Welcome To The 2022 Secondary School Year

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the 2022 school year. I hope you and your family are well and that you were able to spend some time relaxing and connecting with family and friends over the break.

I want to take this opportunity to provide some information to assist you across this unusual start to the school year.

Secondary School Administration

You may have recently seen the social media posts of our new Secondary Administration building which was the old ‘Q Block’ last year.

Based at the Secondary School (Entrance D) drop-off and bus zones, this is an ideal location to welcome students to school, and to support any needs they may have.

The following staff are located in Secondary School Administration:

• Mr Paul Diete – Deputy Principal
• Mrs Rebecca Adamson – Head of Secondary School
• Mr Arnie Marraiya – Director of Administration
• Mr Mitchell Staples – Director of Academic Achievement
• Ms Fiona Dixon – Director of Student Wellbeing

Students will be required to present themselves to Secondary School Administration if they are late to school or have an early departure.

Drop-Off Zone

Secondary School students are to be dropped off at the Old Logan Village Road Gate Roundabout (Entrance D).

Students who are late to school are to check-in at Secondary School Administration with a note from their parents.

Entrance B on Easterly Street is no longer a drop-off zone for students, as this area has been allocated as staff parking only.

Care Central

The new Care Central building (previously the Secondary Administration building), supports a range of student needs including: first aid, the sick bay, student medications, student counselling services, college chaplaincy services and post-schooling education and careers support.

In the event a student requires collection due to ill health or injury, parents and carers can collect their son or daughter from Care Central via the Easterly Street Entrance B gate.

Illness

It is very important that if your son or daughter is not feeling well or has COVID symptoms, that you keep them at home.

These symptoms include: fever, sore throat, heavy coughing, runny nose, shortness of breath, bad headache, heavy fatigue, vomiting or nausea, loss of smell and/or taste, muscle or joint pains, loss of appetite or diarrhoea.

In the event a student presents to a classroom or Care Central feeling unwell or with symptoms, they will be immediately sent home.

We need to protect all staff and students on-site, so we ask you to support us by monitoring your children’s health.

Masks are still mandatory for secondary students. At this stage, masks are mandated when moving between classes and into the classroom.

They can be removed if students can socially distance when sitting down in class, and when sitting down to eat lunch outdoors.

We will update students and families in the event this changes.

School Uniform Expectations

The recent supply and shipping issues has meant some students may not have every item of their school uniform.

We are fully aware of the situation and will make allowances for students.

However, we do expect that students will meet our very conservative and long-standing expectations regarding haircut and hair colour, shaving, make-up, jewellery, nails and lashes when they return to campus on Monday 7 February.

Q: “What is meant by a neat blended hairstyle for male students?”

A: A hairstyle that does not resemble, e.g: a step cut, mullet, have an undercut or shaved lines. Attached are some images for a visual explanation.

Q: “What earrings can female students wear?”

A: Females may wear one pair of small, plain, silver or gold sleepers or round studs in their earlobes. Attached are some images for a visual explanation.

Please contact Ms Fiona Dixon, the Director of Student Wellbeing with any queries or concerns.

Should a student not meet these expectations, they will be required to rectify it before returning to class, which parents should understand may involve students being sent home.

The Uniform Policy is available on the College website to support families.

Mobile Phones / SIM Enabled Devices

Late last year, we updated the Mobile Phone Policy to better support learning in the classroom and the development of quality relationships while at school.

Years 7 and 8 students will hand their device into Secondary School Administration when they arrive at school from 8:00am each day.

Parents of students in Years 7 and 8 are required to complete this FORM HERE to register your son or daughter’s phone.

If your son or daughter requires a phone at school later in the year, the Registration Form can be found on the Secondary School MyCC Page via the Forms tile.

Students in Years 9 – 12 are required to turn their phones to silent or off, and leave them in their locker upon arrival at school from 8:00am each day.

They are not permitted to access their phone throughout the day until 3:20pm.

Students who need to contact parents need to see their Head of House or Secondary School Administration who will support them.

Week 2 Learning Models (Monday 31 January – Friday 4 February)

Years 8 – 10 Learning Model

Students will be provided with three hours of activities per subject to be completed over the week.

This is a self-paced opportunity for students to engage in activities that will ensure learning has commenced, and to prepare them for their return to face-to-face classes on Monday 7 February.

The subjects providing activities include:

• Year 8: English, Mathematics, Science, History, Health and Physical Education theory and LOTE.
• Year 9: English, Mathematics, Science, History and Health and Physical Education theory.
• Year 10: English, Mathematics, Science and History.

Mr Mitchell Staples, Director of Academic Achievement, has provided the following instructions in this VIDEO HERE for students, to support the organisation of their week and to locate the required resources.

Years 11 – 12 Learning Model

Students will engage in actual curriculum online learning from Monday 31 January – Friday 4 February.

This is the online learning model we used in previous years and lessons will be delivered based on the normal school timetable.

Mr Mitchell Staples – Director of Academic Achievement, Mrs Fiona Dixon – Director of Student Wellbeing, and I will address students in a Teams meeting in Lesson 1 on Monday to support them in understanding the timetable and expectations of online learning.

Although this is an online learning model, students will be commencing formal learning and it is expected every student attends every lesson, including Form time.

We are recording online class attendance, so if your son or daughter has an appointment, is unwell, or is having technical difficulties attending lessons – please ensure you advise us via email –  OR on the School Absentee Telephone Line – 07 3299 0858.

All students in Years 8 – 10 will be able to join their Head of House each morning (excluding Thursday) from 8:30am – 8:45am to check-in.

Years 11 and 12 students are required to attend these sessions to commence their school day.

We look forward to welcoming students back here on campus next Monday 7 February.

Should you have any concerns, please contact your son or daughter’s Head of House or Secondary School Administration via email –  OR call 07 3299 0843.

Yours faithfully

Mrs Rebecca Adamson
Head of Secondary School
Canterbury College