Draft ARANDA PRIMARY SCHOOL Communication Policy 2011
ARANDA PRIMARY SCHOOL COMMUNICATION POLICY We all want a strong and positive sense of school community where staff, parents and carers and students feel they belong. One where we all feel we can share ideas and knowledge in an accepting environment. This provides a strong foundation upon which to deliver the best possible learning outcomes for our children. As a school community we use the Aranda Primary School good communication basics and we encourage and support each other to use them. The Aranda Primary School good communication basics are: we are always respectful, polite and honest. We strive always to be clear, accurate, timely, relevant, targeted, open, reciprocal and interactive. We strive for open, positive and meaningful communication in everything we do. We support each other to be involved in the exchange of ideas and in maintaining an environment where people feel their views are valued and respected and where they feel they have been heard. Our school leaders lead by example. People who want to find out information relating to the school can and should be able to do so quickly and easily. We maintain a table that contains our main communication mechanisms, what we communicate through those mechanisms, who is responsible for them and how often we can expect to receive them. That way anyone looking for information can easily access it. The Aranda Primary School Communication Policy supports and is supported by the ACT Department of Education and Training (DET) Policy, Parents/Carers as Partners in Schooling Policy, September 2001.
Mechanisms for School Communication STAFF COMMUNICATION MECHANISM PURPOSE ACTION FREQUENCY School Improvement Process To review current school practice and performance and set goals for strategic planning Operational Plan To articulate the actions to be taken towards the 4 year priorities USB drive for all new staff Professional Pathways and Performance Management Process (Annual Professional Discussions) Executive Meetings To introduce new staff to all policies and procedures in a digital form To implement whole school goals and provide professional support and dialogue for staff Career path planning To ensure whole school cohesion, strategic planning and management Staff meetings To provide information, raise issues, plan and discuss school management, activities and programs Teaching and Learning Leadership Teams Professional Learning Team Meetings (PLTs) To review and develop school based curriculum, school programs and procedures To share information, raise issues, plan and discuss team and class management, activities and programs Staff email on staff network To share information and documents Recess notices To share day to day information Communication Whiteboards in Staffroom To provide daily information, timetable changes and staff absences Survey of teachers, parents and students Preparation of issues paper and development of School Strategic Plan and Annual Operational Plans Executive and staff to formulate plan at the beginning of each year Operational plan reviewed at end of each year New staff to access in their own time Executive staff member supports team through formal and informal meetings to plan/support and evaluate the pathways process. Staff prepare documentation prior to formal meeting times Principal advises the Department when the processes are completed Principal, Deputy Principal and Executive teachers raise issues, share information and plan at whole school level Whole staff meetings held each week 4 year review cycle Parent, student and staff satisfaction surveys annually Annually Once Ongoing throughout the year Formal meetings at the Planning Stage, Mid Cycle Review and Summative end of year Weekly Weekly Committees elect a coordinator and meet as required to plan for student learning and school program delivery (all staff are members of a leadership team) Fortnightly Committees report to the Principal and share progress with whole staff Preschool, Kindergarten, Weekly Year 1/2, Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 PLTs meet All staff are members of a teaching team Open to all staff Ongoing Open to all staff Information put on whiteboard and announced at recess Open to all staff for input and notices are entered before 9.00am Ongoing Daily
Whiteboard at sign on desk in Front Office To update daily staff absences and duty/release changes Term Calendar To provide an overview of school events, excursions and professional development Staff responsibility to check and to follow up as appropriate Staffing officer provides updates Upcoming events are written on the calendar Daily Ongoing/updated throughout the year COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION MECHANISM PURPOSE ACTION FREQUENCY Aranda Primary To introduce and provide Commercially printed and Once Handbook information to new families handed to all new families School Board Meetings P & C Meetings Preschool subcommittee Canteen subcommittee Clothing pool subcommittee Aranda music program subcommittee and staff about the school To participate in school based management decision making and activities To provide ongoing opportunities for parents/carers to be involved in and informed of school activities and staff members Meetings are advised in the school newsletter Meeting times and articles are published in the school newsletter A minimum of 4 meetings a year Meetings are held at least twice a term Newsletter To communicate key events, policies, ideas and achievements to the School Community Parent Information Sessions and Forums Parent Workshops Student Contact details To inform and consult with parents about school initiatives and programs e.g. School Improvement, Report Formats, School and Parent Partnerships To provide parents with information and strategies to be able to support their children at home To ensure all student information, health issues and contact details are up to date School Website To provide information about the school, and its programs Admin staff to co-ordinate items Teachers and students contribute items Hosted by teachers, Executive, Deputy Principal or Principal as required to provide opportunities for consultation with parents All forums and sessions are advertised in the school newsletter Prepared and provided by classroom teachers and Literacy and Numeracy Coordinators Printout of student information held on Maze sent home with each student for review by parents to ensure contact details are accurate The website is updated and includes the weekly Newsletter is distributed each Thursday in digital form Newsletter in hard copy to those families who request it Scheduled as required Terms 1 and 2 and as needed Early in Term 1 Ongoing updates
