Assistant Principals Report

Beginning Of Term 4:

Assistant Principal's Report

Mobile Phone Policy

The State government's mobile telephone policy is now in its sixth year. We ask that you continue to support this Ministerial Order in regard to use of mobile telephones, by ensuring that ‘students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours’ and ‘where students bring a mobile phone to school, the school must provide secure storage’. Our secure storage is our student lockers so please support your child to always use their combination lock.

Parent Parking and Student Drop-Off

For the safety of all students, please be reminded that when dropping your children at school in the morning, or collecting them in the afternoon, enter via Gate 3 and turn right into the designated Parent Carpark/ Student Drop Off and Pick Up zone. Please continue to drive as far into the drop off zone as permitted before your child exits your car. It is important that all parents and carers follow this to allow for traffic flow and to minimise the risk of accident. Disabled parking is located close to the main building entry.

Bicycle Helmets and Scooters

All students who ride a bicycle to school must wear a helmet. Parents will be contacted immediately if a student is riding a bicycle without a helmet. For the safety of all students, parental support is essential.

While the school provides bike racks for students to store their bikes, students are responsible for securing their bike with their own lock.

Sun Smart, Hay Fever and Asthma

UV radiation is at its highest in Victoria from mid-August to April, peaking during school hours. Students should always wear their college cap and sunscreen when participating in outdoor activities - including PE classes - to minimize the risk of skin cancer.

Students need to be in the right headspace to focus on their studies—itchy eyes, constant sneezing and a dry throat makes it difficult for students to work to the best of their ability and maximise their learning. If your child suffers from hay fever, please help them by providing an antihistamine if appropriate.

During grass pollen season there is an increase in asthma and hay-fever symptoms and the chance of an epidemic thunderstorm asthma event. Those at increased risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma include people with: 

1. Asthma, a past history of asthma 

2. Undiagnosed asthma (those who have asthma symptoms but have not yet been diagnosed) 

3. People with hay fever who may or may not have asthma. 

Having both asthma and hay fever, as well as poor control and self-management of asthma, increases the risk.

If your child suffers from asthma, it is important that a current asthma action-plan be developed with your medical team and that this information is forwarded to the College.

Student Accident Insurance, Ambulance Cover Arrangements and Private Property brought to schools

Parents and guardians of students who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance/transport and any other transport costs.

In occasional circumstances, medical or other expenses will be paid by the Department where it is assessed to be likely that the Department is liable for negligent (careless) acts or omissions of its staff/volunteers.

Student accident insurance/ambulance cover policies are available from commercial insurers and can be obtained by parents/guardians for individual students.

This a reminder to all parents/guardians and staff that the Department does not hold insurance for personal property brought to school and it cannot pay for any loss or damage to such property.

South Oakleigh College Student Uniform Policy/Dress Code

The uniform is supplied by Primary School Wear (PSW) who carry a list detailing all aspects of the uniform requirements (uniform price list can be collected at front office of School). School Council asks that you support the school uniform policy from the time your child leaves home to their return. For students to comply with our uniform policy, students may only wear the existing College logoed PE shorts or logoed PE track pants as part of the PE and Sport uniform, or alternatively, students may wear black non-branded sport shorts or track pants.

RATIONALE

To assist with providing a safe environment for students both within the school as well as on excursions, all students must wear the approved College uniform. The reason for this is that it makes it possible to readily identify our students as well as those who are not part of our community and to enable them to safely participate in college activities.

The correct wearing of uniform also adds to the students’ sense of belonging to the college community and encourages the students to develop a sense of pride in the school.

When all students wear the College uniform it promotes the development of a sense of egalitarianism, so that all students can feel equal within the College. The provision of a college uniform also makes it cheaper for parents to provide appropriate and durable clothing for their children to wear to school.

JEWELLERY

In line with the rationale outlined above, the only items of jewellery which may be worn with the College uniform are:

A watch
College badges of office
A maximum of two small plain studs or small sleepers per ear for students with pierced ears
No visible body piercing (including facial piercings). Due to health and safety issues, we strongly encourage parents to support the College rule in this matter. Recent piercings may be covered by a band aid until healed and then must be removed while in attendance at the College.

