PARENT PAYMENT POLICY

Transcription

1 PARENT PAYMENT POLICY RATIONALE The Victrian cmmunity shares a visin t build an educatin system that champins excellence and ensures that every child and yung persn has access t the pprtunities t succeed in life, regardless f their backgrund r circumstances. Schls are best placed t make lcal decisins which ensure that all students can access a brad range f learning pprtunities that supprt their expectatins and prmte their aspiratins as they mve thrugh the educatin system. Parent cntributin, in all frms, assists schls t prvide an enriched learning and teaching prgram fr every student and is highly valued by schl cmmunities. Learning and teaching prgrams vary acrss schls based n lcal needs and circumstances and reflect each schl s pririties, decisins and resurces. This, in turn, infrms the parent payment charges apprved by Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl that fllws: PURPOSE T ensure that parent payment practices are cnsistent, transparent and ensure that all children have access t the standard curriculum.. IMPLEMENTATION PARENT PAYMENT CATEGORIES Parent payments fall in three categries: Essential Essential Bklist Items Essential Schl Educatin Fees Optinal Events (Camps, Excursins & Activities) Vluntary Building & Library Fund Tax-deducible Dnatins Parent payment categries are further clarified in the Department f Educatin flwsheet, distributed with family accunts in December.

2 REFUNDS Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl will cnsider requests fr partial r full refunds f payments made by parents n a case-by-case basis taking int accunt the individual circumstances. Generally the schl will nt be able t refund payments made fr items purchased r csts that have already been paid where thse funds have already been transferred t a third party. Fr example, camp csts when a child becmes unwell and cannt attend in circumstances where the payment has already been made r cmmitted t a third party and n refund is available t the schl. ESSENTIAL BOOKLIST ITEMS Each child is required t cmmence the schl year with a supply f Essential Educatinal statinary items. Each child has been prvided with a bklist f these items, which parents are required t supply n the first day f the schl year. Parents are encuraged t reuse items that they may have frm the previus schl year such as pencils, pens, rulers, pencil cases, Texta s, clipbards, dcument wallets, display bks and the like. Parents may elect t purchase the bklist items frm their chsen retailer, bring sme items frm hme r purchase required materials frm Officewrks via the link prvided n the bklist. Year Level Descriptin Ttal Amunt TABLE 1 Funatin Cmplete Bklist (If purchased frm Officewrks) $78.84 One Cmplete Bklist (If purchased frm Officewrks) $81.47 Tw Cmplete Bklist (If purchased frm Officewrks) $65.65 Three Cmplete Bklist (If purchased frm Officewrks) $67.88 Fur Cmplete Bklist (If purchased frm Officewrks) $77.09 Five Cmplete Bklist (If purchased frm Officewrks) $68.08 Six Cmplete Bklist (If purchased frm Officewrks) $95.12

3 ESSENTIAL EDUCATION FEES Year Level Descriptin Ttal Amunt Funatin Classrm Materials $48.00 $ Kluwell My Hme Reading Bk $5.00 Oxfrd Handwriting Bk $17.00 One Classrm Materials $48.00 $ Mini music bk $10.00 Kluwell My hme Reading Bk $5.00 Oxfrd handwriting Bk $17.00 Oxfrd my first Dictinary $11.00 Tw Classrm Materials $48.00 $ Oxfrd handwriting Bk $17.00 Oxfrd my first Dictinary $11.00 Three Classrm Materials $48.00 $ Oxfrd Handwriting Bk $17.00 Headphnes 1:1/Naplan $10.00 Fur Classrm Materials $48.00 $97.00 Oxfrd handwriting Bk $17.00 Five Classrm Materials $48.00 $80.00 Six Classrm Materials $48.00 $80.00 These schl charges are fr use within the standard curriculum therefre they are Essential Educatinal Items fr which, parents are t supply and pay fr as per the Department f Educatin Parent Payment Plicy. In general, parents have the ptin f purchasing equivalent bklist materials frm their wn surces. Sme items, by their nature, may be difficult fr parents t surce, fr example: Mathletics license r a specific handwriting bk, therefre these items may nly be prvided by the schl and are included in the Essential Educatin Fees abve. Charges fr these items are added t family accunts, which are distributed in December. See Payment Arrangements and Methds fr details n payment terms.

