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Absence & Early Departure Notification

In line with our new processes for students to sign in and out of our College, we require parent/guardian notification when a student needs to leave the College before home time or is absent for the day.

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Be Involved - Parent & Guardians

We place an emphasis on Parent and Guardian involvement in our College.

One opportunity exists in Parents as Partners is a reading partnership between parents and our Prep and Year 1 classes. We hope you can join us in this worthwhile and rewarding volunteer literacy program.

Parents are trained to listen to students read aloud, as well as encourage sound comprehension through the use of phonic skills and other reading strategies. This results in students reading more fluently and expressively and gaining an improved understanding of what is read.

All volunteers are required to have a Working with Children Check and Heathdale Christian College must be registered as a nominated organisation. See more information below.

Letters will be forwarded to parents the first week of Term 1 giving you the opportunity to list your preferred rostered day and also register to attend one of the following ‘Parents as Partners’ training sessions.

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Bus Transport

Please find below our bus transport options to our Melton and Werribee Campuses. We welcome new applications for our bus service, if you have any questions, please contact buscoordinator@heathdale.vic.edu.au

Note: Prep students may travel on the bus providing their parent/guardian acknowledges they will secure daily drop-off and pick-up at the bus stop.

Melton Campus

We provide a number of buses from surrounding suburbs to our Melton campus. We offer services for full-time bus users only.

Werribee Campus

We provide a number of buses from surrounding suburbs to our Werribee Campus. We offer both full-time and casual bus travel options to this campus.

Pricing is zone-based across Zones 1, 2, 3 & 4. Zones are determined by bus stop and not where students live.

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Booking Parent Teacher Conversations & Viewing Student Reports

Parents/Guardians of Melton and Werribee students can book Parent-Teacher conversations and access their child's reports online through the Heathdale Application Portal. (Please note student reports are released at the end of each semester (June/December)).

Parents/Guardians can log into the Heathdale Application Portal via the link below.

For assistance on how to login and book conversations or view reports, please read the following Parent Guides and Troubleshooting FAQs.

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Canteen

At both of our campuses, the College has canteens which operate each weekday during term time. Prep - Year 12 students at both campuses are able to pre-order lunch via quickcliq.com.au.

Melton

Prep to Year 4 students are not able to bring money to purchase items directly from the canteen, including before or after school. Please ensure food is brought to school for Recess, as the canteen does not supply orders at Recess time.

Years 5 to 11 students may order lunch through the QuickCliq website, or alternatively, purchase items directly from the canteen during Recess or Lunch. We ask that students use a card or cash to pay for food at the canteen, as mobile phones must be locked away during the school day. Students who have pre-ordered food must collect their order from the Canteen at Lunch time.

Werribee

Prep - Year 6 students are not able to bring money to purchase items directly from the canteen, including before or after school. Please ensure food is brought to school for Recess, as the canteen does not supply orders at Recess time.

Years 7 to 12 students may order lunch through the QuickCliq website, or alternatively, purchase items directly from the canteen during Recess and Lunch. We ask that students use a card or cash to pay for food at the canteen, as mobile phones must be locked away during the school day. Students who have pre-ordered food must collect their order from the Canteen at Lunch time.

**Students who forget their lunch can speak with the office and be issued with a fruit snack.**

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Communication between School and Home

Communication is an integral part of every relationship. We encourage parents to engage in conversations with teachers during the year, at the Parent Teacher meetings during the year and throughout the year as required. For non-time sensitive queries, please email the below links.

Any urgent matters can be phoned through directly to your campus office, who will assist you.

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Outside Hours Care Program

Outside of Hours Care Program for before and after school hours, is provided by Big Childcare. This is available at both campuses for students from Prep to Year 6.

For bookings and further information, please go to www.bigchildcare.com

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Private Music Tuition

We are keen to encourage the God-given gifts of our students and offer the option of private music tuition within our school program.

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Second Hand Uniforms

We have partnered with Sustainable School Shop to create a seamless second hand program for our parents/guardians to source uniforms and textbooks. Parents/guardians can register and list items for sale at no cost to them. Register now by clicking on the link below.

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Sign-In and Sign-Out Procedures

We use Student Terminals to sign students in and out of the College outside of normal school times. These read the barcode on our student cards, which when scanned automatically update the student absence status.

This sends parents/guardians and teachers automatically generated emails when students sign-in after school starts or sign-out during the school day.

