Principal 

The Principal, Mr Higginbottom, has been seconded to fulfil a Director, Educational Leadership position for a short period of time, possibly for Term 1, at Maitland District Office for the Maitland Principals Network.

Detailed below are changes to our school executive during this period.

Week 1 2024 

Years 7, 11 and 12 return on Thursday 1 February.

Years 8, 9 and 10 return on Friday 2 February.

High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE)

A focus area of the school has been on providing appropriate and targeted support for students who demonstrate high potential in one or more domains: Creative, Intellectual, Physical and Social-emotional.

This year, we are looking to extend our support and incorporate HPGE as a strategic direction of our Strategic Improvement Plan. We know we have many students with high potential at our school, who may not have had the opportunity to develop and realise that potential. If you believe your child is in need of extension or enrichment in any of the four domains, please contact our Learning and Wellbeing team at the school.

Complimentary School Hoodie for All Students

You may have noticed that we have not only changed uniform providers, but this change has allowed for significant reduction in the cost of uniform as the school now operates the shop. As part of this change, the school will launch a new school jumper, a hooded jumper that will be available in term 2. All students will be provided with a complimentary jumper and this will need to be the jumper they wear when the cold weather arrives. 

Parents/Carer's - the school will provide more information to you about the roll out of hoodies later in term 1. Also keep an eye out for more information on our facebook page and in our school newsletter.

Original Uniform vs New Uniform

Students are able to continue to wear the original uniform as we have a three year grace period following the implementation of our new uniform, to enable parents to transition to the new uniform.

Student Behaviour

The NSW Department of Education has changed its behaviour policy. It is important that our school community understand that when the senior executive make decisions regarding student behaviour, we do so in accordance with this policy. The policy is available here. The suspension and expulsion procedures provide guidance for principals on the grounds for suspension, the excerpt is taken from the procedures:

2.1 Grounds for suspension

Principals can use suspension as a behaviour management intervention when a behaviour or behaviours of concern pose an unacceptable risk to others or to teaching and learning. When assessing grounds for suspension, principals should consider the diverse learning and wellbeing needs of students, including developmental age, trauma, child protection concerns, cultural considerations, disability and individual needs and circumstances.

Principals can suspend a student engaging in behaviour or behaviours of concern on grounds that could include but are not limited to:

• continued/persistent disobedience and/or disruptive behaviour
• malicious damage to or theft of property
• verbal abuse
• bullying and cyber
• bullying
• misuse of technology
• discrimination, including that based on sex, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Due to the immediate and/or significant risk of harm to students or staff, it is important principals consider issuing an immediate suspension to any student who engages in serious behaviour or behaviours of concern that could include but are not limited to:

• being in possession of, uses or supplies tobacco, vaping devices, alcohol and e-cigarettes
• being in possession of, uses or supplies a suspected illegal/restricted substance
• being in possession of, or using weapons including knives (excluding Kirpans, in line with guidance set out in Legal Issues Bulletin 22 – Knives in schools) and firearms
• using an implement as a weapon
• seriously threatening or engaging in physically violent behaviour
• engaging in serious criminal behaviour related to the school
• engaging in sexual harassment, sexual assault or other sexualised behaviour that may pose a risk of or has caused physical, psychological or emotional harm to others.

D Brownsmith

Principal (Relieving)