Released 28/02/2024
The ACT Government is making it safer and easier for parents and carers to engage with ACT public schools through a new online Parent Portal in 2024.
The Parent Portal is a secure online platform for sharing student information between ACT public schools and parents and carers.
“Parent Portal will make it easier for families to engage with their school by housing key information on one system. Families with students from preschool through to year 12 will be able to utilise this new platform,” Minister for Education and Youth Affairs Yvette Berry said.
Parent portal has capacity for parents and carers to:
- notify their school if their child is sick
- book parent-teacher interviews
- receive their child’s academic reports (including past reports)
- receive their school newsletter
- receive messages from their child’s teachers
- see their child’s student timetable
- get daily notices of school activities
- update contact details, and
- make payments.
“Initially, the Parent Portal will complement existing school communication channels. Eventually, it will be the key online communication tool used by all ACT public schools,” Minister Berry said.
Parents and carers with children across multiple schools will not need to sign up to the system twice – they will be able to easily add a student to their account once those schools have access to the Parent Portal.
“Parent Portal was successfully rolled out at Belconnen High School, Hawker College, Florey Primary, Margaret Hendry School, Giralang Primary, Fraser Primary, Aranda Primary, Macquarie Primary and Kaleen Primary in term 4 2023 as a pilot for the platform,” she said.
It is planned that all ACT public schools will have access to Parent Portal in a gradual roll out by term 2, 2024.
“Council’s P&C delegates were really impressed to see a recent demonstration of the Parent Portal, and its capabilities. Parents are looking forward to the roll-out of the portal to their local schools, it will make it easier for them to keep track of what’s happening, from explaining absences, excursions and making payments. Parents will be cheering to not have to dig through school bags for lost notes,” said Executive Officer ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations Veronica Elliott.
As Parent Portal becomes available at individual schools, information will be provided to parents and carers to explain the benefits and how they can access the platform.
School front office staff can assist parents and carers who can’t access the online tool, or who may need assistance due to language or other barriers.
For more information on beginning the sign-up process, parents and carers can visit the ACT Education Directorate website: https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/parent-portal.
- Statement ends -
Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases