Parent Handbook 2021 A letter from the Headmistress Dear Abbotsleigh parents Welcome to 2021 at Abbotsleigh. It is a great privilege to lead this exciting, innovative and vibrant learning community, so that our amazing girls may be empowered to continue to do amazing things. I am really looking forward to working together with you and our staff so that our girls (your daughter/s) may begin, or continue on their exciting journeys to become ‘their very best selves’. Abbotsleigh is an energetic and lively learning environment with many activities, community groups, schedules and policies. This handbook has been compiled to help you understand how the School’s operations and communication systems work for the benefit of the whole community. It is a handy guide to refer to when needed throughout the year. In addition to this handbook, there are a number of other ways to obtain information about the School. The Shuttle is our weekly newsletter. An email is sent to all families, students in Years 3-12 and staff every Friday with a link to the pdf, which can also be found on the ‘News and events’ page of the Abbotsleigh website. The Abbotsleigh parent app is also a convenient way to stay abreast of school activities. The School’s website also contains a wealth of information about upcoming school events, Aquatic Centre news, and holiday activities. From the School website, parents are able to access several online services, including the Parent Portal. In the Parent Portal (via AbbNet, the School’s intranet) parents can view information about their daughter under password protection. The portal also links you to the events and activities of the Abbotsleigh Parents’ Association. Parents are given usernames and passwords to access the portal. If you are unsure of your login details, please contact the IT Department. Our web address is www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au and we encourage you to visit it regularly. We believe that good communication with our community is crucial and, as such, our processes are constantly reviewed. The Development Department assists with the dissemination of information to the community and prepares our major publications. We welcome feedback on our communication systems and this can be lodged with the Development Department. Your daughters also play a part in our communication processes, as each girl has a diary that contains general and daily information. From time to time, also, teachers will use the diary to communicate with parents. With our goal of creating independent, self-reliant learners, the diary is used as one device to help the girls develop organisational and time management skills. As such, girls will need to have their diary with them at all times and learn to use it wisely. The Abbotsleigh community consists of Council members, teaching and support staff, parents – past and present, Old Girls, parent groups and our students. There are activities for everyone, and I encourage you to become involved and connected so that we may work in partnership with you for the benefit of your daughter/s. I am sure you will enjoy being part of our vibrant Abbotsleigh community in 2021. Megan Krimmer Headmistress 2021 Abbotsleigh Parent Handbook | 3 Contents General information 4 School materials 42 About Abbotsleigh 5 Tuckshop procedures 42 School Staff 6 Celebrating birthdays 42 General information – Library requirements 43 Junior and Senior School 9 Use of technology 43 Abbotsleigh Parent Use of mobile phones 43 Code of Conduct 9 Junior School Houses 44 Communication with parents 11 Lost property 44 Parent support 12 Senior School information 45 The School Diary 12 Senior School map 46 Medical information guidelines 13 Senior School staff 46 Abbotsleigh Services 13 House tutor groups 49 AbbSchool 14 General information 51 Policies 16 Boarding School information 53 Behaving in a way that reflects our values 17 Absence or leave 54 Dealing with bullying 19 Arrival and departure 54 School laptops 21 Health services 54 Social media policy 22 After school tutorials 55 Acceptable use policy 23 Lockers 55 Working With Children Check 26 Lost property 55 Risk warnings 26 Betty Archdale Library 55 Junior School information 28 Music 56 Junior School map 29 Sport 58 Junior School staff 29 Other co-curricular and General information 31 club activities 59 Holiday programs 35 Abbotsleigh community information 60 Positions of responsibility 35 Development Department 62 Co-curricular music programs 36 Parent groups 63 Sport 37 Abbotsleigh