Parent and Teacher Communication
Seesaw
Seesaw is an app that is used by our teachers and students that is centred around the creation of personal student portfolios.
It centres around the principle of Student Engagement. Seesaw is a great way for parents to keep in touch on what their child has learned, how they express their ideas in the classroom and, most importantly, how proud they are to show their work. Students are able to share what they know using photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, and links.
The Seesaw app is available on all mobile devices and computers.
How we communicate
As a school we communicate with parents in a range of ways:
- Fortnightly newsletters
Messages via the Schoolzine app- School website
- Weekly assemblies each Monday at 3pm
- Weekly Flag Raising each Monday at 8:50am
- Notice Boards
- Hard copy notes
- Emails
- Absences via the Schoolzine app
How to Communicate
The clearest form of communication is a discussion. Our Classroom Teachers are more than happy to make a time to meet with you to discuss your child. Please be aware, however teacher's time is limited as they must attend to their class during the school day and attend professional learning meetings two nights a week after school. The best time for a meeting or a phone call are mornings before 8:40am and after 3:45pm of a Tuesday and Thursday. Emails are also an acceptable form of communication, please read the sections below.
Email is seen as an effective form of communication between the school and parents/carers. OLOL Primary School expects that parents/carers and school staff will use email in a responsible manner. By communicating via email all users agree to adhere to this policy and the expected behaviours it outlines. Users who do not comply may be requested to cease communicating in this way.
- To ensure the use of email communication between teachers and parents/carers is carried out in a mutually respectful manner.
- To ensure all email communication is treated in a confidential, legal and ethical manner.
- To provide processes that minimise the chance of inappropriate use, and provide clear consequences of such usage.
All users MUST adhere to all email conditions below.
- Appreciate that using email to communicate does not result in an immediate response; however, a maximum 48 hour (workdays) acknowledgement of receipt is expected. Actual response to an email query may take up to 2 more days depending on the request.
- The recipient of an email agrees to not forward, cut or paste sections of a sender’s email for further publication within the school community without necessary reason.
- All email communication will be carried out in a professional and appropriate format and tone.
Time to Respond to Communication
- Teachers will make every effort to respond as soon as possible to parent communications, with the understanding that the teaching day sometimes precludes immediate responses.
- Teachers and staff may need some time to collect needed information before responding.
Parent Teacher Meetings
There are three formal timetabled opportunities over the school year for parents to meet with teachers. (These interviews are booked through Session Keeper).
The first occurs early in the year and is an opportunity for the parent/s to discuss what they see as their child’s needs with a new classroom teacher. It is more of a familiarisation time and an opportunity for the parents to get to know the teacher and classroom routines.
The second meeting is held at the end of Term Two. This is a formal meeting between the student, their parent/s and the classroom teacher. At this meeting the student leads the parent/s through their learning during Semester One. They discuss what they are proud of and together set goals for the next semester.
There is an opportunity for a third meeting at the end of Term Four where parents can meet with the classroom teacher to discuss their child’s end of year report. This is an optional meeting and meetings can be made at the discretion of the teacher or the parent/s.
Session Keeper
Session Keeper is an online booking solution which allows for seamless communication and contact management when booking Parent and Teacher Interviews and Student Led Conferences. The website is an easy to use system where parents and staff can manage a booking across any device.
Whom to Contact
We know that when parents have a concern that relates to their child at school, whether it is pastoral, academic or staffing in nature, they may be unsure of who to approach.
- Communications of classroom concerns should be directed at first to your child’s teacher. In our experience, any of these concerns can often be most quickly resolved by talking to the class teacher as they know your child best.
- If you have an issue with a particular staff member, first try to address those concerns with that staff member directly.
- If you have discussed with your child’s teacher and the issue has not been addressed to your satisfaction, then please speak to the Office and make an appointment to speak to Mr McAlister or Miss Archer.
- Please recognise that as a school, we operate with openness, collaboration and the shared best interest for every student.
- If you feel your concern remains unadressed you are to follow our Compaints and Grievance Policy.