All ACT public schools will be closed on Monday April 27. Term two begins on Tuesday April 28. Despite the day not being a public holiday, it is a holiday for ACT public servants, including teachers. ACTION buses will be running a Saturday service only on this day.

The most frequently asked question at Council office at this time of year is 'What if all our P&C executive positions cannot be filled?'  If some positions cannot be filled, they can be left temporarily vacant and filled at a later meeting. If essential positions are not filled, a new meeting (Special General Meeting) should be well advertised. A letter home to parents pointing out the volunteers needed and the school services (eg canteen) put in jeopardy if they are not found will usually be enough to finalise the committee.

The P&C can operate with very minimal volunteers if needed. For example, as long as a volunteer is willing to look after basic bills and pay the insurance, services may be able to remain open. The hope is that in the following year, more volunteers will be forthcoming.  Contact our office if the problem persists! 

The Education and Training Directorate is proposing a uniform approach to student report cards across the ACT public school system in a bid to provide more consistent information to parents. They would like to hear from parents on what information about student performance you value and how you would like to see it presented in school reports. The online survey will be available later this week.

A new investigation by Jo Gardner of the Healthy Kids Association into school canteens is looking for the best business models for canteens in the ACT. Read more about the project here. Jo will be in Canberra next Wednesday, Thursday & Friday (April 8 - 10).  Contact her if you would like to meet and discuss the issues around operating a canteen in the ACT.

A fabulous range of information about running canteens - from menus to occupational health and safety - are now available from 'FOCiS', an organisation looking after school canteens nationally. The fact sheets were developed by the former ACT School Canteen Association. To access the information, click on the 'ACT login' at the bottom of the FOCiS website and use the username ACTSCA and password mycanteen.

A minor update to ACTION bus services will take effect from May 18. Some school buses and routes near schools will be updated with amended schedules (small timing changes). ACTION will inform all schools of changes likely to affect their students and advise all bus travellers to check timetables in May.

The Asia Education Foundation is surveying parents on their attitudes towards learning Asian languages. If you are a parent with a child studying an Asian language at school in Australia, you can help by completing the short survey.

New grants up to $1,000 are available to help people with disabilities, their families and carers prepare for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS Community Participation Grants can go towards the cost of attending events or activities related to the NDIS, or services that can help people develop their life goals, recovery goals or future plans.

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