Information for Current Parents
PTF
What is the PTF?
The PTF is an active organisation of parents, carers, teachers and friends of International Grammar School who are interested in the education programme, philosophy and operations of the school.
The PTF’s objectives are to:
- promote the interests of the school by fostering and promoting a sense of belonging and connection within the school community through building networks that link families with each other and through providing a bridge between the school and families. Class representatives play a vital role in sustaining the school community... Read more
- provide a regular forum for members of the school community to receive information, discuss issues relevant to students, contribute ideas and provide feedback to the school administration. Regular PTF Meetings and Parent Information Evenings are organised by the PTF Committee... Read more
- provide funding for items not covered by the school budget, particularly those that help to build a better school community... Read more
Participating in the PTF
All members of the school community are encouraged to participate at PTF meetings and functions. If you are new to the school it can be a particularly good way to ‘settle in’ to the new environment.
You can participate by:
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taking on the role of class representative... Read more
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helping on ‘special purpose’ committees for individual projects... Read more
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coming along to PTF meetings... Read more
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joining the PTF Committee... Read more
PTF events
Information about PTF events is available here... Read more
Class and Year Group Activities during 2009 is available here
Contacting the PTF
Information about how to contact the PTF is available here... Read more
School Community
How does the PTF foster a sense of community?
The PTF aims to cultivate partnerships between students, parents and carers, and the school’s staff by providing opportunities to enjoy social events and, in doing so, support the school.
Class representatives are the main network for distributing information and collecting feedback, and supporting the school community. Class representatives organise social events for individual classes and year levels, providing opportunities for parents and carers to meet informally and to develop friendships. These range from low key picnics in parks for families, through to parent-only dinners. Class representatives also pass on information about whole of school activities, and PTF meetings.
There is a class representative for every class from pre-school to Year 6, and for each year level in the high school. PTF Committee members co-ordinates the class representative network.
If you want to know who your class representative is, and how to contact them, or if you would like to volunteer to be a class representative, please email PTF@igssyd.nsw.edu.au
For each year level, there is also a designated class list organiser. On the school’s data collection/verification form (which the school will ask you to complete every 6 months) you have the option to release your contact details to the PTF. Class lists providing parent and carer addresses and telephone numbers are collated from this information, then circulated to parents and carers for each year level (having due regard to the school’s privacy policy). You can use these to link with other year families to organise car-pooling, play dates, party invitations or co-ordinate other social arrangements.
If you want to know who your class list organiser is, and how to contact them, please email PTF@igssyd.nsw.edu.au
The PTF Committee and ‘special purpose’ committees organise social events for the entire school community. Past social events have included trivia nights for parents, an art show, foreign language film screenings for the whole school, and discos for primary students. From time to time, there will be pleas for assistance published in InFocus. Alternatively, please email to PTF@igssyd.nsw.au if you would like to help out.
Information about PTF events is available here... Read more
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PTF meetings are an invaluable forum for finding out more about what’s going on at the school. They provide an opportunity to raise and discuss important issues as well as gain insights into how the school operates. (Please note that the PTF Committee members promise NOT to place any pressure on you to volunteer for anything at PTF meetings!)
The Principal comes along to (nearly) all meetings. As well as providing an update on current key issues at the school, the Principal takes questions on her report and on other issues. Other staff members representing curriculum, pastoral and other interest areas are invited to attend each meeting. The PTF Committee welcomes suggestions on issues for discussion at PTF meetings, along with requests for particular staff to be invited to discuss their role or teaching area. Please send suggestions to PTF@igssyd.nsw.edu.au.
Unless otherwise indicated, PTF meetings are held at 7.00pm in the Preschool area on the Ground Floor. Meeting dates for 2009 are:
- Tuesday 13 February – PTF Welcome drinks
- Tuesday 31 March – Annual General Meeting, at which the Election of Officers will be conducted
- Tuesday 26 May at 8:00 am
- Tuesday 23 June
- Tuesday 25 August at 8:00 am
- Tuesday 22 September
- Tuesday 27 October
- Tuesday 17 November
Parent Information Evenings
The PTF, in conjunction with school staff, organises information evenings on topics relating to the emotional and social welfare and personal development of children of school age. They aim to educate parents and carers on areas of concern and well-being that are likely to be encountered by the school’s students both at school and away from school, and often link with programs run by the school for students.
The evenings are presented either by school staff or external experts. The PTF Committee has made a commitment to fund, where necessary, high calibre speakers for these parent information evenings.
Past parent information evenings have looked at drug and alcohol issues affecting adolescents, nutrition, the use of the internet and ‘cyberspace’, and building resilience in children.
The following parent information evenings will be held in 2009:
- Sydney University’s Brain and Mind institute as a satellite school in good mental health practices. See the attached outline of workshops
The PTF Committee welcomes suggestions on topics and presenters for future parent information evenings.
