For all students to meet the curriculum requirements and to build the skills for success later in life, the attendance goal is 95%. Unfortunately for many students, they have already fallen well below this threshold. Being a Year 7 to 9 school in 2022, all of our students are of compulsory schooling age. We understand that when a child is sick and in particluar COVID positive that attendance at school is not required. Please ensure the school is notified of these situations.

Students with either a continued unexplained absence or a regular pattern of absence may find themselves and their families in the Enforcement of Attendance process.This process is a legal one and is a process we are required to step through when students are not attending school on a regular basis.

When considering attendance, it’s not only every day that counts, but also every lesson. By arriving late or leaving early for appointments, a student’s attendance will be quickly impacted. In the coming weeks there may be part-day events that are scheduled for some or all cohorts, such as NAPLAN or excursions, and your students may say, “But it’s NAPLAN today, we aren’t even doing class”, or "Most of the class is on excursion so there is nothing happening during lessons...". I want to confirm that this is inaccurate. Even on NAPLAN days, the majority of lessons will be regular classes and it remains a regular school day, with our regular attendance expectations and the usual follow-up processes for part- or whole-day absences.

If you have concerns with your student’s attendance, please make contact with your Head of Year.

            Year 7 – Ms Collette Wilson – cwils138@eq.edu.au

            Year 8 – Mr Bryce Berrell – bdber0@eq.edu.au

            Year 9 – Ms Holly Arndt – hfbra0@eq.edu.au

It is timely to remind our community that there are many items which are prohibited at Foxwell State Secondary College. When the Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students was developed and endorsed in 2019 for our new College use in 2020, the focus on identifying prohibited items were those things which a child could not bring to school because they have potential to cause harm or have potential to self and other, either physically or emotionally or to interrupt the teaching and learning process or the good order and management of the school. The 2022-2023 Student Code of Conduct is very clear.

We have seen an increasing number of prohibited items start to appear and consequences are being applied as per our Student Code of Conduct for those students who bring to school prohibited items.

In order to ensure that out College remains a safe environment for all members of our community a reminder, the following items are explicitly prohibited at Foxwell State Secondary College consequences will be applied in addition to the items being removed if found in a student’s possession:

• e-cigarettes, pod vapes, vape pens, box mods and vaporisers
• illegal items or weapons (e.g., guns, knives*, throwing stars, brass knuckles, chains)
• guns or weapons – real or look alike [replicas]
• knives – real or look alike. No knives of any type are allowed at school, including flick knives, ballistic knives, sheath knives, push daggers, trench knives, butterfly knives, star knives, butter knives, fruit knives or craft knives, or any item that can be used as a weapon, for example a chisel. Knives needed for school activities will be provided by the school, and the use of them will be supervised by school staff. In circumstances where students are required to have their own knives or sharp tools for particular subjects or vocational courses, the school will provide information about the procedures for carrying and storing these items at school.
• water pistols and water bombs
• potentially dangerous items (e.g. blades, rope)
• illegal substances or paraphernalia related to drugs**
• other legal substances but restricted to 18+ such as alcohol and tobacco
• matches, lighters
• aerosol deodorants or cans (including spray paint)
• explosives (e.g. fireworks, flares, sparklers)
• flammable solids or liquids (e.g. fire starters, mothballs, lighters)
• poisons (e.g. weed killer, insecticides)
• inappropriate or offensive material (e.g. racist literature, pornography, extremist propaganda).

Use and Possession of Combustibles

The most common prohibited items being brought on site are aerosol [spray] deodorants and hair spray. Although these are readily available and widely used, we ask that you ensure your child does not bring them to school. Aerosols have potential to cause asthma attacks and other respiratory problems if used in confined spaces or around students or staff with respiratory problems. In addition these can be, worst case scenario, used for chroming.

Chroming is a form of volatile substance abuse involving the inhalation of solvents such as deodorants or other household chemicals to get high. Health professionals have long been concerned about the practice because it can lead to permanent brain damage worse still to death. There were incidents reported in Queensland last year

For more information about the dangers of chroming, otherwise known as ‘rexing’ see link.

https://adis.health.qld.gov.au/drug-profile/inhalants

In addition, aerosol cans are considered combustibles and when paired with other prohibited items such as lighters have potential to cause property and personal damage.

Any item brought on site which has potential to cause bodily harm or property damage are prohibited. This includes but is not limited to lighters, matches, firecracker, petrol, lighter fluid and aerosols. Consequences for such offences – use/possession of combustibles may include exclusion and/or Queensland Police Service involvement.  Refer to Foxwell SSC Student Code of Conduct p37.

Use and Possession of Weapons

Knives and guns, real or lookalike and other items capable of causing bodily harm are considered weapons [from an education viewpoint] with the potential to cause harm either physically or emotionally. Consequences for use and possession of weapons may include exclusion and/or Queensland Police Service notification. Refer to Foxwell SSC Student Code of Conduct p37.

