Welcome Back

A big welcome back to our Evatt community for 2023. We have had a great start to the year and are looking forward to the term and year ahead that will be filled with fantastic learning opportunities for our students. Our teaching team has worked hard with their preparation and planning to ensure the learning needs of all our students are met. It has been lovely to see so many parents and carers around the school this week.

Communication Platforms

A reminder to ensure you have access to our communication platforms to keep up to date with all our information and good news stories throughout the year.

Seesaw app - This is our main platform for communication as well as seeing the learning progress of your child and children. Please reach out if you don't have access to Seesaw so we can assist in getting you up and running

Newsletter - A fortnightly newsletter will be shared out on a Friday afternoon on the odd weeks of term

Facebook - Follow us on Facebook to see all the great things that are happening at our school plus see information about whole school events that are happening. Search for Evatt Primary School on Facebook 

Email/Phone Call - Your child's teacher or other members of staff may call or email you with specific information in relation to your child. A reminder that if you need to get in touch with us you can call on 61421640 or info@evattps.act.edu.au 

Twitter - You can also follow our good news stories on Twitter. Our handle is @EvattSchool

Community BBQ and Getting to Know You Interviews

Next Wednesday (8 February), Evatt Primary School will be hosting a free Community BBQ alongside our Getting to Know You Interviews. 

The BBQ will be running from 4:00pm to 6:30pm. Details about booking an interview time have been sent to families via Seesaw.

New Entry/Exit Process

Our main access point in the morning for all students and families will now be through our Arboretum Gate. This supports and streamlines our supervision processes. From here, students/families are asked to transition around to our morning meeting area where we have our whole school meeting each day. A teacher will be on duty each day from 8:40am. We ask students to not arrive before this time unless accessing The Nest with their families (The Nest is open from 8:30am).

A reminder that playgrounds are not open for use before school.

The Front Office will be open each morning however we request this only be used as an access point for students/families who are accessing the front office services and not as a main thoroughfare.

At the end of the day, the library courtyard gates will be open in addition to the Arboretum gate.

Staying Covid Smart in 2023

Being COVID Smart remains a priority for all ACT public schools in 2023. 

Students, staff and visitors are reminded to:

• Stay home if unwell and get tested for COVID-19

• Stay up to date with your vaccinations

• Practise good hand and respiratory hygiene

• Physically distance from others when in public places 

Individual schools may implement additional measures to manage COVID-19 if deemed necessary in a particular setting. Any changes will be communicated to parents and carers.

If your child has COVID-19, you must let the school know. We recommend keeping your child home for at least five days.

RATs are again available from the school for students in term 1 from the front office. 

You can read more about how we are being COVID Smart in ACT public schools at https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/covid-school-arrangements

Student Learning Resources (previously known as bookpacks)

During the school holidays we have sourced all of the stationary, supplies and resources required to support your child's learning for 2023. With a goal of keeping costs to a minimum + saving parents and carers time sourcing themselves, we have purchased the supplies in bulk and will provide them to the students as required throughout the year. We have ensured the purchase of high quality resources. Some of these supplies include: workbooks, pencils, pens, textas, glue sticks, scissors, rubbers, sharpeners, rulers, scissors, tissues + a large amount of specific resources required for Art, Science, Technology, Mathematics, Sustainability and Literacy.

We encourage all parents/carers to pay for the learning resource requirements for their child(ren). An amount of $70 per student will cover these costs for the year. 

Voluntary Contributions

All ACT Government Schools ask families for the payment of voluntary contributions. These funds are extremely valuable for ensuring that the school can provide an enhanced learning experience for all students. We will continue to prioritise our voluntary contributions to a new PA system for our school hall.  

As we did last year in consultation with our School Board,  we are not going to put an expected dollar amount on the voluntary contributions.

Previously the contribution was $120 for one child, $220 for two children or $290 for three or more children. 

If you nominate your voluntary contribution to the library fund this amount is tax deductible. 

Canteen Closed

As advised via Seesaw, the P&C has made the difficult decision to close the school canteen. Instead, with your help, the P&C will seek to run 2 special food days a term and be able to put more time and effort into providing greater benefits to students and the school community. Stay tuned for further information.

If you would like to volunteer, provide feedback, offer ideas or suggestion, or just generally get in touch with the P&C, please email evattpspc@gmail.com.