Information for Parents - Junior School

Information for Parents Junior School | Prep to Year 3

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CONTENTS

THE GEELONG COLLEGE

Pastoral Care/TripleR............. 4 Beginning at the College....... 5

VISION

Orientation Date of Commencement Welcome BBQ Settling into School Student Absences Medical Matters Leaving the School Premises School Hours Parking Visitors to the School

Communication............................ 6 Need to Know................................... 8 Accidents and Illnesses Art Program/Art Smock Assembly Birthday Invitations Book List Excursions Home Learning Meeting Students’ Needs No Hat, Shade Play......................... 9 Library Lost Property Lunches Parent Helpers................................. 10 PSPA Uniform

Co-curricular.................................... 11 Out of School Hours Care/ Vacation Care Program....... 13 Travel Information................... 14 2

The Geelong College is an innovative and caring community of learners committed to making a positive difference to an ever changing world.

MISSION The Geelong College is a Uniting Church co-educational day and boarding school that creates outstanding opportunities for its community of students, encouraging and inspiring all to be positive contributors to our world.

TERM DATES 2016 TERM 1 Monday 1 February Monday 14 March Thursday 24 March

Students commence Labour Day holiday Term ends

Friday 25 March Monday 28 March

Good Friday Easter Monday

TERM 2 Tuesday 12 April Monday 25 April Monday 13 June Friday 17 June

Students commence ANZAC Day holiday Queen’s Birthday holiday Term ends

TERM 3 Tuesday 12 July Friday 16 September

Students commence Term ends

TERM 4 Tuesday 4 October Monday 31 October Wednesday 7 December

Students commence Mid-term break Term ends

Children learn best when...

• • • • • • • •

they feel secure, ask questions, talk about learning and take risks there are high expectations for learning their natural curiosity is aroused they feel challenged they are engaged in discovery learning and problem-solving they observe and model others they have opportunities to practise and apply new skills they feel recognised, acknowledged and valued

WELCOME The Junior School prides itself on creating a vibrant educational setting where student learning and curiosity are achieved through carefully planned, challenging and engaging programs. We provide a unique blend of natural, spacious outdoor play areas, combined with aesthetically pleasing and purposefully arranged learning spaces to make the students’ thinking and learning visible and “shareable”.

The Geelong College recognises the importance of developing strong relationships with students, teachers, families and the wider community. Pursuing fruitful and productive partnerships is our first priority and forms the foundation upon which an enduring learning experience is established.

The Junior School staff recognise and respect the individuality of every child. Teachers actively seek out the special qualities, needs and inherent potential in each student as they prepare for intentional and differentiated learning experiences. We see this as the hallmark of our school and trust that you encounter the same high standards that we set for ourselves. We encourage you to communicate often and freely with your child’s teacher to ensure that the best personal, academic and social growth occurs.

I extend the same invitation to you. Please contact me with any issue or query you wish to discuss. I would like to emphasise strongly that no problem is too small and I welcome all enquiries.

On behalf of the staff, I would like to extend a warm welcome to you and your child, as you embark on this new and exciting partnership with The Geelong College.

Chris Dinneen Head of Junior School 3

PASTORAL CARE The classroom teacher is the main pastoral care provider for the children. From time to time, teachers may draw on the expertise of the School Counsellor, Special Needs Learning Teacher or the Head and Deputy Head of Junior School, when dealing with the wellbeing of their students.

All members of the Junior School community have the right to feel safe, and can expect to learn, play and socialise in a comfortable, positive environment. Our unique homely setting, positive acknowledgement of children and parent involvement promotes strong relationships.

TripleR in Junior School aims to develop important life skills such as resilience and respect. The three Rs in the College’s social and emotional learning program stand for resilience, reflection and relationships.

Resilience – I Can. Students are supported and challenged to develop an outlook that sees setbacks as an inevitable part of the human experience and to face difficulties knowing that they offer possibilities for personal growth.

Relationships – I Care. Students learn about establishing and maintaining positive relationships which demonstrate care and concern for others as well as themselves.

Reflection – Now I See. Students learn a range of self-managing and self-awareness skills including mindfulness, goal setting, good decision making, impulse control, identifying emotions and expressing them appropriately.

Through various programs, education models and restorative justice practices, the students develop an understanding of how to manage and regulate their emotions as they play and learn together.

