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Information for students & families

Ambulance & Personal Insurance

Ambulance - In the event that an ambulance is required to attend, the family (not the school) is liable for the cost. Personal Ambulance subsciption will negate this cost.

Personal Insurance - Families should note that there is no Department of Education or BSC insurance that covers theft, damage or injury. Some insurance companies offer insurance to cover students at school.

Attendance

Absences 

If a student is absent for any reason, the parent/guardian must approve this absence.  

This can be done in a number of ways:

• by parent/carer approval of the absence via the Compass portal  (preferable)
• by submission of a note from the parent/carer to the General Office explaining the absence

Arriving Late

Lateness to class has a negative impact on student learning and is disruptive to other students. Students are expected to arrive at school no later than 8.50am so that they have time to visit their locker, reach their classroom and to be seated ready to learn at 9.00am. 

School gates are closed at 9.00am.  Students arriving after this time, for any reason

• must enter via the General Office entrance only
• must register their arrival via the Compass Kiosk in F Block for Year 7 and 8, the Office student foyer for Year 9 and 10, or the library for Year 11 and 12
• must proceed directly to their locker and then to class
• must present their Compass Kiosk receipt to their teacher on arrival at class
• will be marked as late on the roll
• will require approval from a parent/carer in accordance with the absence process (see above)

Leaving Early

If a student needs to leave school early, a parent/carer must supply written permission.

Students leaving early must

• submit the written permission to the relevant Year Level Coordinator before 9.00am
• obtain an Early Leave Pass from the Coordinator
• present this Early Leave Pass to their teacher at the appropriate time  to be excused from class
• present the Early Leave Pass to General Office staff to be exited from the school

Bags

• Bags must be stored in the student's locker
• Students are not allowed to carry their school bags to class

Bell Times

Click on the images below to view Bell Times.

The school runs a system using music and warning bells to assist students to be on time for their classes. This alerts students to upcoming bells, giving them adequate time to move towards lockers and between classrooms.  

1. Music:  Music is broadcast as an alert
2. Locker Bell sounds. This bell indicates that students should be getting books ready to toward the classroom or class location
3. Class Bell sounds: Students should have arrived at their designated classroom or class location and be lining up

Bicycles

At BSC we encourage the use of bicycles to and from school

• students must walk their bikes when within the school grounds
• bicycles should be kept in the school bike shed (located between the Auditorium and F block) or at allocated bicycle racks (Auditorium East, D Block West, D Block East)
• students must place a lock on their bike and be aware that the school cannot be held responsible for any loss of personal property

The Brunswick Star

The Brunswick Star is an online newsletter produced twice per term.  The BSC community is alerted to new editions via Compass News feed. The newsletter and archives can also be accessed via the school website (BSC website under News) and the current newsletter link is always available on Compass under the Favourites Star.

The Brunswick Star is filled with photos of students and regular news about learning, excursions and special events undertaken at the school. 

Calendar

School-wide and significant events are listed on our website calendar. The calendar link is conveniently available via the Compass Favourites Star. This calendar is continually updated throughout the year as events are approved.

Please note, excursions and camps that relate to particular subject studies are not listed on the website calendar, but appear on relevant student Compass Dashboards for timely reference by students, parents and carers.

Canteen

The school canteen stocks a range of hot and cold food for purchase. Lunch orders can be lodged online prior to 9.00am. The link for lunch orders can be accessed via the Compass Favourites menu. Mobile phones cannot be used to pay for canteen food.

The Canteen 

• is open before school, at recess and at lunchtime
• accepts cash and PayPass - no minimum spend amount
• accepts lunch orders if lodged before 9.00am
• has separate service  windows for junior and senior students
• menu is subject to change; speak to the friendly canteen staff regarding item availability or suggestions

Communication & the Compass Management System

• Compass is your first stop for student information - timetable, school reports, camp and excursion consent, alerts and much, much more. Students and families must take the time to investigate Compass and become familiar with the information and services that Compass provides. If you need help, just ask a friend or staff member -  and check out the online tutorials.
• This is also where you can find teacher emails for communication between students/families and staff. Sub-school Leaders, Year Level Coordinators and teachers are often unavailable during the day as they are teaching, so contact via email is the best method for communication. Please allow adequate time for teachers to respond effectively.
• The Compass School Favourites contains quick links to a number of documents, including handbooks and booklists. This is accessed from your Compass Dashboard at the star icon (click the picture below to enlarge).

• The Compass Newsfeed is an important source of information for all students and families about school events and activities. The newsfeed appears on your Compass Dashboard and is regularly updated.

Download the free Compass App to your smart phone  via your app/play store for easy access.

Read the Compass User Guide for help on how to best use the Compass system and/or refer to the All about Compass article in this handbook. 

Curriculum website

The school has  an online Curriculum website, which includes the Instrumental Music and Cocurricular Programs. This site can be  accessed here or via Compass under the Favourites star. 

This website provides detailed information on curriculum at each year level.

Diaries & Study Planner

All Year 7 students receive a Study Planner. This planner explains the expectations, uniform, and bell times as well as providing tips regarding homework and time management. It also has a place to record your timetable for the week.

Year 8 students should use a paper diary, and Years 9 to 12 students may choose between a paper or digital diary.

Devices 

Information about the School Preferred Devices can be accessed  here.

