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Catholic Primary School
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The School Board
The School Board is the body responsible under the guidance of the Principal for the financial management of the school, for improvements and financial planning. The Board comprises the Parish Priest, the Principal, a representative from the Parish Council, a representative of the Parents & Friends Association and a minimum of four and maximum of six other elected persons. Parents and Friends Association The Parents and Friends Association fosters community interest in education and promotes closer liaison between school and community and assists with school amenities through fundraising. Meetings are held monthly and are advertised in the school newsletter. The P & F regularly communicates with the community through its own newsletter. New arrivals are always made welcome. Parents are encouraged to form friendships and share the workload. Starcap Canteen The school canteen is run by an accredited mangeress. It is the aim of the school canteen to provide a balanced and nutritious lunch for the children. All food and drinks available will be presented in a manner to encourage good healthy eating habits. Educationalists are aware of the necessity for good nutrition and eating habits and the school canteen supports and promotes this aim as much as possible. The successful operation of the canteen is due, in a large way, to the many parents who have volunteered to give their time in helping on a rostered basis. This assistance is important if the Canteen is to offer food at a reasonable price. A call for volunteers will be sent home early in each new school year, along with the current menu. Ordering Lunches Baskets will be provided in each classroom for lunch orders. Lunch orders are to be written on lunch bags rather than sent along in an envelope. Correct money at time of ordering is appreciated. Children who leave lunches at home will be provided with a suitable lunch and a note advising parents will be given to the child concerned to take home. Money for the lunch provided can be forwarded to the Canteen the following Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Late orders - Children will be supplied with whatever is available after orders have been completed. Children's Health The School Nurse A Community Nurse visits Our Lady Star of the Sea on occasion and you will be notified of an impending visit in the newsletter, as to when the nurse will be available to students and to parents to discuss a child's health concerns. The Nurse's main role is to conduct a screening program, commencing in Pre-Primary years and continuing on from services to 4 year olds at the Child Health Clinics. Routine School Health screening is carried out occasionally, and from these screening results, referrals are made, if necessary, to other agencies after discussion with parents. Dental Therapy There is a Dental Therapy Centre located in Esperance. New enrolments are given forms to be completed by parents. Before any treatment occurs, these forms must be returned to the Dental Therapist. All other children are checked regularly at school. If further work is necessary, parents are contacted by note. Clinic hours are 8.15am to 12 noon and 1pm to 4.30pm. Psychologists The School Psychology Service is limited. At the school's request, a School Psychologist visits the school. Support is provided for those children who may have educational, behavioural or emotional problems. Parents wishing to utilise this service should contact their child's teacher or the Principal. NB. A Psychologist also practises in Esperance. Medication Staff may assist children with medication only if a "Medication" form, (available at the office) has been completed and signed. The medication supplied by parents must be clearly labelled with:
Personal Growth and Development Personal growth and development, including puberty and christian sexuality are part of the Health and Wellbeing Curriculum. For senior children some aspects may be treated in conjunction with guidance and input from the school nurse. Notes will be sent home to inform parents when courses occur. If parents have any concerns regarding the course, they are to contact the class teacher or Principal. Library Resource Centre The Local Library Resource Centre and the Library at the Catholic Education Office in Perth serves Our Lady Star of the Sea community by providing a centralised collection of books, audio visual and other resources. These enable teachers to program resource based learning, and the children to develop independent learning skills and literacy through enjoyment of real literature. The Library at Our Lady Star of the Sea is extensive and offers Internet facilities. The children come weekly to the library to select reading materials and for "skill" sessions planned in co-operation with teacher librarians, and class teachers to develop their learning skills. Literacy enhancement lessons are catered for from Pre Primary to Year 3. Because the resource centre is fully automated, students have the opportunity to use a computer in a real life situation. Children are introduced to the automated catalogue and taught skills that enable them to locate material. The details provided through the computerised search terminals supply meaningful information related to each resource - thus, enhancing the efficiency of the Library, and encouraging children to become independent information seekers capable of making informed judgements and decisions about valuable resources. Parents can help by sharing their children's library books with them - either reading with them or by discussion. While the responsibility for regular returning is the child's gentle reminders from home on library day can help. Parents are welcome to borrow from our Parent Reference Section. The Library Centre opens before school and at lunchtime to provide games, recreational reading, films, stories and sometimes computer activities for children. Volunteer library workers, and parents rostered to assist, can make a valuable contribution to keeping our library running well while enjoying an opportunity to work with the children in their learning situation. Watch the newsletter for details. SCHOOL PROGRAMS Pastoral Care and Behaviour Management In keeping with our Catholic school aim of educating the whole child, our Pastoral Care and Behaviour Management policies work together on the basis of developing a sense of Christian self-responsibility and community in the children. Pastoral Care Self-esteem is perhaps the single most important factor in helping a child advance his/her potential. Self-esteem activities are carried out by individual classroom teachers, staff and community at appropriate levels. A permanent component of Our Lady Star of the Sea Pastoral Care program is the "buddy system" whereby junior year levels are teamed with senior year levels in order that a mutual exchange of responsibility and caring is fostered. It is important that children and adults in our community feel known. Buddy groups have been established so that older children in our community take responsibility for the care of our younger members and develop a friendly relationship with them. The underlying philosophy of the pastoral care program is to acknowledge and re-enforce the positive behaviours of the students, whenever possible. Assertive Discipline program Since the school began in 1993, we have reflected on and developed behaviour management policies. As the school has developed and grown in size we have continued to search for better ways to ensure a safe, secure and happy environment which best enables each child to live and grow and learn. We value the dignity of each individual as a child of God and we have sought to reflect this in our behaviour management, which is based on Christ-like values and responsibilities of children, parents and teachers. We take the stance that no child's behaviour will be allowed to interfere with a teacher's right to teach or a child's right to learn. In particular, we believe that students who demonstrate good behaviour should be rewarded and that students who break rules should receive negative consequences; therefore, the support of parents is important in effective behaviour management; and that staff should provide a positive, caring and consistent environment within their classroom and the school. In each classroom the teacher establishes their classroom behaviour management plan early in the year and ensures that students and parents are aware of the simple rules established to promote academic and social development in the classroom. The progressive stages in positive and negative consequences are clearly posted in the classroom. Details of all year levels' behaviour management are also sent home to parents at the beginning of each school year. Parents are asked to discuss the plans and sign their support for the plan in place. SCHOOL PROGRAMS C.A.R.E. Care And Respect Everyone General School Rules
Lower and Upper Areas
Before and After School
Playing Areas
Canteen
Parents will be contacted if children's behaviour is unacceptable. Children may take home an "Unsatisfactory Behaviour" note to inform their parents, and parents will be phoned if a child's lack of co-operation continues. At this stage in the plan, it is essential that in partnership with the school, parents discuss with their children the need for them to make the right choices and accept the consequences of their actions, to devise ways to help children co-operate, and to monitor their progress. GENERAL INFORMATION Our Lady Star of the Sea is an accredited Starcap School (Canteen) Students at the school enjoy :
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