For Parents
Starting School
Starting school is an exciting time of change for children and families. There are many things you can do to prepare for the changes. Helping children to feel confident and positive about school will give them a good start.
A time of change
When children start school, they have a lot to get used to. They will be in a new setting, with more children and new rules and routines. Some children will manage this easily while others may need more help from parents and teachers.
When will my child start school?
Children in South Australia must be enrolled in primary school by their sixth birthday. Most children will attend preschool or childcare in the year before starting school. South Australian government schools have one intake of children at the start of each year. Children turning five before May 1 will start at the beginning of term one in that year and children turning five on or after May 1 will start at the beginning of the following year. Check intake arrangements with your child’s school.
Transition to school
The school operates a transition policy for children starting school for the first time. This policy is aimed at making the transition to school as easy as possible. The transition programme runs in conjunction with the Hawker Childhood Services Centre. Please contact the preschool early in the term prior to when your child is to start school so that the programme can be made known to you.
The programs which may include:
- visits to the school over several weeks
- walks around the school to see where things are, e.g. playgrounds, toilets
- spending time in a classroom with teachers and other children.
- There may be time for parents to meet staff members and ask questions too.
For more information CLICK to view
Great Start - Learning with your child
Department for Education - Phone 8226 1000, free call 1800 088 158
Uniform
'A school dress code must observe health, safety and decency standards and be practical in its application to a wide range of physical activities and weather conditions.' - Department of Education Administrative Guidelines.
Students are to wear clothing that conforms to the school dress code. The school colours are Gold and Navy Blue. We believe that uniforms worn to school should be appropriate, comfortable, reasonably priced and durable. This policy is supported by the Governing Council and the Parents and Friends Committee. School uniform was made compulsory in 2014. Students are to wear their uniform as it is compulsory. If your child does not wear the uniform a note is required. It is school policy for all students to be in a school shirt and neat pants / shorts. Please help by ensuring that this occurs. Our school will be contacting parents and caregivers if the student is not in uniform and does not have a note and will then need a shirt brought to the school for the student to wear. It is also advisable to wear appropriate footwear for PE, Tech Studies, Science and Home Ec.
T shirts, Windcheaters, Polo shirts and hats with the school logo are available from the school.
Governing Council currently subsidies the school uniform by 50% for staff and students.
Hats
Students are to wear a full brim or bucket hats all year, when involved in lessons or recess and lunchtime activities outside. All students must comply with the SunSmart Policy
Sports Uniform
When students are representing the school the sports uniform is black or blue shorts or skirt with a navy T-shirt. This applies to students from Years F-12
Sleeveless t-shirts and tops are not allowed due to their lack of sun protection
Footwear
The activities and things we do at school require good strong footwear to make sure that the children's feet are protected. Black or brown school, track shoes and sandals are required. No open footwear is to be worn in the Technical Studies, Home Ec. and Science
Jewellery
This is discouraged and should at most be restricted to a plain necklace. Ear-rings are not part of the school dress code and therefore are discouraged. Students may use sleepers and studs for pierced ears
Make up
Is discouraged
Please ensure that all items of clothing are labelled clearly and accurately.
Click to view our -
Recess and Lunch Ordering
Recess
A small scale Tuck Shop operates at recess time and orders are done in their classroom during morning Class Home Group time. Orders are collected by the student from the staffroom door.
Lunch
Those children who go home for lunch must have permission, signed by their parent. Regular permissions are advised at the beginning of the year. Written permission can be done in the student's diary if the student does not usually go home for lunch. Permission to go home for lunch does not give permission for the student to go down to the shops or the home of any other student. All students must sign in and out via the Front Office.
Students are able to order their lunches Monday to Friday from a menu provided by the Hawker Hotel Motel. This menu is specific to the school as it has been planned to comply with the DfEs Right Bite Policy guidelines.
All recess orders and lunches are ordered through the home group each morning and brought to the Front Office with the roll book before 9am. School staff collect lunches for distribution at lunch time. The student collects their lunch from just inside the staff room door at lunchtime.
Tuck Shop and lunch price lists are included in the Newsletter from time to time and is available via our website. (see below)
Lunches are also available at school on special days; these could be the Community Lunch or activities organized by the students or Parents & Friends as a fund raising event.
Occasionally children may forget their lunch. If this happens parents/caregivers will be contacted. For further information regarding the Department's Right Bite Policy please
click on the link below -
HAS Menu's
School Connect and Lunch Order Menu 2023
For further information click on the right bite image -
Report Times
Assessment for learning is an integral part of our teaching program. We plan for assessment when we develop our teaching and learning activities. The major purpose of assessment is to improve student learning through the information and experiences that students, teachers and parents gain from the variety of assessment strategies used.
Regular feedback is given to students both formally and informally, and reporting to parents on student achievement and progress occurs in the following ways:
Term 1
F-12 Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews and Goal Setting. Secondary Written reports.
