Red Cliffs Secondary College Resilient, Compassionate, Successful Citizens INFORMATION BOOKLET FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS Tel: 03 5024 1522 Email: [email protected] Fitzroy Avenue, Red Cliffs, Vic, 3496. Website: www.red-cliffs-sc.vic.edu.au WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL Dear Parents/Guardians of prospective students, Welcome to the Red Cliffs Secondary College community, and thank you for considering our school for your child’s secondary education. I am looking forward to getting to know your children and to working with them and with you to provide the best possible educational outcomes. We are very proud of our school, the achievements of our students and the high standards that we endeavour to maintain. I have four expectations of all students’, to always put in maximum effort in all that they do, to strive to be the best they can, to respect themselves, their peers, teachers and property, and to make the most of opportunities. We have an experienced and dedicated staff of teachers and support staff who will provide wonderful opportunities for your child. A broad and rich year 7 -12 curriculum that ensures students are well prepared for their future aspirations as lifelong learners. We have a strong focus on quality teaching and authentic and personal learning which is led by our leadership team. Student wellbeing is equally important to us as academic achievement. We are keen to develop the whole child, both academically and socially. Our wellbeing team is there for students who are having social, emotional or health support, or simply need someone to talk to. The wellbeing team runs various programs throughout the year to ensure students are emotionally and physically healthy. We have a strong commitment to support all students and provide guidance and support through numerous key staff including the Home Group teacher, Sub School Leader and Year Level Coordinator. Working together with families and students, our teachers, education support staff and Assistant Principals are 100% committed to ensuring that your child has a positive secondary school life experience. There are four words that appear on all of our school’s paperwork; Resilient, Compassionate, Successful Citizens. This is what we as a staff are committed to help shape and develop in your child – a person who is able to bounce back when things don’t go quite to plan, someone who is caring and considerate of others, someone who is able to realise their hopes and aspirations and someone who will be a positive member of their community, wherever that may be. As Principal of Red Cliffs Secondary College, this is what I am committed to provide. Yours sincerely, Mr. David Browne Principal RED CLIFFS SECONDARY COLLEGE 1 Table of CONTENTS Welcome from the Principal 1 Table of Contents 2 School Values 3 Quick Reference Guide 4-7 BRAVE Program 8 Curriculum 9 Year 7 / 8 Curriculum 9 Year 9 Curriculum 10 Year 10 Curriculum 11 Year 11 / 12 Curriculum 12 Facilities 13 Events and Activities 14 Leadership Opportunities 15 Parent Communications 16 COMPASS 17 Instrumental Music 18 Performing Arts 19 Sport 20 Scholarships 21 College Uniform 22 Canteen Menu 23 BYOD 24 Bus Information 25 Testimonials 26 The Next Steps 27 Notes 28 RED CLIFFS SECONDARY COLLEGE 2 SCHOOL VALUES Resilience, Compassion, Success and Citizenship Our values of Resilience, Compassion, Success and Citizenship are both promoted and acknowledged within all aspects of our school community. Students displaying our values and growth in our values, are rewarded through a Values Recognition Program from Bronze to Silver to Gold Awards. Behaviour support processes are based around our values and include a structured program BRAVE built into the timetable that specifically addresses development of these school values. RESILIENCE • We encourage all students to stretch out of their comfort zone and try new skills and activities. These high expectations foster the development of capacity to get back up and try again or try a different way. • We encourage all students to complete all projects, subjects, activities that they begin and use encouraging strength based conversations to support them. • We support students to work through any social or emotional concern to look for positive outcomes and not shy away. • We have an experienced and dedicated wellbeing team and wellbeing centre that provides strategies on resilience including whole class development through the BRAVE Program. COMPASSION • We develop the understanding of diversity in students’ needs, situations, motivations, culture and identity through the BRAVE program, Respectful Relationships and in our communication with students every day. • We understand that sometimes students cannot come to school in the correct uniform so we have near new clean uniform items for students to borrow when needed. • We model compassion through our relationships with and response to students. SUCCESS • We offer a variety of choice in the curriculum that allows every child to develop their strengths and achieve great outcomes in all choices. • We have success criteria for every lesson / outcome that students are addressing so that they know exactly what they need to achieve for success. • We have a very high portion of students engaging in post-secondary school education, employment and training. • We provide personal tutoring before school every day in the Library. This is open to any student, any year level and any subject. CITIZENSHIP • We actively encourage all students to have an awareness and understanding of the demands and concerns of each year level and promote role modelling by seniors for juniors. • We have many leadership development programs offered for all ages. • We want students to feel as though they belong to our community so support students who do not have the required equipment or uniform. RED CLIFFS SECONDARY COLLEGE 3 QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE Appointments Parents are requested, where possible, to arrange student appointments and commitments outside college hours. If necessary, procedures for Early Leavers must be followed. We appreciate that unexpected circumstances arise, however, where possible notice in advance would be appreciated before collecting the student from school. Behaviour Support It is an expectation that all students behave in a safe and friendly manner, showing all of our core values towards others and their property. All teachers work closely with their classes to ensure maximum learning time. Initially, behaviour support is given within the classroom. We have a buddy system whereby a student struggling to show our core values, may be asked to sit in another class for a while. When more support is required for a student both in the classroom and in the playground, their Year Level Coordinator will step in to provide intervention strategies including parent involvement if more support is required. Bell Times Locker Bell 8.53 Start Form Assembly 9.00 Start Period One 9.05 Start Period Two 9.52 Start Recess 10.39 End of Recess / Locker Bell 10.59 Start Period Three 11.05 Start Period Four 11.52 Start Lunch 12.39 End of Lunch / Locker Bell 1.24 Start DEAR 1.30 Start Period Five 1.46 Start Period Six 2.33 End of Day 3.20 Bus Travel Students with older siblings will have the advantage of knowing which bus to catch and where. Students new to the school who need to travel by bus and are unsure of what to do should contact Student Reception. For questions regarding the public bus service, please contact Buslink or see page 25. BYOD Program Please refer to page 24. Contact Details It is very important that these are accurate in case of emergencies etc. Parents need to let us know as soon as possible if any details change, or you can do so via Compass. Communication with Parents • Compass – Parent portal • Newsletters – emailed or posted fortnightly • Mid semester reports and Interim reports (four per semester) • College Facebook page • End of semester reports • Parent Teacher Interviews (terms 1 – 3) • Phone to make an appointment at any time you feel there is a need RED CLIFFS SECONDARY COLLEGE 4 Conveyance Allowance Information Families may be eligible to claim assistance with travel expenses if the student lives at least 4.8 km from the school and they are attending their closest school. Claim forms are available for free bus travel or for the private car allowance and may be obtained from the school. D.E.A.R. Drop Everything And Read. For the first twenty minutes after lunch students are required to take a novel into their class to read. This program has been running successfully in our school for a number of years now. It is one strategy being used to help improve literacy. Students should ensure they have a book or other reading material at school for this purpose. Diaries or Study Planners A school study planner / diary is included in the booklist for all students at years 7, 8 and 9. They are encouraged to use the diary to record work due and plan for class work. Inside, the diary has a wealth of information about the school including our policies and contact phone numbers. The study planner / diary is for school related information. Parents and teachers should be able to pick up, read or write in any student’s study planner at any time. Drop Off & Pick Up All students are to be dropped off and picked up at the front of the school. There is no entry past the car park unless a parent/guardian is picking up a child who is ill or injured. The school bus shelter is for buses only and is not to be used by parents as a drop off/pick up point. Enrolments For year 7 students who transfer directly to our school at the end of grade six the enrolment process is completed by the Junior School Leader.