As a parent, managing work schedules and family needs can often feel like a high-wire act. That's why the school's arrangement for ANZAC Day, requiring an early dismissal, places an unexpected strain on many families who don't have the flexibility to accommodate such short-notice changes.

The observance of ANZAC Day is an essential and honored tradition across Australia and New Zealand, paying tribute to the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers. However, the current arrangement calls for students to leave school early, a decision that was made without comprehensive input or consideration of every family's unique situation. For parents who work standard hours or those who can't afford the additional cost of unexpected childcare, this becomes a daunting challenge.

The burden on single parents and families with fixed incomes is especially severe. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, as of 2021, roughly 1 in 6 families with children under 15 are single-parent families. Many of these households already juggle tight budgets and constrained schedules. Therefore, planning for alternative childcare arrangements with limited notice exacerbates existing stressors and financial burdens.

We, the undersigned parents and caregivers, would like to formally raise our concerns regarding the current arrangements for the school’s ANZAC service.

The school continues to schedule an ANZAC service from 5:00am to 6:00am (not on ANZAC Day), with students then given two options:

• Attend the early service, or
• Arrive at school at 8:40am and finish early at 12:00pm
  This results in students being at school for just over 3 hours, compared to the usual 6.5-hour school day, significantly reducing valuable learning time.

Our concerns are as follows:

• Loss of Education Time
  Students are missing a substantial portion of their normal school day and curriculum learning.
• Accessibility and Practicality
  A 5:00am start is not practical for many families, particularly those with younger children or multiple commitments.
• Parental Choice
  Many families already choose to attend official ANZAC Day dawn services in the community and would prefer this to remain a personal family decision.
• Challenges to have children picked up
  The early 12:00pm finish creates difficulties for working parents.
  The lack of standard school supervision until 2:55pm places additional financial pressure on families who must pay for after-school care.
• Equity for Families
  Not all families have the flexibility to accommodate early finishes or additional care costs.
• Staff Considerations
  Concerns have also been raised regarding staff being required to attend the early service, limiting flexibility for teachers.
  
  
  Our request:
  We respectfully ask the school to reconsider this format and instead:
• Make the ANZAC service opt-in rather than opt-out,
• Have an ANZAC Service during school hours,
• Maintain normal school hours (until 2:55pm) for all students,
• Provide supervision at school for those unable to attend,
• Ensure families are not financially impacted by schedule changes,
• Allow families to honour ANZAC Day in a way that best suits them.
  
  We value the importance of commemorating ANZAC Day and fully support teaching students about its significance. However, we believe this should be done in a way that is inclusive, practical, and does not disadvantage students or families.