Handbook

On behalf of the parish school community, I welcome you into our family. In 2019, Christ the King Parish School will celebrate 46 years of excellence in Catholic Education.

Father Eric Burton began our parish community and was instrumental in the initiation and continued development of our parish school since its origin.

The term dates for 2019 are:

Term 1
Monday, 14th October to Wednesday, 18th December

• Tuesday 29th January – Wednesday 30th January - Years1-6 Assessment days
• Thursday 31st January - Years 1-6 begin school
• Tuesday 29th January – Thursday 31st January - Kindergarten assessments days
• Friday, 1st February - Kindergarten begin full school days
• Friday, 19th April - Good Friday (Public Holiday)
• Sunday, 21st April - Easter Sunday (Public Holiday)
• Monday, 22nd April - Easter Monday (Public Holiday)
• Friday 12th April - Last Day Term 1

Term 2
Monday, 29th April to Friday, 5th July

Term 3
Monday, 22nd July to Friday, 27th September

Term 4
Monday, 14th October to Wednesday, 18th December

If children live with criticism
They learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility
They learn to fight.

If children live with ridicule
They learn to be shy.

If children live with shame
They learn to feel guilty.

If children live with tolerance
They learn to be patient.

If children live with encouragement
They learn confidence.

If children live with praise
They learn to appreciate.

If children live with fairness
They learn justice.

If children live with security
They learn to have faith.

If children live with approval
They learn to like themselves.

If children live with acceptance and friendship,
They learn to find love in the world.

Dorothy Law Nolte.

This is our school.

A place where Christ is at the centre of all we do.

A place where we can learn and grow together.

A place where peace, justice and harmony shine through.

Together, we at Christ the King School try to do our best in our work, and in loving and understanding one another.

School term dates and holidays are generally the same as government schools.

*School development days occur at the beginning of Terms 1, 2 and 3 and the last two days of the school year. Please check with the school, as Staff Development days may vary from some of these dates.

There are no canteen facilities available at the school, however an online lunch order system 'TUCKSHOP2U' runs five (5) days per week. Information updates are sent home to families via the school newsletter.

Children are supervised throughout the school day. There is no morning supervision before 8.15 am and we encourage you to send your child to school after this time. In the interest of your child’s safety, parents are asked not to drop children off before this time. On the odd occasion, children who arrive early need to sit quietly outside the staffroom and wait until the teacher begins duty.

Punctuality is important for children to settle at school and be welcomed at the 8.45am morning assembly.

We place significant emphasis upon the safety and care of our children. Staff are very aware of the need for safety, and readily supervise all activities from 8.15am to 3.10pm, by which time all children have normally left. Safety programs are often presented to heighten the child's awareness.

After school, children are supervised on:

Children occasionally have minor injuries from their play. They are usually sent to the office for first aid care, and attention to their injuries. The staff are well trained in first aid. Any serious accident/injury or head injury is immediately treated and parents are contacted. If parents cannot be contacted, emergency numbers will be used and, if necessary, emergency measures will be taken by the Principal or Assistant Principal.

If children are ill during the day parents are usually contacted to come to school and collect them. If parents are unable to be contacted, emergency contacts may need to be used. Regardless, the children will be cared for by the staff in sick bay. In the case of contagious illnesses e.g. chicken pox, conjunctivitis, head lice; a doctors’ clearance is required before returning to school.

Parents are encouraged to keep their child at home if at all ill, so that other children/teachers are not infected and they return when they are feeling well enough to learn.

Our school endorses the use of hats and sun cream. Children wear hats every day of the year. Parents are asked to encourage their children to use protective suncream. Children without hats are required to sit outside the staffroom in the shade. The school has a ‘no hat no play’ policy. There is a great deal of natural / man made shade in the playground that the children can take advantage of. On very hot days the children remain inside in air-conditioned comfort.

To avoid possible allergic reactions from suncream, the school does not supply or apply cream to the students.

Should a child lose his/her original free School Opal card, an application for a new one must be made via the Transport NSW site. A charge may apply for a replacement.