The students are also introduced to the concept of Mindfulness by regularly taking short specific breaks in their day. This self-regulation practice enables them to re-focus their energy levels and become more attuned to the present.

Respect, inclusivity and treating others the way we want to be treated are key guiding values for relationship building. Caring for our school environment is promoted in our everyday conversations with children and more formally through class meetings, assemblies and chapel services.

We teach conflict resolution skills directly, and have an expectation of considerate and courteous behaviour from all members of our community. Should children find themselves in conflict with others, they are supported by staff who adopt a restorative justice approach to resolving relational issues.

Another vital component of our approach to pastoral care is the Play is the Way program which aims to build resilience and promote core values such as friendship, respect and honesty. Over time, this consistent approach develops resilience and provides the children with the skills required to solve their own problems.

Establishing a sense of belonging is an important goal of the College TripleR program. This is developed on several levels, including: • restorative justice training for our teachers • weekly Religious and Values Education lessons and Chapel Services where Christian values are taught and explored • weekly Play is the Way resilience lessons • whole community activities such as special days where children work in multi-age settings • weekly assemblies for celebrating achievements and strengthening our community identity 4

BEGINNING AT THE COLLEGE ORIENTATION An Orientation Morning will be held at the Junior School on Friday 4 December 2015, for all students from Early Learning 3 to Year 3. The aim of this morning is to introduce the children to their Homeroom teacher and classmates. Both current and new students wear casual clothes on this day. A separate letter outlining other important arrangements for each year level is sent out prior to the day.

DATE OF COMMENCEMENT The academic year for 2016 will commence on Monday 1 February. Classes commence at 8.50am; however, it is beneficial for the children to arrive a little earlier to settle in, consolidate a daily routine and play with their friends.

WELCOME BBQ A BBQ tea for parents and students will be held on Friday 5 February 2016 at 5.30pm. This is a relaxed family event, and a good opportunity to meet families from your child’s class. Details will be sent prior to this event.

Settling into School To assist Prep children to settle into school routine, the first four Wednesdays of Term 1 will be home days. In the first weeks of school, the children will have an individual interview with the class teacher. The teacher will assess each child’s literacy and numeracy knowledge, from which the learning program will be devised. At the beginning of the year the Prep children will be given a Year 3 reading buddy. They also support their buddies during recess and lunchtime especially in the early part of the year. Prep students will become acquainted with two Year 3 buddies throughout the year.

STUDENT ABSENCES Please phone or email our receptionist, Ms Vicky Henderson on 5226 8433 or Vicky.Henderson@ geelongcollege.vic.edu.au by 8.45am each day your child is to be absent and write a note in the Student Planner on the day of return. We discourage absences for reasons other than illness or serious family matters, but in unusual circumstances, a leave of absence can be sought (in advance) by writing to the Head of Junior School. We particularly stress the importance of refraining from taking children out of school for holidays other than the designated term breaks.

MEDICAL MATTERS Certificates of Immunisation must be lodged with the school for all Prep children before Monday 25 January, 2016. All children entering the school must have a completed “The Geelong College Medical History Certificate” at the time of entry. The school must be advised of any subsequent variation to the information on the certificate. Each year a medical form will be forwarded to parents for updating.

Please inform the Head of Junior School or appropriate teacher, in writing, of important aspects of your child’s medical record, particularly if drugs or other medication have been prescribed. Medication should not be left in your child’s bag, but should be given to the teacher with written permission for its administration. Verbal authorisation by a parent for the administration of medication may be given in an emergency with written confirmation following as soon as possible.

If your child has contracted an infectious illness, Health Department regulations must be observed and the school notified. Children suffering from obviously infectious cold symptoms should be kept at home.

LEAVING THE SCHOOL PREMISES If children require supervised leave during the day (eg. a doctor’s appointment) they must be signed out at the office and upon returning, must sign in again. Children arriving after 8.50am should report to the office to sign the “Students Arriving Late to School” sheet.

SCHOOL HOURS Monday – Friday: School hours: 8.50am – 3.25pm

Recess: 10.55am – 11.25am

Lunch: 1.25pm – 2.25pm

PARKING Parents are invited to enter the school grounds to collect their child(ren). Ample parking is available in the bitumen and gravel car parks to the left and right of the entrance gates on Minerva Road. We encourage short-term parking in the bitumen park for greater convenience at the start and end of the day. Car parking is also available in neighbouring streets. Crossing supervisors are on hand to see the families safely across the road at peak times.

