No child will be able to commence at Scopus whilst there is any outstanding documentation.  

A copy of your child's birth certificate must be submitted prior to commencement. You will be contacted by Enrolments if it hasn't already been provided. 

Click here to access written instructions for each section and the applicable year levels, where relevant.

Parent communication

Your child will be involved with various staff for their pastoral care as well as their education.

For pastoral care, your first point of contact is your child's classroom teacher.  Your child’s teachers will contact you shortly after your child commences. 

Overseeing the pastoral care of all students is the Campus Coordinator, who liaises closely with the classroom teachers, Student Services and the Wellbeing team. The Deputy Principal - Primary, is also at the campus regularly throughout each week. 

For educational queries, please contact the classroom  teacher directly.  Teachers are available to answer any queries about your child throughout the year and are best contacted by email or via a phone message which will be returned when they are not teaching. 

Contact details of all relevant staff caring for your child will be provided at the start of the school year however information is also available in the Useful Contact Information section below. 

The parent / teacher meetings are held in Terms 1 and 3 for school-aged students.

School-aged students will receive a comprehensive academic report in Terms 2 and 4. 

If you have any concerns about your child which you feel you need to advise prior to commencement then please contact Enrolments.

Communicating with separated parents

All communication with parents is predicated on the basis that, unless there are court orders in place to the contrary, parents share responsibility for the long term welfare of their children and have the right to be involved in, and communicated with about all relevant issues. 

Parents are responsible for advising the College of any changes in their family situation. If parents separate and then reconcile, this information should also be passed on to the College.

If there is a court ordered collection schedule in place then both parents are responsible for submitting a copy of a schedule noting which parent should be collecting on which day for the entire school year. This can be done by one parent copying the other in when emailing the schedule to the Enrolment Director. The College is not a party to court orders and is not responsible for working through the orders to determine the collection schedule. 

The College maintains systems which clearly show the details of both parents to teachers and other relevant staff who are responsible for communicating directly with individual families. Teachers and other staff are trained in how to read and act on this information.

The vast majority of information regarding students' activities and learning is posted on the Scopus App (and Toddle for ELC and school-aged children).

Emails or phone calls are only used for individual and private matters.

Consent is required from both parents for their child/ren to participate in some activities however if one parent does not respond, then it is presumed that they will abide by the response of the other parent. If one parent provides consent and the other withholds it then the student will not be able to participate in the activity.  

We understand that in some cases, communication between separated parents and sharing of details can be a sensitive issue. We urge all parents to understand that the procedures developed by the College are designed to place their child/ren's welfare as the top priority and allow the staff responsible for their well-being to proceed with clarity. Ensuring the information we have remains current is vital to achieving that outcome. 

Most tools used by the College (Scopus App, FlexiSchools, Toddle, QK Kiosk/Xplor House) are based on individual rather than family user so the processes do not differ for split families, However, for  the key tool, Parent Lounge, separated parent/guardian users of these apps may have different or additional procedures when using them from other families - please click here to access.

The following guide outlines the details of tools used across the College. Some will be relevant for all year levels and some will be for specific year levels or campuses.

College website

The College website hosts a range of information, including:

Campus details, 

Primary and Secondary curriculum handbooks,

College calendar, 

Parent handbook, 

Parent Lounge access,

Our Scopus Family - donations; volunteering; Parents Association, alumni, grandparents and friends

The Scopus Facebook page is also accessible via our website. Please note: in line with cyber safety guidelines we ask that photos are not tagged, nor any names of children in the photo divulged. You can ‘friend’ this page in order to access regular posts of photos and other information from across the College.

The Scopus YouTube channel is linked to the website. It is worthwhile revisiting some recent announcements and Rabbi Kennard's end of term messages which really showcase the energy and diversity of what is on offer at Mount Scopus. 

Two of the key tools that are used at Scopus are the Parent Lounge and the Scopus App. 

Scopus App

Almost all daily information and notices, as well as weekly campus newsletters are delivered via the Scopus App. 

The App also hosts links to a range of other resources and portals for parents that are discussed in this guide, such as Flexischools, the Caf online ordering system; Operoo; the Campion resources list; and the Driver Bus online booking portal, as well as providing another convenient link to Parent Lounge.

The College will be updating the App during the course of the year, however at this time to access the installation guide for the current version please click here. 

The 2023 subscription groups will be available from Monday 9 January. 

Parent Lounge

You will be issued with the login credentials to access Parent Lounge in the lead up to your child commencing. It is accessible in the header menu on the College website. 

Parent Lounge is used for a range of purposes, primarily:

• maintaining your current contact details, and sharing them with other parents in your child's year level, 
• the sole tool for health and emergency contact information for children in Prep onward,
• organising parent teacher interview times,  
• accessing school academic reports for Year 7 onward,
• accessing your child's ongoing assessment results and dates, and their daily timetable for Year 7 onward,
• paying school fees, and 
• accessing 'How To' videos for the portals and apps under the School Links menu - NB: you will only be able to access this feature once you are a current parent. 

Xplor

Xplor is used only for students using the ELCs and for primary school aged students using OSHC (including after care and holiday program) services. 

Information collected is in line with the national regulations specific to these services including medical and emergency contact details, and information required to claim the government child care subsidy. 

No child can commence at Scopus or attend any OSHC program prior to this information having been submitted and confirmed.

Operoo

Operoo is used to provide information and collect consent for excursions and activities across the College. 

Flexischools 

Cafeteria orders can be made via Flexischools. It is accessible via the Parent Resources section on the Scopus App or via a web browser - www.flexischools.com.au. 

Parents set up an account for each child and then can place orders ahead of time, or up to 9.30am on the morning that lunch is required. Orders can also be changed or cancelled.  