Please emphasise to your child the high expectations we have of children's behaviour and safety when travelling on buses. Bus companies will refuse travel and take Opal passes off children who are disruptive.

In the event of your child being absent from school due to illness, it is necessary to contact the school via the SkoolBag app (see newsletter or CTK School website for app instructions), by email or by a phone call to the school office so that the class teacher can be informed about the absence. If you contact the school via email or phone call, a written signed note is required upon your child’s return stating the date/s of absence and the reason. This is a legal requirement for our class rolls.

A SkoolBag notification is signed so there is no further need for a signed note upon their return.

If your child is absent for more than three days due to illness, a medical certificate is required upon their return to school.

1-5 days absence within Australia

Parents must notify the school principal by mail or email. For travel overseas, copies of travel documents must accompany your notification.

Any Travel Overseas or Over 5 days absence within Australia

Parents must complete and submit the Application for Extended Leave form prior to commencing leave. For travel overseas, copies of travel documents must accompany your notification. If approved, the Principal issues a Certificate of Extended Leave.  If the principal declines this application (i.e it is not within the best interest of the child to take leave and be absent from school), a letter notifying parents that the application has been declined would be forthcoming.

Parents must first go to the office to record their child’s ‘late arrival’ or ‘early departure’. This partial absence or early departure is electronically recorded onto the class roll as a legal requirement. A pass is forwarded to the class teacher which acknowledges the child’s leave has been recorded on the class roll.

For safety reasons, children cannot be signed out of class without parent / guardian supervision. If a person other than yourself is collecting your child please inform the office before they arrive to collect your child from the Office.

Please note: Even if you have previously advised the Office/class teacher that you are collecting your child early, they will only be called to the Office once you have arrived and they have been signed out.

It is important that your child is clear about their pick up and/or departure details. This helps minimise a great deal of stress and confusion for your child. If your child’s afternoon routine is varied, a good idea is to write out a timetable and attach it to your child’s bags in a luggage tag. e.g. Mon – drive through, Tue – After school care, Wed - etc

Parents are asked to contact the school (unless prior arrangements have been made) if they will be later than 3.10pm. This helps alleviate children’s concerns as they are often upset if they feel they should have been picked up sooner. All children are usually picked up by 3.10pm so that teachers can be back in classrooms for planning and meetings etc. All remaining children will be relocated to the office area for supervision until 3.30pm. Children remaining after this time will be taken to the onsite CTK After School Care Centre. Your assistance in this area is greatly appreciated.

A drive-thru / pick-up system operates in the afternoon.

Parents are asked to please ensure minimal spacing between cars in the playground so that we can take more cars off Statham Avenue and hence alleviate congestion at the intersection and for people leaving the school.

Always park where traffic flow will not be obstructed. If parking in the afternoon outside the hall or church it is always advisable to park with the rear to the hall/gutter so that you have full visibility leaving in a forward direction. Always park where traffic flow will not be obstructed. 

In the interest of safety, please utilise the in-school crossing with your children, ideally holding the hands of young ones. Your role-modelling and example are powerful messages to your children.

Our valet pick up system in the afternoon works extremely well and its effectiveness has resulted in many other schools coming to witness how it operates.

In our pursuit of continually maintaining a high level of safety for the children, your attention to the following is appreciated:

• Always cross at the crossing
• Always travel at 5km per hour within the school grounds
• Always use a hands free mobile if your car is in motion
• Always have a seat belt for every child you pick up, and ensure seat belts are fastened before leaving the school grounds. (Never, never, never compromise a child’s safety in this area, do not take offence if the child is not allowed in the car. It is illegal!)
• The national child restraint laws are that:
  • children up to 6 months of age must be restrained in an approved rearward facing child restraint
  • children from 6 months to under 4 years of age must be restrained in an approved rearward or forward facing child restraint
  • children from 4 years to under 7 years of age must be restrained in an approved forward facing child restraint or booster seat
  • children under 4 years of age must not be in the front row of a vehicle that has two or more rows
  • children from 4 years to under 7 years of age can only sit in the front row of a vehicle with two or more rows when all other seats are occupied by children under 7 years of age in approved child restraints or booster seats.
• Further information regarding the new child restraint laws, including frequently asked questions, can be found on the RTA's website http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/.
• Always be sure your handbrake is on when children are getting into the car
• Always have children enter the passenger side of the vehicle (ramp side)
• Always ensure all passengers are fully within the vehicle and all doors are actually closed before moving off
• Always have your children wait for you inside the school gates.

