Policies update

The Principal, Executive and Consultancy Committee (a voluntary staff group) have been refining two policies, which have been shared with all our staff and are now at a stage where we invite parent feedback, before adopting them for use at Shelford Girls’ Grammar.

Please email kbrennan@shelford.vic.edu.au with any written feedback or to make a time to discuss any part of the Parent Code of Conduct or Shelford Email Policy.

Parent Code of Conduct

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Similarly, Shelford cannot provide the best education for a child, or help equip that child with the skills required for a fulfilling adult life, without cooperation and support from that child’s family.

To ensure such cooperation and support, this Code of Conduct outlines the School’s expectations for a student’s parents, step-parents, guardians, grandparents, extended family members and carers (collectively, parents).

In developing this Code, the School recognises that Parents ultimately want the best for their children. However, the School also expects Parents to recognise that it must ultimately balance the interests of all of the School’s stakeholders (including not only students and Parents, but also the School’s staff and their right to a safe working environment).

This Code does not attempt to provide a detailed and exhaustive list of what to do in every aspect of a parent’s interactions with the School and the school community. Instead, it sets out general expectations. As such, this Code is intended to be practical, non-adversarial and non-legal.

Summary

In summary, the five key expectations of parents expanded on in the following pages are as follows:

1. Support the educational ethos and values of the School

Parents are expected to visibly support the educational ethos and values of the School, and role model responsible and safe behaviours for their children and others in the community to learn from.

2. Behave respectfully towards members of our community

Parents should behave respectfully at all times towards the School’s staff (including employees, contractors and volunteers), students and other parents.

3. Use technology and social media appropriately

Parents are expected to be respectful in their communication with others, be mindful of privacy and safety in publishing information online, and ensure confidential information is not shared without permission.

4. Be a responsible visitor and participant

Parents must respect the School’s risk management procedures when visiting the School and attending school activities and events off-campus.

5. Raise grievances appropriately and productively

Parents should raise genuine grievances they may have about such matters in an appropriate, constructive and respectful forum.

Support the educational ethos and values of the school

Parents are expected to support the educational ethos and values of the School, model appropriate behaviours for their children to learn from, and work with the School as it educates and provides pastoral support to all students.

Parents can support the School and be positive role models by doing, for example, the following:

Comply with the School’s codes of conduct, directions policies, procedures, rules and regulations, and ensure their children do the same.
Respect (and show to their children that they respect) that the School is inclusive and welcomes students from a variety of backgrounds, and with different needs.
Respond to School communications (e.g., by completing forms and providing permissions in a timely manner) when requested to do so by the School.
Encourage their children to actively participate in the life of the School, including in the classroom and the many sporting and extracurricular activities available.
Support the School’s commitment to developing a student’s initiative, independence and sense of responsibility for their own lives and actions.
Support the School’s approach to student behavioral concerns, which can include a range of outcomes (including those which are educational, pastoral or disciplinary in nature).
Be responsive to concerns raised by the School about their own child, including by being cooperative, providing information, and attending meetings when required.
Raise grievances directly with the School, and in a timely manner.
Keep the School informed about a child’s needs (including but not limited to their behavioural, educational, personal, and physical or mental health needs). This includes providing updated medical information, family developments and other like information as it becomes available. However, parents need to also appreciate that while the School will take into account any new information, and comply with its legal obligations, the School cannot necessarily accommodate every need.
Keep the School informed about a child’s parenting arrangements, including any court orders that may be in place. However, parents should not involve the School in parenting disputes, or expect the School to act as the go-between for estranged parents.
Recognise the damage that gossip can do within a school community, and avoid unconstructive commentary (including criticism, uninformed rumour or speculation) with other parents or students, including on social media.

Parents are expected to be a role model for responsible and safe behaviours. This includes ensuring the health and safety of all members of our school community (including staff, students, parents and alumni) and the wider community. Parents are expected to ensure that other individuals involved in their child’s life, such as other relatives and carers, also comply with this Code.

