VCE EXAMS

A reminder that VCE Exams commence from 29th October and finish on 18th November in the GGC.

We ask that everyone is mindful of keeping noise to a minimum in that area when exams are being held especially before and after school. An exam timetable is included in this newsletter (Important Dates section).

Also we ask that if parents require messages to be passed to their child during this exam period, having the message to the general office by lunch time would be more helpful as the office staff will have to locate each individual child in the school as NO announcements will be made over the PA system.

Please note there will be days when there is no canteen at recess due to an exam running recess time.

Thank you for your assistance with these matters. Good luck to everyone.

Building works

During the course of Term 4 there will be significant building works happening around the school, including the Activity Centre & GGC. The VSBA (Victoria School Building Authority) are co-ordinating the building works. At present, we do not have an exact start date. The VSBA have indicated it will take place this term.

There will be areas fenced off that may impact parking and our normal access to areas within the school. Any such changes will be communicated via Sentral.

KARAWATHA 2024

Since its first publication in 1964, Mortlake College’s Yearbook “Karawatha” has been an annual publication commemorating and highlighting events from the entire school year, from day one through to graduation and last day antics.

Orders for this year’s Karawatha are now open. Delivery is scheduled for early 2025 to enable all events from 2024 to be included. This glossy magazine is a perfect memento to look back on.

If you would like to pre order one of these precious time capsules of your child’s school year, please return this form with payment to the General Office by Friday 1 November 2024.

Name:

Number of Copies: ($20.00 each)

Total Amount Enclosed:

Parent Visitors

All parents or carers who visit our school during school hours, other than for the purposes of school pick ups and drop offs, are required to sign in as a visitor at the school office.

If you wish to see your child's teacher, we ask that you do not just turn up to the classroom before or after school. Please contact the office to arrange an appointment.

It is just a reminder that teachers prepare for day before school and often have meetings after school.

We understand that there may occasionally be a reason why a parent or carer may want to speak to or see their child at school, during school hours.

If there is a particular pressing or unavoidable issue that cannot wait until the end of the school day, we ask that parents or carers call the school office to make the request to speak to or see their child during school hours.

We also ask that parents avoid arranging to visit their children at school wherever possible, as this can cause inappropriate disruptions to the school day.

A copy of the visitors policy is available on the school website.

SENTRAL PARENT PORTAL

For helpful tips and tricks for using the Sentral Parent Portal, please check out the Sentral Parent Portal tab in this newsletter. Updated with important information every fortnight.

If you need help or are having difficulties with the portal or app, please contact the General Office. We are always happy to help.

LUNCH ORDERS

Lunch orders are only available on MONDAY & FRIDAY, so lunches will need to be brought from home on the other days.

College Café will continue to run on MONDAYS and our canteen will continue to be open at recess each day.

BELL TIMES

End of Day Student Messages

If you have a message or if your child/ren are not on the school bus at the end of the day could you please phone the general office before 2.30pm.

We do however understand that on some occasions this is not possible. We would greatly appreciate your assistance with this process.

Bus Travel:

All bus travellers are reminded of their responsibilities whilst using the school bus service. This includes remaining seated and behaving appropriately at all times. Students must also wear seat belts where fitted. Of course, the utmost care must always be taken when students get on or off the buses and it is important that parents constantly reinforce these safety measures to their children. It is also important that parents inform the office staff as early as possible about any changes in bus travel as accurate records are essential in the case of an emergency.

Medicines / Sick Bay

Mortlake College has a high number of staff qualified in HLTAID0011 Provide first aid & HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation who are able to provide basic first aid for your child when required.

When parents cannot be contacted during a serious emergency, the school takes the appropriate emergency action, this may involve an ambulance to the casualty section of the hospital. Parents are strongly advised to ensure that they have valid ambulance coverage.

Students who are unwell should not attend school.

If a student becomes unwell during the school day they will be placed in the First Aid Room and monitored by first aid staff. Depending on the nature of their symptoms, staff may contact parents/carers or an emergency contact person to ask them to collect the student.

Students presenting with gastro symptoms (or have vomited) are to be isolated and parents called to collect immediately.