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Fundraising Support
How are PTF funds raised?
A valuable by-product of many of the fun community-building events organised by the PTF, is the funds that are raised.
Large scale ‘whole of school’ events are organised by the PTF every second year. Each year, a disco is organised for Primary School students. Other smaller fundraising activities take place from time to time.
In 2009, the PTF will raise funds through:
- entrance fees for the Primary School Disco on Friday 27 March
- the sale of a book of recipes provided by school families, celebrating the diversity of cultures represented within the IGS community. Recipes from the Heart can now be ordered at http://www.recipesfromtheheart.com.au
These activities are organised by volunteers from the school community. Usually, a ‘special purpose’ committee is formed comprising a number of parents and carers, and coordinated by a member of the PTF Committee. If you would like to help, or have suggestions for projects that will build a sense of community as well as raise funds, please contact PTF@igssyd.nsw.edu.au
What are funds raised by the PTF used for?
The PTF provides funding for annual prizes awarded to students on speech night, recognising the academic and other achievements of those students. Amongst the awards made at Speech Night are PTF Civic Prizes for primary and secondary students.
The PTF is also prepared to ‘bankroll’ student and parent social events (for example, where funds are required for a deposit for a venue for an event before money is collected from those attending) on the proviso that all funds advanced are reimbursed to the PTF. The PTF does not fund social events held by classes or year groups.
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PTF Committee
What is the role of the PTF Committee?
- To provide a framework and coordinate activities that help to build a school community
- Run PTF meetings to enhance information flow within the school community and provide a forum for discussion of issues pertinent to the school community
- Manage funds raised and allocate the distribution of those funds
PTF Committee office bearers
- President – chairs the PTF meetings & committee meetings, represents the PTF at functions and attends the monthly School Board meetings as an observer. The current President is Ruth Lavery. She has a son in Y5 and a daughter in Kindy.
- Vice President – assists the President, acts as alternative chairperson or observer at Board meetings if President is not available. The current Vice President is John Anning. John has a son in Y12.
- Secretary - takes and distributes minutes, prepares meeting notices & announcements for ‘In Focus’, keeps PTF records and notifies the Committee of meetings and correspondence. The current Secretary is Samantha Gardner-Wade. Samantha has a son in Y6 and a daughter in Y4.
- Treasurer – keeps the PTF books, manages the PTF’s cheque account and pays accounts when due. The current Treasurer is Michael Street. He has a son in Year 4 and a daughter in Year 3.
- Class Representative and Class List Co-ordinators (2)
One co-ordinates the class representative network, which involves organising representatives for each class at the beginning of the year, providing assistance to class representatives as required, communicating any important/relevant information to the network throughout the year, and arranging and conducting 2 to 4 class representative meetings throughout the year.
The other is responsible for maintaining and distributing class lists (along with each year’s class list organiser) in accordance with the authority given by parents and complying with the school’s privacy policy.
Currently, Diana Hasche and Karen Roberts are the class representative co-ordinator. Diana has sons in Y5 and Y1. Karen has daughters in Kindy and Preschool.
- Dominique Brassier is the Class Lists Coordinator. She has a daughter in Y6
- Social/Fundraising Committee Coordinators – plan and coordinate social and fundraising events. Currently, Liz Morrissey and Rebecca Salter are undertaking this role.
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How do I join the PTF Committee?
PTF committee office bearers are elected at the AGM (usually held at the end of March) and fill the office for 12 months. You can nominate for any one of the positions in writing, no later than 7 days in advance of the AGM. Written nominations can be dropped in the PTF mail box on level 2. (Nomination forms are available on the PTF stand at the bottom of the main staircase, a few weeks prior to the AGM).
All parents and carers (whether ‘old’ or ‘new’ to the school) are welcome to fill the roles.
If you would like to assist the PTF, even on a casual basis, please contact any of the PTF Committee members or PTF@igssyd.nsw.edu.au
How can you find out about upcoming PTF events?
Meeting notices are placed around the school the week before each PTF Meeting.
Minutes of previous meetings of the PTF are available here:
Strategic plan presentation November 2008
Primary School Parents Guide to Curriculum
HSIE Presentation - Primary School
Meeting dates and times, and other PTF information can also be found in InFocus and in the annual school calendar.
Flyers for upcoming events – for individual classes, years, and for the whole school – are distributed to students and published in InFocus. They are also available to members of the school community by contacting PTF@igssyd.nsw.edu.au
- By email, on PTF@igssyd.nsw.edu.au
- In writing: drop your correspondence into the PTF mail box – Level 2 reception area (to the left at the front of the main desk).
- In person: come to the meetings. We’d love to see you there.
- Talk to any member of the PTF Committee.
