Newsletter 

GENERAL INFORMATION

College Bus Information

SCSC has updated the College bus information on our website, including:

  • Updated bus routes to/from the College
  • Links to timetables
  • 2023 PTV Student Application Form
  • 2023 Conveyance Allowance Application Forms & lodgement cut off dates

CLICK HERE to be taken directly to our website. We encourage families to familiarise themselves with this information.

MYKI Card Reminder

An important reminder that students require a MYKI card with sufficient funds to cover their bus journey to and from the College whilst travelling on the below services:

 

T5: Grovedale

T6: Jan Juc

T7: Ocean Acres

T10: Ocean Views

and all public transport services.

 

McHarry's Buslines have advised that students may incur a $200 fine if they do not have sufficient funds or have a valid card.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Payments

There are a number of ways for families to make a payment to the College for their child’s excursion, camp or event. Please see below:

 

Preferred: Direct Deposit

To make a payment by direct deposit please use the following bank details:

 

Account Name:         Surf Coast Secondary College Council Official

BSB:                              033-608

Account Number:     246907

 

Please be sure to put your child’s name in the reference and notify us of the payment by emailing us at accounts@scsc.vic.edu.au

 

EFTPOS:

Over the phone on 03 5261 6633 by calling our Administration Office.

 

If you have a credit on your account and would like to use this, please email accounts@scsc.vic.edu.au

Conveyance Allowance Lodgement Dates 2023

Due to strict lodgement date criteria, late applications will be submitted in the following terms submission. Lodgements must be submitted to the college no later than 4PM on the due date listed below. Our Accounts Team will contact parents/carers regarding reimbursements once funds have been allocated to the College.

 

Term 1: Friday 10 March 2023 (Closed)

Term 2: Friday 31 May 2023 (Closed)

Term 3: Friday 18 August 2023 (Closed)

Term 4: Friday 17 November 2023

 

For further information regarding the Conveyance allowance program, please find the attached link: Conveyance Allowance Information

 

If you have any questions, please contact the College on 5261 6633.

SCSC Uniform

Formal Uniform

  • Grey shorts or pants (from Surf Coast School Stuff or PSW. No Dickies permitted)
  • White long or short-sleeved shirt with SCSC logo
  • Skirt (must be approximately knee length)
  • SCSC school dress (must be approximately knee length)
  • Outer garments
    • SCSC knitted jumper
    • SCSC hooded jumper
    • SCSC spray jacket
    • SCSC puffer jacket
    • SCSC blazer
  • Grey, black or white plain socks
  • Black polishable shoes

Active Uniform

  • Navy shorts or navy track pants with SCSC logo
  • Polo shirt with SCSC logo
  • SCSC hooded jumper
  • SCSC spray jacket
  • SCSC puffer jacket
  • Sports shoes

School Bag

The only permissible school bag for use by all students is the SCSC school bag.

Other

  • A navy blue, white or teal scarf may be worn with the school uniform in cold weather
  • If a further garment is needed under the school shirt, it must be a plain white t-shirt or singlet
  • SCSC beanie

Uniforms may be purchased via the following stores:

Surfcoast School Stuff: https://www.scss.shop/

 

PSW: https://www.psw.com.au/schools/surfcoast-secondary-college.html

 

Student Lost Property

To assist staff with returning items that may have been left behind in class, we advise families to ensure the student name has been written on the tag so we may return them to the rightful owner.  Any items that are found without a name will be kept for 2 weeks and if unclaimed, will then be donated. 

Communicating with your Student's Teachers

Through the range of platforms at Surf Coast Secondary College there is also a range of communication mediums with your students teachers.  This article will detail a couple of these opportunities and some supports.

 

The most straightforward means of communication is via a phone call to the school (03) 5261 6633, in this instance teachers may be teaching or engaged in meeting/planning time so you may need to leave a message or organise another time for contact. 

 

To ensure communication with your students teachers the most consistent means of communication is via Compass our Student Management Platform.  Compass will allow you to communicate with the teacher via email, it is also how the teacher will communicate with you and your student.  To ensure communication between parents and teachers is considered and consistent we expect teachers will respond to emails within 24 hours or the next working day. 

 

To ensure you can speak with your students teachers organising a time for a phone call or to meet onsite through Compass will ensure you and the teacher are available and prepared.  Compass will also allow you to email all of your students teachers at once.  

 

To communicate with a your students teachers via compass you can refer to the linked guide. “You will need to be in the browser version, Menu -> Open in Browser, to do this from the app.”