Thank you for your support.

Parents are reminded that when dropping off their children in the morning the following guidelines apply:

• Always travel at 5km per hour within the school grounds
• Always have children leave the vehicle on the passenger side
• Always use the crossing if appropriate
• Always park around the hall, never on the top playground unless there is a major school function, and only then after 9:00am as latecomers may still be walking across the playground.
• Always avoid parking on the crossing.

On occasional days throughout the year, class teachers may be ill or released from class to attend inservice courses, planning, meetings etc. Qualified relief teachers continue the teacher's daily program on these days, working closely with their grade partners to ensure the children's learning continues. Consistency of relief teachers on a class is always a priority.

If it is absolutely necessary that a child needs to take medication during the school day, the medication, together with a medication note, needs to be left at the office on the child’s arrival at school. For safety reasons, medication is not to be self-administered. If possible, it is preferable for a medication form from the office to be completed. Copies of these will be sent home at the beginning of the year. The Office Staff will assist children in taking their medication. 

The medication note needs to include the following information:

• Child's name
• Class
• Doctor who has prescribed the medication
• Medication name
• Dosage
• Time of dosage

We encourage our children to be responsible for their clothes and belongings. However, occasionally these are lost/misplaced. If each item has the child's name clearly labelled it can be returned to the correct owner.

The ‘lost property’ basket is found near the staffroom foyer.

A Catholic Out of School Hours Care Service is open at Christ the King.

The COSHC operates out of the Mary MacKillop Hall. The CTK COSHC uses designated areas within the school grounds for outdoor play.

For further information contact COSHC directly: coshcchristthekingnorthrocks@parra.catholic.edu.au

All money sent to the school needs to be in a sealed envelope (even put sticky tape on the edges where coins will roll out!). The front of the envelope needs the following information:

• Child's name
• Class
• Amount
• Details of payment (e.g. School fees)

You are urged to have all contact numbers held by the school up-to-date and current, especially the emergency numbers and parent contact numbers. Please inform the school office immediately of any changes of address, phone number or contact numbers.

The School office is officially open from 8:30am to 3:30pm during school terms.

If you wish to see a teacher or your child throughout the course of the day you must first report to the office. Consideration of the class of children learning is of the upmost importance. Children are often easily distracted by parents coming to the classroom unannounced wanting to see a teacher during the course of the day. Not ignoring emergencies, most matters could possibly wait until the afternoon when the teachers do not have the responsibility of teaching the class and duty of care.

A mutually arranged time to meet via a note or a phone call through the office allows teachers to be able to give their full attention to you, as this is not possible while trying to teach and manage a class. Your co-operation in this area is very much appreciated in providing the best possible learning for your child.

Each school year, Diocesan schools suspend classes for 5 pupil free days. When staff development days are planned, you will receive at least 2 weeks notice of the date and purpose of the day.

Children are required to present an Immunisation Certificate to the school (if not already included with the enrolment application).

The Certificate reminds and encourages parents to have their child immunised against diseases which can be prevented by immunisation. The certificate is available from your local family doctor.

Unimmunised children may be required to stay at home if there is an outbreak of any of the childhood diseases. This will prevent the spread of the disease to other children, families and the community.

The Regional high schools for Christ the King are St Patrick's Marist College Dundas and Parramatta Marist High Westmead. 

These schools provide ongoing enrolment for our students. 

St Patrick’s is a co-educational high school while Parramatta Marist High is for boys only. Both schools communicate closely with us and continue the student's progress and development within a very similar environment of care, faith and excellence. 

