Expectations around teacher return of parent contact
As a college community, we rely on effective communication between students, teachers and parents. However, there are times when parents need to be realistic about the timeliness in which teachers can respond to messages and requests to contact parents. We encourage teachers to respond to contact requests as quickly as possible but it is possible that they may be teaching every period of a day and have meetings after school. Some teachers may have two or more days like this in a row. Year Leaders have a load reduced by the equivalent of only one class so they too may have a full load of teaching on a particular day. We will get our receptionist to convey this information to parents so they know that they may not get a return call until the following day or, sometimes, the day after that.
If the matter is urgent and requires an immediate response, please inform the staff member taking your call of this and we will attempt to find an appropriate staff member to assist you, even if temporarily.
A lot of communication between teachers, students and parents these days is via email. We encourage this communication but students and parents need to understand that while teachers often work in their evenings, this is not part of their formal work hours and there should be no expectation that emails sent after 4.00 pm are responded to until at least the next day, although teachers often do.
Parents and carers are reminded that students should not be communicating directly to parents when students are ill. They should be speaking to a teacher and the student services officer contacting the parents to assist us in our duty of care.
Finally, we often have a situation where a student will contact a parent or carer during the day as soon as an issue arises at school. This may be an issue with another student or a teacher. We would encourage students to develop their resilience by not phoning a parent immediately. If there is a critical incident, the student should be speaking to a teacher first. If it is not critical, it is often best for the student to allow a little bit of time to elapse to consider what is the best response. By all means, they should talk it over with parents but in most cases, this is best done at home away from the heat of the moment. We would encourage parents to ask their daughters who contact them with concerns during the day to follow these steps where appropriate.
Eyelash Extensions
The college rules regarding make up are:
- no make up for Years 7-9
- Light make up, (“natural looking”) including foundation and mascara for Years 10-12.
This clearly does not include artificial eyelash extensions so parents are asked to support us in not allowing their daughters to have these.
Sport Uniform Expectations for 2020
The college transitioned to a new sports uniform in 2017. Next year all students in Years 7-10, should be in the 'new' uniform. While most students currently in Years 7-9 would have bought the new uniforms on starting, a few students have been wearing older sisters' or second hand 'old' sports uniform. From next year, only Years 11 and 12 will be allowed to wear the old uniform. Old sports uniforms should not be passed on or sold second hand. Thank you for your co-operation.
Policies
From time to time we highlight in the newsletter aspects of college policies which we are required to remind parents of. Today I would like to draw your attention to:
1. Supervision and dropping off and picking up students
Caroline Chisholm College provides supervision of students in designated areas in the playground from 8.00 am in the morning, through recess and lunch breaks and until 3.00 pm. From 3.00 pm to 3.15 pm, supervision is provided at the front of the school only for the last scheduled buses.
Parents are to use the drop-off zone outside the college in accordance with the signage. Parents using the drop-off zone are asked to move forward to allow cars behind or to move to spaces in front of already stopped cars. The drop-off zone is officially designated “No Parking”. This means people can:
- Pick up or drop off only
- Park for under 2 minutes only
- Must remain within 3 metres of the vehicle
Do not park across the driveway entrances which are designated “No Stopping” – this is becoming an issue on some mornings. No cars, other than staff cars, are to enter or leave the school grounds (including the bus bay) between 8.00 and 8.25 am. No cars are to enter or leave the school grounds (including the bus bay) between 2.40 pm and 3.00 pm.
Students walking home and crossing to the north side of The Lakes Drive are to do so at the pedestrian crossing outside the college.
Students needing to leave school early must have a note signed by a parent and presented to the homeroom teacher in the morning for signing. They will be met and signed out by a parent or authorised person at the appointed time. Students who become ill during the day are to have their diary signed by a teacher before proceeding to the student office and being admitted to sick bay. An office staff member will contact the student’s parent/carer and arrange for the student to be taken home. Students are not to phone parents directly to arrange for collection when sick.
2. Corporal Punishment
Any form of corporal punishment is explicitly and without reservation banned as part of any student management at the college.
3. Procedural Fairness
Caroline Chisholm College is committed to ensuring procedural fairness in all situations. Procedural fairness refers to what are sometimes described as the ‘hearing rule’ and the ‘right to an unbiased decision’.
The ‘hearing rule’ includes the right of the person against whom an allegation has been made to:
- know the allegations related to a specific matter and any other information which
- will be taken into account in considering the matter
- know the process by which the matter will be considered
- respond to the allegations
- know how to seek a review of the decision made in response to the allegations.
The ‘right to an unbiased decision’ includes the right to:
- impartiality in an investigation and decision-making
- an absence of bias by a decision-maker.
Procedural fairness includes making available to students and parents or caregivers the policies and procedures under which disciplinary action is taken. At Caroline Chisholm College, these policies are contained in the Student Diary, Information Handbooks issued to students and their parents/carers and on the college website.
Doing the Right Thing
Congratulations to Lara Debrincat (7 Wright), Emilia Grasso (7 Wright), Achala Athum (8 Gilmore) and Tahlia Rando (10 Jackson). They have been selected to receive a $5 canteen voucher for college service.
Appreciation of Honesty
Students at Caroline Chisholm College regularly display outstanding honesty in returning items they find on the college grounds. Often these can be of quite substantial value. Students handing in found items receive a certificate of appreciation. I would like to congratulate the following students who have handing items in over the last fortnight: Madison Cooney (7 Jackson)
Mr Greg King - Assistant Principal