The Isabella State School Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association is pleased to introduce its newly formed executive committee for the upcoming year. As we step into 2024, we are reminded of the significant role that the P&C plays in fostering a supportive and enriched environment for our students, parents, and the broader school community. For the third consecutive year, our P&C has faced challenges in attracting new members, barely meeting the minimum numbers required to continue its vital work. This underscores the importance of revitalizing our association and engaging more members to ensure our school's success.
Meet our 2024 Executive Committee:
President: Sarah Simpson
Sarah brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her role as President, with over 5 years' experience with P&C, Sarah is vital to our continuing success and stability.
Treasurer: Amy Nunns
Amy's professional experience in finance is a welcomed profile to the P&C Executive Committee, Amy brings fresh insights and perspective to our P&C.
Secretary: Angela Harvey
Angela's experience working at Isabella SS in KindyLinQ and Defence Mentor roles, brings a strong and steady working relationship with Staff and students throughout the school.
Our P&C needs you:
Our P&C needs parents and community members to join us and contribute to our efforts. P&C Members of all walks of life bring diversity, passion and experience in many ways, and it is this diversity that would become our greatest strength. We need people who can think outside the box, generate ideas, ask questions, and put their hands up to help out. We are looking for people who care about the outcomes of the school and who recognise that we form an important part of shaping students experience at school. It is thanks to P&C that many costs can be reduced for families so that more students are able to participate in vital incursions and excursions.
Why P&Cs Are Vital to School Communities?
Parents and Citizens Associations are crucial to the vibrancy and effectiveness of school communities for several reasons:
1. Enhanced Educational Resources:
Our P&C often fundraises for essential resources that the schools might not be able to afford within their standard budget. This includes technology, musical instruments, sports equipment, and general improvements around the school. In 2023 Isabella SS P&C secured a $30,000 grant to install brand new playground equipment for Prep students.
2. Community Building:
P&Cs foster a sense of community among parents, teachers, and students. Joining your local P&C is a fantastic way to join a supportive network of passionate parents, staff and community members. Your contributions as a P&C Member will be recognised, respected and greatly valued.
3. Representation:
P&Cs serve as a collective voice for parents and citizens, advocating for school policies and practices that reflect the community's needs and values. Currently, due to our small size as a P&C, we do not feel that we are properly positioned to speak to on behalf of our school's large parent-body. We need more members to share their views and contribute to our agenda so that we can make a real and felt difference by our parents, students' and community.
4. Reducing costs for families:
Through our fundraising efforts, our P&C supports a wide number of equipment, subsidising extracurricular activities, school camps, excursions, or transport costs, ensuring that P&C plays its' part in supporting students access to a well-rounded education.
What is the focus for 2024?
The Isabella State School P&C has identified the following key initiatives for 2024 aimed at revitalising our association and further supporting our school community:
1. Gaining New Members:
Our primary goal this year is to increase our membership significantly. We aim to recruit at least 25 new members. By broadening our base, we can better represent the school community, generate more ideas and receive more hands-on support for our activities. Please remember, extended family members and community members can join our P&C, they simply require a Volunteer Blue Card. Our goal is to build a strong, sustainable association that truly represents the voices of parents and the community.
2. Exceeding Fundraising Achievements of 2023:
Isabella SS P&C are dedicated to supporting the school to achieve its goal of providing a quality educational experience to all students. Building on the success of last year, we aim to surpass our previous fundraising efforts. The funds raised will support school requests, including the purchase of new technology, instruments, equipment, and assisting with reducing costs for camps, excursions and incursions.
Do you see any opportunities to support P&C with achieving these goals?
Becoming a P&C Member is a valued and respected volunteer role. P&C recognises that every person who volunteers has limits. P&C will never ask more of its members than they can give, members set their time, their availability and offer to help where and when they can. Attendance at meetings is not mandatory and will not reduce your ability to be consulted on matters of importance. This P&C are dedicated to building a strong, robust P&C full of members who support initiatives where and when they can.
Opportunities to make improvements to the school are a negotiated process between P&C and School Leadership Team. Suggestions for improvements are an important way to capture new ideas. This is a great way that new members can help as everyone sees different avenues for improvements.
P&C Pop-Quiz:
Did you know? Isabella SS P&C are responsible for the school tuckshop and uniform shop. Profit from the tuckshop pays for the employment of the Tuckshop convenor and supporting casual staff, purchase of stock and operation costs.
Did you know? Thanks to previous Isabella SS P&C committees, every classroom was fitted with refrigerators to keep every student's lunch and water cool. The P&C are responsible for the ongoing maintenance and replacement of these refrigerators.
Did you know? P&C can apply for grants that the school are not able to. This makes a P&C a vital avenue of financial support to a school. Are you good at writing grants? We'd love to hear from you!
Message from the Executive Committee for 2024:
The new executive committee is eager to lead the P&C towards a successful year, but we cannot do it alone. We need your help! Whether you can offer your time, skills, or simply your presence at meetings, every bit of involvement makes a difference. Joining the P&C is a fantastic way to contribute to your child's education and connect with other parents and community members.
We invite you to join us in our mission to enhance the educational experience for all students. Together, we can create a thriving, supportive school community where every student has the resources and opportunities they need to succeed.
Let's make 2024 a landmark year for the Isabella State School P&C Association. Your involvement is crucial, become a part of our vibrant community today!
P&C Meetings
P&C Meetings are held Week 3 and Week 8 of every Term, Thursday evenings 6pm-7pm in the Staff Room, behind the main office (subject to changes). Are you interested in coming along? You can come to any P&C Meeting without feeling pressured to join. These are great opportunities to see how we operate our P&C, and witness firsthand the genuinely respectful, cooperative and valued manner in which we conduct ourselves.
P&C Contact
You can contact Isabella SS P&C at: exec@isabellasspandc.onmicrosoft.com