These Student Terminals are located at the Melton Administration Office and at Werribee's Kindergarten Foyer (sign-in only), Primary School Office and Secondary School Office.

The Terminal will generate a late arrival docket and notify the teacher and parent(s)/guardian(s) via email.

Students hand the docket to the teacher on arrival to the classroom.


Signing in students who have arrived late?

Melton Students (Prep to Year 10)

Prep - Year 6: Parents/Guardians proceed to the Melton Administration office and sign your child in at the Student Terminal, using your child's student card.

Year 7-10: Secondary students can sign themselves in at the Student Terminal using their student card.

Werribee Primary Students (Prep to Year 6)

Prep - Year 2: Parents/Guardians can sign-in students at the Student Terminal located in the Kindergarten building, using your child's student card.

Year 3-6: Parents/Guardians proceed to the Primary School Office and sign your child in at the Student Terminal, using your child's student card.

Werribee Secondary Students (Year 7 to Year 12)

Students proceed to the Secondary School Office and sign-in at the Student Terminal using their student card.


Does your child need to leave school early?

We require parent notification if your child needs to leave school early. Simply email your relevant sub-school office one day prior, including child's name, year level, reason and expected time of departure.

Primary School Students (Prep to Year 6)

Parents/Guardians proceed to the Administration Office (Melton) or Primary School Office (Werribee) and sign your child out at the Student Terminal using the student card or the student barcode ID (located on the student card).

Once approved by College Staff, this Terminal will generate a docket and notify the teacher via email.

Parents/Guardians then proceed to the classroom to collect your child and give the docket to the teacher.

Secondary Students (Year 7 to Year 12)

Students proceed to the Administration Office (Melton) or Secondary School Office (Werribee) and sign-out at the Student Terminal using your student card.

Once College Staff verify that notification from a parent/guardian has been received, they will approve the sign-out.

The Terminal will issue a pass out docket, and automatically notify parent(s) and the homeroom teacher via email.

Students, please have this docket with you for proof of sign-out for this day.


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Student Exit from the College

As per the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment, Parents/Guardians must provide one full term's notice of a student exit. If you have not provided the College with a term's notice that your child will not be continuing with us in the following school year, you will be invoiced one term's fees in lieu.

To notify us of your Student Exit or a potential exit, please complete the Intention of Student Exit Form below.

We are continually looking forward, so we kindly ask that any families considering leaving our College at any time during the current school year, let us know as soon as possible. If a place at another school has not been confirmed in time, please still fill out the form with your current situation.

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Why do we need this information?

For our College - this information helps with planning class facilities and also enables us to offer available positions to families seeking Heathdale's unique style of Christian education.

For our families – this notification ensures that you are not invoiced for the following term’s fees. As per your enrolment documents, when withdrawing a student, the College must be provided with one full term’s notice.

What do you need to do?

If you are planning on continuing with us in the coming year, then you don’t need to do anything further! We look forward to continuing the educational journey with you. If you have a child in Kindergarten to Year 11 and are considering leaving our College during or at the end of the year, you need to inform us by submitting a Student Exit form below.

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Student Welfare

We have a student welfare team that work across campuses and sub-schools to aid in the social, emotional and spiritual support of the students. The student welfare team provide support through 1-1 sessions with students, small group work based on a particular
topic, as well as providing devotions and workshops to year levels and sub-school groups.

If you would like to contact our student welfare team for your child, please speak with your
Teacher, Year Level Coordinator or relevant Principal, who will assist you with this. In addition to this, secondary students are able to refer themselves to the student welfare team directly through their office or email the team.

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Uniform Guidelines

As of 2023, we have a new College uniform. For more information, please watch the introductory video and download the Primary or Secondary Uniform Guides below. The major concept changes include:

- Moving to a single Academic wardrobe that can be worn year-round. There are no longer separate Summer & Winter uniforms.
- An Activewear wardrobe for Primary students that can be worn everyday (excluding formal occasions).
- The introduction of high-quality outerwear such as soft-shell jackets and puffer vests.

There's more to it, so please read the guide for full details.


Regarding the Old Uniform:

We are currently in a 2-year transition period where students can wear either the Old or New Uniform. There will also be a Mix 'n' Match policy where students can wear items from the New and Old Academic wardrobes together. Students cannot mix garments from the New Sports or Activewear wardrobes with the old Academic wardrobes, and vice versa. The new uniform will be fully implemented in 2025.

For more information on the garments and policies of the Old Uniform, please consult the 2024 Parent Handbook.