Parent Information

Parent Handbook 2023
(PDF, 2MB)

Exemption from School Link
(DOC, 252KB)

Student Absence

For your child to progress at school, unnecessary absences should be avoided.

When an unavoidable absence occurs such as an illness or an urgent pressing family matter there is a process that you need to follow to report this absence to the school.

If the absence is unplanned a phone call to the school on 8757 2120; an email to dl.0438.absence@schools.sa.edu.au; or an SMS to 0488 535 079 is required to be received with a short reason as to why the student is absent (eg family reasons or ill) by 9:10am of the day of their absence. If a phone call, email or text message hasn’t been received by this time, the school will generate a text through their absence program which will be sent to your nominated mobile number asking you to ring the school to explain the absence. These messages are generated between 9:30-10am. If an absence remains unexplained for more than two consecutive days, a staff member may contact you regarding the students well-being and to explain the absence.

On the return to school, your child must have a signed, dated note from a parent/caregiver explaining the reason for the absence and the dates the absence took place or, an email to your childs class teacher is also suffice. If a parent/caregiver has personally spoken to a member of staff regarding the students absence they are still required to present a written record explaining this absence. This is a legal requirement of DFE, and the school is audited every year on this process.

‘Notification of Student Absence’ forms are printed on the back of all our newsletters; are available on our website; and spare copies are kept in the Front Office. A signed and dated note explaining the students absence placed in their Communication Book/Diary is also an accepted form of communicating.

If an absence is planned (ie Dentist/Specialist appointment), a written note from a parent/caregiver can be sent in prior to the absence taking place explaining why and when your child will be absent. The teacher is then able to plan around this absence.

Notification of Student Absence Form
(PDF, 89KB)

Exemption from School

If an absence of longer than two days is planned (eg family holiday), an ED175 (Application for Exemption from School) is to be filled in by the parent/caregiver and returned to the school for approval by the Principal or District Director PRIOR to the absence taking place. These forms are available from the Front Office and can be sent home with your child on request, or are also on our website.

ED175 – Application for Exemption from School
(PDF, 290KB)

 

Bus Absence Notification

A teacher is rostered for bus duty to ensure that all students who travel by bus board buses in a safe and orderly manner.

After dismissal at 3:15 pm children who travel by bus will assemble between the Library and the Technical Studies room (except in wet weather when the children will assemble in the lunch shed). Buses leave the school at 3:25 pm Please advise the school by a note in the diary or phone call if your child/ren are not going to be on the bus on any given morning/afternoon. It is also courteous to contact your bus driver with this information.

If there are any changes to normal bus travel (ie. Travelling on another bus route) please contact the Front Office.

See also:  Bus Behaviour Management on the Policies page

Bus Absence Notification
(PDF, 149KB)

Mobile Phone Policy / Cyber Safety

Students are encouraged not to bring mobile phones to school. If it is necessary that a student has a mobile phone to contact parents after school or for safety reasons, the phone must be switched off at all times and kept in the student’s bag. Mobile phones are not allowed on camps or excursions, however contact can be made via school mobile phone. If phones are used at school without teacher permission they will be taken to the front office, to be collected at the end of the day. If this occurs more than twice in a week, a parent will need to collect the phone from the front office at the end of the week.

Personal Property

Children are urged not to bring unnecessary money or valuable articles to school. Lost or broken money or items are the responsibility of children.

Term Dates

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4
2024 29 January –
12 April
29 April –
5 July
22 July –
27 September
14 October –
13 December

See more term dates
(link to website)

Lesson Times

8:45 – 8:55am Start of school day – Home Group
8:55 – 9:40 Lesson 1
9:45 – 10:25 Lesson 2
10:25 – 10:45 Recess
10:45 – 11:30 Lesson 3
11:30 – 12:15pm Lesson 4
12:15 – 1:00 Lesson 5
1:00 – 1:10 Eating time in classroom (Home Group Teacher)
1:10 – 1:40 Lunchtime supervised play (Yard Duty Roster)
1:40 – 2:25 Lesson 6
2:25 – 3:10 Lesson 7
3:10 – 3:15 End of day Home Group
3:15 Home time for all students. Bus students to report to bus area, buses depart by 3:25pm.

Resource Centre / Library

It is free for everyone to join the Tintinara Coonalpyn Community Library service. You will need a library card to borrow materials from the collection. To obtain a library card, staff will require you to provide the following:

  • Personal identification including your current address
  • A willingness to accept the Library’s rules and regulations
  • Students (and individuals under 18 years of age) need a parent or guardian’s approval to obtain a library card.

Students enrolled in the Preschool through to Year Three who wish to borrow books from the Library must have a library bag (either plastic or a suitable material) in which to place the books they wish to take home. Students may use the library for private study after school until Library closing time.

Online Library Catalogue:
https://www.libraries.sa.gov.au/client/en_AU/coorong/

Email:
Tintinara.Library@libraries.sa.gov.au

Opening times

  • Monday-Wednesday
    8.30am – 5pm

Lunch order menu / Price list

Lunches are ordered from Foodworks on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. A copy of this price list is kept in each room and a new price list will be issued when prices change. The children write their order, name and class on the front of a lunch bag. These orders are placed in a class box then taken to the Front Office by 9:00am each lunch order morning. Lunch bags are available for purchase in the Front Office of the school ($1.00 for 20). The lunch order list follows the Healthy Eating Guidelines which is a Government Initiative.

Lunch Order Menu 2022
(PDF, 122KB)

Uniform

Please follow the link below to view and order Tintinara Area School uniform.

https://uniformshopsa.com.au/collections/tintinara-area-school
(web link)

Finance

 

2024 SCHOOL FEES

The annual fees for students in 2024 are as follows:

Foundation to Year 6                      $ 287

Year  7 to Year 12                             $ 379

 

PAYMENT METHODS

Payment of invoices can be made via a variety of methods.

  • Cash, Cheques, EFTPOS, Credit Card
  • Internet Banking – bank details will show on original invoice or contact Finance Officer for bank details

If you are unable to make a full payment of invoices by the due date please contact Finance Officer to discuss your situation and organise a Direct Debit Payment Plan

  • Direct Debit– Payment Plan

Parents/caregivers are able to authorise the school to process ongoing payments to pay for school fees, invoices and other payments as agreed under a Payment Plan.  These payment plans may be scheduled weekly, fortnightly, or monthly depending on the payment type and circumstance.

To arrange a direct debit payment plan with regular instalments contact Finance Officer to complete forms:

  • Agreement for Payment Instalment Form
  • Direct Debit Request Form

 

SCHOOL CARD

School Card Scheme offer financial assistance with school fees for students attending government schools in that year.  School Card approval expires on 31 December each year.

You must lodge a new application as soon as possible at the beginning of each new school year.

  • Eligibility for School Card is based on the combined family gross income from the previous financial year.
  • Families who apply for School Card assistance can do so by applying online.
    Simply follow the steps below:

Step 1    Visit sa.gov.au/education/schoolcard

Step 2    Select the type of School Card you would like to apply for and follow the prompts

Step 3    Complete all mandatory fields

Step 4    Once you have completed a page click on the “NEXT” button

Step 5    Once you have filled out all pages click the “SUBMIT” button

You can save the form, and return to complete it at another time, by clicking on the “SAVE” button

 

FINANCE CONTACT DETAILS
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Parent Information