Additional Information
Assemblies
Assemblies are held once or twice a term on Wednesdays, from 11.00am to 12.00noon, and are a time of sharing experiences, celebrating achievements and hearing from guest speakers. They are a formal gathering of the Middle School community, with opportunities for reflection and also for celebration. Students are heavily involved in running Assemblies and in preparing a variety of presentations. Parents may have opportunities to attend some of these occasions.
Canteen
The Canteen sells nutritious lunches and snacks for those who wish to order on any day. The School’s canteens are cashless with on-line canteen ordering available for all campuses. Canteen orders can be placed and paid for at flexischools.com.au. Just search for ‘Friends’ on the home page in the ‘Enter School Here’ box and select an active day to view the menu. A High School student card can be linked to a student’s Flexischools account within the Flexischools student Profile settings to allow for during the day purchases to be debited from funds in the students’ Flexischools account.
Communications and Publications
There are a number of important communication channels that are available for Friends’ families:
What’s On: An e-newsletter is sent out every Thursday during term time. It contains important information about upcoming events, excursions, curriculum and co-curricular activities, reminders and announcements.
Online Calendar: Details of upcoming events, performances and key dates can be viewed on the School's website.
Operoo: A secure portal for students and families to complete relevant online forms, medical records and excursion management. Download the Operoo App from the relevant App store - Apple App Store or Google Play App Store.
SEQTA: An all-in-one teaching and learning management system that brings teachers, parents and students together, providing a platform for direct learning, reporting and feedback. Access to SEQTA can be from the School website or directly at https://engage.friends.tas.edu.au and parents/guardians are advised to download the SEQTA Engage App from the relevant App store - Apple App Store or Google Play App Store. New families will receive a SEQTA Engage Welcome email, in the coming weeks, inviting you to create an account.
Rose & Waratah and Focus Newspaper: The School publishes Rose & Waratah twice a year, which provides articles about our students and the School's values in action. The Focus newspaper is published twice throughout the year and has wonderful articles about student learning, co-curricular activities and special events. You are invited to visit the Publications page on the School website for online copies of these publications.
Social Media: You are invited to follow our social media pages where we share information and images of events, excursions, curriculum and co-curricular activities and community engagement that has occurred. Facebook and Instagram
Gatherings
As part of the School’s commitment to its Quaker heritage, all students in the Middle School participate as year groups in a weekly Gathering for Reflection. Students are encouraged to participate, with guidance from the Quaker Advisor, and have the opportunity to plan the Gatherings.
Library
The Middle School Library provides access to a large variety of resources, both for research and reading for pleasure. It also stocks AV equipment, games and puzzles. The Library is open Monday – Friday from 8.15am until 4.00pm and students are encouraged to visit for pleasure or to seek help and support with their studies. Parents are welcome to contact the library and discuss their child’s needs. Whilst the Middle School Library houses a large collection of books, it also provides a link to many digital information resources and eBooks. The library website provides 24 hour, 7 day a week access to many rich resources such as online encyclopaedias, databases of journal and newspaper articles, fiction and non-fiction eBooks and e-audiobooks. All members of the Friends’ community are welcome to visit the library.
Lockers
Lockers and combination locks are provided for all students. Replacement combination locks cost $15. Students should keep all belongings, especially their laptop/iPad and any other valuable items locked securely in their lockers. Students are, though, discouraged from bringing valuable items to school and the School accepts no responsibility for the loss of personal items that are not required by the school as part of the learning program
Lost Property
Lost property is kept in the Middle School Office and enquiries about lost property will be handled at any convenient time. Unclaimed items will be stored for one term. After that time they will be disposed of to a suitable charity. All clothing, books and other equipment brought to School must be clearly and indelibly marked with the owner’s name.
Mobile Phones
The Middle and Senior Schools are implementing the following expectations effective from Term 1 in 2024. Friends’ takes its responsibility for the wellbeing and personal development of students in our care seriously and aims to take a shared approach with students and parents to educate students on the responsible use of mobile phones.
Friends’ approach to mobile phone use is evidence based, aligns with the State Government policy which has been in place since 2020 and is also in line with similar policies in all mainland states. The protocol states that students in Years 7 to 10 should have their mobile phones 'off and away' during the school day. Students should store phones in lockers to check briefly during break times (recess and lunch) or to make purchases during break times at the canteen. Smart watches are required to be in 'flight mode’.