There is a range of daily specials, both hot and cold, that vary from day to day.

This is particularly handy if students have left their lunch at home and are not carrying cash with them.  

Some Parents Association lunch orders in the primary school are also made via Flexischools.

Toddle

Toddle is an online learning journal and digital portfolio used at Mount Scopus from ELC to Year 6. 

Toddle is a simple way for teachers and students to record and share their learning and what's been happening in the classroom.

The access information and links will be made available to parents prior to the commencement of school. You will need to ensure you are subscribed to your child's year level and class on the Scopus App.

Enrolling at a new school becomes more tangible once new books and uniforms are purchased. 

The guide below outlines the processes around these and other areas. 

Uniforms

The information relating to school uniforms is available by clicking here.  

There are details of which items are compulsory and optional. Both the Summer and Winter uniforms are permitted to be worn all year round, although they must be worn in their entirety; students may not wear pieces from both the Summer and Winter uniform, or sport uniform, together. 

NB: Shoes - please note that students can choose to wear black leather school shoes OR fully black runners (including black laces) as per the uniform list. 

Year level specific information

Year 3 students only

• Students entering Year 3 will also require a sports uniform which includes a sports top, sports shorts, sports jumper and tracksuit pants.  Students’ sport house will be confirmed before they commence as a house-coloured sports top is required. Siblings joining the College are placed in the same sports house. 
• Year 3 Discovery Centre students will receive a DC hoodie at the start of the year which they wear instead of the school jumper so there is no need to purchase a school jumper for Year 3. 

Year 6 students only 

• Parents of students joining Mount Scopus in Year 6 have the option of purchasing a blue Secondary sports top instead of the Primary house coloured sports top if they wish. 

Ashkanasy = green

Bialik = red

Hillel = blue

Monash = yellow

Uniforms can be purchased from Dobson’s at 667 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn or can be ordered online at www.dobsons.com.au. The password is MTS4335. 

Years 4 to 6 students only

• Scopus sports jackets ($60) and beanies ($15) are available to order directly from the SFPS office, subject to stock availability. 

Second-hand uniforms

Second-hand uniforms are available for purchase at the Posh Opp Shoppe at 484 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick  with proceeds going towards the JCAS (Jewish Children’s Aid Society) which helps integrate children with disabilities into Jewish day schools.

The JCAS strongly believes that every Jewish child has a right to a Jewish education regardless of their special needs. In addition, and just as importantly, a whole generation of school children are educated to embrace difference and welcome all Jewish children into the community. Mount Scopus College supports the JCAS and benefits from the support of disadvantaged students.

The Posh Opp Shoppe is open during the week which will allow parents to shop without making an appointment.

Books and learning resources 

Our Primary Bulk Stationery program  includes all book list items for Primary students. This effectively means that there is no book lists for Primary students and that all resources including stationery and Jewish Studies texts and siddurim, haggadot and chumashim will be provided within the classroom as required throughout the year. The cost of these resources has been included in the tuition fee. Requirements are continually reviewed to ensure that costs savings are achieved and passed on to parents via a lower impost in the school fees.

Nut policy

The College has an ‘Allergy Aware’ policy. Staff and students are strongly encouraged not to bring nut or nut based products onto the College Campus, however this cannot be guaranteed. All anaphylactic students are strongly encouraged to question the ingredients of all foods they eat.

The College cafeteria and camping programs are ‘Nut Free’ as are all special school celebrations/activities catered for by the College

Health Centre, iIllness and medication

Each campus has a Health Centre staffed by Registered Nurses per the details below.

FKI / GBH - staffed from 8.30am to 3.30pm 

Gandel Campus, Burwood - operates during College hours

Outside of normal operating times, staff operating activities before or after school have undergone first aid training.

For your own child’s benefit, and the well-being of other students and staff please do not send sick children to school or kinder. An unwell child will not be able to concentrate or learn effectively, and conversely, risks becoming more unwell and delaying their recovery by not being able to rest. 

Medication will only be administered for chronic illnesses, asthma or anaphylaxis. If your child requires other medication then they are not deemed well enough to be attending school. 

The Victorian government maintains a list of the minimum periods of exclusion from primary schools and children’s services for infectious diseases cases and their contacts. Click here to access.

Fee statements

The initial fee statement and policy is sent out in mid-January. It will detail the amount due for all children registered at the College, including tuition fees, security levy and transport levy where appropriate. A direct debit form is included. 

Child Care Subsidy

Both the ELCs and OSHC (Out of School Hours Care) programs are approved programs and attract the government subsidy for eligible families who have submitted the required information. The fee statement will reflect the full fees prior to the subsidy, but the subsidy will be received directly from the government and credited to the parent account after the year has commenced. 

Parent involvement / volunteering

Parents and grandparents are encouraged to volunteer for various activities, including reading to the children in the kinders and lower primary levels, tuckshop and lunch order, cooking club and other events from time to time.   

Parents are also invited to assist on some school excursions, but will be required to undertake some basic security training. 

A Working With Children Check is required for all volunteers at the College. 

Opportunities also are available for parents to be meaningfully involved in events such as careers day, or share their expertise via the Parents Association or the College Council which acts as an advisory body to the Principal in the areas of direction, philosophy and policy. 

Parents Association (PA)

The Parents Association is very active throughout the kinder and primary year levels with varying activities, such as the weekly Challah stall, Mothers and Fathers Day gift stalls, and social and fundraising events.  

The PA also coordinates volunteers for a number of years in advance who run the Simcha list to avoid clashes in scheduling Bar and Bat Mitzvah functions.  Contact the PA Administrator to request further information regarding the Simcha list for your child's year.