For their own safety, children are asked to wait for their parents in the supervised play area until 3.50pm.

After that time, they will be directed to the OSHC program where appropriate, and charges will apply.

VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL We ask any visitors to the school to sign in at Reception and collect a visitor badge. This badge should be worn at all times while on the school grounds.

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COMMUNICATION COLLEGE TO PARENTS Parent Portal: Specific information for current families such as news, events, uniform shop details and more can be found on the Parent Portal (https://gnet.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au). The portal is a passwordprotected area that also contains specific information on your child.

Class Portal pages: Visit your child’s Class Portal page to see up-to-date images and documentation of the children’s learning.

Bulletin: Parents will be emailed a link to the College Bulletin each week during term. The Bulletin provides a wrap of College-wide news and events, as well as class-specific information. It is important that parents take time to read the Bulletin each week.

College website: The College website (www.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au) features general College information, news, photos and videos.

Social media: “Like” The Geelong College on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news and events. Follow us on Twitter to learn more about educational opinions and insights.

Special publications: The College publishes its community magazine Ad Astra twice a year. Ad Astra contains articles on school learning programs and events, as well as content about Old Collegians. The College also releases a yearbook, Pegasus, at the end of each school year.

Student Planner: Each student has a Student Planner, which serves as a daily diary. The planner must be taken to and from school each day. All school notes and reminders are placed in the planner. We ask parents to check and sign the Student Planner daily. Planners provide a three-way form of communication between parents, their child and the teacher, and we encourage its frequent use.

Reports: Parents will receive two written reports during the year. These reports are issued at the end of Term 2 and Term 4.

Learning Conferences: Learning Conferences are scheduled sessions to share your child’s learning.

Details of these dates will be circulated to parents well before the event. Parents are encouraged to arrange times to discuss their child’s progress with their teachers and specialist staff at any stage throughout the school year. Pastoral interviews are conducted in Term 1 and focus primarily on social/ emotional matters.

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PARENTS TO COLLEGE We encourage parents to contact the school with any areas of concern or for advice. The primary contact is the student’s classroom teacher. For matters of urgency, reception can relay a message to the teacher.

The Head of Junior School, Deputy Head of Junior School and Year Level Coordinators are available for urgent matters. Our School Counsellors and Chaplain are also available to support students and their families. If you wish to have a longer discussion, we ask that you make an appointment with the teacher concerned.

Key Contacts 2016

Peter Miller, Principal

5226 3107

Roger Smith, Deputy Principal

5226 3111

Chris Dinneen, Head of Junior School

5226 8430

Edwina Davis, Deputy Head of Junior School

5226 8431

Cathie Thornton and Kate Sculley, School Counsellors

5226 3186

Rev Tim Edwards, College Chaplain

5226 3140

Contact details: It is important to keep the school updated about any new or changed phone numbers, addresses or email contacts. These changes can be made by contacting Community Relations at communityrelations@geelongcollege.vic.edu.au or 5226 3156, or by logging into the My Account section of the Parent Portal.

Special family situations: We would appreciate being informed of any change in home situations, such as illness in the family, separation of parents, parents travelling etc. This information assists teachers to support the children more readily at school and, as appropriate, Community Relations should be made aware of these changes.

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NEED TO KNOW Accidents and Illnesses If your child becomes ill, or is injured during school hours, he or she will be cared for in the Sick Bay by the School Nurse, Sister Claire Seward, until he or she can be collected by a parent or guardian.

Art Program/Art Smock At the Junior School, a strong emphasis is placed on providing opportunities for children to express themselves through the Visual Arts. An art smock that gives good protection is essential for all art activities. Art smocks can be purchased from local art retail stores or they can be home-made. The material must be waterproof (not fabric) and fully cover the arms and torso front and back.

Assembly Junior School Assembly is held once a week on Friday afternoons in the Multi-Purpose Room, starting at 2.40pm. Classes contribute to the assembly by sharing their learning, singing songs and reading prayers.

Parents, grandparents and special friends are most welcome.

BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS We are happy to distribute birthday invitations at school if the whole class has been invited. If not, we ask that you send invitations by mail for the sake of discretion. Classroom teachers will gladly acknowledge a child’s special day but will politely decline invitations to parties or any other requests to assist with children’s parties.

