It’s that time of year for most P&Cs – time for the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Council has online resources to help you prepare for, and run, your meeting:

Getting new parents involved in your P&C is vital, especially at this time of year when new committees are being formed. Check out our Information Sheet on Growing your P&C for advice. We also have template letters and brochure which you can adapt to introduce parents at your school to the wonders of your P&C - see 'Promoting your P&C' on our P&C Resources page.

If your role on the P&C is ending, it is important to equip your successor with the tools they need for the job. It will greatly improve the way your P&C runs if there are good handover notes. See our sample handover notes for Presidents and Secretaries to adapt to suit your school. We also have an Information Sheet on handing over well.

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The Education Directorate's policy on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has meant that many schools now recommend students bring their own personal electronic devices (iPods, laptops) to school everyday (in some cases, it is stated as compulsory).

Council would like feedback from parents about this. What do you think of this practice? What issues, difficulties or concerns do you have? Please email us with your feedback and we will pass it on to the Directorate.

Council, along with a number of other organisations, this week called upon the ACT Government to honour their commitment to increase the number of school psychologists, as recommended by the Expert Panel On Students With Complex Needs and Challenging Behaviours.

The federal Labor party last week committed to delivering the last two years of Gonski needs-based school funding –  the time when the biggest funding increases are due to be delivered (2018-2019). This is a very welcome announcement!

Now is the time to step up the campaign to secure bipartisan support for the delivery of this vital funding. Under the Coalition Government’s policy, needs-based funding will be scrapped after next year. The 'I Give A Gonski' campaign is running a petition to call on Malcolm Turnbull to deliver the full Gonski. Council urges parents to sign, and to share, the petition.

ACSSO, Council's federal counterpart (representing public school parents nationally) is preparing for the upcoming federal election. They are urging parents to let them know your top education issues so ACSSO can present the widest possible views to the major parties.
 

Diabetes ACT is running a School Lunch Box Supermarket Tour to show parents how to decipher nutritional panels and choose healthier options when shopping for school lunches. The tour is for anyone interested in healthy eating as well as parents of children with diabetes. It is on at Westfield Woden on Tuesday February 9 from 10am and is free for Diabetes ACT Members, $20 for non-members. The cost covers resources supplied on the day.