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Head Lice Policy
Rationale
Head lice affects approximately a quarter of a million children in Australia and New Zealand each year.
Undetected and untreated head lice infections may cause infection and cross infection as well as overexposure of chemical treatment for some children.
Aims
To educate our school community about head lice and head lice treatment.
To reduce the number of children at Vermont Primary School exposed to head lice.
Implementation
Information will be provided to all families to assist in the recognition of head lice and treatment required.
Parents will be made aware of their responsibility to regularly check their children’s hair.
If head lice are found, parents are requested to commence treatment immediately and notify the Principal or Class Teacher. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times.
When an outbreak of head lice becomes evident, the Heal Lice Notification Sheet will be distributed to all families in the affected class.
State Registered Nurses or parents, approved by School Council, will conduct head inspections as requested by the Principal. Inspection times and dates to be at the discretion of the Principal. A permission slip is required for each student and will be kept on file.
If deemed necessary by the principal, a whole school head inspection may be arranged with the City of Whitehorse approved State Registered Nurses, at the school’s expense. No permission slips are required in this instance. Inspection times and dates to be at the discretion of the Principal
AT NO TIME WILL TREATMENT BE ADMINISTERED
When a child is found to have head lice, parents will be notified immediately by telephone, and followed up in writing, to enable treatment to begin as soon as possible.
Until appropriate treatment has commenced and the school notified in writing, by the parent, students will be excluded under the Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1990.
Class teachers will discuss head lice with their classes to maintain children’s self esteem and reassure children about head check, especially if the head check is positive.“People don’t catch head lice, head lice catch people”.
Success will be measured by minimal cases of head lice identified. Review of procedures will ensure that head lice outbreaks are kept to a minimum, and that parents are informed of changes and developments in treatments.
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Internet Code Of Conduct
This policy has been incorporated into the Student Code of Conduct which outlines all the School rules. The explanatory notes regarding the responsibilities of various groups are included in School documents which are used to provide parents, staff, students and the school community information about the Online Services offered at the School.
Rationale
Vermont Primary School recognises that student instruction and student learning will change as telecommunications and other new technologies alter the ways in which information may be accessed, communicated and transferred through access to online services.
The School also recognises that electronic information research skills are now required as essential knowledge for members of our society and as future employees. In responding to these changes the School actively supports access by students to the widest variety of information resources together with the development, by staff, of appropriate skills to analyse and evaluate such resources.
Access to telecommunications will enable students to explore thousands of libraries, databases, the Internet and bulletin boards while exchanging messages with people throughout the world. The School believes that the benefits to students from being able to access and retrieve information from these resources and the opportunities this provides for collaboration, exceed the disadvantages. However, access is a privilege and not a right. Access entails responsibility.
The Role of Students
Students are responsible for good behaviour on school computer networks as detailed in the School's Student Code of Conduct relating to general school behaviour. Communications on the information networks are often public in nature and general School rules for student behaviour, conduct and standards of communications will apply.
Individual users of the School computer networks are responsible for their behaviour and communications over those networks. It is presumed that users will comply with School standards and will honour the agreements they have signed.
The Role of Parents
Parents and guardians are ultimately responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources.
The School expects that these standards will be in accordance with the School Charter, Student Code of Conduct and other general policies.
The Role of Staff
The School expects that staff will incorporate appropriate use of such information throughout the curriculum and that teachers will provide guidance and instruction to students in the appropriate use of such resources.
This will include staff facilitating students accessing information in support of and to enrich the curriculum while taking into account the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities and developmental levels of students.
The Role of the School
The School undertakes a commitment to implement and uphold the Online Services Policy and to provide appropriate physical and financial resources to facilitate the successful incorporation of access to online services throughout the School's curriculum. In addition, the School will actively support the professional development of all staff to ensure the effective inclusion of telecommunications and other new information technologies into the School and it's curriculum.
The School also recognises that personal development and staff access to a diverse range of online services is fundamental to the effective delivery of a curriculum where electronic information based research, analysis and evaluation skills are of paramount importance. Actions undertaken by the School will be in keeping with the School's Technology Plan.
Student Access
The School network is provided for students to conduct research and communicate with others. Independent access to network services is provided to students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner.
The use of online services, made possible by the School through student access to telecommunications networks, may lead students to any publicly available information or database in the world.
This may open classrooms and expose students to electronic information resources which have not been screened by educators for use by students. Therefore, prior parental or guardian permission is required for students to be able to access the School network.
Student code of conduct.
The following rules have been added to the Student Code of Conduct as outlined below and parental permission for accessing On-line services is now included on the school's enrolment form.
The Vermont Primary School computer network provides children with access to information resources through the Department of Education’s Internet Service. The Department’s service gives schools access to the World Wide Web through the Education Selected Cache. The Education Selected Cache contains sites that have been specially selected for their educational content. All of these sites have been checked and are designated as ‘safe’.
Children have free access to the Education Selected Cache through the classroom computer network. Staff have unlimited access to the Internet. This access is granted to users for educational purposes. It is only available for use by Vermont Primary School staff and students.
Staff will periodically monitor children’s files that are kept on the school network, or brought into the school on computer disk.
Users may not
- Use the resource to gain access to inappropriate material.
- Use the resource for political purposes.
- Use the resource to purchase or sell products (without the approval of the Computer Co-ordinator).
Student Internet Access
Students at Vermont Primary School will have access to the Education Selected Cache through the school’s computer network.
Teachers will supervise children’s access to e-mail, including the filtering of inappropriate language or content.
Children will have access to specified chat sites only under strict teacher supervision.
Only children who have signed the Internet Use Agreement will be allowed to use it.