BOOK LIST All classroom books and stationery are delivered directly to the classroom. This enables the teacher to prepare the classroom fully, facilitating a smooth start to the academic program. The booklist items will be sent to you at the beginning of Term 1 and invoiced to your fee account upon your consent.

Writing Board: A writing board is provided through the booklist. The board is a double thickness of cardboard and is “contacted” for extra strength. The writing board must be named and will be used when your child is working with a variety of materials and in a variety of situations.

EXCURSIONS During the year the children will participate in excursions that relate to their classroom research. An Excursion Approval Form will be sent home at the beginning of the year to be signed by parents.

Excursion Information Forms will also be sent home prior to each excursion to advise you of the arrangements. We try to provide as many incursions and local excursions as possible to maximise the learning time at school and reduce the incidence of “down time” through travel.

Home Learning Prep: The children will take a book home to read each night. Lists of ‘sight’ words will come home at intervals later in the year.

Year 1: The children will take a book home to read each night. Your child will also be expected to read and spell words from the most commonly used words list. Automatic recognition of these words is an important step in helping the children become fluent readers, and we ask that the children read through their list words frequently over a five day period. From time to time, teachers may set individual tasks for children depending on their needs.

Years 2 and 3: The children will have Spelling, Reading and Mathematics homework. Teachers may set individual tasks for children depending on their needs. It is important that children develop productive work routines and habits at this stage of their schooling. The study completed at home is not new work for the children. It is designed to allow them to practise skills already learnt.

Meeting Students’ Individual Needs Our Student Services Teacher, Mrs Jennifer Peake, provides support for children experiencing learning difficulties as well as assisting children requiring extension activities. At the Junior School, the classroom teacher is the main assessor of your child’s needs and teachers may draw on Jennifer’s support to ensure that these needs are met. This assistance may be given in the classroom setting or through a specific withdrawal program.

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No Hat, Shade Play The Geelong College Junior and Middle School campus is a SunSmart school. Children are required to wear a broad-brimmed green College hat for outside activities, at recess and lunchtimes from the beginning of September to the end of April.

The Geelong College acknowledges its duty of care towards all students and will continue to encourage them to learn about, and accept responsibility for, their own sun protection. The policy is implemented throughout the year, with particular emphasis from 1 September to 30 April. If children do not have a hat, they are instructed to play in shaded areas only.

Library The Library opens at 8.30am before school and during the second half of lunchtime. Children are encouraged to change books regularly and parents are welcome to borrow books in their child’s name. A library technician is available to assist with requests and borrowing advice.

Lost Property The lost property trolley in the Junior School foyer. Staff regularly check the contents and named objects are returned to children. If unnamed property is not collected, it will be washed and donated to the Uniform Shop. The school urges parents to purchase sew-on name tapes and attach these securely to all garments.

Lunches Lunches can be ordered from the canteen at the Middle School. Lunch orders need to be written clearly on a marked brown paper bag with the child’s name and class, and placed in the class lunch basket before 9am. A price list of items is available on the Parent Portal.

Children are encouraged to bring a healthy lunch from home, including sandwiches and fruit. Sweets and sweet drinks are discouraged. The children are seated and supervised while eating. Uneaten lunches are sent home so that you can reinforce the importance of healthy dietary choices.

No Nut Policy: The Junior School is a nut-free zone. The Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy Inc recommends minimising the risk in schools by asking parents not to use peanut butter or other nut-based products if a child in the early years has a peanut allergy. This is due to the higher risk of person-to-person contact in younger children.

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PARENT HELPERS In keeping with a Reggio Emilia inspired approach to learning, parent support and involvement is seen as an integral part of the life of the school. As the year progresses, teachers seek assistance on a needs basis. We enjoy having parents contribute in a variety of ways, particularly when it involves an area of expertise or to assist with excursions and special-curriculum activities.

PREPARATORY SCHOOL PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION The PSPA is an active and friendly committee offering a wide range of services for the benefit of College community. Year level parent representatives assist the Junior School Coordinator/s to facilitate social and school-based activities. Information regarding the events planned during the year will be published in the College Bulletin.

The PSPA supports and enhances the programs at Junior School through the organisation and funding of a number of specific activities throughout the year, such as: BBQ lunch on the last day of each term; Mother’s Day and Father’s Day presents; healthy lunch for “Jump Rope for Heart” Day; Easter eggs; Santa visit; Welcome and Christmas BBQs. The PSPA meets on the first Friday of each month. For more information contact Rachael Taylor (Junior School Coordinator) via the office at Junior School.

