Parents
Ravenswood has a positive and enthusiastic parent body. Ravenswood parents place importance on education for their daughters. They also share the common goal of commitment and support of Ravenswood as a whole with the students, staff and friends of the school.
Each year parents involve themselves in activities associated with Ravenswood. There are a variety of opportunities for parents to get to know other parents at the school, whether it be on the sideline of a sporting field, at the Swimming Carnival, at a Year group Cocktail Party or as a volunteer in the Tuckshop.
The Ravenswood Parents’ Association provides every parent with the opportunity to develop friendships within the school community and to contribute to the life of the school. During the school year functions are held providing the opportunity for parents, within year groups, to meet at an informal gathering.
An initiative of the Association is the Father/Daughter Breakfast programme which has been in place since 2000 and is one of many opportunities for fathers to be involved with their daughters at school. The girls love having breakfast at school with their Dads or special friends during the year. Marking the beginning of Secondary School, Year 7 has a Father/Daughter Dinner.
Under the Ravenswood Parents’ Association umbrella the K-6 and 7-12 Committees work enthusiastically to provide a wide variety of events and activities to involve the school community. At Ravenswood we greatly value our community spirit - much of which is attributable to the volunteers who work for the school through the Parents’ Association.
Families automatically become members of the Association when they join the school community and are encouraged to participate in the life of the school.
There are many ways in which our parents support the school through volunteering. This may include areas such as Tuckshop, Lost Property, and Uniform Centre etc. Funds raised by the Ravenswood Parents’ Association are directed to the Principal’s annual Wish List and cover those items that fall outside the school’s operating budget.
The Association works closely with the Ravenswood Foundation and is supported by the Community Relations Office.
For further information on any of the above programmes please contact your Class Parent through the Ravenswood Parents’ Association network or Diana Morison in the Community Relations Office on (02) 9498 9865or dmorison@ravenswood.nsw.edu.au .
A full list of school events can be found on the Fixtures List.
The Ravenswood Fair – 7 November 2009
On behalf of the Ravenswood Parents’ Association it is my great pleasure to welcome you as a parent to Ravenswood in 2009.
The Ravenswood Parents’ Association
The mission of the Ravenswood Parents’ Association (‘the Association’) is to provide support for the students at Ravenswood School.
This is achieved through a range of activities that encompass the community life of the school as well as assisting in raising funds for extracurricular technical, sporting, musical and transport needs within the school, such as retractable shade sails for Junior School, laptop trolleys, data projectors,drum kit, accoustic guitar and so on.
The Association’s other role is to provide a direct communication link with the school for parents on any matters outside the pastoral and academic care of the girls.
Involvement by parents in the Association means parents are not only better informed about the school but it also strengthens the partnership between the parents and the school.
The Association is a member of the NSW Independent Schools Parents’ Association which maintains a watch over changes to education and of recent times has been very active in the debate regarding government funding of independent schools. It is essential these links are maintained.
What are the activities of the Ravenswood Parents’ Association?
To help you understand how you will be able to participate in the Association, I summarise below some of our more specific activities:
• regularly convening General Meetings to provide a forum for parents and the school to communicate their views on issues relevant to our daughters;
• nominating two representatives to School Council each year;
• providing volunteer support for various regular activities including the Tuckshop, Uniform Centre, Lost Property, Exam Support, Link Group, Casseroles in Crisis and Second Hand Books;
• arranging events to foster community support and goodwill within the school such as father/daughter breakfasts, class and year group functions, the Sports Lunch, Christmas Lunch, Year 7 Father Daughter dinner; click here to access the Volunteer Form (link to PDF)
• organising a limited number of fundraising activities to support identified projects within the school over and above those included in the school’s budget, and
• convening the School Fair toward the end of the year.
How is the Association organised?
The RPA Organization Chart sets out the framework around which the Association is organised and provides an insight into the organisation’s workings.
In addition the Association is most fortunate to have the assistance of the hard working staff in the school Community Relations Office and in particular, Marilyn Rickard and Diana Morison who provide invaluable support.
There are many opportunities for parents to assume various roles and responsibilities within the Association and I do hope you will step forward and offer your assistance over the coming year.
The General Meetings of the Association are normally held in the evening while the Year 7 to 12 and K to 6 Committees meet during the day. Thus parents have an opportunity to participate according to their particular time constraints.
How may I support and participate in the activities of the Association?
Attending Association General Meetings, which are convened each term and announced in the school’s weekly newsletter, is a great way to find out what is happening within the school and are a demonstration of your interest and support.
If time constraints limit your ability to participate in volunteer activities then your attendance and participation at the various activities arranged by the Association during the year will be a valued contribution.
Is there an annual subscription to the Parents’ Association?
Yes, the association does ask parents if they would make a modest voluntary contribution ($30 for 2009) to enable the Association to meet its annual affiliation fee to the NSW Parents Council Inc., a body which represents parents with children at non-government schools (http://www.parentscouncil.nsw.edu.au/) and to provide funds for the ancillary operating costs of your Association.
When is the Annual General Meeting of the Association held?
The Annual General Meeting of the Association is held each February in the Assembly Hall.
The AGM is convened at the commencement of the academic year in order to provide the opportunity for all parents, including our new parents, to volunteer for various committee roles which are elected at the AGM.
Each year there are a number of positions for which we seek nominations. If you would like to nominate for a role on one of the various committees then please do not hesitate to send in your nomination form or contact me through the Community Relations office to discuss the opportunities.
Mark Webb
President, Ravenswood Parents’ Association