Staff Handbook – Getting the Basics Right

Bellaire Primary School

Absences – Staff
Daily absences are to be notified to Ben - Assistant Principal (0400
122 614). It is good practice that absences be made by 8:30pm the
previous night. If this cannot be done, notification must be made by
between 6:30am and 7:05am on the day of absence. Please advise Ben
(or Kate M) of your reason for absence when you inform them you
will be away (e.g., illness, carer’s leave etc).
Work Programs - To be kept on Google Drive
This is a legal document and should be prepared in advance so that
classes function effectively, and all areas of the curriculum are
addressed. Detailed work programs and schedules must be given to
your LOL or Sub-LOL or teaming partner if you are absent. These are
to be completed preferably in ‘print friendly’ format and provide
enough information to those covering the class.
Bellaire-specific Information
Attendance - Students Bell Times, Music and Sessions Communication
Rolls are marked electronically twice daily using Sentral. CRT Staff Music will be played at 8:55am. Whilst the music is playing, students Effective communication at Bellaire includes:
will mark a paper copy of the roll in the Home Group Teacher’s come inside to put their bags away and prepare to begin class by o Checking emails and Sentral (daily) before 9.00am (Sentral
absence and send it to the office at the end of the day. 9:00am. Teachers should be in their rooms by at least 8:45am to calendar). Weekly Bulletins are sent out by Suz via email on a
prepare the room for the day and be available to chat with Sunday.
parents / other teachers if there is a need. Parents may want a quick o Checking Seesaw (daily) before 9.00am
The roll must be marked morning (by 9.30am) and afternoon. word with teachers at the start of the day. If a longer interview is
Please record reasons for absences (if known) using the drop-down All messages from parents must be responded to within 24 hours
required, please ask parents to make an appointment for another time.
menus in Sentral. If students arrive at school after 9.00am, they are The music at 11:27am and 2:27pm signifies to the students that they
required to obtain a ‘late pass’ from the office. This signals to the need to pack up after recess and be ready in their home group spaces Communicating with parents or to community members /
Home Group Teacher that the Office Staff have marked the student as when the bell goes. organisations
present (late) on Sentral. Session Times All communication with parents is formal communication and must be
Session 1 9.00am written as such - rather than casual register.
All absences require communication from home to explain the Written communication needs to be on a school letterhead and
Session 2 10.00am countersigned by the Principal. Notes (permissions, information
absence. Parents are notified of absences via a daily push notification Recess 11.00am
from Sentral / Office Staff. Hard copies of notes can be kept in a booklets, etc), other than short notes to parents will need to be
Session 3 11.30am presented a day in advance for approval. A copy must be provided to
plastic envelope and sent to the office at the end of the year. If a Session 4 12.30pm
student is going to be away for an extended period e.g., holidays or the office via email attachment in case of parent queries.
hospitalisation, an ‘Absence Proforma’ (located in the Office) must be Lunch - 1:30pm - 1:45pm
filled out by parents. Teachers must ensure that students who have a inside
large number of absences / late arrivals are followed up with the Lunch break 1:45pm - 2:30pm
parents or referred to the Principal team. Session 5 2.30pm
End of day 3.30pm

Dress Code Drinks General School Rules Hours of Duty

Teaching and Administrative staff are required to dress in a manner Staff members are encouraged to consume all hot drinks in the Inside
that is professionally appropriate and presentable. Teaching staff have staffroom space provided and during break times. o Students can only enter the
buildings when the music
a duty of care to ensure that their clothing and footwear allows them No hot drinks are to be consumed during lessons or in the begins at 8:55am and before
to move freely and safely to assist students. Open-toed footwear classrooms. recess and lunch times end.
cannot be worn. On school excursions, teachers are representing the o Students are not to be left
school, and their attire should reflect the above expectations. unsupervised at any time. A
teacher must be in the
homeroom space if a student
o Clothing needs to reflect business standards. Midriff exposure, remains inside for any reason.
shoulder exposure, low-cut tops, blue denim, mini dresses, casual o SLU and MLU students may
t-shirts and thongs are not business dress code. enter the school building prior
o A wide brim hat needs to be worn for outdoor duties in Terms 1 to the music to put their iPads
inside, however, need to head
and 4 and shoulders must be covered. straight back outside.
o Bellaire staff school uniform can be purchased. On sports days, o Hats and beanies are not worn
if staff are involved in active participation, they may wear the inside.
agreed sports uniform of good quality. o Lunch is to be eaten under
supervision in the classroom (or
outside) between 1:30 and
If you are supervising a student teacher, please make them aware of 1:45pm. Ensure the areas
this policy. remain tidy and clean.
Outside Staff are required to be on-site and available, as a minimum, from
o Toilets in the South building are 8:45am to 3:45pm each day. The work week is a 38-hour week.
for Prep and Junior students;
toilets in the North building are Teachers need to be on duty in their classrooms at 8:45am in case
for Middle and Senior students. parents or students need assistance. Staff are also required to attend
o The playground on the south staff and professional development meetings throughout a usual week.
side of the school is for the Prep Please avoid booking or organising private appointments during these
and Junior students, the times.
playground on the north side of
the school is for Senior students
and there is a Middles In extenuating circumstances, such requests should be made a day in
playground on the south side of advance to allow for alternative arrangements to be considered. A
the MLU. term calendar / planner should be referred to for meeting times and
o Prep and Junior students should
ensure that all toys are returned dates. Teachers are also expected to attend all team meetings. Staff
to the play shed at the end of representatives will also attend scheduled Consultative, Curriculum
recess. PLTs and Leaders of Learning meetings. Consultation will occur
o All bikes must be walked into when forming a term calendar to ensure scheduled meeting times
the school from the boundary beyond the regular school day do not exceed the limits set in the
gates. Students must be in Year
4 and have completed the Bike Victorian Government Schools Agreement.
Ed course before they can ride
unaccompanied to school.
o Pedestrians must enter through
the small gate in the centre of
the school block in Larcombe
Street and not through the
vehicle gates.
o At the beginning of the day,
students should be directed to
wait for friends in the courtyard
rather than at the front gate. At
the end of the day, students
should wait inside the gate for
parents to arrive.

