NEWSLETTER
~ ՊԱՐԲԵՐԱԹԵՐԹ ~
2021 | Issue 2 - 8 February / Փետրուար
From the Principal
Dear Parents,
Parent Information Evening
Our Parent Information Evening will be held on Monday, 15th February at 7.00pm. Based on current NSW Health advice and restrictions, the evening will only allow parents of Preparatory (Prep) and Kindergarten the opportunity to access the school grounds. While restrictions are being eased around the State, according to the guidelines “meetings conducted indoors for schools in Greater Sydney remain limited to 30 people”. As a result, families of students in Years 1-6 will be contacted by the classroom teachers to provide the parents an understanding of the class arrangements and inform what has been programmed to be taught in their classroom and school this year.
We expect to see Prep & K families only represented during the evening. This is the opportunity that our new parents and families will have to find out exactly what is happening on a day to day basis in their child’s classroom and what our expectations are of students and parents. Parents will also be briefed and updated on some of the major programs in place and will hear about the various ways they can contribute to the school community. This briefing, which is generally conducted as a combined session, will also be made available to all parents as a video link. The education of children is a huge task. We all need to pitch in and play a supporting role - teachers supporting parents, parents supporting teachers, the school Board and school programs.
Please be reminded that this is not a time to talk about your child’s progress specifically. By all means, make an appointment to meet your child’s teacher if you need to do so. Teachers will also brief and update parents on occasions. Children who attend the evening because there is no one else at home are to remain under the supervision of their parents and not go out to play in the playground.
Fencing Project - Final Stage Completed!
I am pleased to report that the third and final stage of the Fencing Project was completed last week. This involved the installation of automated security gates with intercom, to augment the school's general level of security. As a result, the gates will open at 8.30am and remain open for an hour, to allow access for the morning buses and the parents who drive their children to school. The same will be repeated from 2.45pm, until the departure of the last bus in the afternoon. All visitors outside of these times, who need to gain access to the school grounds will be required to contact the office for authorisation. The intercom panel to communicate with the office is located at the top gate, near the flag poles. This will be the main entrance, while the bottom gate will only be used to exit the school grounds. We hope to install the required signage on the gate and driveway to clarify this process.
On behalf of the teachers, students and parents, I would like to thank the School Board for supporting this project and making the security and safety of our school community a priority.
Manoug Demirjian
Security Fencing & Automated Gate
(Scroll for more!)
Healthy Snacks & Good Times!
(Scroll for more!)
School Policy Documents
AGBU Alexander Primary School's Policy Documents are made available to parents on request from the School Office. In addition, the policies that are relevant to parents are also Shared in a folder with an email link. These documents can also be accessed from the Home menu of the School Stream App.
School Discipline Policy - Parent Handout
Parents should read this document carefully to familiarise themselves with the strategies implemented at AGBU Alexander Primary School to encourage positive attitude and behaviour.
The school has expectations of its students to maintain standards which will promote personal achievement and school pride. It is the tone of our school to be positive, encouraging and motivational. Children need this same encouragement from parents in order to succeed. Students achieve highest when parents take an active interest and role in their education and school life.
School Standards on Homework:
Read More...
It is expected that students will complete set tasks to the best of their ability - untidy work will not be accepted.
Parents should check each set of homework to make sure its completed at the accepted standard.
Homework should be made a priority when students arrive home of an afternoon. However, teachers understand that students may have extra-curricular after school activities. If homework is unable to be completed, please write a note to the teacher stating reason.
If your child has difficulty with set homework, please advise your child’s teacher in writing the following day. If the situation persists, please make an appointment to meet with your child’s teacher.
School Standards on Uniform:
Read More...
Students are expected to wear correct uniform at all times.
Students wearing incorrect uniform (any part) should provide a note to the class teacher stating reason.
Students in Years 3-6 can bring sports shoes to school for fitness and play. Students are allowed to leave a second pair of sports shoes at school to change into for their fitness sessions.
Students must have school hats at school daily. “NO HAT, NO PLAY”
Jewellery, nail polish and make-up not permitted. Only one pair, plain stud / sleeper earrings permitted.
Random uniform checks are conducted and students receive House points for correct uniform standards.
Students who lose an article of uniform (eg hat or jumper) will have a week’s grace after which time the article must be replaced.
Students who repeatedly forget sports shoes / hats will have records of misbehaviour sent home.
Birthday of the Week
Happy Birthday to…
Vardan S.
Student Lunchboxes
We are generally very happy with the contents of our students’ lunchboxes. Our school would rate fairly well with all the attention given to ensure school lunchboxes contain mostly foods with good nutritional value. Whilst children may complain about lack of variety, try being inventive with the way you serve foods. Please continue to help us with this school program - keep up with the practice of providing low-fat, low-salt, low-sugar foods.
Fruit size can make all the difference between “fruit eaten” and “fruit wasted”. Please buy small sized fruit for small mouths to chomp around, otherwise send cut fruit to school. Many of the younger children (P-2) could be wasting good fruit because it is just too hard to eat.
Please select to Read More...
THE SCHOOL LUNCH BOX
Parents are instrumental in the success of our school’s healthy food program as providers of good, nutrition-filled lunch boxes. To help parents with the confusing task of deciding on suitable snack foods, below is a list of what we consider to be appropriate.
ONE ONLY - Snack Food which includes any one of the following: baked biscuits or snacks such as BBQ shapes; yoghurt or other dairy dessert such as Yogo or Petite Miam; slice of plain cake, fruit muffin or fruit toast; fruit straps/bars; breakfast/muesli bars, plain pop corn.