Term 2
Primary Written reports and Secondary reports with grades sent home and Semester 1 reports from Open Access
Term 3
F-12 Interviews and Secondary Written Reports
Term 4
Primary Written and Secondary reports with grades sent home and Semester 2 reports from Open Access College, TAFE.
Front Office staff will copy student reports prior to distribution for the student's personal file. Student Reports are distributed on the last day of Terms 2, 3 and 4 each year. If students are absent when student reports are ready for distribution, they can be collected from the Front Office. If the student will not be returning to Hawker Area School in the future, the report will be posted to the current known address.
Reporting to parents may occur at times other than those programmed. Interview requests made by teachers can be in writing (i.e. Diary notice or letterhead from the Front Office), by telephone or face-to- face.
Parent Teacher Interviews
Families will have the opportunity to attend Parent Interviews and discuss with teachers learning goals for their children. The school sees this as an integral part of the home-school partnership. If you know what the short – and long-term goals are for your child, it is easier for you to support them to focus on their learning.
Emergency Contacts
At times it is important for the school to contact parents/ caregivers or other nominated emergency contacts. Please download and complete the emergency contact form and return it to school or email dl.0175.info@schools.sa.edu.au as soon as possible if any changes occur. It is also important to let us know of any changes to this information as it occurs, especially changes to Telephone numbers e.g. mobiles.
HAS Parent Emergency Contact Form
Lesson / Bell Times
|
Yard Duty Supervision |
8:30 – 8:50am |
|
Breakfast Club (Mondays & Fridays Only) |
8:30 – 8:50am |
|
Start of School Day & Home Group |
8:50 – 8:55am |
|
Lesson 1 |
8:55 – 9:45am |
|
Lesson 2 |
9:45 – 10:35am |
|
Recess |
10:35 – 10:55am |
|
Lesson 3 |
10:55 – 11:45am |
|
Lesson 4 |
11:45 – 12:35pm |
|
Lunch |
12:35 – 1:15pm |
|
(12:25 – 12:35pm eating, 12:35 – 1:15pm activities) |
|
|
Whole School Reading |
1:15 – 1:25pm |
|
Lesson 5 |
1:25 – 2:15pm |
|
Lesson 6 |
2:15 – 3:05pm |
|
Home Group |
3:05 – 3:10pm |
|
End of School Day |
3:10pm |
|
Yard Duty Supervision |
3:10 – 3:20pm |
|
Bus Departure |
3:15pm |
Social Media
We encourage parents to join our closed group on Facebook to keep up to date with new information, photos of special events and classroom activities. Search Hawker Area School on Facebook to find us.
SCHOOLZINE APP – DOWNLOAD OUR APP
The school also invites parents to install the SchoolZine App. To get the Schoolzine App go to iTunes Store (iPhone/iPad) or Google Play (Android), search for SZapp and download the app to your phone. Make sure you allow push notifications to get the most of the app.
CLICK to view - SCHOOLZINE APP Download Instructions
Library
Our Library is a School Community Library and is open to the community during and after school hours. The library contains a wide selection of children’s and adult’s non-fiction and fiction titles and we encourage parents to come to the library to choose books with their children and for themselves. Free public Internet is available. The public can access the Internet through the Library wireless connection. Our Library staff will happily assist.
The Library times as follows –
Newsletters
The School focuses heavily on school/home communications. The school uses the Schoolzine App (SZApp). This App allows families to access the Newsletters, reminders and information about up-coming events. Parents can use the App to communicate with the school about absences. It is an effective means of communication and items are available to parents on a permanent basis. Newsletters are published twice a Term in weeks 4 and 8 and electronically delivered via email and our SZ App. Just let the front office staff know if you would like to be added to the email list for correspondence. All notes, forms and permissions also go home regularly via the student.
CLICK to view - SCHOOLZINE APP Download Instructions
Assemblies
Assemblies are held regularly throughout the term. Dates and times are advertised in the Newsletter and via our Schoolzine App. Parents and Caregivers are most welcome to attend.
Parent Involvement / Volunteer Application
Education is much more than simply sending children to school every morning. The Department of Education (DfE) has information for parents and the community that will help them understand more about the education system, support services, and how they can be involved in their children's education.
Hawker Area School also encourages and embraces volunteers within the school, in any number of roles. If you are considering becoming a volunteer at Hawker Area School, please download and complete this form returning to the front office and a site leader will contact you when a volunteering opportunity arises.
Volunteer application form – confidential 2023
Education SA Volunteers - Getting started applying
Parent Feedback and Complaints
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE ABOUT SCHOOL OR PRESCHOOL COMPLAINTS
School or preschool complaints
Child Related Screening
Please contact our Business Manager for further details on clarification of the online screening process. The following link is information on how to start your application.
Business Manager – Mrs Julieanne Ashenden
Kids Matter Resources
Click on the following Image for further information -
Student Support Service - Headspace Referrals
Wirreanda Terrace
Hawker SA 5434
Phone: 08 8648 4003
Fax: 08 8648 4149
dl.0175.info@schools.sa.edu.au