Pastoral Care
Healthy breakfast
Mobile Phone Reminder
Lateness
School Opal Cards
Student ID Cards
Parent webinars
It is highly encouraged that students have a healthy breakfast before they start the school day.
How Does Teen Nutrition Affect Growth, Development & Learning?
Written by Carly Schuna
Healthy eating and proper nutrition are important at all life stages and are especially vital during adolescence. That's when young people need the most calories and are rapidly growing and developing. Eating poorly as a teen has both short- and long-term negative consequences that can range from a bad test grade to a higher risk of serious chronic diseases.
Academic Performance
Teens with poor eating habits are at risk academically as well as physically. An unhealthy diet doesn't meet daily recommendations for fruit and vegetable intakes and consists of mainly processed foods, refined grains and foods that are high in fat, sugar, cholesterol, sodium or all four. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, students who practice unhealthy eating are more likely to receive poor grades, get low test scores and pursue less education. Relatedly, teens who do not get enough food and are often hungry are more likely to miss school or repeat a grade, according to the National Education Association.
Mobile phone reminder
The College stands by its values, which are supported by our ICT Policy, of Phone Away All Day, to enhance learning, and not photographing, filming, or posting material without permission protect all members of our community. We want our young men to be capable of standing up and helping others in a crisis, rather than choosing to get out phones to film / bring about a situation which could otherwise be averted. If a student is caught with a mobile phone, he will receive a Friday detention. Please ensure all phones are in lockers from arriving to school until leaving in the afternoon.
Lateness
'Being at school, and on time, is paramount in achieving higher learning gains.
Attendance is a key indicator of student engagement. Research has shown that consistent student attendance at school is correlated with positive schooling outcomes.'
ACRA - Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority.
If a student is late without a reason three times in a term, an email will be sent to his Pastoral Care leader and consequences will arise.
Please be at school, on time, with the correct uniform ready to learn for the day.
School Opal Cards
All students are required to have a School Opal Card and to tap on and off when travelling to and from school. These cards are subsidised by the NSW Government and may be free, depending on the distance from your home to school. Please see the information below from Transport NSW on distances required for eligibility for a free card.
If your son does not have a card, please apply using the link below.
Tapping on and off ensures that we have enough public transport, especially buses allocated for our students.
You need to live a minimum distance from your school to be eligible for a free school travel pass. The minimum distance varies according to the year/grade you are enrolled in, in that calendar year:
Years 3 to 6 (Primary): 1.6 kilometres straight line distance or 2.3 kilometres walking or further from home.
Years 7 to 12 (Secondary): 2 kilometres straight line distance or 2.9 kilometres walking or further.
From Transport NSW website
Student ID Cards
All students are expected to carry their student ID card while at school. This card enables them to sign in, make purchases at the canteen through their FlexiSchools account, sit examinations or participate in other school‑based activities. If your son does not currently have a card, he must visit the front office by the end of Week 4 to receive a free replacement. Any student who does not have a card after this grace period will be charged $10 and may face further sanctions.
Webinars empowering parents and carers to support teen mental health
The Black Dog Institute are offering free mental health webinars designed to provide practical tools, strategies and insights to help them support the young people in their lives.
Upcoming dates:
Tuesday 17 February @ 7:00 pm (AEDT) Register here
Monday 23 March @ 7:00 pm (AEDT) Register here
Tuesday 28 April @ 7:00 pm (AEST) Register here
Tuesday 26 May @ 7:00 pm (AEST) Register here
Thursday 25 June @ 7:00 pm (AEST) Register here
Social Media Age Restrictions Explained – A Webinar for Parents and Carers from the eSafety Commissioner
Organisation: eSafety Commissioner
Location: Online
Date: 24 February 2026
Cost: Free
As you would be aware, from 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms are no longer allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account. Join this information session to understand the changes.
This 30-minute webinar will help parents and carers understand the changes to social media access for children under 16.
Join the information session to:
• understand the purpose of the new age restrictions and how they aim to protect young Australians
• understand which platforms will require users to be 16+ and what platforms they can still access
• get tips and resources to support your child’s online safety and wellbeing through the transition.
Parents and carers will gain:
• a clear understanding of the new rules and their implications
• confidence in guiding their child through these changes
• access to trusted resources to support safe and positive online engagement.
Mr Martin Gillogly - Assistant Principal, Pastoral Care