IMPORTANT INFORMATION

DHHS Important Information 

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have advised some important information for families regarding students wearing masks on-site during warm weather. It is the parent/carers responsibility to supply their child with a suitable mask for school each day. Please see below:

  • Wet masks lose their efficiency and should be changed for a dry one
  • The thicker the mask, the more uncomfortable it will be in the heat
  • We suggest that surgical masks are the most “breathable” and comfortable

 We thank you for your support in this matter.

VCE Special Examination Arrangements – Applications for 2021

Students who will be completing a Unit 3/4 (Year 12 level) VCE subject in 2021 and who have an illness or disability may require Special Examination Arrangements to access and complete the General Achievement Test (GAT) and/or VCE examinations.

 

Special Examination Arrangement applications are made to the VCAA through the school and are assessed by the VCAA, which recognises that some students with a disability, as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwlth), or illness may require Special Examination Arrangements to enable them to access the examination questions and communicate their responses in a timed external assessment.

It is important to note that disability and/or illness does not automatically entitle a student to Special Examination Arrangements. The prime consideration is the impact of a disability and/or illness on the student’s capacity to undertake their VCE external assessments and, if necessary, what reasonable adjustments can be made to enable the student to complete VCE external assessments on the same basis as students without a disability and/or illness.

 

The professional, educational and academic assessments, along with school-based evidence, will be considered by the VCAA on a case-by-case basis. The VCAA will make a decision based on all evidence received with an application. Conditions may include mental health conditions, physical disabilities, language disorder, dyslexia and health impairments (such as long-term chronic illnesses).  Provisions can include rest breaks, use of a computer, permission to stand and stretch, permission to take food or drink into an exam, and permission to take medication.

 

Please contact our Senior School Assistant Principal Kathryn O’Neill (Kathryn.ONeill@education.vic.gov.au) to discuss whether an application would be suitable for your child.  Please note that evidence from treating practitioners may be required as part of the application.

 

Applications close on 1st April 2021 (the last day of Term 1).

 

-Kathryn O'Neill

Assistant Principal

Mobile Phone Policy

Surf Coast Secondary College understands that students may bring a personal mobile phone to school, particularly if they are travelling independently to and from school. 

At Surf Coast Secondary College:

  • students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours – this includes during recess and lunchtime.
  • exceptions to this policy may be applied if certain conditions are met.
  • when emergencies occur, parents or carers should reach their child by calling the Administration Office.

Personal mobile phone use

In accordance with the Department’s Mobile Phones Policy issued by the Minister for Education, personal mobile phones must not be used at Surf Coast Secondary College during school hours, including lunchtime and recess, unless an exception has been granted. Where a student has been granted an exception, the student must use their mobile phone for the purpose for which the exception was granted, and in a safe, ethical and responsible manner.

 

Secure storage

Mobile phones owned by students at Surf Coast Secondary College are considered valuable items and are brought to school at the owner’s (student’s or parent/carers) risk. Students are encouraged not to bring a mobile phone to school unless there is a compelling reason to do so. Please note that Surf Coast Secondary College does not have accident insurance for accidental property damage or theft. Students and their parents/carers are encouraged to obtain appropriate insurance for valuable items. Refer to the Department’s Personal Goods policy. At Surf Coast Secondary College, students are required to store their phones in their locker.

 

Enforcement

Students who use their personal mobile phones inappropriately on-site may be issued with consequences consistent with our school’s existing student engagement polices. At Surf Coast Secondary College inappropriate use of mobile phones is any use during school hours including recess and lunch time, unless an exception has been granted, and particularly use of a mobile phone:

  • in any way that disrupts the learning of others.
  • to send inappropriate, harassing or threatening messages or phone calls.
  • to engage in inappropriate social media use including cyber bullying.
  • to capture video or images of people, including students, teachers and members of the school community without their permission.
  • to capture video or images in the school toilets, changing rooms, swimming pools and gyms.
  • during exams and assessments.

Canvas - Tech Support

As the year comes to a close at the senior school, there are a great number of students completing exams and their final assessments. I wanted to take this opportunity to share a couple of digital learning tools that staff and students are using at the school to support the development of and interaction with revision tools. The two I’ve shared here allow students to get straight into revision. 

 

Quizlet: can be used for building reference materials and using them as flashcards on their pc or phone within minutes. In a robust user friendly environment. Quizlet can be used at any year level. 

 

Studyclix: will suit senior school students as it allows them to access past exam questions and build resources or banks of questions to revise on specific topics. Studyclix takes the fiddly bit out of getting started with revision.

 

There are many other tools out there and these can be supplemented with screen locking tools and other apps to remove distraction or encourage time on task. I’ll put together some of these in an upcoming post.

 

CLICK HERE to view a page where all posts will be stored.

CLICK HERE to access Canvas.

 

-Shaun Miller

Digital Learning Specialist

Year 12 2021 Jumper

The order form has now CLOSED.

If you have not placed your order and would like to order a jumper for your Year 11 child, please contact Annie in the Administration Office by 12:00pm Tuesday 17 November at the very latest. Please note: any late orders are not guaranteed.

2020 College Yearbook

The order form has now CLOSED.

If you have ordered a yearbook and need to finalise payment, please call the Administration Office on (03) 5261 6633.

2020 Parent Opinion Survey

Thank you to those families who completed the 2020 Parent Opinion Survey.

Our school conducted a survey to find out what parents think of our school. The Parent Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst all parents. It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of parents’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning.

Hands On Learning - Parent Survey

On Thursday 12 November, our Administration Team emailed families who have a child participating in Hands on Learning (HOL). In the email there is a link to a survey which we would like all parents to complete. We would appreciate your feedback about the impact of being part of the Hands on Learning program for your child. 

If you require the link or never received this email, please contact Annie in the Administration Office on (03) 5261 6633. 

Please note: HOL is for selected students only.

College Canteen

Please note: the canteen's last day of trade will be Friday 04 December 2020.