Assistant Principals' Report

Uniform

It’s been great to see our wonderful Doncaster community back on site and interacting.  For staff and students alike, it has been a big change of attire from our work-from-home comfort wear back into clothing which is more presentable in public!   For many of us, emerging from lockdowns has meant having to check if our pre-lockdown clothes are washed, ironed and still fit.  This is the same for many of our students and we are aware that many young people have grown out of shoes and uniform items.  The unpredictable weather has also presented us with challenges about what items to wear on any given day.

Students are able to wear any COMPLETE version of our Summer or Winter uniform and we encourage students to choose the right uniform for the weather.  Students cannot, however, wear hoodies or non-uniform long sleeved tops or t-shirts under their uniforms if we can see them.  Black lace-up school shoes are the only acceptable shoes with these uniforms; lace-up boots are NOT acceptable.

The sports uniform can be worn on days of PE practical sessions.  Year 9’s can also wear the full PE uniform on Wednesdays for MYSELF.  Please remember that the PE uniform must also be worn with pride and the only acceptable track pants are the Doncaster-specific pants with our signature ‘D’.   

If there is a valid reason for a child being out of uniform, you can provide a note explaining the missing item and expected date of replacement.  If you cannot replace the item, please let us know and we will attempt to assist you. Your child is required to come to their sub-school PRIOR to lessons commencing in the morning to present the note and have a uniform pass issued.  A child who does not have a valid reason for wearing non-uniform item will be issued with a detention.  We appreciate your support as we hold this boundary for your child.  We understand that this may be a point of push-back for some children as they reach adolescence, and holding the line on this matter demonstrates to your child that we care about our community, our presentation, and them.  Young people appreciate adults who are predictable and hold a firm line of care.  When we demonstrate the ability to do this over the ‘little things’, our children know they can trust with the big things, too.

Face mask success 

Students and staff have adjusted to life with face masks at school.  After a few previous attempts under our collective belt, we feel our community now understands the current need to protect themselves and others.  We know that means you have been promoting this expectation at home and providing your child with a mask (or two!) daily.  

Thank you for supporting your child to keep themselves, their classmates and their teachers and support staff safe.   

Here at the College, we have been using our ‘5R’ model to promote effective safe wearing.  Children are ‘Reminded’ of the need to wear their mask prior to entering every class.  They are ‘Refocused’ if their mask wearing is inadequate (slipped off the nose or worn on the chin).  In rare circumstances where unsafe mask wearing continues, children are ‘Relocated’ to a highly ventilated part of the room.  As a last resort, children may be ‘Removed’ to the Health Centre where they are provided with extra tuition and information about the need to protect themselves during this time.  Overall, our students are demonstrating a deep care for their community.

Year 7 2022 transition afternoon

For incoming Year 7’s for 2022 and their families, there have been few opportunities to engage with the DSC community and site.  Typically, we enjoy bringing our incoming Year 7’s (current Grade 6 students from our feeder-Primary schools) on site for a variety of activities and tours.  Unfortunately, COVID restrictions have thwarted the best-laid plans and delayed some of the events on our timelines.  

We are excited to welcome our new Yea 7’s for 2022 to the DSC site on December 1st with an afternoon event to be run around the W Block building.  

We will run a series of ‘stations’ outside W block so students and their parents and carers can find out more about life in Secondary School at DSC.  This will include a music performance, information about our Instrumental Music program, a Health station manned by our Health Centre Officer, an IT station for anyone with concerns or questions about our BYOD program, a combination lock station to provide a practice and tuition space for the tricky combination lock!  

Please contact Paul Annakis Paul.Annakis@education.vic.gov.au as soon as possible with suggestions of anything else you would have found helpful when your child was transitioning from Primary School to DSC.

Gina Carroll

Assistant Principal