Assistant Principal's 

Report

Does your child go down to Soldiers Memorial Park straight after school?

We have seen an alarming trend of students not catching the bus home or not walking directly to home and making there way down to Soldiers Memorial Park and hanging out.  As a consequence of this we have seen an increase of public complaints, vandalism and inappropriate behaviour reported to police and our school.  It is not always our students who are the perpetrators but have been witnessed to inappropriate behaviours.

We have contacted numerous parents asking them to ensure that their child catches the bus home or if they live in town to walk directly home and not hang out at Soldiers Memorial Park.  

As a school we are concerned for our students and what they do between 3.30pm and tea time,  we try to address this by offering after school basketball for all levels, Hockey, Football and Netball provide healthy options on Wednesday and Thursday nights. 

Do you really know what your child does between 3.30 and the time your get home from work?

In conjunction with out local police and citizens of Wedderburn can we ask that you provide alternatives for your child rather than hanging out at Soldiers Memorial Park.  This is not a problem for the community to solve but the responsibilities of the parents and carers.  It's ok for your child to go home and be a little bored, at least  you would  know where they are.  Most times they have homework to complete or give them chores to do at home, even investigate the possibility of a part time job in our local community, anything but not hanging out at Soldiers Memorial Park.

I hope everyone understands my message and are not affronted by it.  Happy to have a chat about anything that I have said.  My email is dean.lockhart@education.vic.gov.au