SNACKS WHICH DO NOT QUALIFY: All chips, roll-ups, LCM’s, chocolate muffins, cream biscuits and wafers.
UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF - Fresh Fruit & Vegetables … fruit bars and fruit yoghurt are no replacement for fresh fruit.
AT LEAST ONE SERVE OF - Bread … sandwiches
Sandwiches are the most ideal lunch food but we do understand that children need some variety and often have home-cooked meals to replace sandwiches.
SUITABLE LUNCH DRINKS FOR SCHOOL - fruit juice, milk, water.
Armenian Student Fund
The Armenian Student Fund program continues this year at AGBU Alexander Primary School and we hope to raise enough money to continue sponsoring two children in Armenia. We know our small effort makes a real difference to these families in need.
Read More...
This service was initiated in our school program in 1994. Today, Alexander school students continue to sponsor two young Armenians - Arpine Nersissian & Garik Kasbaryan through the Armenian Apostolic Church child sponsorship program.
How do we raise money for this program?
Students are requested to make a regular donation of a silver or gold coin each week. It is a good idea to have the children donate money from weekly pocket money or earnings regardless how small the donation. The learning experience to share and give selflessly, is a valuable one.
Collection is taken during Recess on Thursdays and students earn points for their House Teams. A weekly report on collections is given during the weekly Assemble and in the Newsletter.
Scholastic Book Club
Scholastic Book Clubs - bringing children and books together.
Read More...
Books are a very important part of children’s growth and development, and research suggests that the ability to read is critical to independence, success and personal fulfilment. It is said that, kids who read succeed!
Scholastic Book Clubs offer a good variety of age-appropriate books from Australia and the world at prices below recommended retail prices. Students purchasing from Book Clubs also help in earning Reading Reward Points for our school. These points are used to redeem valuable learning resources for the library and classrooms.
Pamphlets will be sent home regularly throughout the year, with 8 issues all in all.
All book club orders must be placed using the order form in the pamphlet. Money and completed order form (including your child’s name) should be placed in an envelope clearly marked “BOOK CLUB ORDER”. Students should place envelopes in the communication folder for collection to the school Office.
Donations to Alexander School
In Memoriam for the Late Burge Bubian
Mr & Mrs Varouj and Sona Tchetchenian - $100
Mrs Mary Tchetchenian - $100
Mr & Mrs Hovhaness & Mary Kouyoumdjian - $50
Mrs Seta Khatchadourian - $50
Mr Matt Panzera - $50
Mr Ara Zilifian - $50
Mr Edgar Francis - $50
Mr Artak Giulambarian - $20
Mr & Mrs S & Z Babian - $10
On behalf of the AGBU Alexander Primary School Board, executive, teachers and parents, we pass on our sincere condolences to Mr & Mrs Hovig and Rita Tchetchenian on the sad and sudden passing of their loving father, father-in-law and grandfather.
May his soul Rest in Peace
Dates to Remember
10/02/21 Sports Day - Gymnastics
11/02/21 The Feast of St Vartan
Years 5 & 6 @ Church to take part in the Divine Liturgy
15/02/21 Parent Information Evening
Prep / K parents only at school
30/03/21 Life Education Van Visit (Healthy Harold)
Standard Collection Notice
Read More...
The School collects personal information, including sensitive information about pupils and parents or guardians before and during the course of a pupil’s enrolment at the School. This may be in writing or in the course of conversations. The primary purpose of collecting this information is to enable the School to provide schooling to the pupil and to enable them to take part in all the activities of the School.
Some of the information we collect is to satisfy the School’s legal obligations, particularly to enable the School to discharge its duty of care.
Laws governing or relating to the operation of a school require certain information to be collected and disclosed. These include relevant Education Acts, and Public Health and Child Protection laws.
Health information about pupils is sensitive information within the terms of the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act. We may ask you to provide medical reports about pupils from time to time.
The School from time to time discloses personal and sensitive information to others for administrative and educational purposes, including to facilitate the transfer of a pupil to another school. This includes to other schools, government departments, medical practitioners, and people providing services to the School, including specialist visiting teachers, sports coaches, volunteers and counsellors.
Personal information collected from pupils is regularly disclosed to their parents or guardians.
The School may store personal information in the ‘cloud’ which may mean that it resides on servers which are situated outside Australia.
The School’s Privacy Policy sets out how parents or pupils may seek access to personal information collected about them. However, there will be occasions when access is denied. Such occasions would include where access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, where access may result in a breach of the School’s duty of care to the pupil, or where pupils have provided information in confidence.
The School Privacy Policy also sets out how you may complain about a breach of privacy and how the School will deal with such a complaint.
As you may know the School from time to time engages in fundraising activities. Information received from you may be used to make an appeal to you. It may also be disclosed to organisations that assist in the School’s fundraising activities solely for that purpose. We will not disclose your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes without your consent.
On occasions information such as academic and sporting achievements, pupil activities and similar news is published in School newsletters and magazines, community newspapers and on our website. Photographs of pupil activities such as sporting events, school camps and school excursions may be taken for publication in School newsletters and magazines, website or any other marketing material. Please advise us if you do not wish photos of your child to appear in such publications.
We may include your contact details in a Class List and School Directory.
If you provide the School with the personal information of others, such as doctors or emergency contacts, we encourage you to inform them that you are disclosing that information to the School and why, that they can access that information if they wish and that the School does not usually disclose the information to third parties.
February 2021
SELECT HERE FOR: Community announcements.