Old Girls’ Union 66 Junior School activities 40 Abbotsleigh Foundation 66 Health promoting school 42 School tours 67 General information 2021 Abbotsleigh Parent Handbook | 5 About Abbotsleigh Our School School Values Why we exist Chosen by the girls themselves. We empower amazing girls to do amazing things. The School Lesson and our Chrisitan faith How we do things underpin all that we value and do. Our teachers are role models who inspire each Integrity girl to reach her personal best. Their lessons last We do what’s right, not what’s easy a lifetime. Respect What we do We value everyone for who they are Our holistic education underpinned by the Courage Christian faith, helps our girls thrive today and We dare to take risks tomorrow. Compassion School Lesson We lift each other up Philippians 4:4-9 Perseverance We get up, we don’t give up Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learnt and received and seen, do; and the God of peace will be with you. 6 | Abbotsleigh Parent Handbook 2021 Dean of Middle School Ms A Fell BSc GradDipEd School Staff MACE The Council of Abbotsleigh Dean of Senior College Archdale Miss I Royston MEd BAppSc(HMS-Ed) GradDipMaths President AssocDegEdStudies MACE The Most Reverend Dr Glenn N Davies Dean of Senior College Mrs A Ware BEd DipTh BSc MDiv(Hons) ThM(Hons) DipA PhD DD MACE Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales Head of Senior School Administration and Staff Chair Mr P Fontanot BCompt(Hons) CA GAICD JP Relations Mr R Willis BA DipEd MA MACE JP Treasurer Mr R Bowden BBus CPA Director of Human Resources Mrs S Baillie BCom(Merit) CA CFA GAICD Mrs J Lynch BSocSci (HRM) Rev Dr A Barraclough BE BD DipMin MA D(Min) Mrs J Cochrane BEc LLB(Hons) Headmistress’s support staff Ms L Ellis BEc LLB(Hons) GAICD Executive Assistant to Headmistress Dr C Janssen MB BS MBA FAICD Mrs R Formby Rev M Kellahan BA LLB BD Registrar Mrs C Fenn DipMktg Dr J Lim BSc(Med) MBBS FRACGP DCH Registrar’s Assistant Mrs Kate Hawkins Mr P Nicholson BSc BE(Hons) ME MIEAust Mr D Pontin BPE DipTeach MEd Boarding Mrs S Roberts BPsych(Hons) Director of Boarding Mrs C Fairleigh Ms M Southwick BLArch(Hons) CPPD MAIPM GAICD BA(Hons) BPhysEd(secondary) Ms M Vanzella BEc LLB(Hons) MBA MAICD Deputy Head of Boarding Administration Mrs A Heness-Pugh BArtTH AssocDegSocSc(ResCare) Senior Leadership Team CertResCare Headmistress Mrs M Krimmer BA Dip Ed MEd MACE Deputy Head of Boarding Deputy Headmistress and Head of Senior Ms D Mahrous BMathematics GradDipEd CertResCare School Mrs V Rennie BA(Hons) GradDipEd MACE MACEL Boarding Coordinators Head of Junior School Ms S Ruston Ms R Charlton CertResCare AMusA BEd GradDipEdStud DipTeach MEd MACE AssocDegSocSc(ResCare) Bursar Mr J Doran BBus DHA CPA AFAIM Mrs R Clemenger CertResCare Chaplain Rev J Stoddart BA BDiv DipEdMin Mrs S Ward CertResCare Director of Wellbeing and Counselling Health Centre Sister Mrs N Harris RNBNur Mrs E Cannon MEd BA DipEd GradDipEdAdmin MHAPICCert ImmCert AssocMAPS Reg Psychologist MACE Director of Learning Innovation Bursar’s Office Mrs D Moffatt BEd(Dist) DipTeach Director of Development and Finance and Administration Community Relations Mrs A Lightfoot Bursar Mr J Doran BBus DHA CPA AFAIM BAComms(Marketing) AdvDip MktgMgt Finance Director Ms B Rudolph BBus CA Director of Compliance and Council Secretary Financial Accountant Mrs A Roughley BBus CA Mr G Fisher BEc BEd DipBus MA JD Payroll Manager Mrs S Wong Cert IV IT, Bookkeeping Director of Technology Mr W Noble BFA GradDip FA Accounts Staff Mrs B Williams, DipEd MDes AIMM MACS MAICD Mrs L Mikulasev, Ms A An CPA Director of AbbSchool Mr R Pagano Director of Human Resources Mrs J Lynch ADipAppSci(RecServices) MMgt(LeisureMgt) BSocSci (HRM) Director of Property Mr S Jarrett AssDipArts DipMus Receptionist Mrs M Walker (Comp) Dip Ed MFM Uniform Shop Mrs L Boothby (Manager), Deputy Head of Junior School Mrs Natalie Doyle, Mrs L Powell Mrs C Gaspersic BEd (Primary) 2021 Abbotsleigh Parent Handbook | 7 Property Aquatic Centre Director of Property Manager Mrs J Wheatley BEd(PhysEd) DipBus Mr S Jarrett AssDipArts DipMus (Comp) Dip Ed MFM Head Swimming Coach Ms A Isaac Cert IV Gold Cleaning Supervisor Mr J Pocock Licence Swim Coach Staff Mrs A Chen, Mr P Johnson, Ms S Johnston, Head Diving Coach Mrs R Manuel Bcomm CA Mr B Kelly, Mr Y Lim, Mr D London, Mr J Melehan, GradDip GradCertEdStud Mr A Pokhrel, Mr A Ryan, Mr V Sammut, Assistant Swimming Coach Mr J Stirling, Mr M Sutherland, Mrs G Zhang Mr J Loureiro BPhysEd MPhysEd Laundry Services