UNIFORM The College Uniform Shop is the only official authorised supplier of the school uniform. For more information please refer to the “Uniform Guidelines 2016” booklet or the “Uniform” tab in the Parent Portal’s “Information for Parents” section.

Satchel and School Bags: The satchel is used for carrying the student planner, Library books, readers etc. It is particularly helpful for young children to quickly identify their satchel if it has a distinctive ribbon or key ring attached to the zip and is clearly labelled with their name. Designated books are also provided in the bag area outside each classroom. Satchels and school bags can be purchased from the College Uniform Shop.

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Co-curricular Music The Junior School values music highly and sees it as an essential part of a rich and well-rounded education.

As such, all children participate in a minimum of two Music lessons a week, and singing and music making is emphasised at all year levels. At Year 2, all children participate in the Year 2 Strings Program. They learn in small groups under the instrumental teachers’ expert guidance. They can learn the violin, viola, cello or double bass.

The Junior School has two choirs and a string orchestra. Weekly choir rehearsals take place at 8.15am in the Multi-Purpose Room or Music Room. Students participate in at least one concert during the year, and perform at assemblies, helping them build the confidence and composure to perform in front of an audience.

Individual tuition: Instrumental tuition is provided from Prep (in Semester 2) to Year 3 on piano and orchestral string instruments only. Additional offerings of wind and brass are available from Year 4, and guitar, percussion and voice are available from Year 6.

New enrolments are normally processed in Term 4 for the following year online through Music Choices on the Music page of the Portal. Enrolment is for one school year, and continuous throughout the year unless parents advise the Music Department in writing prior to the end of term.

Standard lessons are 30 minutes in length. Instrumental teachers communicate lesson times with classroom teachers. However, recommendations in regard to optimum tuition times (classes) are made by both class teachers and the Head of Junior School on an individual basis. At the start of the year, the instrumental teacher will contact students directly to arrange their first lesson. The timetable is accessible on the Music page of the Portal after the first few weeks of term.

Due to the students’ age, please note the Junior School’s strict timetabling protocol: • Music lessons are discouraged for Prep students in Semester 1, but lessons may begin in Semester 2 outside of the academic program.

• Children can only be removed from the academic program for one instrument. If a child is learning two instruments, one of the lessons must be arranged out of class time. It is our strong recommendation that students focus on one instrument only at this level.

Lesson attendance: Students are charged for lessons missed without notification (e.g. forgetting to attend). Notification of intended absence should be given in advance to facilitate the rescheduling of lesson times. Where possible, teachers will reschedule lessons to compensate for those missed due to College activities such as school excursions, camps and class-based work (tests) or the teacher’s absence. If a student is ill, parents are asked to ring or text the teacher on a pre-arranged contact number in the first instance prior to 8.30am on the day of the lesson or contact the Instrumental Music Tuition Coordinator on 5226 3126 if contact with the teacher cannot be made. When adequate notice is given (before 8.30am on the day of the lesson), parents will not be charged for the missed lesson due to illness however, if illness causes a student to be absent more than twice in a term, then parents will be charged for missed lessons. Teachers will try to reschedule lessons missed due to illness.

Holidays taken during term time: Parents are requested to give eight weeks’ notice of family holidays to be taken during the school term, in writing to the Instrumental Music Tuition Coordinator, Janice Boyce, at Janice.Boyce@geelongcollege.vic.edu.au. Make up lessons will be arranged during that term or the following term where possible in order for staff to provide as much continuity of tuition as possible.

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Termination of tuition: Notice of termination of tuition is requested in writing to both the teacher and the Instrumental Music Tuition Coordinator prior to the end of term. Notice of intention to discontinue received at other times will incur a two-week tuition fee charge.

Tuition fees: The standard half hour lesson per week costs $39. Longer or shorter lessons will attract a pro-rata fee. The agreed minimum number of eight lessons per term will be payable in advance with the term school fees. Adjustments for a greater or lesser number of lessons actually given will be made at the end of each term.

Instrument hire: The College can provide students with instruments for hire, charged at a rate of $70 per term in advance, subject to availability. The Geelong College Instrumental Rental Agreement needs to be signed by parents (on allocation of an instrument) and returned to the Music Administration Assistant Laura Timberlake in the Middle School Instrumental Teachers’ Staffroom.