Conditions of Use
Personal Safety
Children must never post personal information about themselves or another person (eg address, telephone number etc).
Illegal Activities
The School’s Internet service may not be used to:
a) undertake any illegal activity.
b) attempt to gain access to any other (unauthorised) computer system.
c) attempt to damage any computer system by spreading a computer ‘virus’.
System Security
Children must follow school Virus checking procedures when downloading information or transferring information from a disk brought from outside the school.
Inappropriate Language
Language restrictions apply to all messages (public and private), e-mail and web pages.
Users will not use inappropriate language ie language that would not be acceptable in the classroom.
Users will not engage in personal attacks on others (flaming).
Respect for Privacy
Children will not publish private information about another person, nor will they re-post a private message that has been sent to them.
Plagiarism and Copyright
Users will not plagiarise another’s work. (Plagiarism is taking ideas and writings from another person and presenting them as your own.)
A lot of work on the Internet (articles, pictures, computer programs etc) is Copyright. Children should check with their teacher before downloading.
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SunSmart Policy
Rationale
Over-exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation (UVR) causes skin cancer, premature ageing and eye damage. Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world. Two out of three Australians will develop a skin cancer in their lives. Over-exposure to UVR during childhood and adolescence is the major cause. School hours fall predominantly during the high risk period of the day.
Aims
To minimise children’s exposure to UVR.
To educate the school community about the risks of skin cancer and means of protection.
Implementation
The SunSmart program, based on the VELS learning outcomes, will be followed throughout the year but with particular emphasis in Terms 1 and 4.
Teaching resources available through the Victorian Anti-Cancer Council, eg “Living with Sunshine”, “Be SunSmart”, videos and displays, will be utilised.
Sun protection behaviour is encouraged amongst children, parents and staff by avoidance of the sun by seeking shade and the use of approved hats, sunscreen, school uniform and sunglasses. The school sunglasses are recommended.
Children will wear Vermont Primary School approved sunhats during outdoor activities in Terms 1 and 4 and are encouraged to use a SPF 15+ broad spectrum sunscreen.
The children will be encouraged to use shaded areas of the school grounds.
Children will eat their lunches inside prior to having the lunch recess or in shaded areas in the school grounds, if supervised by a teacher.
In timetabling and planning curriculum activities, every endeavour will be made to ensure that “SunSmart” behaviour is implemented.
General information and reminders to parents will be made via the school’s newsletter and/or special leaflets.
Teachers will be updated with information through Professional Development.
SunSmart behaviour will be reinforced by promotional events eg “Sun Awareness Week” and presentations.
Evaluation
The program will be reviewed periodically by staff.
Class teachers will be responsible for the assessment and reporting of the children’s understanding of SunSmart.
All teachers will be responsible for checking all children in the application of the theory in the school grounds ie wearing hats and accessing shaded areas.
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Uniform Policy
Purpose
The wearing of school uniform is essential:
To maintain the school’s atmosphere, identity, prestige, tone and spirit,
To promote within the children a sense of pride and school identity and enhance the supervision and safety on excursions,
To provide clothing that is practicable, presentable and affordable,
To eliminate peer group pressure to wear less appropriate clothing to school.
Guidelines
Students wear the Vermont Primary School uniform on a daily basis unless exemption has been granted by the Principal, in line with Department of Education, Employment and Training policy. For students who do not possess a uniform, the wearing of similarly coloured clothing is acceptable. As with all other areas of financial difficulty, parents will be encouraged to make arrangements with the principal regarding provision of uniform items for their children.
The school uniform should consist of a combination of items from the designated list. The uniform will be smart, durable, safe and comfortable, for children’s participation in physical education or sport.
Students participating in interschool sport and excursions, or representing the school at outside activities, wear the appropriate school uniform.
A special commemorative windcheater will be offered to all Year 6 students.
Parents are to be strongly encouraged to affix name tags to all items of uniform.
The uniform will conform to the requirements of equal opportunity legislation.
All items of school uniform are available through the volunteer operated Uniform Shop which is co-ordinated by a Uniform Sub-Committee of School Council. Second hand uniform items are also available to parents. The price list will cover administration fees involved in running the Uniform Shop, with any profit made going towards school facilities. A current uniform list is to be made available to parents on a regular basis.
Vermont Primary School Dress Code will be in line with the School’s SunSmart Policy where possible.
The uniform is:
| GIRLS | Pleated Skirt with/without Bib top | Vermont Primary Woollen Tartan |
| Polo Shirt Long/Short Sleeve | Sky Blue |
| Socks | White |
| Tights | Navy Blue |
| Dress | Vermont Primary Specialty Check |
| Shorts | Navy Blue |
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| | BOYS & GIRLS | Polo Shirt Long/Short Sleeve | Sky Blue |
| Track Pants | Navy Blue |
| Shorts | Navy Blue |
| Socks | White |
| Windcheater | Navy Blue |
| Bomber Jacket | Navy Blue |
| Hooded Windcheater | Navy Blue |
| Rugby Top | Vermont Primary Stripe - Years 5 & 6 ONLY |
| Polar Fleece Vest | Navy Blue |
| Knitted | Navy Blue |
| Scarf | Navy Blue |
| Hat | Vermont Primary Legionnaires or Vermont Primary Bucket Hat |
| Sunglasses | Engraved with child’s surname |
| Footwear | Runners - Definitely NO SANDALS |
| Back Pack | Navy Blue with Logo |
Selected uniform items purchased through the Vermont Primary School Uniform Shop will display the School Logo.
Items of uniform purchased from outlets other than the Vermont Primary School Uniform Shop must be of a similar colour, style and fabric to those available from the Uniform Shop.
Other Requirements
Art Smock
Chair Bag
Library Bag
Box of Tissues
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