OTHER INFORMATION

LIBRARY

ICT

Community Nights

For those of you who do not have older children coming to Southvale. This letter explains how our Library system works.

Children choose their book and go to the Borrowing desk, where the book is recorded on the Library computer. The books is then stamped with the return due date, placed in their Library bag and then into the classroom Library box.

Students are given one week to read the book, but it may be returned earlier if they have finished with it.

To return a book, the children place their Library bag, with the book into the class Library box as soon as they enter their classroom. Monitors take the box to the library each morning to return any books. Box is returned to the classroom.

Prep children may borrow one book at a time. They have a large range of Picture Fiction books to choose from.

Every classroom at Southvale Primary is equipped with a small pod of computers from 4 to 10 terminals which are networked to 3 main servers. On average, three students share a computer.

The computer lab is a pod of 5 powerful terminals which are located in the library and 4 laptop carts holding wireless laptops for the teachers to conduct lessons, online searching, online tests and schoolwork anywhere in the school. The computer lab can be used as an information searching tool as well as IT training facility for the teachers, students and the community.

The school ICT system is maintained and serviced on a regular basis by skillful technicians.

There are interactive electronic whiteboards equipped in all classrooms, together with 10 small writing pads and two remote wireless writing pads are used by students from Prep to grade 6 to produce quality graphical works.

Data projector and wide screens in the library and classroom enable students to present their projects in multimedia format.

Southvale encourage students to start a good day at school with healthy breakfast. Good Start breakfast Club is sponsored by the Australian Red Cross and Sanitarium. The Breakfast Club is run by volunteers, parents and teachers. Breakfast is free for all Southvale students and available from 8:14am to 8:45am every school day.

Homework Club is an after school activity, aims to encourage students get into a good learning habit. Homework club is located at the school library which offers comfortable working place and resources. Homework Club is available from 3:30pm to 4:30pm on Tuesday and Thursday. It is run by volunteer helpers and staff.

We encourage children to read at home to promote their enjoyment of reading. The reading time should be a sharing time and should be a pleasurable experience where both the child and the parent are comfortable and secure. It is not intended to be a time for instruction. The take-home books that the children bring from school are chosen by them and are meant to be easy for them to read. By reading easy books it is hoped that they can concentrate on improving their fluency, their expression and their understanding of what they are reading. We would be grateful if you could help the child in these areas, in a fun and informal way during your shared reading time. It is a good idea to get the child to retell the story in their own words. These take-home books should not be the only things that children are reading at home. Don’t forget the library books they borrow, newspapers, recipes, magazines, packets and signs in the supermarket, and the child’s own books from home. If a book is too hard, then you can read it to, or with the child.

Listed below are some prompts you can use when a child is having difficulty working out a word. These are things you can say to the child. It is best to make the child do the most work, so the higher level prompts are the best if the child is able to manage them. If your first language is not English you can help the child by reading to him in your own language, by teaching him to read his own language (if you have any suitable books) or simply by telling him stories and asking him questions about them. When the child has a take home book, let him read it to you in English (even if you don’t understand) and then tell the story in your language.

Lower level prompts – where the child does the least work, and receives much assistance with problem solving during reading.

Higher level prompts – where the child does most work. Outside assistance with a problem is minimal.

Southvale students participate in monthly hand-up survey operated by Bicycle Victoria to be in the running for many valuable prizes.

Active travel program encourages physical activities and reduces traffic congestion.

Walking School Bus Program is proudly sponsored by VicHealth and the City of the Greater Dandenong Council. The program started since 2003. There are totally over 30 children registered in the programs. Volunteer helpers are trained to lead the walking school bus safely. The program won The Award of the Safest Community 2003; 2004 and 2005.

We will continue support Active Traveling programs and other fitness activities.

Southvale welcomes parents and volunteers to help school maximize learning opportunity for our students.

- Parents Learning Group: Parents meet weekly in the Community Room to learn craft, cooking and exchange cultural ideas. …

- Fundraising: Parents help school raise fund to purchase learning needs for students. Fundraising activities can be sausages sizzle, Mother's Day Stall, Father's Day Stall, Raffle Draw and market day etc.

- Classroom helpers: Parents help with a wide range of classroom activities and programs. Reading, writing, Maths, sport, PMP (Prep grades), swimming, camping, incursion and excursion etc.

School Council meets approximately twice each term. New members are always welcome. Watch the school newsletter for council meeting dates.

All government schools in Victoria have school councils. They are legally formed bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school. In the performance of their role, school councils are able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students.

Most members of a school council stand for election at the school where they are parents or staff members. Other members can be co-opted by the council within the limits of the Order. Because parents have such an important part to play in schools, there is an elected parent member category. More than one-third of the elected members must be parents.

Parents on councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the direction of the school. Those parents who become active on a school council find their involvement satisfying in itself and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.

The principal arranges and conducts the elections. Ask at the school for help if you would like to stand for election and are not sure what to do. If you decide to stand for election, you will need to arrange for someone to nominate and second you as a candidate in either the parent or DE&T employee category. Request a nomination form from the school and make sure that it is completed and returned to the principal within the time stated on the notice of election - seven days from the date it was sent. If there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be conducted two weeks after the call for nominations has closed. Make sure that you cast a vote and encourage other parents to do the same. Details of the election process are available from the school.

No! What you need is an interest in your child's school and the ability to work co-operatively with others to help shape its future.

More information is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/aboutschool/participation/default.htm

Parents, teachers and students helps maintain a clean, healthy and safe learning environment at Southvale.

Environmental protection is our issue. Students learn about recycling processes. We collect grey water for gardening. We recycle papers, tins, glasses and greenery. Bin-Buster team, Working Bee group, special clean-up day organizers etc. are working together and we make our learning place happier, healthier and greener.