We encourage families to continue their schooling in the Catholic environment provided by our Systemic Catholic High Schools. 

There are also a number of other local Catholic high schools such as Gilroy College at Castle Hill and McAuley Girls High at Westmead (both Systemic), as well as Mt St Benedict's College at Pennant Hills, Our Lady of Mercy College at Parramatta, Oakhill College at Castle Hill, Marist College Eastwood and Loretto College Normanhurst (Independent / non-Systemic).

Our school is bounded by some busy roads and small back streets.

Traffic is particularly heavy in the afternoons when the children are being picked up. We ask that you take responsibility to ensure the safety of the children.

Please take care. Vehicle access to the top playground ceases after 8:45 am.

Once a term our children have the opportunity to buy books through Scholastic Australia. All purchases are purely optional. Brochures are sent home, and if you wish to purchase, your selections are to be sent back to the office by the closing date which is advised in the school newsletter. It usually takes a few weeks before delivery. We appreciate the help of parents who voluntarily provide this service to the children.

From time to time we publish children’s results achieved in the International Competitions of Australian Schools (ICAS), i.e. Maths, English, Science & Computer Competitions. We also publish places in sporting events, other awards and achievements. If you have any concerns about your child’s name appearing in our School Newsletter please contact the office.

Additionally, we may use photos of children and adults from significant CTK events on our website. We also on occasion send photos of our children to newspapers or to the Catholic Education Office for inclusion with an article about Christ the King. If you do not wish photos of your child to be used in any publications at school, Catholic Education Office, website or newspapers, please contact the school office in writing.

The process used for any representative team selection is indeed difficult and is sometimes met with controversy as children miss out on being selected. Disappointment follows and sometimes tears. The selectors rely on how the children perform at the selection trial (or trials depending on the time frame available). There may be players who feel (or perhaps are) better than other players selected but it is primarily the ability/skills etc. the children display at the trial in front of the selectors that is crucial. Also important is the team player aspect and the right temperament / behaviour to represent the school. 

Where we are able to submit many teams we endeavour to allow a high representation of Year 6 children in their final year at CTK. If we are restricted to one team by the organisers then we endeavour to select the most competitive possible team combination from all of the children trying out.

Please be assured that we undertake selections seriously considering many aspects, but at all times ensuring the process is fair and unbiased.

Our library is co-ordinated by a qualified Teacher Librarian. All students have the opportunity for weekly lessons, borrowing, skills development and information research. The library has a central role in our school. It is fully utilised as a learning centre which supports the teaching programs in the classrooms. Our library collection is extensive and very well equipped. The integration of learning technologies are an integral part of the library’s program. 

Each child is expected to have a library bag to protect the books they borrow when transporting to / from class and home. It is the children’s responsibility to ensure books borrowed are returned and not misplaced.

The school is well equipped with 21^st Century technologies. Teachers integrate modern ICT into the learning/teaching process to enhance learning. The critical thinking curriculum model with effective learning and teaching practices provides students and teachers with a process and an opportunity to develop effective problem solving, collaboration and communication skills. ICT utilised in the classroom motivates and engages students in the learning process. We are indeed grateful to our dedicated Parents and Friends Association who have raised funds to provide additional state of the art Information and Communication Technologies in every classroom.

Christ the King offers a swimming program for Grades K-3 to assist the children with their water safety and confidence. This links closely with the summer vacation 'learn to swim' programs offered at the local pools. Year 5 & 6 students at present are also offered a Surf Education day which is conducted at Manly Beach by qualified instructors.

Classes use some textbooks to assist and support the children's learning. Not all pages in all textbooks are completed. They act very much as a support to the syllabus, as pre-testing, drill and practice, and as one form of assessment.

Homework is valuable as it encourages children to gain confidence and enjoyment from learning while establishing good study habits. Homework gives parents the opportunity to support and share their child's learning. Quality homework includes revising and consolidating what has been learnt in class, lots of reading, researching of new information, sharing new knowledge with the family, visiting interesting places like the library and attempting challenging tasks. Children should not spend copious amounts of time completing homework. If homework is too difficult please let your child’s teacher know. Always allow children to pursue their interests in other areas, as homework is not meant to be a long or arduous task.

