Secondary School News

Dear Parents and Caregivers of Clayfield College Secondary

We hope you have had a restful break, and your child/children are looking forward to the opportunities and challenges of the year ahead. We look forward to welcoming your daughters and sons to the College and would like to share some information with you in preparation for a smooth start to Term 1. It is important that you have the necessary information to make a seamless transition to 2024. 

For families new to Clayfield if there is anything requiring further explanation, you are encouraged to contact Mrs Alice David at Student Services on 3262 0262 who will then direct you to the Head of Year. 

New Students Orientation Day

On Monday 22 January, all Year 7 students and new students in Years 8 to 12 commence. All students are required to bring their new textbooks, device, stationery and Morning Tea to school. Students are to meet their Heads of Year in the Chapel Courtyard at 8:30am. Dress will be full school summer uniform, with hat.  The day will conclude at 11:00am. 

First Day Organisation

On Tuesday 23 January, all students are required to bring their new textbooks and stationery to school. Dress will be full school summer uniform, with hat.  Please see the Uniform items and FAQs below:

Secondary Students are asked to assemble by 8:25am in House Areas as follows.

Meeting Venues 

Students must bring school bags to their House Area and are not to enter any Locker Areas before school. 

House Leaders will call roll at 8:30am and students will then move to a Welcome Assembly for the whole school. Following this brief Assembly, students will proceed to House meetings where lockers will be assigned, and further administrative tasks completed. Students will commence timetabled lessons from Lesson 4. 

2024 Lesson Times

Core Classes 2024

Please note that Core Classes will be published for students on the first day back at school, Tuesday 23 January. Any class information that students can see currently may not reflect the final class allocations.

2024 Term Dates

To assist with your planning of the school year and holidays, please find below the school term dates for 2023.

We urge parents to avoid taking children out of school during term time to minimise the disruption of students’ learning. However, if it is necessary, parents are reminded of the legal requirements to submit a request for leave to Head of Secondary (jdesmarchelier@clayfield.qld.edu.au). 

Please use the form below to apply for leave:

You can also find this form on Parent Lounge. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. 

Communication

Please note the following forms of communication used in the Secondary School: 

• The College app 
• Clayfield Collective 
• Parent Lounge Portal 
• Email/Phone 

The College App

As a condition of enrolment, we request every caregiver download the College app (free download). The app provides current information about events and activities, as well as important notices and alerts (for example, training cancellations or venue changes, wet weather plans and ETA of buses returning from co-curricular activities). It also includes a live school calendar, absentee line and key school contacts. You are able to manage your notifications and subscriptions to ensure you are only seeing what is relevant to your family. Please refer to the Resource page on the College website for further information. 

Clayfield Collective

The Clayfield Collective is our whole school weekly newsletter, sent via email every Thursday. This communication includes information/articles from our Senior Leadership Team such as; What’s Happening in Primary, What’s Happening in Secondary, What’s Happening in Boarding, Sport, Music and date claimers for upcoming events. It is imperative that you read the Secondary What’s Happening Section to be kept up to date with all events and information. This, together with the College app is the main forum of College communication for our families, with staff assuming that what is published in the Clayfield Collective has been read by parents. 

Parent Lounge

Parent Lounge provides up-to-date information on College life. Such information includes your child’s timetable and teacher, policy documents, excursion details, school calendar and parent directory. Parents are also able to update their contact details and child’s medical details, view Report Cards and schedule Parent Teacher interviews. Parent Lounge, which is available for new families from 22 January 2024, is accessed via our Clayfield College website or CC App by logging into Parent Lounge with your email linked to your child’s enrolment and College supplied email (new families only). If you experience any issues logging in, use the Forgotten Password link to reset your password or email the Clayfield IT Department at ithelpdesk@clayfield.qld.edu.au.