Behave respectfully towards members of our community

The School expects that parents will behave respectfully at all times towards other members of the school community. This applies not only to words used, but also to tone and body language, and similar expectations are embedded in the School’s codes of conduct for staff and students.

‘Respect’ is intentionally a broad concept. The following is a non-exhaustive list of behaviours that are not respectful:

Rude or insulting behaviour, including passive-aggressive, intimidating or derogatory language.
Bullying, intimidation, discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation and child abuse. Please note that in addition to being a breach of this Code, such behaviour may also be unlawful.
Actual or threatened aggression (verbal or non-verbal) or violence.
Behaviour that causes a risk to a person’s health and wellbeing.
Defamatory or disrespectful comments.
Gossip, rumour, and innuendo.
Raising one’s voice, or using offensive language or actions, while communicating.
Age-inappropriate language when communicating with or about children.
Vexatious complaints.

Use technology and social media appropriately

The expectations set out in this Code can also apply to the way a parent uses technology and behaves online.

For example, parents should:

Respect a staff member’s professional and personal boundaries, by not using their personal online presence to raise School matters (or otherwise engage in disrespectful behaviour).
Not take photos, videos or other recordings of a staff member or parent without their consent, or of a student without their parent’s consent, and not publish information (including personal details, contact information, images and recordings) concerning a staff member, parent, student or other member of the school community online without express consent.
Avoid publishing information which may bring the School (or any of its staff, students, parents and other members of the school community) into disrepute. This may include an image or recording which shows a student in School uniform, or a member of the school community at the School or at a school activity or event, behaving inappropriately.
Not communicate with students from another family outside of the School, including by email or on social media, without prior consent from that student’s parent(s).
Not discuss confidential or sensitive School matters, including in relation to grievances about a particular staff member or student, online.
Obtain express permission to use the School’s name or insignia in the title of any online website, forum or group, or printed or online publication. In addition, no suggestion should be made that any such platform or material is operated or sanctioned by the School.

Be a responsible visitor and participant

Parents must respect the School’s risk-management procedures when visiting the School. Parents should immediately proceed to Reception upon arrival to sign in, and should only enter a classroom or other student environment when invited to do so by a staff member. This requirement does not apply when visiting the School only to:

Attend an activity or event to which all members of the school community have been invited.
Visit the School uniform shop.
Drop-off or collect a child from School.

When visiting the School, or attending School activities and events, parents should model appropriate and respectful behaviours, and uphold the School’s values. This includes:

Demonstrating good sporting conduct and fair play when attending the School’s art, drama and sporting events.
Complying with applicable occupation, student and workplace health and safety and risk-management procedures.
Complying with any reasonable directions given by the School’s staff.
Showing appropriate care and regard for the property of the School and others. Any damage should be promptly reported to the School.
Dressing appropriately for the occasion.
Not being under the influence of drugs or alcohol (and otherwise not engaging in the possession, sale or supply of the same at the School).
Behaving lawfully on School grounds whether at events hosted by or connected to the School, whether conducted on site or otherwise.
Ensuring that physical contact with students is appropriate given the age of, and relationship with, the student.
Respecting the School’s property and the property of other members of the school community (including staff, students and parents).

When dropping off and picking up students from the School, parents are expected to ensure the health and safety of all members of our school community, as well as the wider community, at all times.

Parents must comply with all traffic rules and any School traffic management system in place. This includes adhering to applicable speed limits, observing all traffic signs, limiting the use of car horns (unless indicating imminent danger), and parking appropriately and safely.

Parents must also comply with any government issued health orders or directions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes adhering to vaccination, social distancing and face mask requirements.

Raise grievances appropriately and productively

The School is committed to the education and wellbeing of each student. It is therefore critical that parents are able to raise genuine grievances they may have about such matters in an appropriate, constructive and respectful forum.

