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Introduction

The Parent Grade Representative serves a primary role in maintaining good communication between parents, while also being a valuable resource to the teacher and the Grade. The Parent Grade Representatives also facilitate social interaction among families in the school community.

The purpose of the Launceston Church Grammar School Parent Grade Representative Programme is to facilitate a constructive culture and strengthen belonging and involvement across the School community and beyond.. The Community Engagement Team is responsible for coordinating the Programme and will provide direction and support to the Parent Grade Representatives. The Parent Grade Representatives provide an additional platform for uniting the Launceston Grammar community and enhancing the quality of relationships and channels of communication between staff, parents and children. The key objectives of the Parent Grade Representative Programme include: • To encourage engagement and participation in the School community by parents; • To facilitate more effective communication within the School community, including the

School leadership and parents and between teachers and parents; and • To support staff with communication amongst parents and other general support as requested. Parent Grade Representatives engage parents and build social networks within the School. This is an important role at each Grade level and is particularly useful for new parents to feel welcome and part of Launceston Grammar’s vibrant community. Parent Grade Representatives are appreciated and respected members of Launceston Grammar and we value their commitment to our School community. The purpose of this handbook is to inform parents as to the Parent Grade Representative role and key responsibilities; the selection process; and to act as a resource for appointed Representatives as they engage with current and new parents.

Parent Grade Representative Positions

Parent Grade Representative Coordinator Position Description

Summary The Parent Grade Representative Coordinator role is a voluntary position and liaises with the Director of Community Engagement and the appropriate Head of Campus. The Community Engagement Team will provide administrative support and assistance to the Coordinator. The Coordinator plays an integral role in leading the Parent Grade Representative programme and providing ongoing support to participating parents. The Coordinator is the focal point of contact for the Parent Grade Representatives and the School.

Tenure The term of the Parent Grade Representative Coordinator role is one school year. The selection criteria and application process is detailed on page 8.

Responsibilities The Parent Grade Representative Coordinator role will be responsible for the following activities:

• Identify and approach parents to register their interest for the Parent Grade

Representative roles; • Communicate and promote the Parent

Grade Representative programme to the community; • Assist with the orientation of new

Parent Grade Representatives at the commencement of the school year; • Liaise with Parent Grade Representatives at the commencement of the school year to confirm dates for a social activity to be held in Term 1; • Serve as the main contact for the Parent

Grade Representatives; • Provide assistance and guidance to the Parent Grade Representatives throughout the school year; • Attend a Parent Grade Representative meeting hosted by the Community

Engagement Team each term; • Discuss with each Parent Grade

Representatives their identified key priorities and responsibilities; • Ensure all parent social activities and events are approved by the School (via

Director of Community Engagement and

Head of Campus); • Ensure all formal correspondence is approved by the School (via Director of

Community Engagement and Head of

Campus); • Serve as a member of the School Fair

Committee. The Fair will be managed by the Community Engagement Team. The membership can be in conjunction with one or two other parents. The purpose is to be a conduit of information to families and provide key parent contacts for their respective grades. • Utilise Administrator rights to each

Grade’s parent Facebook group; and • Participate in the annual review of the

Parent Grade Representative programme to implement improvements based on feedback from the community and the

School.

Parent Grade Representative Position Description

Summary The Parent Grade Representative role is a voluntary position and reports directly to the Parent Class Representative Coordinator. It is expected that the successful applicant agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct. The Community Engagement Team will provide administrative support and assistance to the Parent Grade Representatives. It is anticipated that two Representatives will be appointed for each Grade.

Tenure The term of the Parent Grade Representative role is one school year. The selection criteria and application process is detailed on page 9.

Responsibilities The Parent Grade Representative will be responsible for the following activities:

• Collate and distribute a class/Grade contact list; • Welcome new families to the Grade and coordinate appropriate introductions with other parents and the Parent Grade

Representative Coordinator; • Make parents feel part of the School community; • Provide opportunities for parents to feel they are valued members of our community and welcome to be involved in any way they are able to engage e.g., informal social gatherings; • Administer and moderate Grade’s parent

Facebook group, including inviting new parents to join and participate in the group;

• Encourage parents to be involved in

School life; • Meet with staff as required to discuss any upcoming assistance needed; • Meet with the fellow Parent Grade

Representative to establish an overall plan for the year. It is anticipated that the plan will identify the allocation of responsibilities in order to share the workload; • Coordinate at least one social activity for the class/Grade (Term 1 preferred); • Attend a Parent Grade Representative meeting hosted by the Community

Engagement Team each term; • Assist with reminders regarding class and whole School/Campus activities and events (e.g., concerts, athletics carnivals, excursions, co-curricular and extracurricular activities) as required by staff; • Member of the School Fair Committee.

The Fair will be managed by the

Community Engagement Team. The membership can be inconjunction with one or two other parents. The purpose is to be a conduit of information to families and provide key parent contacts for their respective grades. • Seek and coordinate volunteer support and participation, including roster/s, for the annual School Fair; • Seek and coordinate donations to the

School as required; • Share information and encourage participation and support with School fundraising activities and initiatives; • Coordinate general support for the class teacher as requested; • Answer general questions parents or families may have; • Redirect queries to the appropriate

School staff/resources; • Contact point for parents to facilitate feedback/ideas/discussion to the School as appropriate; • Assist in coordination, as requested, and dissemination of information regarding any community and school meetings/ workshops/forums; • Liaise with peer Parent Grade

Representatives; and • Establish and maintain positive links with the broader community.

Selection Process

Parent Grade Representative Coordinator The School will undertake the following process in appointing the Parent Grade Representative Coordinator: • A notification alerting all parents will be distributed via email, an article in the fortnightly eNewsletter and posted to the School’s social media platforms at the end of the School year. Parents will be asked to register their interest via a link to an online form; • A follow-up notification will be sent at the commencement of the school year if parents have not registered their interest for the role; • The Director of Community Engagement will collate and distribute the registrations to the

School Executive; • The School Executive will make the final decision on the appointment of the Parent Grade

Representative Coordinator; • The successful Parent Grade Representative Coordinator will be notified by the end of

January and will be sent the information package; • A meeting will be scheduled to discuss the role, expectations and key responsibilities for the proceeding school year; • Facilitate completion of the Child Safe Training and acquisition of a Working with

Vulnerable Children’s Check; • The Parent Grade Representative Coordinator will automatically become a member of the

School Fair Committee; • The Parent Grade Representative Coordinator will be given Administrator rights to each

Grade’s parent Facebook groups; and • The Parent Grade Representative Coordinator will participate in the annual review of the

Parent Grade Representative programme to implement improvements based on feedback from the community and the School

Parent Grade Representative The School will undertake the following process in appointing the Parent Grade Representatives: • A notification alerting all parents will be distributed via email, an article in the fortnightly eNewsletter and posted to the School’s social media platforms at the end of the school year. Parents will be asked to register their interest via a link to an online form; • A follow-up notification will be sent at the commencement of the school year for classes/ grades that have not received interested parent registrations; • The Director of Community Engagement will collate and distribute the registrations to the

School Executive; • The School Executive will make the final decision on the appointment of the Parent Grade

Representatives; • The successful Parent Grade Representatives will be notified by early February and will be sent the information package; • Facilitate completion of the Child Safe Training and acquisition of a Working with

Vulnerable Children’s Check for each Parent Grade Representative; and • A meeting will be scheduled to discuss the role and provide an opportunity for the Parent

Grade Representatives to meet.

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