Our suggested homework program:

Note: Projects are usually completed at school although some information, materials and research gathering may be done at home.  Our aim is to not inconvenience parents as we have access to appropriate resources at school and also ensure that the end product is generated wholly by the child.

Excursions provide the children with additional exciting and rich experiences to support their learning. 

Careful consideration is given to:

• venue
• transport
• costs
• supervision
• learning outcomes

Every effort will be made to keep costs to a minimum and you will be informed well beforehand. Financial difficulties or hardship should not be a reason for non-participation. Contact the Principal or class teacher if this circumstance is present.

Our specialist Creative Arts teacher encourages the children to develop their musical skills in all areas. We are proud of the children's musical abilities and their growth in this area. The children experience public performances and are able to showcase their talents. Children in primary grades have the opportunity to be in the school choir and have opportunities to perform in school and out of school to showcase their talents.

Christ the King Band/Instrument Lessons

Children in primary grades have the opportunity to learn an instrument within class time and/or be part of the Christ the King Band. Lessons are available in groups of approximately 6 students. These lessons are independently provided by Teaching Services Australia.

We aim to develop in each child a respect for each other. Each member of our school community is held in high esteem and our school behaviour policy is seen as part of this broad dimension of pastoral care.

Our discipline aims to be just, fair and upholding the dignity of the person. Parents are informed about children's behaviour as we endeavour to develop children who are able to live with self control and responsibility in their lives.

Pastoral care envelopes our community. We celebrate the good, welcome the new, sympathise with the sad, encourage the lonely, and interact regularly.

Children are continually encouraged that if someone is taking away these rights that they tell them to stop and if they don’t they are expected to tell a teacher. Your support on insisting that your child follow these simple steps is paramount. It is also emphasised that this is not ‘dobbing’ but helping others to understand how to live in harmony with others in our school community.

We offer support in the area of special needs. 

Our Teaching Learning Team works with children experiencing learning difficulties and provides support for children needing a specialised English literacy program. Our Learning Support Team is available to give specialised reading/writing intervention and to assist in the development of Early Literacy for our infants. We also have access to community and systemic services for children needing specialist support. 

Children needing enrichment and further challenges in learning are extended in the classroom and through programs which nurture all their gifts. We try to cater for all children needing further challenges to cater for their talents and giftedness.

Parents are welcome, if they wish, to send along a treat to help their child celebrate a birthday with their peers. We ask that cup cakes, pre-cut cakes or individually served treats, e.g. ice blocks, lamingtons are provided as opposed to a round cake etc. which requires cutting and dividing equally amongst the grade (which can be quite time consuming). Your support in this area is greatly appreciated.

If your child has allergies it is recommended that you send in a few suitable treats that can be left with the class teacher for your child on these occasions.

There are many opportunities to be involved and to feel part of our school community. We encourage you to participate in the life of the school in some way, if at all possible.

Class parent representatives are organised for each class and are a valuable contact for new families, building community and support networks.

Parents are invited to participate in the school in many ways, including classroom assistance with the children, helping out with food days, helping in the library or supporting with Mothers Day/Fathers Day stalls. All parents who wish to assist with activities such as these, where they work with our children, are required to complete the online Child Protection Volunteer Training provided by the Parramatta diocese. The training is completed through an online training module and once complete notification is forwarded to the school.

Below is a list of the committees that need to be established for specific events that are held annually. We are asking each family to volunteer to be a part of at least one committee. If you wish to volunteer for more than one committee you are welcome to do so. If a committee cannot be filled, that event will be cancelled for the year. More information regarding these committees will be sent home in the New Year.

• Ice Block Co-ordination for Fridays in Term 1 & Term 4 (volunteers needed to liaise with Class Parents regarding grade volunteers, ordering ice blocks fortnightly and bagging coins in preparation for banking).
  
