produced information sheets for young people, parents and schools on vaping and its dangers for young people.
The results of research commissioned by Lung Foundation Australia is concerning. Of 52 flavoured e-liquids for sale over the counter in Australia
- ALL had incomplete or an inaccurate ingredient list
- ALL e-liquids contained chemicals which have unknown effects on respiratory health (from 1-19 different chemicals)
- 21% contained nicotine (although it is illegal to sell e-liquids containing nicotine in Australia)
- 62% contained chemicals likely to be toxic if vaped repeatedly. Toxicity increases through the vaping process.
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Webinar: career planning for autistic young people - please share
 Career planning and transition for autistic young people is a 60 minute live and interactive webinar from myfuture. Presenters, Associate Professor Marina Ciccarelli, Cheryl Mangan, and Brendan James will provide information for parents about:
- The Better OutcOmes and Successful Transitions for Autism (BOOST-A) research;
- The role of parents and supporters in youth focused, strengths-based career planning; and
- How myWAY Employability career planner can support autistic young people to build a customised profile and goals to plan for future career pathways.
Based on six years of research, myWAY Employability is a smart web platform that helps autistic individuals plan and prepare for working life. Autistic individuals co-produced content, design, and usability of the website. myWAY Employability matches an individual’s interests and strengths to relevant careers and pathways. It encourages users to create big dreams, and smaller goals and tasks to track progress. Register now.
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