First Aid, Medications and Health Care

• Students requiring First Aid can present to the General Office as required
• Medications will not be administered without the express written consent of a parent/carer and supply by same.  Any medications and ministrations are logged by the General Office staff.
• Students with specific health concerns, such as Anaphylaxis or Asthma are mandated to submit an individual Action Plan along with any required medication for staff access

Gymnasium

• During recess and lunchtime the gymnasium will usually be open to students  and supervised by teaching staff
• On occasion, eg during exam periods,  the gymnasium will not be available for student use
• When using the gymnasium,  students must wear appropriate footwear

Lockers

All students are given a locker and should use a combination padlock  to keep their belongings secure.  

Students are permitted to access their lockers  

• before school
• at lunchtime
• at recess
• after school

Students are not permitted to access lockers during class time or between Periods 1 & 2. 

Students who are unable to access their locker (have forgotten their combination or the lock is faulty) should go to the General Office who will recover their combination for them or arrange for maintenance staff to cut off the lock.

For best security

• students are required to purchase a combination lock
• students must not tell anyone except their year level coordinator their combination number

The school cannot be held responsible for  any loss of personal property.

Library

The library is a popular destination for many students and offers many opportunities for learning  enrichment.

Students

• must demonstrate respect for the library staff, space and other students using the area
• can obtain loan laptop devices from the library. These devices can only be obtained before 9.00am, and must be returned at the end of the school day
• are welcome to access the school library before school, recess, lunchtime and after school. Games and activities are available for student use - and there are lots of books on hand to read!
• must not bring bags into the library - these can be left in the foyer pigeonholes

Lost Property

General practice:

• all personal items must be clearly named
• if an item is lost/misplaced the General Office should be advised as soon as possible
• check with the General Office for lost property on a regular basis
• the school cannot be held responsible for the loss of any personal items

Mobile Phones and Devices

Mobile Phones must be securely stored in student lockers for the school day including lunch and recess. 

• Please refer to the school's Mobile Phone Policy [insert link] for more details
• Mobile phones will be confiscated until the end of the day by a teacher where a student does not comply with the Mobile Phone Policy

Personal Details

• Parent/Carers and students are asked to promptly update their Compass details or inform the General Office of any changes to their personal details including address, contact numbers and emergency contact details. In case of emergency, it is vital that the school has correct information on hand.
• In government schools, the management of ‘personal information’ and ‘health information’ is governed by the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) (collectively, Victorian privacy law). This policy explains how our school collects and manages personal and health information, consistent with Victorian privacy law. This policy can be viewed at any time on the following link: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/s

Policies

Many of the school’s policies for can be found on the BSC website under Our School. These are commonly sought policies including Child Safety, engagement and wellbeing, uniform, anaphylaxis and privacy statements. However, school policies are not limited to those on the website. Should a student/parent/carer seek a specific policy that is not listed on the site, they are welcome to contact the office to obtain a copy of the relevant document.

The Mobile Phone Policy, Privacy Policy and Uniform Policy are included in this issue of the Brunswick Star for your quick reference.

Prayer Rooms

The student-use Prayer Rooms are located in A8.

This room can be accessed for prayers during Lunchtime (L2) and Recess.

Printing and Photocopying

Every student has access to the printing and photocopying services at the school, primarily accessed via the photocopiers in the library.

Students use their compass ID cards to initiate printing. There is a cost to this service and students who do not have enough credit will not be able to print.  

• To 'top up' their printing accounts, students must visit the General Office, complete a payment envelope and submit cash or pay via Eftpos.
• General Office staff will top up their account to reflect payment at the earliest opportunity.

Respect

All members of the Brunswick Secondary College community - including staff, families and students -  are expected to demonstrate respect and good manners in their interactions.

Term Dates

Victorian school term dates are published on the Department of Education & Training website. Click here.

Prayer Rooms

The student-use Prayer Room is located in A8.

This room can be accessed for prayers during Lunchtime (L2) and Recess.

Printing and Photocopying

Every student has access to the printing and photocopying services at the school, primarily accessed via the photocopiers in the library.

Students use their compass ID cards to initiate printing. There is a cost to this service and students who do not have enough credit will not be able to print.  

• To 'top up' their printing accounts, students must visit the General Office, complete a payment envelope and submit cash or pay via Eftpos.
• General Office staff will top up their account to reflect payment at the earliest opportunity.

Respect

All members of the Brunswick Secondary College community - including staff, families and students -  are expected to demonstrate respect and good manners in their interactions.

Term Dates

Victorian school term dates are published on the Department of Education & Training website. Click here.

Uniform & Sports Uniform

All students are expected to attend school in full school uniform.

Please note that Sports Uniform and runners can be worn throughout the day that a student has a Sport activity, Physical Education or Sport Education class. On these days, students can change in/out of the sports uniform at school if preferred.

Year Level Coordinators monitor compliance with the Uniform Policy and contact parent/carer(s) as required.

Where a student is out of uniform, the student 

• must report to their Year Level Coordinator's office prior to 9.00am
• if applicable, submit a written explanation from parent/carer to the Year Level Coordinator
• must obtain a Uniform Pass from the Coordinator
• must present this Uniform Pass to any teacher when requested throughout the school day

Repeated non-compliance with the Uniform Policy results in detention.