Principal's Message
Pride
It was such an honour to be involved in the Year 12 Graduation held Monday week ago. The students and their families presented themselves with such pride. It was a great evening and I wish all of the graduating Year 12 students all the best as they forge their way into the world. Well done to the staff team for supporting the students.
I was also chuffed to hear about the Energy Breakthrough team which rode their vehicles a record distance of 1250 kilometres last weekend in Maryborough. The staff and students worked as a team to support each other to shatter their old mark. A special thanks to Mr Jim Bowcher who passionately coordinated and supported the group. Well done, Jim. We know how proud you are of the students.
December Arrives
I write this article on the last day of November, knowing that the new month is upon us. I had the privilege of attending my old school's first, ever Production Evening on Thursday. It was in South Melbourne with the Primary School students and they were all so excited to be on stage in front of their parents. Children of ages 5-12 are so full of wonder and excitement and I could not help thinking about our students at Bairnsdale Secondary College and how quickly the time flies. Before long, my little primary students will be off to secondary and into the wide world.
I think the parents who are able to 'smell the roses' and understand that childhood is fleeting get the most out of parenthood. If you can savour the moment, then it feels good. I hope that is what my South Melbourne parents did on the night.
It is a strange time for me as I am preparing to return to my old school whilst still working hard at BSC. With only three weeks to go before the long break, I hope I get to savour the moments of being a secondary school principal. It has been a wild ride in many aspects; but one I would not swap for all the money in the world. The students, staff and parents at BSC have been absolutely wonderful and I really look forward to celebrating the last part of the year together.
Thanks for continuing to support the school and I hope some of the changes we have tried to make have improved the College that one degree every day. We are far from perfect, but we continue to try to grow and learn together.
Enjoy the last few weeks of school.
Meet Trudie - New Principal - December 11 at 6pm
We welcome all parents who wish to attend to come along on Wednesday 11th December 2019 at 6.00pm in the Malgobila (orange) building. It is an opportunity to meet our new principal, Ms Trudie Nagle, who takes over from the start of 2020. We will also take the chance to explain the new timetable and subject blocking for the new year and reinforce our expectations and standards.
We hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Mobile Phones - New Rules in 2020
On 26 June 2019, the Minister for Education, the Hon. James Merlino MP, announced a new mobile phone policy for every government school in Victoria. The new mobile phone policy comes into effect from Term 1, 2020, and requires that students who choose to bring mobiles phones to school must have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.
The Role of Technology
We live in an exciting and technology-rich world and mobile phones are an important modern day communication tool. The school acknowledges that access to a mobile phone by children is important to many of our families in providing a sense of safety for their child while travelling to and from school, and for confirming or changing after school arrangements.
Managing the Impact of Mobile Phones
Mobile phones often create disruptions and distractions in classrooms. Establishing a ‘mobile phone free zone’ helps teachers to establish and maintain a focused and productive teaching and learning environment.
Research has found that mobile phones can be disruptive in classrooms and open to misuse at school (e.g. accessing inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and unauthorised photography). Additionally, research shows that the unregulated presence of mobile phones in classrooms can undermine students’ capacity to think, learn, remember, pay attention and regulate emotion. A summary of recent, relevant research is available on the Department of Education and Training’s website.
At recess and lunchtime our school also values the opportunity for students to communicate with each other face-to-face or be involved in activities rather than being focused on a device, particularly when using the device to engage with social media.
The new policy does acknowledge that technology is increasingly impacting the way in which students learn and communicate. Therefore, when a student has been given explicit permission to access and use such devices to enhance learning by the classroom teacher, mobile phones will be permitted for that specific purpose.
For a small number of students with particular health needs, an exception to the policy may be granted. Please contact the school if you would like to discuss this.
I encourage each member of our school community to read the new policy which will soon be available on our website. This policy outlines the school’s expectations of staff, parents/carers, and students regarding the safe and appropriate use of mobile phones by students at school.
Emergency Situations
In the event of an emergency or if you need to contact your child, I ask that families contact the staff in the school office who will pass on a message as needed. The school acknowledges that this new policy may require some adjustments. As such, I ask for the support of all our families, staff and students in its implementation.
Key Points
- A new mobile phone policy comes into effect from Term 1, 2020
- Students will be required to switch off and store phones securely from the first bell until the last bell each day
- Families should contact the school office should you need to pass on an urgent message to your children.