Staff Meetings and Professional Practice
Staff are required to attend all staff and professional learning meetings
scheduled on the calendar each term. Relevant staff are required to
attend scheduled Consultative, Curriculum PLTs and Leaders of
Learning meetings. All teachers must attend unit planning meetings
for their unit.
Instructional coaching is an integral part of the ethos of Bellaire PS.
One hour (out of your 4 hours) is required to be used to your
professional learning and development. During this time, staff
participate in conversations or follow ups about instructional practice.
These take place with the school’s Learning Specialists. The aim is for
teachers and Learning Specialists to work together to set personal and
school-aligned goals for improved teaching and learning that result in
exemplary student achievement.
Yard Duty / First Aid Wet / Hot Weather
Each staff member will be issued with a Yard Duty timetable at the beginning of a year. The timetable will also be on display in the staffroom and There will be an announcement if students are to remain in their
teacher offices. Teachers are to ensure that they are punctual for Yard Duty and change shifts in the playground. Staff must move actively around classrooms due to wet or hot weather. If it begins to rain when the
their designated yard duty area, interacting with all students and ensuring their safety. students are at recess or lunchtime, an announcement will be made,
and students should walk quietly to their own classrooms. During
Teachers are to carry and utilise their Yard Duty backpacks while on duty. These backpacks contain important student information and a basic First hot/wet weather, students are encouraged to get something
Aid kit (Band-Aids, tissues, etc). In addition to carrying the backpack, all staff are required to carry an Emergency Lanyard (found in teacher constructive and passive to do in their classrooms until the end of
offices). In the event that a student with special medical requirements needs urgent medical assistance, the staff member on duty will pull the recess/lunchtime.
student’s emergency tag off and send it quickly to the office (with responsible students). For all other medical emergencies, or those you feel need
more attention, please send the student up to the Sick Bay with the red emergency poster (with other responsible students). An injury report will be
completed. Parents will be contacted if the injury is of a serious nature or involves a head injury. If a student is sent home, the Office Staff member
will inform the class teacher and an injury report will be completed.
Yard Duty teachers attend to any minor First Aid requirements.
Students and Staff with medical alerts are listed in staff office spaces, on Sentral and also in the CRT’s attendance rolls. All medication is to be
accompanied by a Medical Form and be kept in the sick bay or in the teacher office. The location of the medication should also be noted inside the
booklet.

