Student Wellbeing

Mobile Phone Use

 

The Minister for Education, James Merlino, announced earlier this year that mobile phones will be banned for all students at Victorian state primary and secondary schools from Term 1, 2020. This is aimed at helping reduce distraction, tackle cyber bullying and improve learning outcomes for students.

 

Teachers and parents also frequently raise concerns about the use of mobile phones during school hours as a cause of constant distraction in classrooms. Rolling out a state-wide policy will provide consistency and certainty for parents, students and school communities.

 

Concord School had already taken a lead in this area and for the past year we have had a similar policy in place. Currently at Concord School all students up to year 10 are required to switch off their phones and store them in the classroom secure lock box. Year 11 & 12 students are able to store them in their own lockers or in the secure lock box and they can use their phones inside the building at lunchtimes only.  The main change as a result of the new government policy, is that from January 30th 2020 Year 11/12 students will no longer be able to access their phones at lunchtimes.

The only exceptions to the ban will be where students use phones to monitor health conditions, or where teachers instruct students to bring their phone for a particular classroom activity. At all other times phones must be in lock boxes or lockers.

 

When emergencies occur, parents or guardians can reach their child by calling the school office.

NDIS Speech and Occupational Therapy Requests

 

Concord School employs Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists to support our students and their programmes at school. With the introduction of the NDIS our therapists are increasingly being asked to provide assessments, reports or letters for students as part of the student’s application, plan review or appeal.

Unfortunately, our therapy staff simply do not have the time to meet such requests and it is out of scope of their current roles. They can only provide a copy of any previous assessment and reports done at school as part of the student’s Program for Students with Disability funding application. Our therapy staff’s priority is to work with the students and teachers within Concord School. Parents and carers are advised to include a review of therapy services into plans in conjunction with existing external supports.

We are however able to provide advice around NDIS plans for families. Please contact Sharon Ouliaris at Concord School should you need support or guidance.

Thank you for your understanding.

 

 

Colin Simpson

Assistant Principal