Community Awareness and Safety
Recently, there have been reports of ‘unwelcome people’ around schools in the South Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne.
Thankfully, St James College has not been one of those schools affected. It is always a good rule of thumb to be “ALERT, BUT NOT ALARMED” when out and about in the local area.
The following is an excerpt from the Victoria Police website. It is a handy reminder of things everyone can do to be prepared for a situation where they may feel threatened or uneasy.
In Busy Places and on Public Transport:
- Don’t put your valuables on show - If possible, try to keep anything of value hidden from view while you’re in public.
- Be observant - Keep a look out for people who appear suspicious or try to distract you. It’s important to keep a safe distance and call for help if you need it.
- Keep one ear free at all times - When listening to music, only put the headphones in one ear. Keeping one ear free will ensure you can hear anyone coming up behind you.
- Stick to well-lit roads at night - Avoid roads and paths without working streetlights. You should also vary your route regularly, if you can.
- Be an active participant in your community - Apart from getting a kick from serving their community, connected people generally feel safer and more confident.
If you see or hear something that does make you feel uneasy, CALL 000 and make your way to somewhere where you feel safe.
Also, contact St James College so we can do our best to assist the situation.
Information taken from:
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.
Dan McMahon
College Coordinator
Public Transport and Supervision
All students need to remember that they are representatives of the College as they travel to and from school. Their behaviour should reflect high personal standards that should be typical of St James College students. As well as obeying any laws, which are applicable, students should also remember to observe traditional rules of politeness. Students are expected to wear the uniform correctly and to avoid misconduct.
Although it is clearly impossible for the College to supervise students travelling to and from school, and therefore cannot accept responsibility for misconduct, the College will take whatever steps it can to insist upon appropriate standards.
The 767 Bus stops heading North, and South along Bignell Rd from St James College towards Chadstone and Southland are stops that are supervised by St James College Teaching staff until the buses have departed each evening. It is a supervisory requirement that students using this Public Bus will use these stops at the front of the College. Students are asked NOT to use other stops for this bus. No other Bus stops are supervised by St James College Staff.
Should you have any questions about this matter, please feel free to contact me via St James College.
Patrick Janes
Deputy Principal