  
• Year 6 Yearbook Committee (run by CURRENT YEAR 6 PARENTS)
  (volunteer parent base from Year 6 to liaise with all other Year 6 parents)
  
  
• Year 6 Graduation Supper (run by CURRENT YEAR 5 PARENTS)
  (volunteer parent base to liaise with all other current Year 5 parents)
  
  
• Mother’s Day Stall – May Term 2 (volunteers needed to purchase gifts & wrapping, organise wrapping night and set up of stall during the week before Mother’s Day for selling and counting of monies for banking afterwards).
  
  
• Mother’s Day Breakfast – Friday before Mother’s Day Term 2
  Calling all Dads!!!- tasks include: ordering food and supplies, prepare, setup and serve.
  
  
• Disco – (volunteer base needed to liaise with the school community)
  
  
• Family Social Night Term 3 -Event TBC (volunteer base needed to liaise with the school community).
  
  
• Grandparent’s Day Morning Tea Term 3 (volunteer base needed to liaise with the school community. Tasks include: purchasing of food, setup, serve and clean up).
  
  
• Father’s Day Stall Term 3 (volunteers needed to purchase gifts & wrapping, organise wrapping night and set up of stall during the week before Mother’s Day for selling and counting of monies for banking afterwards).
  
  
• Father’s Day Breakfast – Friday before Father’s Day Term 3
  
  
• Calling all Mums!!!- tasks include: ordering of food and supplies, prepare, setup, cook and serve.
  
  
• Mark In Your Diary - CTK Parish School Community Spring Fair (held bi-annually – next event Term 3, 2020).

Please do not feel apprehensive in signing up due to the fact that you may not know what needs to be done. Should you be a first-time volunteer for one of the committees, be assured that the previous years’ committee members are more than willing to share that knowledge with you and help you organise a successful event. At the end of the day, we are all here to do this for the students at CTK.

Christ the King School, North Rocks has adopted the use of an annual Fundraising Policy.

The Christ the King School community has adopted the use of an annual Fundraising Levy as its main income source throughout the school year. The Levy is to be charged per family with the fee included on the family’s annual School Fee account which will be payable in installments over Terms 1, 2 & 3. This policy will be reviewed biennially, with the review occurring during Term 1 of the given school year.

Social Event Funding

The CTK Parent Committees will be tasked with organising four major social events per school year. These social events are designed to increase and foster community spirit within the school, both by being part of an organising committee or by attendance at the event. In addition, throughout the school year, committees will organise a number of community events which may include a Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Breakfast and applicable stalls and other various morning/afternoon tea occasions. Monies raised during the running of social events will be used to fund the event at cost, with any excess funds redirected back into the school community. These events are not designed to be fundraiser events. They are designed to foster community involvement, building a culture of co-operation, collaboration and belonging.

Donations to Committees

Year 6 Farewell Committee
Each year a Year 6 Farewell Committee will be formed to facilitate the traditional end-of-year celebrations for our graduating students. To assist the Year 6 Farewell Committee with the organisation of the end-of-year celebrations and gift purchases, a standard donation will be levied and payable only by the parents of the graduating year. This donation amount will, after consultation with the Year 6 Graduation Committee and the Principal, be approved and applied. The Year 6 Farewell Donation will be reviewed biennially in Term 1 of the given school year.

Future Committees within the School
The Principal and Staff at Christ the King School encourage the School Parent Community to take an active interest in the school, its environment and learning processes. Each year, parent volunteers will be sought to co-ordinate and facilitate various community events.

The Principal and Parent Committees will support and oversee any school events throughout the year, facilitating and fostering the involvement of our staff and school families, thereby building a strong sense of community at Christ the King School.

Relinquishing the responsibilities of fundraising on our Parent Body will allow these smaller committees to focus on organising social activities that are designed to promote family involvement within our school community.

Our social activities will be structured to cover the costs of holding that activity with the emphasis on social interaction in our school community rather than fundraising.

The aim would be to hold a social event once a term that would be enjoyable and of interest to our families, helping create involvement in our school community. These events may include a disco, family film night, dinner dance, BBQs, trivia nights etc.

