2016 SCHOOL YEAR

Welcome back to the 2016 school year. In particular I would like to welcome our new students, all year 7s and a large number of new students in years 8-12. We hope that you settle into our school very quickly and that you make the most of your learning opportunities by attending each day, being ready to learn and striving to achieve your personal best. I also welcome our new staff this year.

Sandy Gunn (Greater Shepparton Alliance Asst Principal)

John Forde (Health & PE)

Shibani Ishri returning from family leave (Science)

Emma Johnson returning from family leave (EAL)

Bridget Penny returning from family leave (Health & PE)

Kerrie Young returning from family leave (Chaplain)

Hayden McKenzie (IT trainee)

Denah Coonerty ( Literacy support trainee)

Ashleigh Nexhip (Literacy support trainee)

Kate Minutoli (Literacy support trainee)

Tearnie Brown (Numeracy support trainee)

Fletcher Banfield (Literacy support trainee)

Sam Beks (Sport/ Admin support trainee)

We are excited that you have joined our great school.

We have had a great start this year with in excess of 80% of our student and parent community coming in to school on Thursday January 28th to attend our First day Student Conferences with our Teacher Advisers. This is now the fourth year since we have introduced this process with the aim of these meetings to build a positive relationship between students, staff and parents and ensure that every child is ready to learn and prepared to achieve their personal best. Students had their photos taken and discussed their learning goals with their teacher adviser and parents. It was a very positive process and congratulations to everyone who took part in the program.

YEAR 7 MENTORS

A big thankyou to our fantastic mentors who have spent the first week of the school year assisting our new Year 7 students in their commencement of secondary school.

Last year’s Year 12 students Daniel Trevaskis, Melody Goldsmith, Courtney Charles and Courtney Maxwell have been fantastic in assisting our new year 7’s in settling in to their new environment and ensuring the transition from Primary to Secondary has been both enjoyable and stress free.

These mentors have also been terrific in assisting our Year 7 Team Leaders and teaching staff with meeting the individual needs of our new students.

FACITILITIES & SERVICES UPGRADE

Over the Christmas break we have made some improvements to the learning environment at our school. The Year 9/10 staff office has been relocated to M Wing where the majority of Year 9/10 classes have been timetabled and Year 7/8 staff to the PL centre.

The Year level teacher teams will be easily accessible for students creating a supportive learning community in this dedicated space.

Painting in F1 and F2 was completed where we have now set up a student support learning hub with Integration, Literacy and Numeracy support teams located together.

The careers office has been relocated to a larger space in A wing providing easy access for students.

The ongoing works in the three storey building are almost completed with the new lift operational within the next fortnight. New shade sails are being installed to replace the old ones which had been repaired due to storm damage.

Frank and Jack (maintenance team) were also busy over the holiday break with general gardening and maintenance to ensure the school grounds are looking immaculate.

I am confident these refurbishments will be greatly appreciated by the students and staff to assist in creating a comfortable environment in which the students can learn.

CHICKENPOX

We have had some students with chickenpox recently. The advice from the health department is that no other student who has been in contact with these particular students need be excluded from school, other than people who may be immune deficient ie people who have leukaemia or are currently having chemotherapy.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Please note that this is our current mobile phone policy. Mobile phones should be switched off or on silent and kept out of sight during classroom lessons unless it is to be used for learning purposes as directed by the teacher.

Mobile technologies should not disrupt classes with ringtones or text message alerts.
Students should not be texting each other during class.
Students are permitted to use their phones at lunch and recess as long as they do not contravene our Student Engagement and Wellbeing Policy.
Students who repeatedly break these rules will result in disciplinary measures being taken as reflected in our Student Engagement and Wellbeing and Policy

STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE

Parents are reminded the Department of Education does not provide personal accident insurance for students. Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including transport costs. We recommend you seek assistance with this matter from your insurance broker or find a suitable personal accident insurer.

UNIFORM POLICY

Following discussion at school council last year, I need to reiterate and clarify our policy on piercings. Fashions come and go but are not deemed as part of school uniform policy.

Aims

The aim of the Student Dress Code is to recognise the positive role of clothing in promoting a sense of individual and collective pride in students, and to promote their identification within the school and community. Students will wear a school uniform as approved by School Council, on the way to school while at school and on the way home. Students are to wear school uniform on excursions.

Some forms of jewellery pose potential health, safety and school image problems

Small ear studs and/or sleepers worn in the ears are the only piercings that are permitted
Due to health and safety issues nose rings/studs, lip rings/studs and eyebrow rings/studs are not permitted. Students with facial piercings can wear small clear plastic studs as this doesn’t compromise their occupational health and safety guidelines.

The policy / expectations has been constantly promoted and advertised regularly since May last year. Students with piercings are expected to purchase clear plastic studs or remove the piercing before leaving home to attend school.

Consequences of contravening the jewellery policy will be consistent with the school’s current student management and discipline practices including refusing to comply with a reasonable instruction.

Non conformance with school uniform and Jewellery policy will result in parents being contacted.

PhilSquire Principal

Debbie Oliver Asst Principal

Kimberley Tempest Asst Principal

Swimming Sports!