Parent Charter for Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn work in partnership with parents and their school communities in a spirit of Goodwill to promote a shared responsibility for the education of each child. The Parent Charter provides the principles and expectations that will help to achieve this critical partnership.

This partnership recognises:

• Parents as the primary and continuing educators of their children.
• The contribution that parents make by valuing the Catholic identity of our schools.
• The shared responsibility for the moral, spiritual, emotional and social development of students in our schools.

Parents can expect that their child’s school will:

• Provide an excellent education based on the traditions of Catholic teachings.
• Strive to maintain a safe, secure and welcoming environment for their children.
• Involve parents as the first educators in any decisions that affect their child’s learning or well being.
• Provide timely and accurate information about their child’s progress.
• Demonstrate respect for the privacy of families in all interactions, including through the use of technology and social media.

The School can expect that parents will:

• Actively support school policies and expectations.
• Work collaboratively with school leaders, teachers and staff.
• Respect the skills, knowledge and experience of school leaders and teachers.
• Demonstrate respect for the school and staff in all communications including digital technologies and social media.
• Contribute to the life of the school in ways that reflect their interests, skills and experience.
• Support their child’s consistent and punctual attendance at school.
• Fulfil their commitment to pay all fees in a timely manner, and in hardship circumstances to actively work with the school to seek out mutually suitable arrangements for their payment.
• Respect a teacher’s working hours in terms of response times to emails and phone calls.
• Request a formal interview time with their child’s teacher when there is a concern to be discussed

Integral partners in the life of school communities, the school with parents have a co-responsibility to:

• Value and respect the Catholic identity of the School, its relationship to its parish community and the teaching of Catholic beliefs.
• Model Christian values and support the ethos of Catholic schools with all members of the School community.
• Value and respect the diversity of faiths and cultures within the School community.
• Contribute to a welcoming and inclusive school community.
• Support the child’s learning at school and home.
• Contribute to consultation and decision making processes.
• Work toward resolving grievances through respectful discussion and negotiation.
• Contribute to a culture where privacy and confidentiality are assured.
• Ensure respectful and caring relationships are reflected in the ways in which staff, students and parents interact when engaging in sporting and extra-curricular activities.
• Acknowledge and support the work of the School Community Council/Board and associated committees.

The Parent Commitment Agreement

The The Parent Commitment Agreement can be found on the Catholic Education Website. The commitments and declarations contained in the document are acknowledged and agreed to by parents at the time of enrolment.