Gift stalls for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day would continue to operate with the emphasis on covering costs only, providing our students with the opportunity to purchase a gift for their parents on these special occasions. Special treat days such as Ice Block Days, would be also permissible with the funding emphasis on providing a treat for our students, rather than making it a fundraising venture. The organisation of such activities will however depend on the availability of parent volunteers.

Social Justice/Charity Fundraising
Social Justice activities that raise money for charity are outlined below:

• Term 1: Lent - Project Compassion
• Term 2: St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal
• Term 3: Mission Weekend
• Term 4: St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

Outreach Day
Once a term, an Outreach day is also scheduled to benefit a particular charity.

Year 6 graduation Fundraising

Fundraising Options
The Year 6 Graduation Celebration Committee has the option of holding two fundraising events throughout the year to assist with minimising the costs of the Graduation Celebration to families. These events need to be in line with the School Fundraising Policy (e.g. no fundraising via chocolate drives, raffles, etc), and need to be chosen in consultation with the Principal.

Some options include:

• Hot dog / sausage sizzle day at the school
• Cake stall

The days chosen for the Year 6 fundraising events should be either a Tuesday or Thursday, so that it does not conflict with the schedule days for lunch orders [Mon, Wed & Fri].

School & Parish Events
In addition to the Parent Committee initiated activities, one major fundraiser is to be held. This will be the Parish and School Fete to be held biennially.

Review

This Agreement is subject to biennial review. This review will be held in consultation with the CTK Principal and the parent community.

In Summary

This Fundraising Policy which includes the use of a Fundraising Levy negates the need for the holding of traditional fundraisers such as chocolate drives, raffles [except for the fete], walkathons, spell-a-thons etc. whereby families are constantly asked to commit financially. This policy will allow for the parent community to put their energies into events that build a culture at Christ the King that is characterised by collaboration, community spirit and cooperation.

As a significant partner in your child’s education, if you wish to seek clarification on any learning, procedures, behaviours or can assist the teacher through a ‘united approach’ towards your child’s development, it is appreciated and preferred if an appointment with the teacher is made. Your child’s classroom teacher should be your first port of call in this instance. This in turn ensures that the teacher can spend time with you as opposed to a rushed interview as teachers prepare for lessons in the mornings or make their way to afternoon duties and staff meetings. Our sincere thanks to the dedicated teachers of CTK who are always present, available and only too willing to work with you regarding your child, who is our first priority.

Calendars are sent home (via email) at the beginning of each term with details / dates of significant events in the life of the school.

Please keep in mind every effort is made to have firm dates and publish these as early as possible. Changes beyond our control sometimes need to be made. Please be assured as much notice as possible is given if this occurs.

The School Calendar is also available for viewing on the School Website www.ctknorthrocks.catholic.edu.au under the 'Community' tab.

Each grade sends home an information newsletter in the first few weeks of each term outlining relevant outcomes, learning activities, themes etc.

Parents and teachers are urged to have regular, open and honest communication regarding their child's progress and development.

We welcome parents to the school and invite them to meet regularly with the teachers. Informal consultations occur often and for more formal interviews, simply ring the office or drop the teacher a note to organise a mutually convenient time.

We hold Parent/Teacher information evenings early in Term 1 so you can meet your child’s teacher and visit the school and classroom. Interviews are held regularly throughout the year as needed but in particular in Term 2 to coincide with half yearly reports.

We hope you will be able to attend all meetings and interviews so as to develop a strong communication and relationship between home and school. Government legislation requires every school to report their child's achievements (excluding Kindergarten) using an Achievement Level. There is a half yearly report and an end-of-year report. 

Assessment of Achievement

Please do not hesitate to contact your teacher, the Assistant Principal, Principal, or school office if you have any queries in regards to your child’s schooling.

Every second Friday (even term weeks), families receive our school newsletter via email with news on current events and issues. It is a key link between home and school and encourages a good home- school relationship by regular and open communication. The newsletter is also available for viewing on the School Website www.ctknorthrocks.catholic.edu.au under the 'Community' tab.

