Parents

Term Dates 2024

Term dates and public holidays outlined below.

Term 1 — 29th January (Year 1 – 6 students start 30th January) –  28th March
Term 2 — 15th April – 28 June
Term 3 — 15 July – 20 September
Term 4 — 7 October –  20 December

Public Holidays 2023

New Year’s Day — 1st January
Australia Day Public Holiday—   26th January
Labour Day —  11th March
Good Friday—  29th March
Easter Monday —  1st April
ANZAC Day —  25th April
King’s Birthday —  10th June

AFL Grand Final Parade — 27th September

Friday before the AFL Grand Final — 27th September

Melbourne Cup Day — 5th November

Christmas Day —  25th December
Boxing Day —  26th December

School Hours

Hours of Supervision

8.45am – 3.30pm

1st Morning Session
9.00am – 11.00am

Morning Recess
11.00am – 11.30am

Fruit Break
12.30pm – 12.35pm

Lunch
Eating in class: 1.30pm – 1.40pm
Playing outside: 1.40pm – 2.15pm

Afternoon Session
2.15pm – 3.15pm

Dismissal Time
3.15pm

Uniform

Uniform: State School Relief

Wearing the Mossgiel Park Primary School uniform promotes a sense of individual and community pride. It has the potential to encourage group security, and can enhance the personal safety of our students.

Aims

  • To promote equality amongst all students
  • To further develop a sense of pride in, and identification with, our school
  • To eliminate peer group pressure to wear less appropriate clothing to school
  • To provide durable clothing that is cost effective and practical for our school environment
  • To maintain and enhance the positive image of the school in our community

Implementation

  • After consultation with the school community, School Council has developed a dress code that we believe provides choice for students, facilitates their safe engagement in school activities, and is cost-effective;
  • The dress code applies during school hours, while travelling to and from school, and when students are on school excursions;
  • Families will be advised of the school dress code upon enrolment through the information booklet and enrolment pack;
  • Summer and winter uniforms, as well as sports uniforms, will be prescribed and required to be worn;
  • All students and staff are required to wear hats that protect the face, neck and ears. Students are required to wear a blue broad-brimmed or bucket style hat. Hats are compulsory and must be worn for all outdoor activities from mid-August until the end of April. Baseball caps or peak visors are not considered a suitable alternative;
  • Shoes must be closed in (laced up shoes are preferred). School shoes, sports shoes and closed in sandals are acceptable;
  • Hair longer than shoulder-length should be neatly groomed and tied back. Hair accessories should be simple and unobtrusive;
  • Make-up and unnatural hair colours are deemed unsuitable. Extreme hair colours (eg: green, pink or purple rinses) and/or extreme hairstyles (e.g.: spikes or mohawks) are not permitted;
  • Jewellery of a religious nature may be worn. It should be unobtrusive. Students are responsible for removing jewellery prior to outdoor activities and sport;
  • Fingernails should be kept short and clean. Clear nail polish is acceptable;
  • Stud earrings and sleepers worn in the ears, plus watches are the only acceptable jewellery;
  • Students attending sporting events, camps and excursions or representing the school must conform to all student uniform requirements;
  • All clothing must be in the colours of the school. Clothing identified by the school logo is considered desirable but is not compulsory;
  • In recognition of their role, a maroon-coloured “Year 6 windcheater” may be worn by students in Year 6;
  • Written notification from a parent is required when a student is unable to conform with the student uniform policy. A uniform pass must be obtained from the class teacher. Sanctions apply for students out of uniform without written notification from a parent;
  • Exemptions may be granted at the discretion of the Principal where aspects of the student uniform policy may create hardship for a student due to religious beliefs, ethnic or cultural background, student disability or health conditions. Parents seeking exemptions to the Dress Code Policy for any of these reasons must apply in writing to the Principal;
  • Complaints or concerns regarding the school dress code should be addressed in writing to the Principal. For further information please see the school’s Complaint Resolution Policy;
  • All uniform items should be clearly named. If unnamed items are left in lost property for over two weeks they will then become property of the school’s second-hand store;
  • The school will endeavour to provide affordable uniform items for sale in the school shop. Any changes in suppliers will be made in consultation with families and School Council; and
  • The school will work with families suffering financial hardship to ensure that students have adequate uniform items to wear.

