Parent involvement and participation are vitally important and necessary to the life of the school. We see it as building a partnership between parents, children and teachers, while supporting the faith and values we share as common beliefs.
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School and the community work together to ensure the children receive the best possible education in a strong family atmosphere. Parents are regularly invited into the classroom to assist with sporting events, excursion and whole school activities. Parents are also invited to worship with staff and students in a range of liturgical celebrations throughout the year.
A whole school assembly is held every Monday afternoon at 2.30pm on the playground where the whole school comes together to pray, receive awards, celebrate birthdays, raise the Australian flag and sing the National Anthem. We also have other special assemblies throughout the year where special awards and presentations are made.
Parent teacher interviews and information sessions allow parents to find out what is being taught in their child’s class and are regularly updated on their progress throughout the year.
Parent workshops are provided to keep parents informed about the learning program, innovations in curriculum and how to support your child at home.
A number of parent representative groups have been established that allow the Principal to consult the community, support the school through fundraising and organising of social events that foster and build community.
SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL
Our Lady of Dolours School Advisory Council is a forum that consults, listens and seeks feedback and wisdom from the local school and parish communities so that these communities work together to achieve common goals. It provides feed back, support and advice to the school Principal in relation to broader areas of challenge for the school community.
The Council will advise the Principal on the following and other relevant areas of school governance:
- Finance
- Enrolment
- Promotion
- Facilities
- Annual Plan
Members are selected by the Principal with 4 meetings scheduled for the year. Membership for 2 years comprises of 4 parents, 2 staff members, the Parish priest (if available) and the Principal.
PARENT GROUPS AND COMMITTEES
At Our Lady of Dolours we recognise and value the role parents play in the education of their children, and aim to strengthen the partnership between family, school, parish and the wider community for the benefit of all our children’s overall development and learning.
Through a range of parent groups and committees we endeavour to do this by reaching out to all associated with the school to build friendly and welcoming community which seeks to involve all its members.
Parent Group meetings are held once a term in the evening. All parents and carers of students attending the school and staff of the school are invited to attend the meeting where each committee will provide an update and general agenda items put forward by parents prior to the meeting can be discussed. The Principal chairs this meeting and it is typically held in the school Library.
Our Parents Groups and Committees are as follows:
- Events Committee
- Grade Parents
- Canteen Group
- Second Hand Uniform Group
- Library Parent Group
- MultiLit Parent Tutors
EVENTS COMMITTEE
The Our lady of Dolours Events Committee organise and run community events throughout the year which includes our Christmas FESTA in December. The festa is our min celebration and a highlight on the school calendar.
The committee regularly meets throughout the year comprising of many teams that have specific responsibilities for each aspect of an event. The committee meet early in the school year to plan the year’s events and all parents are invited to be part of the planning process.
Our Events Committee organise the following events each year. They are always open to new ideas and suggestions:
- Whole School Parent Welcome Function
- Kids Disco
- Mothers’ Day Stall
- Fathers’ Day Stall
- Christmas Festa
CLASS PARENTS
At the start of each year parents are able to nominate for the role of class parent. If selected, they are responsible for coordinating parents to assist the Principal, class or grade teachers and the Events Committee on a range of activities and events.
The Class Parent organises social activities that allow parents and students to get to know each other both in and out of the school context. Each grade is also assigned a school function each year to organise hospitality, and the class parents are key in coordinating this with the parents in their child’s grade.
The following functions are assigned to grades at the start of the school year:;
- Tea and Tissues (Kindergarten’s first day drop off)
- Easter Raffle
- Mothers’ Day Breakfast
- Fathers’ Day Breakfast
- Grandparents’ Day Morning Tea
- Orientation Morning Tea
