Quality
South Australian preschools can apply for up to $5,000 to support parent engagement
Freya Lucas
Sep 15, 2020
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The South Australian Department for Education has announced funding of up to $5,000 to support parent engagement projects, saying that “our relationships with parents are at the centre of success for every child.”
The Parents in Education (PIE) funding is for projects that help parents engage in their child’s education, and which help parents to feel empowered to support learning at home through strong partnerships with preschools and schools.Funding is available for those associated with South Australian government schools or preschools, such as individual parents, parent or caregiver groups, governing councils or parent clubs, with all applications requiring endorsement from a school principal or preschool director.
Assessment criteria for the PIE funding is based around seven key criteria, namely:
- Connect: learning at home and school. Value and strengthen the connection between children learning at home and school.
- Communicate: communicate as partners. Welcome, inform and involve parents through clear and respectful communication.
- Include: build identity and belonging. Make sure parents and children feel their culture and identity is visible and respected.
- Recognise: acknowledge the role of the family. Recognise the important role parents have in their education at school and at home.
- Consult: consult on decision making. Include parents in decision making to create shared responsibility and accountability.
- Collaborate: collaborate beyond the school. Work with the wider community to expand student learning and wellbeing opportunities.
- Encourage: encourage parents and community to participate in a variety of ways.
An advisory panel will assess each application, using the criteria above and making determinations based on how applicants plan to deliver on one or more of the assessment criteria, as well as continue parent engagement during and after the project.
Application budgets should not be part of the school or preschool’s usual operating costs, and should detail any other funding streams the project may use, as well as identifying costs which may be funded in other ways.
Funding can be used in a variety of ways, for example to pay for interpreters or translators, to cover fees for creche care during a presentation, or to pay for printing and photocopying costs. Funding is not intended to cover resources and services available through the South Australian education department, to pay for first aid training, or to pay for screening checks.
Other examples of funding use may include the support of activities, seminars, workshops and information sessions , such as paying for:
- refreshments and catering
- fees to attend
- bus or taxis for parents
- venue hire for very large groups
- fees for facilitators and presenters
- consultations surveys or interviews.
In these instances, funding is not intended for gifts for speakers and parents, award ceremonies, encouragement awards or school celebrations, equipment for sports, kitchens, resource libraries, horticulture, camps and excursions (this includes furniture, electronics, books, games and toys), wages, relief teachers or honorariums to any education department employees (excluding OSHC) payments to parents and caregivers.
One application per school or preschool will be considered. Applications open today and close Friday 23 October 2020, with results to be shared with successful applicants in Term One, 2021.
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