Parents

PFA – Parents & Friends Association

The PFA operates as a sub-committee of the School Council and its function is to assist the school in providing the best possible learning environment for our students. This is achieved through various fundraising activities across the year. Our PFA’s aims to also support our strong school community through parental involvement in a variety of community events and activities.

Each year we organise:

Gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stalls

Run a junior and senior disco

Organise a special food day for the students each term

Fun run

What is the purpose of the PFA?

Our PFA has 2 main objectives:

  • To foster a strong sense of COMMUNITY by providing an opportunities:
    • to meet and connect with other parents, guardians, grandparents and special friends
    • to have a voice in their child’s learning environment generating an atmosphere where everyone feels that they belong, and creating ongoing relationships that help support the school at every level
  • FUNDRAISING in order to provide valuable enhancements to the school’s learning environment for the benefit of the students such as playground equipment, air-conditioning and exciting and much loved extra-curricular opportunities for our students. We have recently contributed to:
    • Enhancing the ICT equipment within the school
    • Expanding the literature available to students in the library
    • Providing extra take-home books for students
    • Purchasing a defibrillator for the school and wider community
    • Extended the student’s play space through additional equipment 

We welcome all parents, grandparents and carers to come and join us!

We offer many opportunities for all parents and guardians to be involved with the PFA, to help with planning events, and to contribute to events throughout the year. We meet once a month on a Tuesday at 6.30pm. We hope to ensure that new families feel connected to our school as soon as they arrive at Weeden Heights. Being a part of the PFA and being involved in school events is a fabulous way to get to know other parents and families within our community.

New members are encouraged and always welcomed. Parents and guardians can become a member of the PFA by speaking with our school office staff and they will put you in contact with the PFA presidents. Alternatively, community members are welcome to volunteer for any events to enhance the work of the PFA.

Classroom Helpers Program

Weeden Heights Primary School invites, welcomes and encourages parents, guardians, grandparents and other special friends into our classrooms and specialist areas within the school. We acknowledge that a child’s first teacher is their family – every child comes to school learning their understandings, oral language, skills, behaviours and values from their caring and nurturing homes. Our intention is to establish and build a strong home and school relationship.

The Classroom Helpers program provides volunteers with understandings about the organisation of the literacy and numeracy blocks in the classrooms, and specialist areas together with insights into the strategies we use to assist students with their learning.

In addition to the guidance and direction provided by our teachers, volunteers are given the opportunity to attend inhouse Classroom Helper information sessions at the beginning of each year.

In addition to the classroom, we welcome your assistance and contribution in the following areas:

  • Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
  • Camps and Excursions
  • Swimming Program
  • Interschool and sporting events
  • Expert Mentor/Presenter
  • Administrative tasks
  • Resource construction

All volunteers are required to hold a current Working with Children Check. Application is made online and is free of charge for volunteers.
If you would like to be involved in providing classroom and curriculum support, please speak to your child’s teacher.

Supporting your Child’s Learning

We believe that when parents and caregivers engage with their child’s learning, the child is more likely to feel connected, motivated, actively learn, feel safe and happy. Strong and united communication underpin the home and school partnership.

We encourage you to:

  • Participate and make the most of opportunities to discuss and stay abreast of your child’s progress with their teacher
  • Read our fortnightly school newsletter (Nokuna – use the link we send via Schoolstream)
  • Read all notices sent home with your child (check their school bag) and/or distributed via the Schoolstream phone app or email
  • Volunteer in the classroom
  • Participate in Information Nights and special days and expos
  • If possible, attend the weekly whole school assembly on Monday mornings in the Hall and end of term assemblies

Home is a great place in which to share ideas, express opinions and present explanations. Make time to ask about their day and their learning. Read with your child regularly and/or show interest or assist with their inquiry project or piece of writing. Generally, you can make the most of your child’s innate curiosity about the world by asking your child about their interests and passions.

Whether at school or at home, when engaging with your child, you can support their learning by:

  • Asking open-ended questions
  • Pausing and waiting for answers
  • Giving prompts
  • Rephrasing while supporting their attempts
  • Being an active listener
  • Offering praise
  • Prompting use of classroom and home resources

Our staff will share the same interest and ask the same questions of your child during their time at school. In order to give your child the very best opportunity to thrive, it is important to present a united front achieved through a strong and effective home and school relationship.

School Interviews

At Weeden Heights Primary School, you will be invited to attend formal school interviews as follows:

  • Getting to Know You Interview at the beginning of the year. This is an opportunity for you to get to know your child’s teacher and to share your insight into their learning. Coupled with the transitional previous years reporting data and discussions with your child, your input into the setting of educational goals is vital to ensure each student’s individual potential is catered for, extended and achieved.
  • Student Led Conference conducted mid year. Students are invited to attend this interview and given the opportunity to present to you pieces of work that they are proud of their achievement, they enjoyed and discuss progress in their learning and reset set goals to further their progress. Students are given the opportunity to recognise their ability, engage and take responsibility for their own learning encouraged by the interest and participation of their parents, caregivers and teachers.

By asking questions and gathering more information or clarification about your child’s report you have the opportunity to become more involved in your child’s learning and provide support where needed.

Booking an Interview

School interviews are appointed online. Notices will be sent home, accompany your child’s report and/or be distributed via the Schoolstream phone app providing details of the days, times and access codes required to make a booking.

During the Interview

  • if you want to know about a specific area of your child’s progress, inform your child’s teacher at the commencement of the interview so that the discussion can focus on this topic
  • ask your child’s teacher for more detail if unsure what the learning expectations are for your child and/or specific items of work
  • discover how your child is participating in classroom activities
  • ask your child’s teacher to clarify any extra support or extension activities mentioned in their report
  • take notes so that you can share the comments with your child and other caregivers if required.

After the Interview

  • Share the discussion with your child, if appropriate, so that you can work together to improve and extend their learning.
  • Keep in regular contact with your child’s teacher to follow up on a mutually agreed plan

You can also request meetings at other times if you are concerned about your child’s progress.

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