Parents and friends are encouraged to play an active role in our school community.
Some of the major opportunities for such involvement in the life of St Joseph’s Primary School, Taree are set out below. Parents are invited to nominate their particular areas of interest on a sheet which is sent home at the start of each school year.
Parents & Friends Association (P&F)
St Joseph’s P&F committee is a hard-working group of parents who have an active voice in the running of our school. The P&F are instrumental in many of the schools fundraising efforts throughout the year which has seen the school receiving many new resources purchased for the use of students, teachers and our wider school community. The P&F is constantly seeking and encouraging new members for the committee and any extra help from new parents is always appreciated. P&F meetings are on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5:30pm and are usually held in the school staffroom.
School Canteen Volunteering
The canteen is open five days per week for the sale of lunches and a variety of snacks. The successful running of the canteen is dependent on the voluntary support received from parents who work in the canteen on a roster basis. Current price lists are sent home periodically during the year.
School Library Volunteering
Children are given the opportunity to borrow books on a set day each week. Children need a library bag if they wish to borrow books. Classes visit the library for twenty minutes with their teacher and volunteer parent/grandparent/friend helpers operate the computer ALICE system to record the children’s borrowing at these sessions.
School Reading Support Programs
This is the principle avenue for “in school” involvement in school education procedures: in the programs parents work with individuals or small groups of children to assist the class teacher in developing the children’s love of, and skills in reading.
Sporting Expertise and Assistance
The success of the primary recreational activities programme often depends heavily on the class teachers receiving assistance from parents who may have expertise in a particular sport/activity. Similarly the assistance of parents in the conducting of school athletics and swimming carnivals is of great benefit to the teachers and children.
Attending Excursions
From time to time parents may be asked to accompany class groups on school excursions in order to assist teachers with student supervision and general organization. This support is often a vital factor in approval being granted for excursions.
Working Bees
The maintenance and improvement of our school grounds depends to a large extent on the involvement of parents in the working bees which are held on a regular basis throughout the year.