Please refer to the following link for information and access:

Email

Staff can be contacted via email during the school week. Email addresses are the first initial of the teacher’s name and their surname with clayfield.qld.edu.au. If you are contacting the teachers via email, please be aware they will be only checking emails throughout the day as their teaching schedule permits and therefore will not be able to reply immediately. Whilst staff are more than happy to communicate with you through email, please be aware that there is a 48-hour response time. Further, the Parent Code of Conduct outlines appropriate communication guidelines between parents and staff members, and we encourage you to review this document. If the matter is urgent, please call Student Services on 3262 0262, where a message will be passed on and the teacher will contact you when they are available. 

Behavioural Expectations and Policy Documents

Every student has the right to a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment. Clayfield College is committed to a culture of connection and care. Such a culture is the result of clearly articulated expectations combined with high levels of accountability. It is expected that students will behave in accordance with the PMSA’s commitment to achieving fair, collaborative, inclusive and respectful working and learning environments, and with the College values of Care, Integrity, Resilience and Respect. Behaviour of a high standard requires self-discipline, self-respect and respect for the rights and property of others. It is expected that all members of the community strive for excellence in actions, speech and appearance. Ultimately, the promotion of positive behaviours is a shared responsibility, with all stakeholders having a role to play. 

Uniform Guidelines

Parents are asked to assist the College in ensuring their children are correctly dressed each day. Shoes should be polished and hair kept tidy, with girls wearing green scrunchies or ribbons if their hair is longer than their collar. Boys are to wear their hair up with a black hair tie if longer than the collar. No large clips are permitted to tie up hair and there is no jewellery to be worn at school, except for 1 ear piercing in the lower lobe. These can be small silver or gold sleepers, studs or pearls. Only pearls purchased from the College Shop are permitted, with a maximum width of 6mm. We understand students may have had false eyelashes, fake tans and acrylic nails through the holiday period, but these are not part of the Clayfield College uniform and students must remove these before returning to school. Please refer to the Uniform Policy for further information.

Parent/Student Details Update & Student Permissions/Agreements

As an annual requirement for all returning students, we require the following to be actioned by you in Parent Lounge.

For new families commencing this year, these requirements have been completed through your enrolment process and therefore no action is required by you. 

• 2024 Student Excursion and Activities Permission
• Parent/Student Details and Medical Information Update
• 2024 Student Technology Agreement

Please see the below documents for details and Parent Lounge requirements. 

Would you please kindly complete this requirement by Monday 29 January 2024.

Mobile Phones and Watches

Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 need to hand their phones in to Reception when they arrive at school and can collect them after school. The College has installed phone pouches for every student in Years 7 to 9 at Reception. Upon arrival at school, Years 7 to 9 students walk through Reception to place their phone in their pouch.  Phones must be turned off. Years 7 to 9 boarding students will leave their phones in the Boarding House during the school day. Students in Years 10 to 12 are required to have their phones turned off, in their lockers and they are not to be used throughout the school day. If students are found with their phones, they will be confiscated, and they can collect them from the Head of Secondary’s office at the end of the day. They will also receive an infringement. If they are found to have their phones for a second time, students will not be permitted to bring their phone onto campus until further notice. Smart Watches are allowed but are not to be used for messaging during the school day. If students are found to be misusing their smart watch, it will be confiscated, and the student may not be allowed to bring it on campus. 

Cafe

The Cafe will be providing healthy and nutritious food options for Secondary students at breakfast, morning tea and lunch time. The FlexiSchools online ordering system is available for all students. If you do not have a previous account, please log on to the FlexiSchools website where you will find all the details to order. You will notice there is a cut-off period at 8:30am every day; therefore, morning tea and lunch orders need to be placed before this time daily. Students may use their bank cards to purchase via EFTPOS, and there is the option to add credit to student cards via FlexiSchools. As per the Mobile Phone Policy, students are not allowed to use their phones to purchase items from the Cafe.

Staffing

An important strategic commitment of the College is to continue the development and capacity of our teaching staff. 

