Dear Parents,
Well, would you believe we are already over half way through Term 2. With only three weeks left, teachers, Mrs Bartley and I are busily working on Semester One Reports. These Reports will be available via CONNECT from 2pm Thursday 28 June with printed copies sent home with students on Friday 29 June.
Speaking with a few parents the other day, I understand that some people are having trou-ble getting onto Connect. Please contact Cardi in the Office if you are experiencing any diffi-culties so she can investigate and get you CONNECTed!
Finally it looks like we have some Winter weather with us. Hopefully it is raining in all the right places around the state. I know my Farming friends are certainly appreciating the rain. Of course, with the colder weather comes a range of bugs and illnesses. The medical room has been inundated with unwell children over the last 2 weeks, particularly with tummy bugs. If your child is unwell, please keep them home for a couple of days until the symp-toms have settled. Some aliments are highly infectious and we have had lots of children and staff absent from school. Coming to school every day and on time is important, but a couple of days away if children (and staff) are not well is necessary for their health and well-being as well as that others.
Recently the Labour Government announced they will open a Round of schools who are interested in becoming Independent Public Schools (IPS). Stuart (Snowy) Maughan, School Council Chair and I have attended the recent information Development Days for this round of IPS.
What is an Independent Public School?
An Independent Public School is a public school where the Principal has been given in-creased flexibility and responsibility to make local decisions across a range of school opera-tions to enhance education outcomes for students.
What flexibilities does an Independent Public School have?
Independent Public Schools have more freedom to make decisions about important matters that impact students’ education such as student support, staff recruitment, financial man-agement, governance and accountability. They are still part of the Department of Education and follow the same legislation, policies and agreements.
What does a School Board do?
Each Independent Public School has a school board. The board establishes a vision for the school that reflects the aspirations and needs of the community. The board can have an important influence on the direction of the school, with members bringing ideas and lending their expertise to strategic planning and community partnerships.
Like all public schools, Principals of Independent Public Schools must comply with relevant legislation, industrial agreements and whole of government policies and initiatives including, but not limited to:
- School Education Act 1999
- School Education Regulations 2000
- School Curriculum and Standards Authority Act 1997
- Public Sector Management Act 1994
- Financial Management Act 2006.
What are the benefits of being an Independent Public School?
- have greater independence for local decision making which directly reflects the needs of their students and communities
- establish more dynamic and open governance relationships with the people in their com-munities
- employ greater flexibility in areas such as staff recruitment, budgeting, procurement, school development days, travel approvals and student support
- take part in regular performance reviews to provide their school communities with assessment of the differences they are making over time
- have continued access to central support
- are supported by the full range of resources and infrastructure that comes with being part of the Western Australian public school system.
Will it cost more to be a student at Bassendean?
No. Voluntary Contributions are set by the State Government and remains at $60. Fees and Charges are adjusted annually as they are now and reflect the cost to the school. For example – incursions, excursions and swimming lessons. Fees and Charges are endorsed by the Board, just as they currently are by the School Council and are sent home in Term 4 of each school year for the coming year.
What are the benefits of becoming an Independent Public School?
It takes committed and proactive school communities to become Independent Public Schools.
Independent Public School communities take a greater leadership role in all aspects of education, with the ultimate goal of delivering high quality education to students.
Independent Public School principals have a direct line relationship with, and are accountable to, the Director General of the Department of Education.
Independent Public Schools:
- have greater independence for local decision making which directly reflects the needs of their students and communities
- establish more dynamic and open governance relationships with the people in their communities
- employ greater flexibility in areas such as staff recruitment, budgeting, procurement, school development days, travel ap-provals and student support
- take part in regular performance reviews to provide their school communities with assessment of the differences they are making over time
- have continued access to central support
- are supported by the full range of resources and infrastructure that comes with being part of the Western Australian public school system.
Bassendean is a great school, with great children, excellent and committed staff and a wonderful community. We have well established and unique programs at the school, and a wide range of support for our students educational, social and emotion-al needs. Our staff think it is time for us to become an Independent Public School – we hope you do too!
Stuart and I will be holding some parent information sessions if you would like to know more about the IPS initiative. As part of our journey into becoming IPS we will be conducting surveys to look at the Culture in our school. Surveys will be undertaken by our stakeholders – Students, Staff and Parents. Next week Parent Surveys will be sent home. We would appreciate their quick return by Friday 15 June.
Jaqueline Varris
Principal