The School’s grievance-management procedures are set out in our Complaints and Grievance Policy. This policy sets out how concerns and grievances may be raised with the School; who they should be raised with; and how the School will deal with these in a respectful and timely manner.

Parents with grievances should consult the Complaints and Grievance Policy. However, in general:

Parents should take care with volume, tone and vocabulary when communicating with another family’s child.
Parents should not communicate with another student about an issue concerning their own child. In particular, parents should refrain from any attempt to discipline a student who is not their child, unless they are attempting to restrain a student from causing a risk to themselves or others.
Parents should raise their grievances with their child’s teacher in the first instance. More serious concerns or grievances, including where a parent is dissatisfied with a teacher’s response to a grievance, may be raised with the appropriate member of the School (as set out in the policy).
Parents should arrange a face-to-face meeting to discuss their grievances, rather than relying on email or other written communications.
Parents should clearly identify their grievances, and what they would practically like to see happen. If there is more than one issue or problem, parents should write a list so that they are adequately prepared and then decide which issue or problem matters most.
Parents should appreciate that while the School is committed to dealing with their grievances in a timely manner, it will not always be practicable for staff to provide an immediate acknowledgement or response (particularly where a concern or grievance is sent by email).
Parents should respect that the School employs experienced educators and other professionals who are well-trained in making academic, disciplinary, extracurricular, pastoral and wellbeing decisions every day. Please understand that while the School will always take into account the interests of the parent’s child, the School must ultimately make decisions that take into account the interests of all students (and others who may be affected by the School’s decisions).
Parents should recognise that just as the School will seek to respect each student’s privacy, the School will also respect the privacy of other members of the School community. This means there are limits to what information the School will share with a parent when issues arise. This does not mean that the School is not taking an issue or situation seriously, or hiding information from a parent.
If a parent is not satisfied with the School’s response to a grievance, a School policy may provide a parent with a right to request an internal review of the School’s decision. Alternatively, an external body, court or tribunal may be able to deal with the issue. The School respects a parent’s right to invoke any formal grievance-resolution procedures which may exist. However, parents who refuse to engage in constructive processes that may resolve their grievances, or who choose to publicly air their grievances about the School (and in particular about staff or students) on social media, are not welcome.

Consequences for breach of this code

The Principal will have absolute discretion for deciding how to best respond to concerns about a parent’s compliance with the Code.

Where the Principal considers that a parent has breached this Code, the Principal may implement one or more of the following consequences (and not necessarily in any particular order):

A request that the relevant conduct immediately cease.
A written warning.
A parent (or another relevant person) being banned from the School grounds, either for a particular period of time or permanently.
A parent (or another relevant person) being excluded from School activities or events.
A requirement that a parent (or another relevant person) only communicate with a nominated School representative.
Termination of the enrolment of a parent’s child(s).

Staff and volunteers are empowered to take steps to protect their own health and wellbeing. If they feel that a parent is being inappropriate, they are encouraged to indicate this and ask that it stop. If it does not, or if a staff member feels that a parent’s actions are posing a risk to their or someone else’s health and wellbeing, they are empowered to remove themselves from the situation. This may include immediately concluding a meeting or phone call, or demanding that a parent immediately leave the School grounds (or a School activity or event).

Shelford Email Policy

Purpose

This policy sets out the appropriate email protocols to be used for email communications at Shelford Girls’ Grammar (SGG).

Scope

This policy applies to staff, students and parents/guardians.

Policy

SGG is committed to open, honest and timely communication between members of its community and recognises that in-person, telephone and email communication can all be used effectively. We recognise that email is a convenient and constructive way for parents/guardians and staff to communicate and for staff and students to communicate. It also is an important communication tool between colleagues at SGG.

