Message from
the Deputy Principal
Mr James Boyd
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As Term 1 draws to a close, please find below key information ahead of Term 2, 2021 to assist with your planning.
Uniform and appearance
From Term 2, 2021, students are expected to be in full school uniform each day. Changing rooms will now be accessible for Senior School students to get changed for PE.
The holidays present the perfect opportunity to have shoes repaired, cleaned and for boys, ensure that belts are black and not brown. Haircuts should take place over the holidays; please ensure that these are appropriate as two weeks is not enough time for extreme cuts to grow back!
A reminder that jewellery should not be worn with school uniform and earrings should be small plain or pearl, round studs, or small sleepers with only one per ear. Make-up and nail polish are not permitted while in School uniform.
Students must wear the correct and relevant attire for the sport they are involved in – representative or club kit is not to be worn. School uniform must be worn to and from School each day when travelling on public transport.
Punctuality
Punctuality and time management are extremely valuable skills for life. Students who arrive late miss the start of their first lesson or study period; this means that they miss important information, and this can often disrupt the teaching and learning of others. I would be grateful for the support of all parents and carers in ensuring that their child leaves home early enough each morning to get to school on time and in encouraging them to be punctual.
Absence from School – a reminder of process
Absences from School are to be reported to Main Reception on the day of the absence by 9am. Parents are encouraged to email this notification using reception@kws.nsw.edu.au or phone Main Reception on 02 6392 0300. Please ensure to include your child’s name, House and Year and reason for absence in your email or voice message. The Reception team will then contact your child’s Head of House to inform them of the absence. If any assessment is missed through illness, a medical certificate must be provided.
Leave for pupils for external appointments during School hours can be obtained from Main Reception. Parents must advise Main Reception by phone or email 48 hours before the appointment. All pupils must sign out at Main Reception. Parents and pupils must be aware of assessments prior to making external appointments.
Applications for leave from the School for more than two consecutive days during term time must be made in writing to the Deputy Principal’s PA, hosspa@kws.nsw.edu.au and should be at least one week in advance. The Deputy Principal will reply to all correspondence regarding a pupil’s departure from School when it is for a period greater than two days and not because of illness. Most will be recorded as Approved Leave; however, some requests will be recorded as Unapproved Leave. Whilst this has no direct impact on any pupil’s good standing in the School, it is used to record the School’s disappointment at the nature of the absence. The absence impacts not only on the pupils involved regarding their academic rhythm but also upon others who depend upon them for their School sporting team training and fixtures; invariably missed on such occasions. Boarding parents will also need to ensure that the appropriate leave requests are made via Boardingware to the relevant Head of House.
Extended travel during term time can only be approved by the Principal and there is documentation that needs to be completed as part of the application. This form can be obtained by contacting hosspa@kws.nsw.edu.au. Except in very particular circumstances, leave for this purpose is unlikely to be approved, in accordance with government guidelines on school attendance.
Term 2 Key Dates
- Monday 19 April – Boarders return.
- Tuesday 20 April – All students return for commencement of lessons.
- Friday 11 June – Pupil free day / Boarders’ travel day.
- Monday 14 June – Queen’s Birthday and Boarders return.
- Friday 18 June – Last day of Term 2.
Additional dates for Terms 3 and 4 can be found at this link: https://www.kws.nsw.edu.au/school-life/term-dates
Wishing you all a happy Easter and I look forward to seeing you on the sidelines and at other school events in Term 2.
Vaping
Vaping and the use of e-cigarettes continues to grow in popularity in society. It is prevalent amongst teenagers and our School, like many others in NSW, is dealing with an increasing number of students who are engaging in this behaviour.
The purpose of this letter is not to lecture parents, rather it is to inform you of the issue, provide resources and insights into this worrying trend. It also provides the opportunity to remind you of the possible repercussions if your child engages in vaping or distribution of these items whilst at School. Understandably, we take this issue very seriously here at Kinross Wolaroi School given the impact it can have on our students’ health. We have found that in conversations with parents, that many are not fully aware of the risks associated with vaping.
Recently, several leading Australian health organisations, such as the Australian Medical Association (AMA), Cancer Council Australia and the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) have shared their positions on vapes and e-cigarettes:
- There is increasing evidence of health harms.
- E-cigarettes may normalise the act of smoking and attract young people.
- There is the need for E-cigarettes to be more properly regulated.
Before engaging in conversations with your children about vaping it is important to have a greater understanding of what it entails. Below is a collection of resources that provide information and guidance on this matter and will help to answer the following questions:
- What do vapes and e-cigarettes look like?
- Why are young people attracted to vaping?
- What are the health risks associated with vaping?
- What does the law say about vaping?
- How can I talk to my child / children about vaping?
Resources:
Vaping amongst young people - Alcohol and Drug Foundation (adf.org.au)
Truth_Vaping_Lingo_Dictionary_FINAL.pdf (truthinitiative.org)
E-cigarettes and young people - Tobacco and smoking (nsw.gov.au)
E-cigarettes, vaping and teens: Do parents know the dangers? - YouTube
Kids Health Information : E-cigarettes and teens (rch.org.au)
As a School, we continue to educate our students about these matters and this forms part of the PDHPE Curriculum and Wellbeing framework. We also have Paul Dillon, a specialist on Alcohol and Drug Education, coming back to speak to our students later this year. On top of this, key Wellbeing Staff will be attending a webinar held by the AISNSW and led by Paul Dillon next term. There will be a particular focus on the use of e-cigarettes and vaping, examining prevention messages that are likely to be most effective when working with teenagers.
In conclusion, please know that the use and possession of vapes and e-cigarettes at Kinross Wolaroi School is not permitted and is considered a prohibited and illegal item. This is viewed as a serious behaviour issue and the consequence for possession and consumption is a suspension from School. If students are involved in the distribution of vapes then the consequence may be more significant and would also require the School contacting the Police. If you are concerned about your son or daughter and possible addiction, we strongly recommend you talk to your GP to receive the appropriate medical guidance and support.
It is important that parents also discuss these issues with their child / children and further strengthens the partnership between student, family, and the School.