02 NOV 2022 Student Wellbeing

Class Lists 2023

Planning for 2023 Year 7-10 class groups is already underway and there has been a great deal of time and care dedicated to constructing class groups that allow students the best opportunities to learn, the chance to form relationships with new teachers and peers, and the opportunity to feel safe and valued.

Constructing balanced, effective classes is a complex task and students are placed in a particular group for a myriad of reasons. As such, it is important to make sure families are aware that we cannot take requests for students to be placed with particular friends or receive requests to change class lists after they are finalized.

By this stage in the year, you can feel very confident that the Year Level Leaders and teachers know your child well and will make informed and considered recommendations about where they should be placed. If there are particular concerns you think your child’s Year Level Leader may not be aware of, I would encourage parents to contact the Coordinator as soon as possible to ensure they have all the information they need prior to the groups being finalized.

For some students, the prospect of moving from their 2022 class group to a new situation in 2023 may be exciting, while for others they may feel apprehensive or anxious about the change. Even for adults, change can seem daunting at times. However, sadness, disappointment, apprehension and grief are all important experiences in children’s development and learning that they can cope with adverse circumstances is an essential step for them to build resilience and confidence in their capacity to cope. As a parent, it can be painful to watch your child experience stress or unhappiness, and a common response is to try to change the circumstances that are causing them discomfort. Research shows that this is counter-productive; by removing the obstacle we risk robbing our children of essential learning opportunities to develop resilience and, worse still, we risk confirming their own self-doubts by showing that we don’t have faith in their ability to cope. Rather than trying to remove the challenge or obstacle that causes them distress, we often need to hold back, to listen to them, spend time as a sounding board to explore the strategies they can use to tackle the challenge, and to be the charismatic adult voice reassuring them that they have the capacity and strength to surmount the difficulty.

Uniform - Preparing for 2023

A well-presented uniform says that we respect ourselves and that we’re proud of our Kolbe Catholic College community. As families look to replace uniform items during the next few weeks or over the Christmas break, the following reminders may assist in clarifying our uniform expectations:

Shaving

At the beginning of 2023, all existing shaving exemptions will need to be renewed.

Students who are unable to shave for dermatological reasons must provide an up-to-date medical certificate in order to apply for an exemption. Only medical certificates from dermatologists are valid evidence for an exemption. General Practioner (GP) medical certificates are only valid for one fortnight.

The process to apply for a shaving exemption:

1. Make an appointment with a GP to get a referral to a dermatologist. You might need to wait many weeks to get a dermatologist appointment, so you need to start organising your dermatologist appointment now.
2. Present the dermatologist certificate to your Director of Students who will confirm in writing if an exemption has been granted. It will be recorded on Seqta.

Students exempt from shaving will be expected to keep their facial hair trimmed as closely as possible during this time.

Black leather school shoes

School shoes are black leather, lace-up shoes. Some shoe companies are marketing their black runners as school shoes. These do not comply with the uniform policy. New black leather shoes will need to be sourced prior to the beginning of the 2023 school year.

Black long sleeve tops

Black long-sleeve tops are not part of the school uniforms and thus shouldn’t be worn, either on top of or underneath the uniform.

HPE uniform

If students are wearing the College rugby top as part of their HPE uniform, the House Polo Top must be worn underneath.

College hat/cap, being sun-smart

The cap is to be worn for PE, sport sessions, SACCSS events and training and other activities at recess and lunchtime. In Terms 1 and 4, it is expected that the College Cap/ College Hat be worn to and from school. Remember to wear sunblock.

Addition to girls’ Summer uniform

From January 2023, a short sleeve shirt and shorts option has been added to the uniform options available for female students.

Hair

For health and safety reasons hair must be tied back, off the collar (e.g. ponytails, plaits or braids) and “off the face”. Hair must be natural in colour and style and kept clean. Unusual hairstyles, as determined by the College, that are not in keeping with the wearing of school uniform is unacceptable.

Make-up, false eyelashes, false nails

These items are not permitted.

Students may be issued with consequences for breaches of the Uniform Policy. Please note that whenever students are in uniform they must wear it fully, neatly and correctly; as such, students may be issued with consequences for uniform breaches that occur off campus and/or outside of school hours.

If you’re looking for more information about the uniform, please check the College website: https://www.kolbecc.catholic.edu.au/enrolment/uniform