Canberra Preschool Society

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Governance from 2008 - a historical landmark!

The ACT Department of Education and Training shifted their management responsibility, for the provision and management of preschool staffing and buildings, from a separate, dedicated department to be under the direct management of an ACT Government primary school. For the first time, parents of preschool-aged children became eligible to be members of the primary school's Parent & Citizen's Association - even if it was only for the single preschool year!

In accordance with negotiated changes to the historically-based contractual arrangements - the Preschool Parent Association was no longer be financially responsible for the cleaning of the preschool building, nor were they required to provide the hygiene and office consumables.
For many parents this came a a huge sense of relief. It meant that they were no longer responsible for the Occupational Health and Safety of the Preschool. It meant that there was NO MORE CLEANING! No more providing toilet rolls and other hygiene consumables! No more photocopying paper, printer ink cartridges and other office consumables.

The Preschool Parent Association were to only be responsible for the provision, management and ownership of their own teaching and educational resources and consumables (glitter, paint, paper and glue etc). This maintained the authentic community ownership that is an extremely important to the ideology and legal position of a community-based preschool system that meets the needs of all our children - both now and on into the future - regardless of where they will attend for their compulsory years of schooling.
However - it has been new to the Government primary school system and there were issues arising from the changes.It meant that parents of preschool enrolled children were in the position to collaboratively work out what they needed to hold onto and what to let go. Remember the preschool year is non-compulsory and it serves BOTH Government and Non-Government educational systems. Primary School principals, too needed time to get used to the new and expanded role. In some cases, the addition of a preschool meant that over 100 children were added to the enrolment of the school - along with an additional Parent Body. This has been an extremely difficult time - one that is slowly being worked through by both entities.

At the beginning of 2008 each ACT Government Primary School had the enormous benefit of drawing together an active and wider P&C membership PLUS a significant collaborative relationship with an independent community organisation - the Preschool Parent Association - who holds a dedicated focus for a single NON_COMPULSORY preschool year. This new arrangement continues to require some creative thinking, collaborative commitment and a willingness to work more closely together for the benefit of our children.
Page updated: 16 March 2010

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