Rules and policies

​Allergies

Your co-operation in this very important matter would be appreciated.

Please ensure that the school has current and correct information and personal contact details.  Any allergy and anaphylaxis medication is required to be current and up to date. If your child is anaphylactic please ensure that the child has a current treatment plan and the Epi-pens are up to date.

Attendance and absenteeism

If a child is absent from school, an explanation from the parent or caregiver is required.  Parents have three ways to fulfill this legal requirement. Choose the option that is easiest for you.

• Call the school, 5475 1555 and advise our Admin staff, or a message can be left

• On the School’s website, complete the absence form on the main page

• On your child’s return to school, a note to the teacher explaining the absence reason

In the event of an unexplained absence, a compulsory attendance form will be sent home. In the event of your child contacting an infectious disease, a detailed exclusion table (PDF, 82 KB) is included for your information.

For any parent who needs to collect their child early please come to the Office and sign your student out of school.

Children who arrive late for school (after 8.35 am) should go to the office to obtain a late slip which needs to be given to the class teacher.

Behaviour

Our responsible behaviour plan for students aims to create a safe, caring environment for teaching and learning which emphasises the rights and responsibilities of all members of our school community.

Our plan has been developed in consultation with the members of our school community and has been endorsed by our school's Parents and Citizen's Association. It focuses on maintaining a supportive school environment and developing responsible behaviour in all students. It reflects the underlying principles, values, beliefs and goals of our school.

Bus behaviour policy

 The Queensland Department of Transport has developed its own code of conduct (PDF, 733 KB) for school students travelling on buses. This is a set of behavioural guidelines developed to assist school bus operators manage the issue of student behaviour.

Any child who breaks these rules could have a letter sent home and any subsequent report could lead to suspension from the bus by the bus operator.

Dress code

Students are expected to wear their school uniform every day. Our uniform dress code reflects school community standards and is consistent with occupational health and safety rules and sun safety strategies. The wearing of a school uniform also provides our students with ready identification of students and non-students at school and helps to foster a sense of belonging and mutual respect by minimising visible evidence of social or economic differences.

Emergency Drills

Fire and Lockdowns are practiced each term so that all students and staff are familiar with the procedures.
If you are on the school site during a Fire Drill – please move with the teacher and students towards the eastern or western fence boundaries (never under any building block) and meet on the far side of the oval. The Principal and HOC are the fire wardens and wear a bright red jacked – please report to them.
For a Lockdown – please stay in the classroom/building in a calm manner, away from the windows and support the class teacher and students. The teacher will take a phone call as Admin checks each room and building on our school site. A second call will notify that the drill is complete and safe movement around the school can resume.

Medication

Parents are reminded that if your child is required to take any medication at school on a long or short term basis, all medication must be administered through the school office.

Medication should be in its original container, showing the medication’s name, child’s name and dosage.  Parents/Caregivers are required to complete an authority form (PDF, 85 KB) at the school office and all medication must also have a letter from the child’s doctor. 

Teachers will not administer medication and children must not have medication in their lunch boxes or school bags. The only exception to this rule is when asthmatics are required to have self-administering medication on hand.  Parents should notify class teachers if children have their own asthma medication.

Please note: Staff are unable to administer pain control medication eg. Panadol, Heron etc. without a written letter from the doctor.

Mobile Phones and Smart Devices

From the beginning of Term 1 2024, all Queensland state school students must keep their mobile phones switched off and ‘away for the day’ during school hours. Notifications on wearable devices, such as smartwatches, must be switched off so that phone calls, messages and other notifications cannot be sent or received during school hours.
The decision to implement a consistent, statewide approach to putting mobile phones away during the school day is based on the advice of Ms Cheryl Vardon AO, former Queensland Family and Children’s Commissioner, who completed an independent review of Queensland’s approach to mobile phones. Ms Vardon’s review included consultation with key education stakeholders, such as principals, school staff, students and families from each education region, as well as a review of recent research on student use of mobile phones and personal devices in schools.
‘Away for the day’ will support schools to maintain a strong focus on educational achievement, and student wellbeing and engagement by:

• providing optimal learning and teaching environments
• encouraging increased face-to-face social interactions between students
• promoting the health and wellbeing of students through increased social interaction and physical activity
• reducing the potential for students to be exposed to the negative impacts of the digital world, resulting from unsafe or inappropriate technology use.

Playgrounds before and after school

 Please note the signs indicating that the playgrounds are not to be used before or after school and follows policy around safety with no teachers on duty.