The College reserves the right to require students remove watches, badges or studs in circumstances where there is a perceived health or safety risk. Where jewellery has been confiscated, students will be required to retrieve it from the Student Services Office at the end of the school day.

COSMETICS

Cosmetic make-up including nail polish and acrylic nails are not part of college uniform. Students wearing cosmetic make-up will be required to remove it.

HAIR

Hair styles and colouring must be as natural as possible.

Students with extreme hair styles, cuts and colouring will be instructed to alter them immediately. In consultation with parents/guardians, students will not return to school until an accepted alteration has been completed. Students are required to be clean shaven.

Schools’ Privacy Policy

Our school values the privacy of every person. When collecting and managing personal and health information, all school staff must comply with Victorian privacy law. For more information about privacy including how to access personal and health information held by the school about you or your child, see our school’s privacy policy.

Schools' privacy policy | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au)

Positive Climate for Learning

South Oakleigh College students have embraced diverse learning opportunities, participating in excursions, competitions, and important educational programs that extend their understanding beyond the traditional classroom setting.

Culinary Exploration at Victoria Market

Our Year 10 Food Technology students recently enjoyed an enriching excursion to the iconic Queen Victoria Market. This hands-on learning experience allowed students to explore the diversity of fresh produce, specialty ingredients, and multicultural food offerings available in Melbourne's historic marketplace.

Students engaged with stallholders, learned about seasonal produce selection, and gained valuable insights into sustainable food practices and the paddock-to-plate journey. This practical experience complements their classroom learning and enhances their understanding of food provenance and quality ingredient sourcing.

Women in Business Forum

Danielle Geron and Georgia Harty recently represented South Oakleigh College at the prestigious Monash Women in Business Forum. This inspiring event provided our students with valuable exposure to successful female business leaders, networking opportunities, and insights into diverse career pathways in the business sector.

Japanese Language and Culture at Melbourne Zoo

Year 10 Japanese students participated in an immersive language and culture excursion to Melbourne Zoo late in Term 3, combining their language studies with environmental education. Students practiced their Japanese language skills while exploring the zoo's animal exhibits and learning about conservation efforts. This authentic learning experience provided a unique context for applying classroom language skills in a real-world setting, while also deepening their understanding of Japanese culture and environmental stewardship values. Thak you to Mr Hua and Ms Tynan for organising the excursion.

Evatt Competition Success

Congratulations to Mr Gough and Year 10 students Jack Wright and Hiro Hadjinikitas, who represented South Oakleigh College at the Evatt Competition Grand Final held at Victorian Parliament House. The Evatt Competition is a prestigious Model United Nations program that challenges students to debate complex global issues, develop diplomatic skills, and engage with international relations. Reaching the Grand Final is an outstanding achievement that reflects countless hours of research, preparation, and teamwork. We are incredibly proud of Jack and Hiro's dedication and their exemplary representation of our college on this significant stage.

Digital Thumbprint and Cybersafety

All Year 7 students participated in an important Digital Thumbprint Cyberbullying presentation in the Theatre last week. This timely and engaging session addressed critical issues surrounding online safety, digital footprints, and the impact of cyberbullying on young people. Students learned practical strategies for protecting themselves online, being responsible digital citizens, and supporting peers who may experience online harassment.

This proactive approach to digital citizenship equips our students with essential skills for navigating the online world safely and respectfully.

Upcoming Semester Exams

A reminder that Semester 2 exams are approaching rapidly, A full exam timetable is available on Compass.

The exams are scheduled for the following period,

Year 9 -11 - Monday 10th November to Friday 14th November

Year 7 and 8- Thursday 13th November - Tuesday 18th November

Please note that Yr 10 & 11 students will not have regular classes during this period and will only attend for their exams or other commitments. Other Year levels will continue to have regular classes except for the times where exams are set.

Study and Revision

Students are encouraged to revise effectively for their exams. All students have been provided with a student study guide to assist them to prepare for exams and will be provided with revision activities by their subject teachers.

The following steps are a guideline for approaching effective study;

Step 1: Know What to Study

Step 2: Plan Your Study Time

Step 3: Use Smart Study Techniques

We wish all the best for the exam period