The following principles underpin this policy:

The aim of this policy is to clearly articulate SGG’s commitment to the positive use of the email system for communication and to establish clear expectations for staff, students and parents/guardians in the use of email as a communication tool.
Respect is a core value at SGG and underlying all communication should be a respect for all individuals in the community.
Clear guidelines will ensure that communication between staff, students and parents/guardians is appropriate. Care must be taken when writing emails as they are void of important cues which help give context and meaning to words.
SGG is mindful that our staff are busy in their working days.
Our professional services staff may not be able to view their emails at regular intervals during the day, as they may be busy with other tasks related to their work.
Our teaching staff are not able to check emails during their working day, as this time is dedicated to classroom work and activities.
Following the end of the school day or before it begins, teaching staff are often busy with priorities related to teaching and learning and the extra curricula aspects of their role. These include supervising classes, yard duties, meetings, sports or performance supervision and other related duties.
We are mindful of setting reasonable expectations for our staff, while also promoting professional and helpful email communications between community members. This policy seeks to strike a balance between managing staff workload and enabling a level of communication that is effective and supports the improvement of student outcomes.

Response times

Staff are encouraged to check emails once a day and it is expected that all emails will be responded to within two working days.
Staff, parents and students are encouraged to send emails within business hours – Monday to Friday 8.00am to 4.30pm of the school term.
Staff may choose to send and respond to work related emails at a time of their own choosing, but there is no expectation to respond to emails outside of school hours.
Staff, parents and students are encouraged to use scheduled email if sending non-urgent messages after hours.
Emails that are sent to staff outside of business hours are not required to be responded to until business hours re-commence.
Parents and students acknowledge that some staff work part-time and, in these circumstances, part-time staff are not required to respond to emails outside of their scheduled working times.
When an email is received from a parent or student that requires more than two working days to gather information and reply properly, the staff member should respond, acknowledging that the email has been received and indicate when an informed response will be sent.
Staff on leave (including school holidays, long service leave, sick leave) are not expected to check their emails.
When staff are on extended leave, staff will activate an auto-reply message detailing relevant leave dates to ensure that any emails sent to them are responded to and people are aware of who to contact during their absence.

Email etiquette and protocols

SGG encourages all members of the community to consider any email communication carefully and think about their intention.
Messages should have a clear subject line
The purpose of the email should be clear, that is, if the response requires an action, or if the information is ‘For Your Information (FYI)’ only.
Emails should always be respectful, courteous, inclusive and concise.
Emails should not use sarcasm or irony and should aim to avoid language which could be misconstrued or misinterpreted.
Emails should be brief and informative and the use of bullet points and tables is encouraged.
Emails work best when they are positive. Avoid sending negative or confrontational emails. Email is not to be used to vent.
Detailed discussion should occur in a phone conversation or in-person meeting.
Emails may be best used to arrange a telephone conversation or in-person meeting or to summarise a telephone conversation or in-person meeting.
Any requested action should be made clear in the email and a preferred deadline given.
Emails should be proof read for errors and clarity prior to sending.
When replying to an email, do not reply with ‘Reply All’ unless it is to convey information required by all those included in the original email.
As with any emails, there is no guarantee of successful delivery, so time sensitive and highly important or confidential information, should be communicated via phone or documents delivered in person.
Emails containing personal or sensitive information should not be passed on to a third party without the permission of the sender.
Use of the High Importance flag should be reserved for urgent matters. These emails may also require a follow up in person or by phone conversation, to ensure the matter has been addressed if it is time sensitive.