Guidelines

All Students

  • Light blue polo shirt – long or short sleeve
  • School t-shirt
  • School windcheater, hooded windcheater or bomber jacket
  • Navy track pants
  • Navy shorts
  • Blue bucket or broad-brimmed style hat.
  • White, blue or grey socks

Additional Options for Girls

  • Polo & windcheater
  • Navy skort
  • Navy boot leg pants
  • Blue and white check dress (summer)

Sports Uniform

  • School t-shirt
  • Navy track pants
  • Navy shorts
  • Navy netball skirt or skort (girls)
  • Senior sports shirt (Year 5&6)

Year 6

  • Polo & windcheater

Notes

  • Denim clothing is not acceptable.
  • Leggings are unsuitable to be worn as track pants or boot leg pants.
  • If, due to religious beliefs, additional clothing is required (e.g. hijab, leggings), navy, light blue or white clothing is acceptable.
  • Clothes should not have coloured, exterior stitching.
  • School logos are the only logos to be worn.
  • Sports uniform may only be worn on the day of Physical Education and/or Sport
  • Thongs, back-less, high heeled or platform shoes, boots and gumboots are not acceptable.

Non-compliance with the Uniform Policy will result in loss of privileges, detention and non-attendance at activities outside the school.

Evaluation

The Student Uniform Policy has been developed to ensure that students attending Mossgiel Park Primary School identify with, and develop a sense of pride in, our school. Personal health and safety, practicality, and cost have been carefully considered. The policy will be reviewed at the discretion of the School Council in consultation with the school Principal, or at least every three years.

Ratification: This policy was last ratified by School Council on the 12th of December 2017 

Attendance

Absenses

If your child is absent from school, you are requested to notify your child’s teacher by Compass or notify the office. If we do not hear from you, you will receive an SMS message by 10.30 saying your child is not at school.

Attendance

Regular attendance helps:

  • Good school work
  • Good social adjustments
  • Development of dependability

Frequent absences are a handicap to a child’s progress. A child’s school year is MOST important: unnecessary absences can hinder progress.

Late Coming

Children should arrive at school between 8.45 – 9.00am. Any later than this places children at risk as school crossings are unsupervised and the streets are relatively deserted. It also causes unnecessary interruption to classes when children constantly arrive late for school. Latecomers should always bring a note to explain the lateness of their arrival.

Sick Children

HOME is the only place for a sick child. Not only is it inadvisable to send a child back to school who is weak as a result of an illness from which they may not have recovered, but it is also unfair to other children and teachers.

School CounciL

What is the School Council?

School Council is a legally formed body that is given powers to set the key directions of the school. It is the major governing body and oversees the school’s operation.

Who is on the School Council?

There are 3 categories of membership:

  • Parent members
  • DEECD employee members
  • Community members

School Council members are elected for a two year term.

What is the role of a School Council Member?

  • Parent members bring expertise and views to council on behalf of the whole school community
  • DEECD members bring educational expertise and views to council on behalf of the school community
  • Community representatives tend to bring individual expertise to assist council in specific decisions

Could I do the job?

You need to be keen but you don’t need to be an expert. School Councils work best when they have people from a variety of different backgrounds. You need to be able to work in a team and you do need to be prepared to commit the time to attend meetings and to ensure the work of the council gets done.

Our School Council

Our School Council has 11 members; eight parent members, four elected DEECD employees, one community member and the School Principal who acts as the Executive Officer.

Our School Council members are:

  • President:  Pete Smith
  • Vice President:  Luke Garcia
  • Treasurer:  Steve Calderone
  • Secretary: Lynette Pentland

Members:

  • Lynn Ordish – Principal
  • Lynette Pentland – Assistant Principal
  • Kate Hardy – PLC Leader and Learning Specialist
  • Julie Carter – Visual Arts Teacher
  • Hayley Thompson
  • Brian Hurley
  • Svetlana Collier
  • Jo Kitch