Principal's Report

It was fantastic to see our year 7, 11 and 12 students return last week. The most pleasing thing was how the teachers and students have re-established positive relationships and the routines of learning in class. We are even more excited that next Monday see’s the return of all other year levels. For the rest of this year we will be focussing on student health & wellbeing and finding where students are in their learning, in order to teach them what they are ready to learn next. We are waiting for information from the Department of Education about the exact details of students returning onsite. We will be communicating this during the week. In the meantime it is important for our whole community to remember the safety procedures for onsite learning. 

Safety Procedures for the Return Students to Onsite Schooling

In order to make sure students have a safe and successful return to school please take note of the following important information:

• If you child is ill or is feeling unwell, they must not attend school. They must remain home and seek medical advice.
• If a child becomes unwell whilst at school they will be sent home to seek medical advice. Children must be picked up from school, not just sent home.
• Schools are no longer required to conduct temperature checks.
• Students must wear a face mask (not scarves or coverings) while at school and while travelling to and from school.
• We have an enhanced cleaning regime including more cleaning of high touch surfaces during the day. Every classroom will have sanitiser available for students as will high touch areas such as the library.
• The Victorian Education Minister has banned students using mobile phones in school. Student mobile phones must be placed in lockers all day. This also helps limit infection as mobile phones are high touch surfaces.
• Students should enter and exit via the closest gate possible to minimise movement through the school.
• The canteen will be open every day. We are strongly suggesting that students place lunch orders, as only small numbers of students will be allowed in the canteen at any one time. Cashless transactions are preferred and students will need to use a card, as phone use by students is banned in schools. Canteen staff will be careful to meet food handling standards.
• All students must bring their device to school. Students who have been loaned a device through the school can keep it at this stage but MUST return it before their final day of the year. This is a vital strategy to reduce contact between students and adults.
• All students should bring their own drink bottle already filled up. These can be refilled from taps around the school.
• We encourage students to bring their own sports equipment for use at lunchtime as we will not be able to loan sport equipment to students.
• When all students (7-12) return to school we will publicise staggered dismissal for some year levels.
• Students will be inducted into safe health practices as they return to school. This includes practising good hygiene, including using hand sanitiser, and maintaining physical distance from others where they can.

We ask parents to support student and school staff health and wellbeing:

• Encourage your child to follow safe hygiene and distancing practices including on the way to and from school.
• Please stay in your cars when picking up your children.
• Adults who are not staff members will not be able to come on site. Our General Office will be physically closed. Please contact the school on 97434622 or via the school email staughton.co@education.vic.gov.au.

Child Safe

In response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, all schools are required to implement minimum Child Safety Standards. At Staughton College, we hold the care, safety, and wellbeing of children and young people as a central and fundamental responsibility of our school. We have fully implemented all of the standards, including a Child Safe Policy, and Code of Conduct. Both of these documents can be found on our website. I will be regularly reminding our school community of these policies as part of our ongoing commitment to the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care.

DAVID LORD

Principal

We, at Staughton College, would like to show our respect and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our school is situated, of elders past and present. We extend a warm welcome to everyone who visits our school.