In accordance with our school SunSmart policy, staff are required to wear a hat while on Yard Duty in Terms 1 and 4 and shoulders must be
covered. Sunscreen is available for students to use and must apply it themselves.
On days of wet weather all staff are expected to be available for alternative duty arrangements.
 Staff Handbook – Getting the Basics Right
Duty of Care
o Ensure that they are in their classrooms 15 minutes before school
commences and 15 minutes after school (when not scheduled for
yard duty) to be available for student and parent queries.
o Ensure prompt attendance at line up areas, moving to the area
before the bell.
o Arrive to yard duty on time, with their backpack, yard duty vest,
hat (Term 1 and 4) and actively supervise students whilst on yard
duty.
o Ensure mobile phones are not used during class time or whilst on
yard duty unless it is an emergency.
o Never leave a class unsupervised by a teacher.
o Be aware of student medical needs and allergies in their class or
subject area year levels.
o Be aware of any personal circumstances such as family matters
that may impact students learning whilst at school.
o Ensure hot drinks are only consumed in the staffroom.
Digital Technology
o Ensure ICT is a tool for learning - not a reward or ‘babysitter’.
o Actively monitor student use of ICT in the classroom.
o Limit use ICT for free time or games during wet weather
timetable.
o Make sure classroom technology and 1:1 devices are safely and
securely stored in the classroom filing cabinet or student lockers
during breaks and at the end of the day.
Bellaire Primary School
There are a number of Professional Requirements that we need to get right all the time.
Professional Conduct and Legal Requirements
o Are familiar with the Child Safe Standards and Mandatory
Reporting requirements. Ensuring all reportable incidents are
directly and immediately communicated to a member of the
Principal Team.
o Commence the workday at 8.45am and end at 3.45pm on non-
meeting nights. Please ensure you are on-site during these times.
o Ensure class rolls are completed. Please note this is a legal
requirement and attendance records can be subpoenaed.
o Monitor and respond to student attendance data in the classroom,
including late arrivals.
o Ensure all absences are followed up and notes are recorded on
Sentral or kept in offices in administration bags.
o Adhere to a professional dress code. Clothing and footwear need
to follow Occupational Health and Safety and Sun-Smart
guidelines- this includes footwear where toes are covered.
o Maintain up to date class split lists (updating with new
enrolments), saving a copy on the Google Drive and hard copy in
your classroom – in case of not being able to get a CRT.
o Model appropriate behaviours at all times including outside of
school settings and on social media.
o Make personal appointments for times outside school hours, if
this is not possible personal leave will need to be taken for the
absence. Please note leave is taken on a full day or half daytime
frame due to coverage.
Classroom Set up and Environments
o Clearly display the weekly and daily timetable in classrooms to
support student organisation and learning.
o Group tables to promote collaboration.
o Promote a student-centred environment through high quality
displays of children’s work in/outside classroom. Displays are
updated regularly.
o Establish and maintain English and Mathematics walls (not
literacy and numeracy) – anchor charts to support learning.
o Ensure that every classroom has a vocabulary wall that is
regularly added to.
o Ensure any classroom libraries are set up, organised and that the
books are respected and monitored in the classroom.
o Please do not label chair bags as they are school property.
o Ensure that teachers’ desks are only in office spaces and not set
up in classrooms/open learning spaces.
o Set up a centrally located and managed stationery system in
classrooms and monitor students to ensure they have the correct
equipment. E.g., Stationery.
o Make sure all doors and windows are closed when using the air
conditioner.
o Ensure that valuable equipment is stored appropriately, that
windows and doors are locked and all electronics i.e., Air
conditioner, fans, screens are turned off at the end of the day.
o Leave all rooms’ neat and tidy, this includes teaching spaces,
office spaces and communal spaces such as the staffroom or
meeting spaces.
Home School Communication / Feedback - All teachers:
o Check and monitor student diaries throughout the week. A simple
strategy for achieving this is commencing the day with diaries
open on the table. Initial and or respond to any parent
communication.
o Contact parents on a regular basis. Good practice may include
trying to contact at least 3 parents per week for positive
recognition of their child’s behaviour/learning).
o Contact parents when a student is absent and unexplained for
three consecutive days.
o Encourage and actively promote parent engagement in learning at
the school.
o Provide opportunities for parent helpers to assist in the classroom
and on excursions. Please note all parent helpers participate in a
Parent Helper induction session and must have a valid Working
with Children’s Check.
Wellbeing / Positive Behaviours Framework
o Take a collective responsibility for the students in Prep to Year 6.
o Reinforce and teach to the school values and whole school
expectations.
o Use the Behaviour Ladders as a classroom behaviour
management strategy. All students will start on ‘Ready to learn’
at the beginning of each session if they have moved down during
the lesson prior. Students will move up and down the ladder
depending on their behaviours demonstrated.
o Follow school processes for ‘Responding to Behaviour in the
Yard and in the Classroom’.
Planning and instructional practice
o Utilise the Bellaire curriculum documentation - access current
and relevant documents aimed at supporting teachers in planning,
assessment and reporting, and teaching and learning.
o Clearly display the learning intentions and success criteria for
each lesson.
o Provide regular feedback on student work and ensure teacher to
student feedback is timely.
o Ensure work program for the week is completed prior to the
week commencing and is accessible on the Google Drive at all
times.
o Ensure sufficient and meaningful work is left for a CRT.
o Maintain up to date assessment data students.
Student Management and Expectations
o Clearly display classroom rules and expectations in the
classroom.
o Ensure classes line up to enter classrooms in an orderly fashion.
o Log all incidents on Sentral and contact parents when required.
o Monitor student trips to the toilet during class time.
o Monitor movement of students in buildings and around the
school, ensuring students are always supervised and orderly. All
students walk in two lines between classes.
o Choose responsible pairs when walking in lines, going to the
toilet and on errands.
o Establish a strategic and teacher-selected seating plan.
o Allow a 5-minute snack for brain food to break up a 2-hour
block.
o Monitor student diaries and bookwork for graffiti.
o Ensure classroom materials are respected. Monitor student use of
resources, including graffiti.
o Schedule regular clean outs of lockers and tubs, making sure
these areas are kept neat and orderly.
o Ensure all book work is neat, including ruled pages (age
appropriate), dated work, appropriate pen or pencil used and
errors have a neat line through them. Whiteout should not be
used in workbooks.
o Ensure all students are wearing full school uniform at all times
and that parents are contacted if a student is in incorrect uniform
without a note from home. This is primarily the responsibility of
the homeroom teacher, however, should be followed up by
Specialist teachers.
o Explicitly teach students about respecting the environment and to
be mindful of littering. Working with students to ensure that the
classroom and the yard is clean and litter free.