Dear families,
Frankston Special Developmental School is looking forward to another great year of teaching and learning and would like to advise you of Frankston Special Developmental school’s voluntary financial contributions for 2024.
Schools provide students with free instruction to fulfil the standard Victorian curriculum and we want to assure you that all contributions are voluntary. Nevertheless, the ongoing support of our families ensures that our school can offer the best possible education and support for our students. We want to thank you for all your support, whether that is through fundraising or volunteering your time. This has made a huge difference to our school and the programs we can offer.
Frankston Special Developmental School is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) with the result that any donations made by you will be tax deductible. To be tax deductible, your donation needs to be made voluntarily. We have suggested an amount to be contributed under “Curriculum Contributions” and “Other Contributions” below, but please feel free to contribute an alternative amount. Amounts paid under “Extra-Curricular Items and Activities” are not donations and are not tax deductible.
For further information on the Department’s Parent Payments Policy please see a one-page overview attached.
Yours sincerely,
KRIS BAKER PRINCIPAL
MELISSA HOCKEY SCHOOL COUNCIL PRESIDENT
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Curriculum Contributions – suggested tax-deductible contributions for items and activities that students use, or participate in, to access the Curriculum |
Amount |
|
Classroom consumables, materials & equipment · Art – paint, crayons, canvas, glitter, coloured paper etc. ($30) · Food tech – food ingredients such as flour, butter etc. ($50) · Stationary including glue sticks, pencils, markers, textas. ($40)
|
$120 |
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ICT Devices – Student iPad program including online Subscriptions Reading eggs , Mathletics |
$50 |
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Printing and photocopying of worksheets and learning materials –workbooks, social story books |
$40 |
|
Total |
$ 210 |
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Other Contributions – suggested tax-deductible contributions for non-curriculum items and activities |
Amount |
|
School grounds maintenance and improvements |
$70 |
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Extra-Curricular Items and Activities – provided on a user-pays basis
Frankston Special Developmental School offers a range of optional items and activities that enhance or broaden the schooling experience of students and are above and beyond what the school provides to deliver the Curriculum.
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Extra-Curricular Items and Activities |
Amount |
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Camps and excursions to be scheduled (estimated: $xx) [See requesting parent payments for camps and excursions one-page overview for more information] |
$TBA |
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Total Extra-curricular Items and Activities |
$TBA |
Financial Support for Families
Frankston Special Developmental School understands that some families may experience financial difficulty and offers a range of support options, including:
- The option to obtain no-cost secondhand uniform is provided to families once a year. Notification of this date is communicated via newsletter.
- Families are encouraged to access discount stores for low-cost uniforms. FSDS iron-on transfers are available at $2.50ea for those purchasing their uniforms at discount stores.
- Camps, Sports and Excursion Form (CSEF). This fund is made available to parents or carers who hold a valid Health Care Card. Families can apply for the $125 (primary) and $225 (secondary) payment each year.
- State Schools Relief, a charity based organisation that supplies uniform and shoes to students of families experiencing financial hardship. Families are asked to contact the Principal, Assistant Principal or Welfare Coordinator in order to complete the application.
For a confidential discussion about accessing these services, or if you would like to discuss alternative payment arrangements, contact:
Wendy Bice Business Manager
Ph: 03 97896844
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Category |
Amount |
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Curriculum Contributions
|
$210 |
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Voluntary Contribution Buildings and grounds |
$70 |
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TOTAL PARENT PAYMENT: |
$280 per student |
Payment arrangements and methods
Payment plans are available to families and can be negotiated in: weekly, monthly or termly instalments or as an annual payment. Payments can be made by cash, cheque and EFTPOS. Direct debit is available as per banking details on family statements.
Consideration of hardship
Maximising educational outcomes for all students of Frankston SDS is a priority. A family’s inability to pay for essential school items will not result in their child being excluded from any activity considered essential to their education. The school will allocate an annual budget to cover the cost of programs for families experiencing financial hardship.
Families will be provided with the option to access this fund confidentially on an individual needs basis as negotiated with family, classroom teacher and Principal.
Communication with families
- The Family Payment Policy will be made available to the school community via the FSDS website.
- Family payment invoices will be distributed in accordance with Department of Education and Training (DET) guidelines.
- The school will make provision to assist families with financial support options and advice on an individual needs basis.
- The school will maintain confidentiality in all matters related to family payments.
Monitoring and review of the implementation of the policy
Frankston SDS will monitor the effectiveness and impact of the implementation of this policy at least annually as part of its ongoing improvement and report back to the school community.