Friends’ recognises that mobile phones can enhance some learning experiences in the classroom and teachers may instruct students to use their phones under supervision in the classroom as part of an organised educational activity. Similarly, students with additional learning, social emotional or medical needs will be granted permission to use their devices as appropriate and in discussion with parents.
Friends’ recognises the importance of developing student skills in self-management in the senior secondary years to help navigate life after school and in the workplace. As such, students in Years 11 and 12 will be granted increased autonomy to use mobile phones during Study Periods and break times. Parents and guardians are requested to contact the Middle School/Senior School office with any urgent messages for students. We acknowledge that this is a significant change to the current policy and we appreciate your support in making the wellbeing and focus on learning a priority for all students.
Mobile phones may be used in classes at Middle School and Senior School for educational purposes or as assistive technologies to support student learning. In these cases, this will be at the discretion and direction of classroom teachers. At other times, students are encouraged to have phones stored securely in lockers. Staff reserve the right to confiscate phones when students are not adhering to the agreed expectations.
It is recommended that students visit the Help Desk to connect their device to the school wireless network. This enables the use of data without charge, and for the internet connections to go through the School’s firewall and filter.
The School will not accept responsibility for the misuse, loss or theft of mobile phones, smart watches or personal computing devices.
Personal Music Devices
Some students choose to bring personal music devices to school (eg, earbuds). Some students listen to music while travelling to and from home, others enjoy having access to music during the school day.
These devices should not be taken to class unless they are acceptable in the context of the teaching program, a decision that will be made by the relevant teacher. At all other times we require them to be kept secure in lockers.
Personal music technology may be used at recess, lunchtime or while travelling between home and School.
The School will not accept responsibility for the misuse, loss or theft of personal items of mobile devices.
Outdoor Education
The Year 7 & 8 program presents the opportunity for students to undertake several overnight camps, learn fundamental outdoor skills such as navigation, snow survival, understanding how to set up a camp, group work, understanding of self and others, and how to work safely in an outdoor environment. The Outdoor program encompasses beach experiences, surfing, bush walking, abseiling, climbing, a mountain snow day, rafting, orienteering and mountain biking.
Student Fundraising
Student fundraising of any sort on the School campus should only be for School events and will always need approval from either the Head of Campus.
Student use of the Overpass in Argyle Street
Students are expected to cross Argyle Street using the overpass. It is also expected that staff and parents will follow this practice for their own safety and to role model the appropriate behaviour to students.
Transport & Road Safety
The Friends’ School takes road and traffic safety very seriously. As a central Hobart school with almost 1,300 students, we all have a responsibility to take extra care around our neighbouring roads when travelling to and from the School. Please take the time to read the specific campus road safety reminders on our website and general considerations developed by our Road Safety Taskforce.
Buses & Route Information
The School is close to bus routes operated by various bus companies. For information on Metro Tasmania services, please CLICK HERE. For services provided by other companies including Tassielink Transit, O’Driscoll Coaches and Tasmanian Redline Coaches, please refer to the Department of State Growth timetable information page.
For information on school bus services provided by other companies, please refer to the general Department of State Growth Transport page.
Start of Year School Bus Service
Metro that they do not have the resources to supply a bus service from school to Hobart city in the afternoons until all public schools have started. Students will still be able to catch one of the public buses at Argyle Street Bus Stop. This will get students into town to catch their connecting buses. Once public schools have returned, school buses will be provided at Argyle Street Bus Stop 10 at the end of each school day.
Visitors and Volunteering at Friends’
Because child safety is at the core of the School’s values, we strive to create an environment where all children feel safe. As such, we have a range of ways that we achieve this for all that come on campus or who are engaging with children –
• visitors are escorted by a staff member at all times;
• volunteers are registered, and
• everyone signs in electronically before proceeding onto the campus.
If you are visiting the School, please sign in at the Middle School Office. Once signed in you will be met and escorted by a staff member while on campus. While visitors do not need to hold a Working with Vulnerable People Registration to be on campus and/or engaging with children, you will not be left unsupervised with children.
The School has many opportunities for parents and the wider community to volunteer at Friends’. This may be helping in the classroom, accompanying an excursion, coaching or supporting students or with co-curricular activities. All volunteers need to complete a volunteer registration form and further information about this process is available here.