Guide Link - Pg - 17 - https://bit.ly/3NoYBQ5

The page where all past posts are stored is - https://bit.ly/3jzBzXz 

 

Shaun Miller,

Digital Learning Specialist.

Compass - How to advise of an absence

If you would like to advise of your child's absence or would like to authorise to sign your child out for an appointment later in the day, you can utilise your Compass app on your phone, as follows:

 

The most common approval types are:

 

  • Medical / Illness
  • Medical Appointment (this also includes specialists e.g. psychologist, orthodontist)
  • Parent Choice

 

So, for example, if your child needs to leave school at lunch time for an appointment at the dentist, you would select the start time as 12:30pm and finish time as 2:55pm.  

 

Your child at the appointment time can then sign out at the Administration Office, our staff will check Compass for your approval and can sign your child out.

How to give permission through Compass for College events and excursions

Sick Bay

If a student is feeling unwell, to keep in line with the Department of Education & Training's Mobile Phone Policy, students are required to go to the Administration Office where a trained First Aid Officer will provide assistance and call parents/guardians if they are too unwell to remain at school and need to go home.

 

Please note, that the school will only call parents/guardians in regards to an unwell child. The school will never send a text message to advise that their child is unwell and requires collection.  

 

If you have any questions regarding the above or other queries, please call our Administration Team on (03) 5261 6633.

Phone Payments in the Canteen

A reminder that in accordance with the Department’s Mobile Phones Policy issued by the Minister for Education, personal mobile phones must not be used at Surf Coast Secondary College during school hours, including lunchtime and recess, unless an exception has been granted. Where a student has been granted an exception, the student must use their mobile phone for the purpose for which the exception was granted, and in a safe, ethical, and responsible manner.

 

This means that no student is to use their mobile phone to make a payment in the Canteen.

 

Students who use their personal mobile phones inappropriately at Surf Coast Secondary College may be issued with consequences consistent with our school’s existing student engagement polices. At Surf Coast Secondary College inappropriate use of mobile phones is any use during school hours including recess and lunch time.

 

A copy of the Mobile Phone Policy is available on our website at www.surfcoastsecondarycollege.vic.edu.au

 

More information can also be found on the Department of Education’s website.

Mobile Phone Policy Reminder 

A reminder to students that as per the DET Mobile Phone Policy, students found using their mobile phone may result in confiscation when students are found to be accessing their mobile phone during the school day.  

 

Surf Coast Secondary College understands that students may bring a personal mobile phone to school, particularly if they are travelling independently to and from school. In accordance with the Department’s Mobile Phones Policy issued by the Minister for Education, personal mobile phones must not be used at Surf Coast Secondary College during school hours, including lunchtime and recess, unless an exception has been granted.  Exceptions are usually only granted for medical or safety reasons.

 

Mobile phones owned by students at Surf Coast Secondary College are considered valuable items and are brought to school at the owner’s (student’s or parent/carer’s) risk. Students are encouraged not to bring a mobile phone to school unless there is a compelling reason to do so.  Please note that Surf Coast Secondary College does not have accident insurance for accidental property damage or theft.

 

Students and their parents/carers are encouraged to obtain appropriate insurance for valuable items. 

 

At Surf Coast Secondary College:

  • Students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours – this includes during recess and lunchtime. Phone should remain in the students’ locker during the school day at all times.
  • When emergencies occur, parents or carers should reach their child by calling the school’s office on 03 5261 6633.

Repeated instances of a student being found accessing their mobile phone in school time will result in parents being asked to attend a meeting to make a plan for how the phone will be managed at school moving forward.  We appreciate you working in partnership with us to ensure that the College, and its students, are compliant with this legislative requirement.

 

Annual Privacy Reminder

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy. 

 

Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website (click here). 

 

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. 

Insurance Reminder 

Schools and parents/carers are reminded that the Department of Education does not provide personal accident insurance for students. 

 

Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including any transport costs. 

 

Student accident insurance policies are available from some commercial insurers. These cover a range of medical expenses not covered by Medicare or private health insurance. 

Personal Property Reminder

The Department of Education does not have insurance for personal property of staff, students, and visitors. Surf Coast Secondary College and the Department of Education do not take responsibility for items of personal property that are lost, stolen or damaged at school or during school activities. 

 

Damage to personal property brought to school is the responsibility of the owner of that property. This includes motor vehicles.

 

Surf Coast Secondary College encourages staff and students not to bring items of value to school, or to obtain appropriate insurance for such items.