Sundry items: Sheet music, reeds, strings, rosin, etc. are available from the College, and will be charged separately to accounts at the end of each term.

Insurance: Instruments are covered by the School’s insurance whilst on school premises or when in use during an outside school activity. However, parents may be responsible for the replacement cost or repairs to an instrument (including bows and shoulder rests) resulting from careless loss or damage while it is in the student’s custody at or outside the school. An insurance excess may apply in cases of loss or damage to instruments over $500.

Parents are advised to ensure that their insurance policy covers potential loss or damage to instruments.

The approximate replacement value of instruments for insurance purposes is: Violin $700, Viola $700, Cello $1,500, Double Bass $2,000.

Sundry expenses: Reeds, strings, rosin etc. are available from the College and will be charged separately to accounts. Insurance excess may apply in cases of loss or damage.

Enquiries: Please contact our Coordinator of Instrumental Music Tuition, Janice Boyce, 5226 8434 or Janice.Boyce@geelongcollege.vic.edu.au, if you have any queries.

Physical Education (PE) Children are to wear their PE uniform to school every Tuesday.

Swimming: As part of the PE program at the Junior School, all children participate in the swimming program. The program is conducted at the College Recreation Centre at the Senior School. Buses transport the students to and from the pool. Experienced instructors are employed to help deliver the program which provides an excellent student-to-adult ratio.

Children are required to bring their bathers, swimming cap, a towel, thongs or sandals at the beginning of the week in a named bag. Years 1, 2 and 3 student programs will be held in Term 1 and the Prep students’ program will be held in Term 4.

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Out of School Hours Care Before School Supervision Junior School students are supervised in the Library from 8am to 8.30am.

The playground is supervised from 8.30am and we encourage children to arrive at school in time to have a short play before the commencement of classes at 8.50am.

Out of School Hours Care The Out of School Hours Care program at the Junior School offers care for pupils of The Geelong College from Monday to Friday from 3.25pm to 6pm (on school days only).

Full supervision is provided and your child will participate in activities that are safe and enjoyable. The program includes craft and cooking, as well as indoor and outdoor games. There is also an opportunity for older children to complete their homework.

The Out of School Hours Care program provides a snack for the children. This typically consists of water or cordial and assorted sandwiches and fruit. The children have their snack on arrival, before they commence their activities.

Bookings: Families are encouraged to book children in early. Bookings can be made by telephoning 5226 8444. Out of School Hours Care can be contacted after school on 5226 8470.

Regular bookings can be made on a term-by-term basis and should be arranged as soon as possible after the commencement of Term 1, and reconfirmed or altered before the beginning of subsequent school terms.

Casual bookings are made through the Middle School Office at any time prior to 10am on the day. Parents are requested to advise the office staff of the approximate collection time from Out of School Hours Care.

Cancellation notices must be given prior to 10am on the day of care. Bookings which are cancelled after 10am will be charged.

Fees for 2016 will be announced at the start of the year. This charge will be included on the College term fee account.

Collection/Departure of Children When collecting your child, please contact one of the coordinators and sign the departure form.

If a child is to be taken home by a person other than those listed on the official form, a signed authority from the child’s parent must be obtained. The coordinators should be informed of such changes prior to the child being collected.

All children are required to be collected by 6pm. If there is an emergency and a child has not been collected by 6pm, the staff will endeavour to contact parents, then the emergency contact person (as advised by parents) and finally the Head of Middle School or Head of Junior School.

A late fee of 50c a minute can be charged after 6pm, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Families using the program may be eligible for the Commonwealth Childcare Cash Rebate.

Vacation Care Program The Geelong College offers a Vacation Care Program for part of each of the school holidays and each Monday before term commences. For dates and availability please phone 5226 8444. It is open to current students and, depending on numbers, will be divided into age appropriate activities.

The program is caters for children from 3 years to approximately 12 years of age and involves a range of activities including: Art/Craft, cooking, construction and games.

Please note that the program must meet the licence requirements of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. In most cases a separate program is run in Early Learning, while primary aged children are catered for in the Multi-Purpose Centre. The Geelong College Integrated Licence permits us to combine programs where necessary.

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TRAVEL INFORMATION Children are escorted to the bus departure points at the end of the school day. It is vital that we have the most current information available to assist us with our supervision duties. Parents are required to fill out a schedule of the days your child/children will be requiring the bus. We understand that circumstances can change either permanently or incidentally. When a permanent change occurs please forward the details to the College’s Bus Coordinator, BusCoordinator@geelongcollege.vic.edu.au or 5226 3773.

