Term 1:
Parents and guardians
are invited to a ‘meet the teacher session’ where the class teacher is
introduced and class routines and expectations are explained. This occurs in
Week 3 after staffing and classes have been finalised.
Face to face interviews
are held at the end of Term 1 to update parents/guardians on the progress of
their child.
Terms 2 & Term 4:
Term 3:
Incidental meetings can be arranged at any time
throughout the term through an email to the teacher or phone contact through
the office. A mutually convenient time will be arranged to ensure that the
teacher is free from teaching commitments to discuss the student’s progress.
Raising
concerns
Essential Agreement
The Rochedale
families and school agree to
Have good communication Treat each other with respect Be open-minded and try and see things from each other’s perspective Respect the school rules and procedures to ensure the safety and
positive learning environment for all of our students Ensure that every child’s journey is a partnership – we are in this
together.
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We
understand that there may be times when parents have concerns or want to
question to clarify issues pertaining to the school or their children. At
Rochedale we value the regular interaction we have with parents. We address
concerns and manage conflict in a way which shows respect to all parties.
Through positive, open, honest and appropriate communication we aim to resolve
all issues as effectively and quickly as possible.
If you
have a concern about a classroom issue or require more information around a
classroom incident, the first port of call is your child’s teacher. They are
the ones who can answer your questions as they have the fullest picture of what
is happening in the classrooms.
Request an interview to
arrange a mutually agreed date and time. If you come up to the school without
an appointment the teacher may not be available as they may be teaching,
preparing lessons or have a previous commitment/appointment. Teachers are most
willing to hold phone interviews, however these too must be arranged around
teaching and previous commitments.
Please be aware when
listening to your child about school that the recount is from their
perspective. It is vital that you keep an ‘open mind’ and also seek information
from the school to get the full picture. The school will also listen openly to
your concern to ensure your concern is clearly heard.
Focus on the issue not
a person.
Stay calm when talking
through your issue or concern.
Respect the
professional rights of staff to feel safe at work. Staff should not be
threatened or abused – if this occurs, staff have the right and support of the
school to walk away and pay no heed to your concern until it is dealt with in
the appropriate way. Under the Education Act, abusive or threatening parents
may be banned from entering the school grounds for a period of time and/or
referred to the police for prosecution.
It is not appropriate
to contact a teacher or staff member with an issue or concern on the weekend or
on their holiday. Nor is it reasonable to expect a teacher or staff member to
respond in these times. During the working week, it is usually reasonable to
expect a reply or acknowledgement within 48 hours.
If the matter remains
unresolved or you do not feel comfortable raising the matter with the class
teacher, please contact the appropriate Sector Deputy Principal to assist you
with your concern.
If the matter remains
unresolved please contact the Principal to assist with the resolution.
Matters concerning
serious allegations of harm or criminal/illegal activity should be directed to
the Principal immediately.
Please
remember that negative gossip is wrong and never resolves anything. Venting in
the carpark with other parents or on social media is not going to solve the problem.
This can be slanderous and lead to legal action, create greater divisions
between the school and yourself and sets a very poor example to students about
how to deal with issues which may arise.
Good,
open communication directly with the school is the best way to solve issues and
to prevent small problems become larger. After all, we all want what is best
for your child.