Dates to Remember Calendar Term Overviews to Parent/Carers School Correspondence including excursion notes and achievements To keep parents/ carers informed of school activities To inform parents/carers of class organisation, activities planned for the term To provide parents/carers with details of school programs and activities School Counsellor To enable parents and carers to discuss any social, behavioural and academic concerns they may have Front Office Staff A point of contact for parents/carers if they are unable to access a teacher A point of contact to set up appointments with school staff School Notice Board (near the main road) To keep parents/ carers informed of school activities newsletter School calendar is kept up to date Relevant dates and activities are included in the Dates to Remember Calendar and sent home Class teachers write the overview with their Professional Teaching Team and distribute it to all students Overviews posted on school website Sent home with students as required Notes posted on school website By referral from Executive or class teacher and with parent consent Parent request Information from parents/carers passed on to the staff notice board or personally as necessary Appointments booked Updated with upcoming events or information Every Term. Week 3 of each term As required As Required Ongoing/as required Weekly STUDENT COMMUNICATION MECHANISM PURPOSE ACTION FREQUENCY Informal meetings with student and teacher To share relevant information to support student Student or teacher initiates meeting As required Class Meetings To promote positive social development and raise issues for class discussion Student Representative Council (SRC) To allow students to make positive contributions to the school environment and wider community through participation in decision making School Counsellor To enable students to discuss any issues they may have Teachers schedule class meetings into the weekly program, utilising the opportunity for social skill development Executive Teacher coordinates representatives elected from Yr K 6 classes. Each term the SRC coordinates a fundraising activity By referral from Executive or class teacher and with parent consent Weekly Semester elections and regular meetings As Required
Assemblies To recognise and share achievements and information with students and parents Student request Assembly schedule each term detailing whole school and junior Parents advised of special presentations Assemblies prepared by students and their teachers and hosted by students Assemblies are held weekly alternating between Whole School and Junior School Notified in newsletter and on main noticeboard REPORTING TO AND FROM PARENTS MECHANISM PURPOSE ACTION FREQUENCY Informal meetings with parents/carers and teacher To share relevant information to support individual students Parent/carer or teacher initiates meeting As required Assessment and Reporting Guide for Parents Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) Student 3 Way Inform ation Sheet Confer ences To outline the assessment and reporting practices and schedule To assess literacy and numeracy skills of kindergarten students against their ACT cohort To enable parents to articulate their child s strengths and areas of concern, To provide any information that may assist the class teacher To articulate goals that they might have for their child To meet with students and their parents to discuss goals, strengths and areas of concern Printed pamphlet distributed with the first newsletter each year Standardised computerbased testing of each student individually Reports provided for parents Proforma sent home with 3 Way Conference invitation Proforma brought to conference for discussion Teachers to keep information with student records Students and their parents are invited to meet with teachers for 15 minute conference Early Term 1 each year Term 1 and Term 4 Mid Term 1 in conjunction with 3 Way Conferences Mid term 1 Mid_Year 3 Way Confer ences National Assessment Program Literacy & Numeracy (NAPLAN) Parents students and teachers meet to discuss student achievement, progress and concerns To assess student performance in Language Conventions, Writing, Reading and Numeracy against National benchmarks Following the issuing of written reports, notes are sent home inviting parents and students to attend individual interviews One week of testing in Term 2 Reports are issued to parents by the beginning of Term 4 Mid Term 3 each year Week 2 Term 2 Testing Semester Written Reports To provide a comprehensive report about students academic progress, achievements, social development and work habits Teachers complete assessment and moderation, and prepare written reports Reports are submitted to the Executive and Principal for review and comment Week 9 Term 2 Week 9 Term 4
A to E Reports To provide A to E grade for each student for English, Maths and Science for each semester, and teaching team selected other learning areas once each year Student Portfolios To provide students, teachers and parents with an opportunity to reflect upon student learning and support written reports Special Needs Team School events. E.g. Grandfriends Day, school concerts and performances To foster optimal educational outcomes for students with special needs consultation with parents, departmental representatives and outside agencies To foster a sense of school community through shared experiences and activities Reports issued to parents Teachers to moderate across the grades for identified learning areas Provide grades for entering on Maze Parents given option to receive these reports Students and teachers compile portfolios Preparation and monitoring of Individual Learning Plans for identified students. Student Centred Appraisals of need (SCAN) and in school reviews for students receiving support, Notes to advise as required Monday of Week 10 in term 2 Monday of Week 10 in term 4 Sent home twice a year with Semester Written Reports and as requested Meetings with relevant stakeholders held as required Ongoing monitoring throughout the year Throughout the year
ISSUE TO BE DISCUSSED COMMUNICATION FLOWCHART MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND MEET WITH THE CLASSROOM TEACHER ISSUE NOT ISSUE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND MEET WITH THE TEACHING TEAM LEADER ISSUE NOT ISSUE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND MEET WITH THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL OR PRINCIPAL OR SCHOOL BOARD ISSUE NOT ISSUE CONTACT DEPARTMENT NETWORK LEADER