Parent Handbook - Part 4

Litter

As a part of the health and safety of all at Marymount Primary, all students are reminded regularly of their responsibilities to avoid littering and to contribute towards the upkeep of the environment. Teachers supervising seated eating times are to insist that children pick up any litter before being allowed to play. All students should be expected to keep their areas free of litter.

Year Level Areas of Responsibility

Each year level is responsible for keeping specific areas clean and tidy. The following are the areas each year level has been assigned.

Prep Prep Courtyard
Year 1 Year 1 Courtyard and verandahs and lower section of Frank Shine Walk
Year 2 Year 2 verandahs, middle fields and shelter sheds
Year 3 Year 3 verandahs, Library courtyard and covered area and gardens.
Year 4 Year 4 verandahs, Tuckshop and area around Demountable Buildings
Year 5 Year 5 verandahs, Learning Support walkway, Year 5 Courtyard and middle section of Frank Shine Walk
Year 6 Year 6 Undercroft, Year 6 verandahs, top section of Frank Shine Walk, Top Fields

 

Lost Property

Lost property is the responsibility of the student. The lost property basket is located in the Learning Enhancement Centre. Unmarked and unclaimed goods will be sent to St Vincent de Paul. Teachers are encouraged to remind students to collect up all their belongings each day.

All schools have some problem with lost property which may, in part, be overcome with better management of resources. While it is a parental responsibility to ensure names are clearly marked on all items of clothing, teachers can and should insist that their class members have names clearly marked and are asked to check at regular intervals.

Administration of Medication

Marymount Primary recognises that the administration of medication is the responsibility of the parent or person with legal responsibility for the student. Marymount Primary recognises also that there will be occasions when a student requires the administration of medication during school hours or school activities. When the Principal has agreed, medication should only be administered to students during school hours or school activities when:

  • it is authorised by the student’s medical practitioner;
  • the parent or person with the legal responsibility for the student makes a written request to the principal of the school including the instructions for administration of the medication and any special requirements;
  • a teacher or other adult person on the school staff who volunteers to give medication to the particular student while at school or while involved in a school approved activity is authorised by the principal to do so;
  • the medication is in a container labelled by a pharmacist/ dispenser, showing the name of the medication, the “use by” date, the name of the student’s medical practitioner, the name of the student, the dosage and the frequency of administration;

In some cases it may be necessary for the student to keep the medication in their possession (e.g. Epipen, asthma medication, pancreatic enzyme replacements for cystic fibrosis). Where this is the case, a parent or a person with the legal responsibility for the student should include this instruction in their written advice.

Medication which is not labelled shall not be accepted for use. It is the responsibility of the parent or person with the legal responsibility for the student to ensure that

  • the medication is clearly labelled;
  • is not out of date;
  • is provided in sufficient quantities for the student’s needs;
  • is collected from the school at the completion of the student’s treatment.

Instructions solely from the parent or person with the legal responsibility for the student without the required labelling on the medication shall not be accepted. All natural / alternative remedies must be administered in accordance with the above. If the school is required to administer medication an authority form will need to be printed out and signed. To download a copy of the Medication Authority form, Medication to Student - Medication Request or Authority to Adminster Paracetamol.

Mobile Phones

Students who bring mobile phones to school are required to hand in phones to either the office or their class teacher upon arrival to school. These will be locked in a filing cabinet and returned to children at the end of the day. Students have access to phones at the discretion of staff so there is no need for them to access mobile phones during the school day.

Name Badges

In keeping with Workplace Health and Safety Guidelines, and in order to ensure the safety of all staff and students at Marymount Primary, all adults who work in the school will be required to wear name tags during regular school hours. Teachers and Support Staff will be provided with a name tag while volunteer adults are required to report to the school office where a register entry will be made, and a name tag supplied. Teachers and support staff are encouraged to facilitate the acceptance of the name tag process by reminding all visitors and helpers to wear their appropriate name tags while at school.

Office Hours

The School Administration Office is open from 8.00am – 4:00 pm Monday to Friday. The School Secretary, Accounts Personnel and School Reception/Administrators are in attendance in the office during these hours.

Outside School Hours Care

The Burleigh Heads Catholic Parish operates an Outside School Hours Care Facility at Marymount Primary School between the hours of 7:00am and 6.00 pm each week day from Monday to Friday. A Vacation Care Program is also conducted during school holidays from 7am-6pm. Parents are encouraged to use these facilities, either on a regular or casual basis. For more information regarding enrolment procedures and fees phone 5576 3756.

Ozanam Villa

Marymount Primary School has had a long-standing relationship with the residents of Oznam Villa Aged Care Facility.  These visits always raise the spirit of the residents as well as allowing the children an opportunity to interact with older members of the community.  Throughout the year, Years One and Two share stories, sing songs, read poetry and spend time interacting with the residents, while Years Five and Six share the Eucharist at Mass in their chapel.  

Family & Community Engagement Strategy (FACES)

The FACES committee is a vital group within the school. This group has over the years contributed most significantly to the development of the physical and cultural atmosphere of our school. The group is not only a fund raising organisation, although it may often seem so, but also a forum for adult education, exchange of ideas and suggestions. 

Parking of Vehicles

All setting down and picking up of children and parking is to take place in the main school car park on Reedy Creek Rd or via the Sunlight Dr entrance. Please take note of the signs and road markings which indicate traffic flow. Please observe signage in these areas which are designated as Staff Only Car Parks.

Placement of Students in Classes

The placement of children into classes is the responsibility of the Leadership Team in consultation with class teachers. A number of factors influence the decision making process including ability levels, social and emotional needs of students, behaviour issues and learning/teaching styles. Placement of children into classes is done with the best educational outcome for all children in mind. Reasonable and valid educational reasons from parents presented in writing to the Principal may be considered when placing students in classes however the decision of the Principal is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 

Prayer

Prayer cannot be reduced to the spontaneous outpouring of uterion impulse; in order to pray, one must have the will to pray. Nor is it enough to know what the Scriptures reveal about prayer: one must learn how to pray. 2650 Catechism of the Catholic Church

Prayer is an integral part of the life of a Catholic school. Prayer has the potential to nourish the spiritual growth of students. In order to promote prayer life our classes regularly participate in whole class prayer at particular times of the day, eg. morning prayer, prayer before meals etc, at school assembly and in class and school liturgy. Our older students attend Ozanam Villa Aged Care Facility for monthly Mass and classes attend the parish churches for liturgy and church visits.

Our school feast day falls on September 8, the Feast of Our Lady’s Birthday and is celebrated with a combined Primary and College Mass in the Doyle Centre.

Public Speaking

Classes at Marymount Primary will conduct a public speaking competition during Term 3 each year. These are run at class and then year levels. Awards will be given to the first three place getters in each year level.