CLASS PARENTS & CLASS SUPPORT

Our P&C coordinates the ‘Class Parent’ program. Each year, every class has an allocated Class Parent/s whose role it is to communicate important class notices, seek volunteers for excursions and events and coordinate class playdates. Read on to find out more about being a Class parent and how all parents can get more involved with their child’s class activities through the year.

CLASS PARENT / TEACHER LIAISON ROLE

Being a Class Parent is an important and rewarding role that helps foster community spirit and cooperation between Coogee Public School’s teachers and its parent community that is facilitated by the P&C.  It is a great way to get to know other parents and your child’s teacher. 

Each Class Parent also plays a key role in supporting the P&C by providing communication to parents of each class about P&C events.   

There is flexibility on how each Class Parent sets up the role and how often they wish to communicate during each week.  The P&C encourages that two volunteers share the role of class parent as we find this works effectively and allows for new volunteers to get involved.  However, it is totally fine for one parent to perform this role if there are not multiple volunteers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensuring that messages from the class teacher are shared with parents via the class WhatsApp group in a timely manner

• Moderating the class WhatsApp group to ensure that it complies with the code of conduct (see below)  

• Adding new parents to the class WhatsApp group and removing parents who are no longer at the school during the year

• Supporting the P&C by timely sharing of requested communications for P&C events to the class WhatsApp group.  From time to time, each year group may be allocated a P&C event to support through volunteers and we would appreciate the relevant year group’s Class Parents encouraging volunteers for these events.

• Encouraging parents to volunteer when opportunities are available both in the classroom (eg Easter Hat parade, reading groups and school performance costumes) and for school events, excursions and sports carnivals. 

• Feeding back questions from parents about whole of class communications back to teachers

• Organising class social catch ups and parents catch ups (suggested two per year)

• Each class parent is also encouraged to organise a Canteen Day once or twice a year (or as often as you like).  This is a great way to engage volunteers who can try it out for the first time and then decide whether they can devote a regular time once a month in the canteen.

• Setting up digital gift cards for the class teacher’s end of year present

In addition:

• We request that class parents become members of our P&C via Flexischools for a $1 fee by 31 March of each year.  We will send a reminder to all class parents to do so.

• It is expected that class parents will attend at least one P&C general meeting per term.  P&C meetings take place twice per term on Tuesday night of week 3 and week 8 between 7.00pm and 8.30pm.  This can be either in person at the School Library or virtually and is important to ensure that context and close links are developed by class parents with both the P&C and the school leadership.

• The P&C recommends that class parents apply or renew their volunteer Working with Children Check as this is sometimes necessary for volunteering with our P&C Events where teachers and parents/carers are not present (eg Winter Disco).  This is a free and easy process with Service NSW and is valid for 5 years.  You can apply or renew at https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-for-a-working-with-children-check

The P&C encourages that two volunteers share the role of class parent as we find this works effectively and allows for new volunteers to get involved.  However, it is totally fine for one parent to perform this role if there are not multiple volunteers.

WhatsApp Group Code of Conduct

Every parent or guardian must comply with the P & C’s WhatsApp Code of Conduct (updated 17 Feb 2025). They must also ensure that any contact details obtained via the class WhatsApp groups are not disseminated or used for purposes other than for the purposes of communicating whole of class messages without permission from the individuals concerned. It may be the case that some parents or carers can’t join WhatsApp for security and other reasons.  Separate arrangements will need to be made to disseminate information to those parents by the teacher in consultation with the School. 

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact the Class Parent Coordinator via parentcoordinator@coogeepandc.org.au.

Thank you to everyone who makes a vital contribution to our school community as a Class Parent.