Foundation (Prep/Kinder) 2015 - Chat

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

DD has had 2 transition days & missed 1 due to illness but she's so excited for the next one. It helps she is there every day to get DD1 & it's such a small school. I can't wait for her to get there!

[wysiwyg]

DD is at her first transition session now. The parents info evening has now been changed from the 1st Dec to the 15th Dec! (Which I think is very late considering we have had zero info at all)- last day of school uniform shop is the 12th - so will have to go before the info evening - how do they work will they tell me everything need to get? Is that the cheapest way to get stuff? I was expecting we would get a list saying what was needed mandatory/optional etc etc. Can you buy stuff from other places normally or is that the only option?

[Khaleesi]

At our school we can only buy the bags, hats & library bags from school. Everything else you can pick up from Target, big w etc or the local uniform store of you want all the proper uniform.

Our second hand shop will be open on our final transition day so you can buy stuff on the day.
We will also provide a morning tea snack in the parish hall so all the parents have a chance to meet other parents.

Can you ask at the office for a list?

[Khaleesi]

We don't do book lists, they just add it to our school fees & the school organizes everything.

[Sagres]

Is the uniform shop open in January at all? My letter gives dates for this year but says it is open next year before the term starts. Failing that can you get a bare minimum (a couple tops and bottoms) then get the rest in the first week of next term. Or maybe the people in the shop will have a good idea of what you need?

[wysiwyg]

Is the uniform shop open in January at all? My letter gives dates for this year but says it is open next year before the term starts. Failing that can you get a bare minimum (a couple tops and bottoms) then get the rest in the first week of next term. Or maybe the people in the shop will have a good idea of what you need?

Maybe who knows - the only info we have been given is that 12th December is last Uniform Shop - no info about what time and where it is (I do know that now after speaking to other parents this morning). I will speak to the office but it is like pulling teeth! Why on earth would they think it is preferable to have to field calls from new parents rather than providing any information.

What is a book list?

[Khaleesi]

Some schools give them out at the end of year & you buy all the items on it & give it to the school.(I think)
Its just the basic books, pencil case, pencils etc..
They usually cost $120-200 depending on the school.
Ours is usally $165.

I would be so annoyed at your school for all the lack of info.

[~Hestia~]

Yes our school is the same, when we pay the fee we get the stationary they require.

Uniform here is pretty basic, just any kind of black pants/shorts with the school tops which can be bought at a uniform shop in town anytime.

Moo had his very first transition session Friday, did very well! The nerves started to set in in the car...worried that the other kids would have different lucnboxes etc. However once we got in the room he just got busy with an activity and that was that! Phew! We had a cuppa with the other parents and the principal. Yet again I was the only one who didn't know anybody else...everyone broke off into their comfortable groups and it felt awkward having to gatecrash lol.

[Khaleesi]

Sounds like me 2yrs ago Hestia.
It was so awkward but 2yrs on I've made some great friends, joined the P & F & my daughter has even joined a basketball team with fellow students from the school

DD2 has 1 transition left & thats on Dec 9th.
The last few she was in the class with the F/1 students & she loved it!!
They played games, sang songs & even went to a school assembly.
She made a lot of friends & everyone was giving her hugs as she left.
Should of seen smile on her face lol

I'm excited but slightly nervous about our transition day, I desperately don't want her to get a certain teacher next.
DD1 had her this year & it was ridiculous. She was hardly there & it wasn't unusual for them to have 4 different teachers a week.
I got her transfered to a different class as she didnt cope at all.
I really don't want the same for DD2, I've asked the principal not to place her on that class but you never know I guess.

[anney]

Wysiwyg that lack of information is nuts!!! As you say, surely it would've easy just to give the new people lots of info instead of constantly answering questions.
Our school prep info evening is early november and they do a "fashion parade" of the uniform so the parents get to see it. The uniform shop ( run by parent volunteers) is then open on the transition days so that people can try on. Parents put their orders in and they are all packed at once and picked up second week of December.
Our stationery lists are all done via the school too.

[wysiwyg]

Wysiwyg that lack of information is nuts!!! As you say, surely it would've easy just to give the new people lots of info instead of constantly answering questions.
Our school prep info evening is early november and they do a "fashion parade" of the uniform so the parents get to see it. The uniform shop ( run by parent volunteers) is then open on the transition days so that people can try on. Parents put their orders in and they are all packed at once and picked up second week of December.
Our stationery lists are all done via the school too.

I am going to change it for future parents, it isn't hard most schools manage it - I am sure it is born from the fact they don't feel have to impress anyone and could do with less enrollments, but in my mind it is not right for a public school to be so useless. All the stuff the Vic gov spend money on about ensuring a good transition to school etc., should be built on parents having some info before last week of Term 4 (private schools are breaking up the week before the info evening so some families have already gone away).

Not too many other parents seem that bothered though, like the jumping through hoops to get any info is just part and parcel and adds to the desirability somehow.

[leckert]

our transition first day is next Thursday (getting a bit excited). We find out classes the following week on their second transition day.

[wysiwyg]

I got a list from the office - it isn't what is required, it is a list of all the school shop sells - so not particularly helpful. What are:
Library Bags? Reader Bags? 'Scotchies' Trackpants? - so I guess I will have to go in the school shop to find out - can they just wear red polo shirts or do they have to be ones with the logo etc.

[Khaleesi]

Some schools will sell the logo you can sew on instead of buying one with the logo.
Hope you get some answers from the school shop.

[Sagres]

I haven't heard anything about a book list yet but we have our first transition visit and information session this Friday so either they will let us know or I will ask. I hadn't even thought of the book list so I'm glad someone bought it up!

[Khaleesi]

Library bag, ours is a green waterproof material with the school logo.
Not very big you can only fit 2 or 3 books in it.
DD1 can only borrow 2 each week at the moment.
Reader bags, ours is just a large pencil case with 2 pockets. They keep their readers, words they are learning, reader diary & whatever else DD1 throws in there.
Trackpants are what we use in winter for our sport uniform instead of shorts.

[Khaleesi]

Has anyone had separation issues with the transitions?
DD2 was extremely clingy the first few times, she ended up enjoying herself but still didn't really want to go back.
Last week she let me go without tears & even hugged me.
I'm hoping we don't have too much trouble with the first few drops in the new year.

[beansbeans!]

Has anyone had separation issues with the transitions?
DD2 was extremely clingy the first few times, she ended up enjoying herself but still didn't really want to go back.
Last week she let me go without tears & even hugged me.
I'm hoping we don't have too much trouble with the first few drops in the new year.

Dd2 was like a lump of concrete when it came to going into her orientation, I ended up literally dragging her in as she just refused to move. She enjoyed it but didn't want to go back. The second orientation it was the same, this time I encouraged her to go in with another girl she knew, and the teacher whisked her away immediately so she didn't get the chance to boycott it.

Currently dd2 doesn't want to go to school. She will be going and I know she will love it once there, she is ready and I know deep down she is ready.

At the moment we have given dd2 three options for next year; another year at preschool, go to big school, or she can start an apprenticeship with dh. She is leaning to big school at the moment as the other two options aren't as appealing, thankfully

I'm dreading next year, I'm sure the drop offs are going to be hard for the first few weeks, until she gets the school excitement bug, then it should be easier. Hopefully!

Re the school uniform, we can only buy ours from the school shop, it will cost a little over the $200 mark for just her uniform, let alone with the shoes added in. The school has it set up so that no one can use the logo and beat their prices. But you must wear the uniforms with logos, the dress is a special design so that its different enough from the generic dresses so you can't buy cheap (dress doesn't have school logo). And the shop only opens on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 to 10am