Last week the ACT Chief Minister announced the phase-out of sugary drinks at schools, to be replaced by water re-fill stations in all schools. Vending machines will go by the end of the term and canteens will have to comply by the end of the year. Only drinks designated "red" under the traffic-light system are affected, so flavoured milks and small-serves of pure fruit juice are still permitted.

Note that the ban does not extend to school fetes and P&C-run fundraising events. Principals will be working with P&Cs and canteens to comply. This FAQ provides more details.

School NAPLAN results for 2013 will be available on the government’s MySchool website from March 6. This can cause concerns for parents, especially when newspapers create school rankings based on data from the website. Ranking schools using just one measure in this way can be very misleading.

To counter this, we need your help in distributing an information sheet to parents about the limitations of presenting school results like this. Perhaps you could distribute the above link to your school community, or use your school newsletter to spread the message. The information sheet was produced by the Education Directorate in conjunction with Council and representatives from the private school sector. 

Clean Up Australia Day is on again this year, on Sunday March 2, with the national day for cleaning up schools scheduled for Friday (February 28). Visit their website to register your school and also read about the Green Kids Award and Youth Against Rubbish Competition. There are great prizes on offer.

A comprehensive new website is now available to help people of all ages make career decisions, plan career pathways and manage work transitions. The myfuture site also includes a specific section for parents assisting their children with career questions.

Council is now using Facebook and Twitter to keep parents informed about changes in education, our activities, and other matters which affect schools. It is also your chance to have your say, so join us now, using the links below.