Substance Misconduct involving Tobacco and other Legal Substances

Possession of items such as cigarettes, lighters, tobacco, alcohol, vaping devices of any kind, cigarette papers are strictly prohibited and consequences may be applied including Saturday detentions and/or suspensions and for repeat offenders, possible exclusion.

It is considered more serious to supply prohibited or illegal items such as cigarettes, lighters, tobacco, alcohol, vaping devices of any kind, cigarette papers to other than to be in possession and the consequences applied will be in line with this greater severity of the nature of the offence.

Substance Misconduct involving Illegal Substances

Substance possession of or use of illegal drugs/substances/imitations or implements such as, but not limited to cones, cutters, bongs, pipes, papers, lighters, matches, needles and syringes are strictly prohibited. In Queensland marijuana is illegal and will be treated as such if students are found in possession. Students found in possession of one or more of these items may be excluded and/or Queensland Police notified. Students who are in the company of students with these items will also be issed with serious consequences.

It is considered more serious to supply illegal substances items to other than to be in possession and the consequences applied will be in line with this greater severity of the nature of the offence. Students found supplying illegal substances or items may be excluded and/or Queensland Police notified.

Prohibited item confiscation

If a student brings a prohibited item to school, it may be removed from the student to promote the caring, safe and supportive learning environment of the school. Refer to Foxwell SSC Student Code of Conduct p40

We thank you in advance for your support in keeping our community safe.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact a member of the College’s Executive Leadership Team: Year 7 – Dianne Russell, Year 8 – Zana Schroeder, Year 9 – Dianne Nicolas.

As you may be aware, Queensland Health have updated the requirements for anyone who is deemed a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Please note, when determining whether someone is a close contact, schools and early childhood services are not considered a household, or household-like accommodation or care facility.

New requirements for close contacts

From 6pm on Thursday 28 April 2022, close contacts who do not have COVID-19 symptoms no longer need to quarantine.

Students who are close contacts must notify their school that they are a close contact.

For 7 days after becoming a close contact, students over the age of 12 must wear a face mask while outside of their home, including at school, and when outdoors if unable to physically distance. Queensland Health also recommends that children under the age of 12 wear a face mask when it is safe to do so.

It is recommended that students undertake a rapid antigen test (RAT) on the first day they leave home, and every second day (e.g. days 2, 4, and 6) until they are no longer a close contact.

Close contacts who develop COVID-19 symptoms must not attend school and should isolate until their symptoms resolve.

Rapid antigen tests (RATs)

Schools are not providing RATs to staff or students who are close contacts. You will need to source and administer your own tests. However, our school is continuing to provide RATs to staff and students who develop COVID-19 symptoms while at school.

If you or your child tests positive to COVID-19

Queensland Health requirements for people who test positive to COVID-19 remain unchanged. You must follow the Queensland Health guidelines outlined in the first steps to take if you have COVID-19.

Face masks

As a gentle reminder, masks continue to be required in certain settings for anyone aged 12 years or older, such as when travelling on public transport. They are also recommended whenever you can't physically distance.

Anyone who chooses to wear a mask at school will be supported to do so.

We will continue to keep you informed of any changes to our response to COVID-19.

The safety of our students as they travel to and from school is something we, as a school and community, consider a paramount concern. It is important then that students and families note the following points:

1) parents and carers are responsible for the safety of their children as they travel between home and school. To this end, it is vital that parents are aware as to the whereabouts of their child from when they leave home to when they enter our front gates, and that students and their families are conscious of their conduct at this time. It has become apparent that some of our students are engaging in the following behaviours:

a) leaving the College grounds after being dropped off by their parents and going to Woolworths, Starbucks, Coles and other local stores. Please be aware that our local store operators have agreed to stop service to students from 8.30am;

b) students not walking/riding directly to school from home, rather going via one of the stores without their parent's or carer's knowledge;

c) students not exercising due care on the roads. Motorists have reported students running across the road between cars, not using crossings, not wearing helmets, bouncing balls, performing wheelies and generally being irresponsible. It does not take much for a child to be injured due to these unsafe behaviours;

4) students getting off the bus at Westfield and then missing the next bus to school due to visiting stores or socialising at the shopping centre. This has meant then having to walk to school and arriving up to an hour late for classes;

5) unsafe behaviour while waiting for a bus, such as pushing and shoving each other onto the road, not lining up to enter the bus in an orderly manner and engaging in play fighting;

As a community, it is encumbant upon us to set the standard for behaviours in and around college grounds and do all that we can to guarantee the safety of our young people. Please speak with your child about their plan for their safe travel to and from school and what they are doing to ensure they arrive to school, on time, safely and with your knowledge of their whereabouts at all times. The last thing we want is to have to make a phone call about a student who has been injured or gone missing while their family believes they have travelled and arrived safely to school.