In the case of an incidental change in the bus routine we request that you advise Vicky Henderson at Reception, JSHOS@geelongcollege.vic.edu.au or phone 5226 8433 (please do not communicate changes through the Student Planner). Conveying this information through these channels is extremely important for the purposes of safety and efficiency.

For enquiries about transport to and from school, please contact the College’s Bus Coordinator.

The following details are set down for the general information of parents and to assist in matters related to transport to and from the College.

LOCAL BUSES Geelong Transit System (GTS) operates a Newtown service which runs between the city, the Middle School and the Senior School. GTS also operates special school buses directly to the Newtown area from Highton, North Geelong and Norlane. Specific details should be obtained directly from the relevant GTS operator (either Benders on 5278 5955 or McHarry’s on 5223 2111). Services are operated from other urban areas to the city where the connection with the GTS service is possible.

GTS (GEELONG TRANSIT SYSTEM) The Geelong Transit Card (either half-yearly or yearly) is purchased from V/Line at major railway stations.

Application forms are available from the Bus Coordinator in Davey House in January. The forms must be completed and verified by the Bus Travel Coordinator before V/Line will issue a pass. Please note two passport photos are required with the form. These passes allow unlimited travel within the GTS urban area which extends to Leopold, Grovedale and Lara.

BELLARINE PENINSULA AND SURF COAST PUBLIC TRANSPORT McHarry’s Buslines operates services from the following towns located on the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast – Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, Portarlington, St Leonards, Clifton Springs, Leopold, Drysdale, Breamlea and Torquay. Details of particular services, times and routes should be obtained from McHarry’s Buslines on 5223 2111.

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If you live on the coastal side of Bawtree Road, Leopold, or the coastal side of Mount Duneed Road, Mount Duneed, you will be required to purchase a Vic Student Pass. Application forms are available from the Bus Coordinator in Davey House in January. The forms must be completed and verified by the Bus Travel Coordinator before V/Line will issue a pass, please note two passport photos are required with the form.

You may be eligible to claim a Conveyance Allowance to reimburse the cost of the bus pass if you meet the means test criteria and live more than 4.8km radial distance from the school. To see if you are eligible visit the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development website, www.education.vic.gov.au.

These forms are also available from the Bus Coordinator in Davey House, 150 Noble Street, Newtown.

RURAL/OTHER AREAS – APPLICATION TO TRAVEL FORM The Education Department operates bus services from Lorne, Anglesea, Deans Marsh, Winchelsea, Cressy, Meredith, Bannockburn/Lethbridge, Aireys Inlet, Paraparap and Anakie. If you wish to make use of any of these services, please contact the School Contract Bus Coordinator at Matthew Flinders Girls’ Secondary College on 5221 8834. An Application for Travel form (blue form) can also be obtained from the Bus Coordinator in Davey House.

PRIVATE BUS TRAVEL As an alternative to the public school bus service, the College operates buses that pick up students from designated stops in the morning and drops them at the same place in the afternoons. The cost of fares will be advised each year and charged via the school fees. A green conveyance form must be completed (available from Davey House).

Routes included are: • Colac/Birregurra/Winchelsea/Moriac • Torquay • Anglesea/Jan Juc/Freshwater Creek • Sanctuary Lakes/Werribee • Ocean Grove/Barwon Heads 15

The Hundred Languages The child is made of one hundred. the child has a hundred languages a hundred hands a hundred thoughts a hundred ways of thinking of playing, of speaking.

A hundred, always a hundred ways of listening, of marvelling, of loving, a hundred joys for singing and understanding. a hundred worlds to discover, a hundred worlds to invent, a hundred worlds to dream.

The child has a hundred languages (and a hundred hundred hundred more) but they steal ninety nine.

The school and the culture separate the head from the body.

They tell the child: to think without hands to do without head to listen and not to speak to understand without joy love and marvelling only at Easter and Christmas.

They tell the child: to discover the world already there and one of the hundred they steal ninety nine.

They tell the child: that work and play reality and fantasy, science and imagination, sky and earth, reason and dream are things that do not belong together.

And thus they tell the child that the hundred is not there.

The child says: No way The hundred is there.

Loris Malaguzzi 1920 – 1994

SHAPING THE FUTURE 16

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