4 OPTIONAL ITEMS EVENTS (CAMPS, EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES) Optinal Camps, Excursins and activities will be charged t families during the schl year. As these events are deemed Optinal they will be run n a user pay basis. Ntificatin f these events will be via the schl cmmunicatin system, Cmpass. The ptin t pay using cmpass will als be available. In an effrt t ensure that parents have adequate time t plan fr the expense f these events, an utline f the planned events fr the year will be distributed t parents in Term 1. Schl camps fr years 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be ntified t parents at the cmmencement f Term 1, including csts. A payment plan n Cmpass will be available t parents fr Camps. All schl excursins, incursins and events will have strict cut ff dates fr parent apprval and payments. Parents experiencing financial hardship will be encuraged t cntact the schl, at which time alternative payment arrangements will be made n a case-by-case basis. VOLUNTARY DONATIONS - TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS The schl perates tw registered Tax-Deductible Gift Recipient Funds. The Building Fund. The Library Fund. Dnatins t these funds, greater than $2.00, are tax deductible Dnatins made t the Building Fund are used fr the purpses f building prjects and maintenance expenses nly, as per the ATO legislatin. Dnatins made t the Library Fund are used fr the purpses f Library expenses nly, as per ATO legislatin. CONSIDERATION OF HARDSHIP Mnique Hunt (Office Manager) is the nminated parent payment fficer; parents may cmmunicate with Mnique by phne, r in persn abut their financial situatin and any related difficulties in making payments. Cnversatins f this nature are held with discretin, and will be discussed as necessary with the Principal staff, Business Manager r Student Wellbeing Leader nly. Parents will be supprted n a case-by-case basis. Parents experiencing financial hardship are prvided with a range f payment ptins and referrals t cmmunity supprt as directed by the Department f Educatin. The schl will make every effrt t cmmunicate with parents wh have been identified as discnnected frm the schl r wh may be experiencing hardship. The schl will engage discreet strategies f handling such situatins n a case-by-case basis.

5 PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS AND METHODS The fllwing utlines the planned payments due dates: Essential Educatin Fees (as per Table 2) Camps Events (Excursins, incursins, activities) Vluntary Cntributins Friday 22 nd February 2019 (in full) Tw weeks prir t the Camp (payment plans t be made available). Tw weeks prir t an event (r as ntified n Cmpass) At any time. The fllwing payment methds are available t families: Cmpass (This is ur preferred methd f payment) BPAY via internet banking EFTPOS in persn at the schl ffice MASTERCARD r VISA via phne PAYMENT PLANS by arrangement, cntact Mnique Hunt CENTRPAY eligible families t apply at the ffice Camp, Sprts & Excursin Fund - eligible families t apply via frm r at the ffice The Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl Staff and Schl Cuncil wrk t ensure that schl csts are manageable and kept t a minimum fr families. Please see the sectin Cnsideratin f Hardship fr thse families experiencing difficulties making payments. FAMILY SUPPORT OPTIONS Parents experiencing financial hardship may access a range f referrals t cmmunity supprt as directed by the Department f Educatin by cntacting Mnique Hunt at the Schl Office. CSEF- (Camps, Sprts & Excursin Fund) eligible families are encuraged t apply fr the CSEF. An applicatin fr CSEF is sent hme t families with the Statement f Accunt in December. The CSEF may entitle a family t Gvernment Funding f $ per child t assist in the payment f Camps, Sprts r Excursins nly. Additinal applicatin frms and supprt may be sught frm the schl ffice. State Schl Relief- The dnatin/supply f new schl unifrms t families in need. The schl ffice will supprt families t apply fr unifrms frm State Schl Relief. The schl will direct families in need f supprt t: Crisis services : The Smith Family: Brtherhd f St Laurence savers Prgram Anglicare: Lcal Payment Arrangements (cntact Mnique Hunt at the schl ffice)

6 COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES This plicy will be cmmunicated t families as fllws: The Parent Payment Plicy is placed as a prminent link n the schls fficial website. The Parent Payment Plicy will be cmmunicated t families via Cmpass, where families will sign their acknwledgment f access t the plicy. Hard cpies f the Parent Payment Plicy are available at the schl ffice. Parents are ntified six weeks prir t the end f the schl year f the preceding years knwn schl fees fr the fllwing year. OTHER General enquiries regarding parent payments are t be directed t the schl ffice. Parents may raise further issues, cncerns r cmplaints regarding parent payments r the Parent Payment Plicy t the Schl Principal, Assistant Principal, Business Manager r t the Schl Cuncil. All schl fees are ratified by the Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl Cuncil. Every effrt is made t keep parent payments t a minimum, whilst supprting the schl curriculum and the values f Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl. EVALUATION The Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl Cuncil is respnsible t mnitr; the implementatin, the transparency f prcesses and the engagement with parents in relatin t the Parent Payment Plicy. The Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl Cuncil is respnsible fr hw and when this plicy will be reprted back t the schl cmmunity, and the timing and prcesses f review f this plicy. CERTIFICATION This plicy was ratified at the Schl Cuncil meeting held at Pattersn Lakes Primary Schl n December 5 th, Schl Cuncil President. Schl Principal Last updated: December 2018