We are delighted to welcome the following staff to the Secondary School this year: 

Morgan Andrew: Science and HPE Teacher 

Georgia Corpe: Economics and Legal Studies Teacher

David Cunningham: Mathematics Coordinator

Asa Fennessy: Economics and Business Teacher

Marielle Gibson: Social Science and English Teacher

Amy Hayes: Humanities Teacher

Grady Howard: Mathematics Teacher

Travis McIntosh: Science, Chemistry and Physics Teacher

Louise Bromley: Careers Counsellor

Margaret Guiney: College Nurse 

Shannon Edwards: College Counsellor (Semester 1 only) 

Thomas McPherson: Acting Chaplain (Term 1 only) 

Current staff who are changing roles and/or taking on additional roles of responsibility include:

Ms Joanne Knight: Head of Year 7

Mrs Sian Graham: Head of Years 8 and 9

Mrs Samantha Lennon: House Leader Gibson

Mrs Saskia Greasley: House Leader Radcliffe 

Pastoral Care Class

Each morning students attend a 10-minute Pastoral Care (PC) class 8:30am - 8:40am. The purpose of the PC class is to provide a safe, positive and consistent experience for the first part of each day. PC teachers mark the roll, provide ongoing support through group and individual conversations, promote connections through group activities, encourage organisation by reading the Daily Notices and helping students with their daily routines, and hold students accountable for the correct wearing of the College uniform. There will be three PC groups per House to provide opportunities for interaction and engagement in activities. 

Who Should I Ask?

In most cases, your child’s Head of Year should be the first point of contact for any general questions of a pastoral nature. For general academic questions, contacting your child’s subject teacher is always the most effective first course of action. Please be aware, Heads of Department and Heads of Year are available to discuss any academic matters; however, in most cases, they would obtain information pertaining to your child directly from the class teacher in the first instance. Therefore, contacting your child’s teacher is always the most effective first course of action. 

Our teaching staff, Heads of Year and Heads of Department are committed to working with you and your child to provide the best academic outcomes and pastoral support for every student.

General information should be directed to Student Services at the Main Reception, which can be found at the entrance of the College.

Years 7-12 Academic Policy and Procedures 

We draw your attention to the Years 7-12 Academic Policy and Procedures Document. This document gives an overview of all procedures and protocols that need to be adhered to by staff, students and parents with regards to 

• academic integrity
• assessment
• drafting, scaffolding, conferencing and feedback
• subject changes, and
• AARA 

You can access the document through the link below.  It is also available in Parent Lounge and Student Café under Links: Assessment and Reporting. 

Please be reminded that all students are required to adhere to the procedures and protocols outlined in this document with regards to submission of assignments and completion of exams.

Clayfield College Home Learning Policy

Please find below the Clayfield College Home Learning Policy.

Useful Contact Details 

Fundraising Friday and Awareness Days Pre-Prep to Year 12

This year, our specific fundraising days will fall on a Friday and be linked to a House. Please find these below. 

Awareness Days are also celebrated throughout the year with various activities; however, there will be no change to uniform, only ribbons or badges worn on the school uniform. 

• RU OK Day – 11 September (yellow accessory) 
• NAIDOC Week – 9 to 12 July (Indigenous accessory)
• National Day of Action Against Bullying - 16 August

As a convenience to our families, we would like you to donate to our charities collectively. We have therefore set up this payment link for you, giving you one less thing to remember to bring into school for Dress Up Days.

Please click on the link below and navigate to College Tours, Excursions and Activities, then House Fundraisers 2024. There is a $2 contribution per fundraiser ($12 in total).

Photographs

Secondary School class and individual photographs will take place on Monday 29 January. All students are required to wear full, formal school summer uniform on this day. 

Key Dates for Term 1

P&F Welcome Evening

We hope you will be able to join us for the P&F Welcome Evening on Friday 2 February, in the Chapel Courtyard from 6:00pm. 

We refer you to the Upcoming Events section of this communication for more information. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your child's Head of Year, Head of Department, the Head of Secondary School or the Deputy Principal Head of Teaching and Learning 

Warm regards

Mrs Lakshmi Mohan

Deputy Principal 

Head of Teaching and Learning

Mr Justin Desmarchelier 

Head of Secondary