From the Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Learning

Welcome back to a new term. 

Uniforms

Some students would have had a growth spurt and their uniform is a little small. Please check the length of the boys pants which should go down to the shoes and the length of the girls kilt which should go down to the knees.

Some students had pierced their ears and some their nose. Just to remind students and families the only piercing accepted at the College is for the girls only. One silver or gold sleeper or stud or a small jewel in each ear. No nose, lip or any other facial piercing is acceptable. No plastic piercings should be worn and no band-aids covering a piercing. Students will be asked to remove any piercings while at school- this is not negotiable.

No student should be wearing makeup or fake eye lashes. 

Students are expected to have the College bag every day while at school. If there is a problem with the bag a note must be presented to the Learning advisor.

Students are to ensure their hairstyle conforms to the following: 

Boys

• Hair should be neatly cut, and always maintained
• Undercut, burst fades, drop fades, skin fades are not acceptable, nor are tracks, lines, or designs
• Hair on the sides and the back should be blended in (Number 2 is the shortest acceptable length)
• Long hair is not acceptable; hair must not touch the collar, cover the face or be worn in a bun/ponytail
• Hair should not be overly styled by use of hair products 
• No facial hair; must be always clean shaven

Girls

• Girls’ hair must be completely tied back at all times; pony tail, high/low bun, plait or braided.
• Hair must not cover the face
• Hair must be tied with a scrunchie or hair tie; navy or black hair ties/scrunchies only.
• Headbands or ribbons may be used; must be black, white, or navy in colour.
• Claw clips may be used; must be black, white, or navy in colour.
• Unnatural or multiple hair colouring is not allowed. Hair must be your natural hair colour

Cyber safety

Social media is part of all of our lives. There are some real positive aspects of social media but there are also some real problems with social media. 

There are age limits on social media for safety reasons but also because immature young people can misuse social media. It is very easy for people to write mean and inappropriate things online because they fell safe behind a computer screen. Many comments are made to people that would never be said face to face. On line bullying can occur because the person thinks that they are anonymous. 

The person who pays the bills for the phone and the internet is the person responsible for what happens on the registered device. A parent or guardian should be aware of all online activity of anyone using their device or internet. Regular checks of content and social media use are essential to prevent harm online. 

The College has information available to help families deal with online behaviour and if they contact their Leader of Learning- Pastoral for the child’s year group, they can assist in helping with issues. 

Blocking sites

The Government support site esafety.gov.au has some helpful tips for blocking sites and safety on line

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/taming-technology

What is in the Planner?

When we are with others, we need to use CARE

C= Communication: be open and honest

A= Achieve: aim for win-win conversations

R= Respect: believe and show others matter

E= Expect: give more of yourself to grow

It is important to take every opportunity that is presented to you. Positive engagement in life is a key to building your identity.  It is a risk sometimes to take on a new challenge and sometimes your challenges may not be successful but the most important thing is to give it a go. 

One key characteristic of a leader is GRIT.  Grit is the long-term persistence to achieve something and make a positive difference. We should believe others matter and so do their opinions, they follow through with what they say and that actions are better than intentions.

Character strength: Perseverance Positive engagement and GRIT are the key to perseverance

God bless

Mr Nick Thrum

Assistant Principal