School fees are set by the Parramatta Catholic Education Office and are billed in the first three terms, together with the Diocesan School Building Levy. The resource fee for the following year is billed in Term 4. Families experiencing financial difficulties are urged to contact the Principal as soon as possible.  Sibling enrolments in our Catholic Systemic schools attract a sibling discount.

For further information see our website page on under the 'Enrolment' section.

Notice of Intention to Terminate Enrolment

A term’s notice in writing must be given to the Principal before the removal of a student or a full term’s fees will be payable.

If a student leaves the School during a term, no refund will be made in respect of the remaining portion of that term. Other School Based Fees for items such as camps, excursions, materials or technology will be charged to students’ account and are payable under the conditions as Diocesan Fees.

A charge of $200 per child applies for the year. This covers all books and stationery items, maths resources, art and craft supplies and classroom recreational reading. This account will be sent out with School Fees for Term 1.

Additional Fees

Accounts will vary according to each Grade. Additional fees will be added to your School Fees account and may include incursions, NSWUNI Competitions and extra-curricular activities, etc.

CTK’s focus is on developing Technology throughout the school. This process involves the purchase of laptops, maintenance and software etc. There is an annual Technology fee of $80 per family, this fee appears on your Term 1 account.

Parent Fundraising Levy
A fundraising levy of $120 per family has been introduced. The payment will be split over three terms at $40 per term.

Excursion / Incursion Fee
We have an annual excursion / incursion fee of $55 per child which assists the school to budget for these events. The fee is reviewed each year. This fee covers all excursions and incursions e.g. Life Education, Book Week speakers and performances etc. for the year and appears on your Term 1 account.

Carnival Fee
We have an annual carnival fee of $30 per child which assists the school to budget for our Swimming and Athletics carnivals. The fee is reviewed each year. This fee covers all carnivals for the year and appears on your Term 1 account.

Extra CTK Fees
Other CTK school curriculum activities which incur fees include Mathletics, Reading Eggs, Surf Education, Sports in Schools Australia (Term 2) and Dance Multisport (Terms 1, 3, 4).  These activities vary from year to year.

Please Note: whilst every attempt has been made to bill all School Fees for the year up front, there may on occasions be a need to bill some additional fees, such as excursions, later in the year. As it is not practical to amend year accounts, parents are requested to pay these fees (if any) separately.

We are proud of our public image and the uniforms add further to the sense of unity that we experience at Christ the King. It gives our children a sense of identity and a sense of belonging. We ask that you assist your child and instil a sense of responsibility towards wearing the correct school uniform and grooming.

The children must wear hats at all times on the playground. 

Sun protection is a priority and we encourage the use of sun creams during Terms 1 and 4 especially. A ‘no hat, no play’ policy is in place.

Sports uniforms are worn on Physical Education lesson days and sports days. The days are different depending upon the grade. You will be informed at the start of the year as to which days the sports uniform is needed.

Other aspects of personal appearance:

Students are required to wear their hair in a neat and tidy manner. Hair should be well brushed and combed and it is assumed that hair will not be in such a condition as to invite comment. 

If in doubt, please contact the Principal.

Note the following:

• Girl's hair past shoulder length should be tied back with school ribbons or scrunchies.
• Extreme styles, mullets, bleaching, colouring or dyeing of hair are not permitted.
• Gel, mousse and hair spray or other similar substances should not be used.
• There will be no undercuts or steps.
• Nothing shorter than a number 2 comb is acceptable.
• Hair should not extend below the eye brows or touch the shirt collar.
• Students who do not abide by the haircut requirements will be asked to fix the identified problem and not return to school until the issue is resolved.
• Regular hair blitzs will be conducted to enforce these expectations.

The ultimate decision as to whether or not a hairstyle is appropriate for the school will come from the School Principal.

School Uniforms are available for purchase at our Uniform Shop.

Our Uniform shop Coordinator organises and runs the uniform shop. Operating days are notified in the school newsletter. The uniform shop is on site and uniforms are not available from any other source e.g. Lowes.