If parents are unable to come straight to the school, we ask that you organise someone to collect your child. We thank you for your co operation with this matter.

Emergency Contact Information

If your child is ill or injured at school we place them in the first aid room and monitor your child.

Parents will be phoned if your child requires further medical attention. It is vitally important that the details on our data base are kept up to date at all times so that we can get in touch with you if the need arises. Please advise us of any changes to your residential/postal address, telephone numbers or your workplace details as soon as they occur. We also ask that details of local emergency contact persons, other than parents such as grandparents/neighbours/friends, are made available to the school in case we cannot reach you in an emergency, where possible this should be someone who lives nearby.

Medications

Sometimes it is necessary for medication to be administered at school. All medications must be brought to school in their original packaging showing the child's name with the doctor’s instructions. Dosages must be in writing or on the package.

A ‘Medication Authority Form’ is to be completed with specific instructions to allow the first aid staff to administer any medicine.

All medications are stored in the locked first aid cupboard.

Epipen and Asthma medications — Ventolin/Asmol and Epipens are the only exception to this as children are encouraged to carry this type of medication with them throughout the day.

Roles and responsibilities of parents/guardians

Notify school of their child's allergies and provide appropriate medical information.
Ensure that the school is notified of changes to the child's medical condition or emergency contact details.
Provide an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis completed by the child's doctor or nurse practitioner.
Provide an adrenaline autoinjector clearly labelled with child's name to the school. Some upper primary and high school students choose to carry their adrenaline autoinjector on their person, and this is documented in their Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan.
Provide any other medication indicated on the child's ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis and ensure that it is in date.
Promptly replace the child's adrenaline autoinjector if it is used or out-of-date.
Provide an updated ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis after a change in the health condition of the child, through annual (or as required) reviews by a medical practitioner or after an allergic reaction.
Assist school staff in planning and preparation for the student prior to school camps, field trips, excursions or special events (e.g. class parties, cultural days, fetes or sport days). Supply alternative food options for the student when needed (If applicable).
Educate the child about their allergies and how to minimise the risk of exposure (such as not sharing food if allergic to food, or taking precautions when outdoors if allergic to insects).

Sign In/Sign Out Students

We ask that if you wish for your child to leave early or are going to arrive late to school, that you notify the school.

There are a couple of ways to do this, preferably through the Sentral Parent Portal or by phone call.

Please allow enough time to have your child at the General Office for collection.

Collecting students during the school day with no notice can be very difficult as children don't always hear the announcements during recess and lunch times when they are outside and the office staff will may need to go classroom to classroom during the day.

Mortlake College Child Safety

Mortlake College is a child safe organisation which welcomes all children, young people and their families.

We are committed to providing environments where our students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, strategies and practices are inclusive of the needs of all children and students.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse and take proactive steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to students in our school environments.

We promote positive relationships between students and adults and between students and their peers. These relationships are based on trust and respect.

We take proactive steps to identify and manage any risk of harm to students in our school environment. When child safety concerns are raised or identified, we treat these seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly.

Particular attention is given to the child safety needs of Aboriginal students, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, international students, students with disabilities, those unable to live at home, children and young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer, questioning and asexual (LGBTIQA+) and other students experiencing risk or vulnerability. Inappropriate or harmful behaviour targeting students based on these or other characteristics, such as racism or homophobia, are not tolerated at our school, and any instances identified will be addressed with appropriate consequences.

Child safety is a shared responsibility. Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.

We are committed to regularly reviewing our child safe practices, and seeking input from our students, families, staff, and volunteers to inform our ongoing strategies.

The Child Safe policy is located on the school website: Mortlake College Child Safe

Mortlake College Policies

Annual privacy reminder for our school community

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.

Please take time to read our school’s collection notice, found on our website https://www.mortlakep12.vic.edu.au/page/48/Policies .

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents.

All Mortlake College policies can be found on our school website: https://www.mortlakep12.vic.edu.au/page/48/Policies

STUDENT INSURANCE

Student accident insurance, ambulance cover arrangements and private property brought to school

The Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students.

Parents/carers 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 or transport as well as any other transport costs.

SPORT SPOT