This informative evening is a MUST for all parents whose children are starting school next year.  We strongly advise at least one parent from each household attend and hear from:
- a child psychologist
- a speech therapist
- an occupational therapist. 
Valuable information will be presented and plenty of time allocated to general discussion and your questions.

RSVP  RSVP  RSVP 
by email or at the sign in counter

Are you eligible?
Is your child starting primary school in 2014?

If your child is starting primary school in 2014, you need to know about the Schoolkids Bonus. It is a new payment to help eligible families with the costs of primary and secondary school studies.

If you receive a family or income support payment, including Family Tax Benefit Part A, you may be eligible for up to $410 each year for your child to help cover the costs of uniforms, stationery, sporting gear, school fees or excursions. Half is paid in January to help with back-to-school costs and half in July for ongoing costs. When your child moves into secondary school, the rate increases to $820 per year, again with half paid in January and July.

Each November, Centrelink will write to Family Tax Benefit Part A customers whose child is likely to be starting primary school in the New Year and ask them to check and update their child’s education details. If you’re eligible, all you need to do is tell Centrelink when your child is starting primary school to activate the payment and it will continue to be paid into your bank account twice each year, for as long as you remain eligible.

Please note that children in preschool are not eligible as preschool is not part of formal primary education.

For more information, including the full eligibility criteria, visit australia.gov.au/schoolkidsbonus.

It's that time of year again when we start talking about school readiness.  Here is the first of many invitations to attend a local school and become acquainted with their facilities and staff.

As usual we will be hosting a series of information evenings for parents on the topic of school readiness.  Guest speakers will include a child psychologist, speech therapist along with Principals and Assistant Principals from local schools.  The dates are yet to be confirmed but they will be in the evenings during June/July.  These sessions are so valuable for families considering school next year so we encourage at least one parent from every family to attend.

Dear Parents,
Don't forget, tomorrow night at 6:30pm we are hosting representatives from Sans Souci Public School at Green Gables.
The overwhelming majority of students from Green Gables transition to this wonderful local school each year - and as part of the local community we are committed to providing our families every opportunity to meet SSPS staff in a less formal environment, to discuss any matters close to your heart.
It would be great if at least one parent of each child attending was able to attend; this is a great opportunity to take advantage of a small private setting to ask any questions.
Please reply to confirm your attendance so we can confirm numbers for catering purposes.
Many thanks
The Green Gables Team

Dear Parents,

Mark your diaries now - Tuesday 24th July 6:30pm.

In the third and final instalment of our 2012 information sessions with local schools, we will be welcoming senior staff from Sans Souci Public School to discuss School Readiness and learn more about this extremely popular local school.

Each year, the overwhelming majority of students that graduate from Green Gables move on to Kindergarten at Sans Souci Public School.  Don't miss this opportunity to meet key staff and ask any questions on your mind.

Take a look at their website through this link - http://www.sanssouci-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/home

On Thursday 20th, we hosted the first in a series of information evenings designed to provide families with as much information as possible, to help in the transition to school.

Our guest for this session was Ida Shapievsky, a local Child Psychologist.  Ida is a mother herself and understands the importance and difficulties associated with that big question... to send or not to send?

Ida made it very clear that each child is an individual and the decision should absolutely NOT be decided based ONLY on a child's age.   Alternatively she suggested that many things be considered when making this decision including social readiness, the ability to cope at an academic level, the ability to complete tasks within a set time, the ability to follow multiple instructions, independence and self-help skills, language skills and much more.    Ida explained the relationship between cortisol levels in the brain (caused by anxiety) and its ability to learn which basically means that if your child experiences stress in the school environment then their chances of succeeding are diminished.   She further explained that repeating a grade can be socially damaging for children and a have a negative impact on their self-esteem.   

Overall this was a fabulous and informative evening where people shared their personal concerns in an intimate environment, had their questions answered and most importantly, gained more information with which to make this huge decision.  

Ida left an information sheet which can be found on the Green Gables Grapevine - click here.   Ida is available to do formal assessments specifically for school readiness.    All Ida's contact details can be found on her website.

Should you be interested in more information or interested in arranging a time to speak with your child's teachers please let us know and we'll make sure it happens.  

REMINDER

Please remember the next part of this special parent information series is scheduled for Thursday 28th June at 6:30pm - we have Leanna Formosa presenting on school readiness.    Leanna is the Assistant Principal at Ramsgate Public School and among other topics, will answer the all important question... 
"What does my child need to know before they start big school?"

Diarise now for 6:30pm Thurs 28th June to meet with Leanna Formosa from Ramsgate Public School who will be joining us at Green Gables to discuss how to best assist our children in their transition to school.
Please reply to indicate your attendance.