Assistant Principal
Student Wellbeing
Alison Krause / Doug Belton
Assistant Principal | Junior / Senior Student Wellbeing
Vaping and Young People
Vaping is a widespread epidemic and adolescents are increasingly drawn to it for a variety of reasons. The vape itself is a novelty for our youth; bright in colour, small and easy to hide, and appealing flavours, not to mention their accessibility and affordability. This, coupled with sophisticated marketing that glamourises these products to target young people, particularly through social media, is no wonder that every school is reporting that vaping is a very concerning and complex problem.
The rising trend of vaping is one that many parents are familiar with. For some, it is that their own child has admitted to, or been found, trying it, and others may have heard their child talk about it happening at school or socially. Unfortunately, vapes and other e-cigarette devices are incredibly easy to conceal, and unless parents are aware of what to look for, they may not realise that their child owns one. Some tell-tale signs include chest infections and pain, chewing gum regularly, coughing, throat clearing, shortness of breath, unusual sweet/fruity fragrances, red eyes and a raspy voice, to name a few. Please see the links to some online resources below if you would like to find out more.
As a school, we have educated our staff about vaping and increased supervision during lunch breaks. We continue to make presentations and provide resources to students, do locker and bag checks as needed, and offer support to families who have sought help for their children. Students found (or suspected to be) vaping are suspended from school and referred for ongoing support. We acknowledge that vaping remains a significant issue and we are committed to working with families to reduce its prevalence at school.
If you have any concerns about your child or wish to discuss any concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Library loans
Recently, we have been tracking library data that has highlighted a concerning number of students relying on loaning equipment on a daily basis. It is important students and parents are reminded of the expectations of being prepared for daily learning. It is a requirement that all students arrive to school with a charged laptop (and charger if needed), headphones and required stationery each day. I am concerned that some students have become quite complacent and increasingly disorganised which is impacting learning and engagement. Whilst the College is happy to assist with temporary loans when necessary, I urge families to have a discussion about the importance of organisation to ensure we minimise disruption to classes.
Assembly of Excellence
We are delighted to be recognising the outstanding efforts and achievements of hundreds of students at our Assembly of Excellence on Tuesday 2nd August. It is terrific to see so many young students working diligently to achieve their goals. I congratulate all students on receiving an award and look forward to celebrating their achievements!
Sincerely,
Alison Krause
Assistant Principal | Junior Secondary
Vaping resources for families:
Alcohol and Drug Foundation
https://adf.org.au/talking-about-drugs/parenting/vaping-youth/talking-about-vaping/
Australian Government Department of Health
Cancer Council