Information
School holiday dates
We abide by the Victorian School Term Dates found here. The school year includes some student-free curriculum planning days and occasional early finish times for Parent/student/teacher conferences and end of term. Families will be notified well in advance of these dates and times which will also be published on Compass Calendar.
School hours
8:45 am (ready for a 9 am start) until 3:30 pm.
Get involved
Our Parents and Carers Association (PCA) is the glue between leadership, parents/carers and students. The PCA meets twice each term, maintains the event calendar, supports school events, and organises fantastic community-building events and fundraisers. The team works closely with school leadership and School Council to understand school strategies and priorities and contribute to their delivery.
Joining the PCA is a fabulous way to get involved at school and meet new friends, and new committee members/volunteers are welcome at any time. Please get in touch with the office to find out more.
Compass
Compass is the program we use to manage school information, including:
- Reporting and assessment management
- Regular communication with parents and carers
- Attendance
- Parent/carer financial contributions, and excursion payments and consent
- Booking parent/carer conferences
You can download the Compass app via your app store or log in at the Compass School Manager portal. If you’ve misplaced your Compass login details, please call the office.
School newsletter
You can find the link to all current newsletters here, and they are also sent via Compass each fortnight.
Attendance and Absences
Student attendance is essential to academic, social and developmental learning and connection to the school community.
However, if your child isn’t well, please keep them home to prevent the spread of illness. Please report your child’s attendance via the Compass School Manager portal.
Sickbay
Our school First Aid Officer is on hand between 8.30 am – 4.00 pm, Monday to Friday. In addition to looking after ill or injured children, they can also administer medication when authorised.
Lunch orders
Our Lunch order provider is Renatta Catering, via the School24 app. To order:
- Register for a School24 account — our school ID number is 2547 6963.
- Order on the web at https://www.school24.net.au/canteenorder/login or via the School24 app on Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Uniforms
The Uniform Shop is open each Tuesday morning from 8.30 am – 9.30 am, staffed by PCA volunteers. You can also leave orders at the school office or email elsternwick.ps@education.vic.gov.au, which will be given to your child the following Tuesday. A variety of second-hand clothes are also available.
You can also download a uniform order form here and return it to the school office or uniform shop. Please allow one week for your order to be processed. You order will be delivered directly to your child’s classroom if stock is available.
TeamKids
TeamKids offers on-site before and after-school care, curriculum-day care, and holiday programs and is fully approved under the National Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
To find out more, register or book, please visit: https://www.teamkids.com.au/venues/elsternwick-primary/
Facility Hire
Some school facilities, including our gym, oval and library, may be hired by community groups outside of school hours. Please contact the office if you’re interested in using our facilities.
Contacting the school
If you have any questions or concerns you’d like to raise with the school, we’ve created a guide to who to contact. If in doubt, contact the School Office on 8534 6100 or email elsternwick.ps@education.vic.gov.au as they can direct you to the right person.
- School administration and urgent safety issues
- Financial contributions and payments
- Urgent messages for teachers or other staff
- Making appointments with the leadership team
- Your child’s progress and/or happiness or the curriculum
- Home reading
- Not wanting to go to school
- Unhappy in class or at lunchtime
- Educational event info, e.g. Naplan, excursions
- Assisting in the classroom
- Lost property
- Positive feedback!
- Curriculum if you see the issue as a team-wide concern/query
- Inconsistent messages/expectations from teachers within the team
- Student issues or bullying across multiple grade levels
- Learning unit clarifications
- Homework guidelines
- Inconsistent messages/expectations from teachers within the team
- Curriculum
- Your child’s progress or wellbeing when other channels (i.e. teacher, team leader) have been tried
- Cyberbullying and bullying issues
- Student welfare issues such as accessing Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy or Psychology, if you have difficulty making payments
- Child Safety Officer Child Safety Act
- Complex student issues
- Issues involving school staff
- Our school-wide Behaviour Management Approach
- School-wide Staff issues
- School management
- Your child’s progress or wellbeing when other channels (i.e. teacher, team leader and Assistant Principal) have been tried
- Child Safety Officer Child Safety Act
- School safety issues such as parking
- School policy
- Very complex student issues
- Grounds
- Health and Safety
- Parent/Carer communication
- Policies or guidelines
- Finance or budgets
- Health and Safety
- Outsourced programs
- Communication
- Fundraising
- Social events
- Issues impacting school community spirit