Use of email at SGG

Staff emails

Staff should only use their Shelford email address to respond to work matters and never use their personal email.
All emails using a Shelford email address may be accessed by ICT support upon request by the Principal. There should not be an expectation of privacy.
Staff are obliged to use email in a responsible, effective and lawful manner. It may seem to be less formal than other written communication but it is important that staff are aware of the legal risks of email.
An email may go to persons other than the intended recipient. If it contains confidential or sensitive information this could be damaging to SGG.
If staff send emails with any libellous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks you and SGG can be held liable.
Email messages can contain computer viruses. By opening emails and attachments from an unknown sender, you may introduce a virus in to SGG’s computer operations generally
Email should always be regarded as potentially public information, which carry a heightened risk of legal liability for the sender, the recipient and SGG.
Care should be taken when staff are accessing emails in a public space or using public devices (computers in IRC).
Staff may choose to respond to a parent or student email by asking for an in-person or phone conversation with the parent or an in-person meeting with the student, if they decide this is the most appropriate means of communication to discuss the matter raised in the email.
Parents and students should make reasonable efforts to accommodate this request.
Staff will not respond to abusive or confrontational emails and will instead forward them to a Deputy Principal or Principal.
When emailing a group of parents, BCC (blind copy) should be utilised, so receivers do not know each other’s email addresses.
Staff will use emails in a manner consistent with the VIT Code of Conduct, SGG’s Code of Conduct and Child Safe requirements.
Messages should be limited to groups/individuals required only.
Please consider the use of ‘ALL Staff’ email carefully as we wish to reduce the unnecessary email coming into staff’s inboxes.
Staff may not use the email system for anything other than SGG purposes. The sending of personal emails, chain letters, junk mail and jokes is not allowed. Email messages must be appropriate and professional.
Particular care should be taken when sending confidential or commercially sensitive information.
If you receive any offensive, unpleasant, harassing or intimidating messages via email you are requested to inform HR or a Deputy Principal immediately.
Staff may use staff distribution lists for the following:
Calling for expressions of interest for a whole school activity.
Communicating whole school timelines and processes.
Communicating daily organisation information, instructions for events.
School operations and emergency situations.
Reminder of events and meetings.
Staff are requested to email directly staff involved with smaller meetings or relevant staff only, any student information.

Staff may use parent emails for the following:

Deliver factual information, for example, reminder of an excursion.
CC coordinators/Heads of Faculty when responding to parents’ concerns.
Any serious concerns about students that need to be addressed with parents should be done by phone or through a meeting.
Email should not be used to discuss a sensitive issue which was not initiated by the parent or had not been previously discussed with the parent.

Staff may use student Shelford emails for the following:

Send resources.
Request work or reminder about events or overdue work.

Parent Emails

Parent to staff emails:

Please include student’s full name in the email content.
Email or call Reception for any urgent messages for your daughter or daughter’s teachers.
Email absence line for notification of absence/appointments.
Do not email the classroom teacher (JS) or Year Level Coordinators/Wellbeing Mentors (SS) for absence, illness or urgent messages, as these teachers may not access their emails in time to be of assistance
Parents may email teachers or other staff members to request information on a simple matter, or to request a time for a telephone conversation or in-person meeting for more detailed or complex matters. Please do not seek to discuss in detail your daughter’s academic progress, learning expectations or behavioural issues via email.
Parents respect staff personal time, including weekends and holidays, and do not send emails outside of work hours and expect an immediate response.
Teachers may choose to respond to work related emails outside of school hours, but there is no professional expectation to do so.
The classroom teacher in the JS is the appropriate person for initial concerns.
The wellbeing mentor in the SS is the appropriate person for initial wellbeing concerns.
The subject teacher in the SS is the appropriate person for initial academic concerns in their subject.
Teachers will direct parent emails to a higher level if they believe that this is the appropriate course of action.
Parents may choose to respond to a staff email by asking for an in-person or phone conversation with the staff member, if they deem this to be the most appropriate means of communication to discuss the matter raised in the email.

Student Emails

Students are expected to check their email on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with Shelford communications.
Students are to communicate with staff using their Shelford email address only not their private email.
Students can use email to request a time to see a teacher, but it should not be used to avoid an in-person conversation
Teachers will check their email and reply to student emails within two days in the school week but they are not expected to return emails outside of school hours, altParents are expected to be a role model for responsible and safe behaviours. This includes ensuring the health and safety of all members of our school community (including staff, students, parents and alumni) and the wider community. Parents are expected to ensure that other individuals involved in their child’s life, such as other relatives and carers, also comply with this Code.