General Information
Term Dates
To view Term Dates, please click on the following link: https://www.education.tas.gov.au/about-us/term-dates/
Attendance Policy & Procedures
The Education Act provides every child and young person in Tasmania with the opportunity to continue to learn and reach their full potential, so they can live fulfilling lives and contribute positively to our community.
Did you know?
- Regular school attendance will help your child to gain the skills and knowledge needed for success both now and later in life.
- Attending school every day helps your child to make steady progress with their learning. Your child will also be able to establish firm friendships by participating with others in enjoyable activities.
Parent Fact Sheets can be accessed by clicking on the following link: https://www.education.tas.gov.au/parents-carers/parent-fact-sheets/
Regular school attendance
Did you know? Research shows that higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement.
Why is regular attendance at school important?
Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life. Your child will achieve better when they go to school all day, every school day.
• they learn better
• they make friends
• they are happier
• they have a brighter future.
Why must I send my child to school?
You must make sure your child of school age is enrolled and attends school all day, every school day unless they have an acceptable reason. Illness, doing work experience or competing in a school sporting event are acceptable reasons for being absent from school. Principals decide if the reason given for your child’s absence is acceptable.
Avoid keeping your child away from school for:
Birthdays, shopping, visiting family and friends, if they sleep in, looking after other children, minor check ups or care such as hair cuts.
Routine medical or other health appointments should be made either before or after school or during the school holidays.
What should I do if our family is going on a holiday in school time?
You are encouraged not to schedule holidays during school time. If your family holiday is during school time, let the school know in advance and talk about what arrangements can be made for your child. Depending on the circumstances the school may be able to provide tasks for your child to complete while they are absent or assist you to organise an exemption from schooling.
Do I need to let the school know if my child has been away from school?
Yes, you must let the school know the reason why your child has been absent from school within two school days of their return. If possible, advise the school beforehand.
Are you having problems getting your child to school for some of these reasons?
• won’t get out of bed in the morning
• won’t go to bed at night
• can’t find their uniform, books, school bag …
• slow to eat breakfast
• haven’t done their homework
• watching TV
• have a test or presentation to do, have an assignment to hand in
• it’s their birthday.
If so, a set routine can help
- Have a set time to go to bed
- have a set time to get out of bed
- have uniform and school bag ready the night before
- have a set time for starting and finishing breakfast
- set a time for daily homework activities
- speak about school positively
- be firm, send your child to school every school day including their birthday and the last day of term.
What should I do if my child won't go to school?
You should contact the school as soon as possible for advice and support. Our social worker, Tania Page, is available on Mondays and Tuesdays, otherwise our Assistant Principal, Stephen Blizzard is also contactable.
Your child misses: |
That equals: |
Said another way: |
Over 13 years of school: |
Or said another way: |
1 day a fortnight |
20 days a year |
4 weeks a year |
1.5 years |
Equal to finishing in Grade 11 |
1 day a week |
40 days a year |
8 weeks a year |
Over 2.5 years |
Equal to finishing in Grade 10 |
2 days a week |
80 days a year |
16 weeks a year |
Over 5 years |
Equal to finishing Grade 7 |
School Hours
Block 1 | 8.50am - 10.05am (music at 8.47am) |
Recess | 10.05am - 10.25am (music at 10.22am) |
Block 2 | 10.25am - 11.40pm |
Recess 2 | 11.40pm - 12.00pm (music at 11.57pm) |
Block 3 | 12.00pm - 1.15pm |
Lunch | 1.15pm - 1.45pm |
Block 4 | 1.45pm - 3.00pm |
When is there supervision at school?
Staff will be on duty from 8.35am each morning. You should not be on the grounds before this time. When dismissed from classes at 3.00pm you need to leave the school grounds via Lansdowne Place unless catching a bus, in which case you need to wait in your bus line. Duty teachers will be in the bus line area.
Administration
The School Office is open from 8.00am until 4.00pm. Parents are welcome to contact the office or call in anytime during office hours. The uniform shop is included in the office administration area and is also available from 8.00am - 4.00pm.
Communication
Effective communication between our school and the student’s parent/carer is important in achieving successful education outcomes for each student.
As part of this communication process there are responsibilities for both our school and families.
- Our school is required to inform parents of all matters related to school policy and organisation. The School Association provides the forum for parents to have input and to approve policy changes. Some of this information is contained on our website, and also in our Newsletter along with notices issued from our school, as appropriate.
- Parent/carers are required to inform our school of the duration and cause of any student absence or lateness. The Administration Office is available from 8:00am – 4:00pm for assistance and messages can also be left on the School’s Phone Answering Service. Parent/carers are also required to inform our school of any medical condition or medication of their child which may affect the student’s safety, behaviour or performance. If a student needs regular medication, a medical form (available from the office) must be completed.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MODES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION:
- Deloraine High School uses the App "School Stream", Facebook and notes taken home by students to communicate with parents on a diverse number of topics. The School Stream Appl can be downloaded from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Play Store (Android), search for School Stream and download the app to your phone. Please click on the following link for further details: Download School Stream App Information
- Class Teacher: Every student is a member of a grade class teacher. The teacher in charge of that class group, is the parent’s/carer’s first point of contact with our school and can be contacted through our school office or via email.
- Other members of staff: Admin Staff, Subject Teachers, Grade Leaders, ASTs on the Grade, School Nurse, School Chaplain, School Psychologist, Social Worker, Assistant Principal, or the Principal may be contacted by phone, letter or email depending on the nature of the concern or the information required.
- Contact by teachers: Where there is a matter of concern, teachers may contact home by phone, email or letter. The purpose of such contact is to inform parent/carers of matters concerning their child’s progress and welfare and to seek parental support in resolving issues and helping the child.
- Messages for students: Messages to students will be passed on as soon as possible. We ask that appointments and other family arrangements be made with students prior to leaving for school.
Parent/Carer Involvement
We would like parents/carers to be involved in our school as much as possible. Some ways parents can be involved are outlined below. If you would like to be involved in any way, please contact the school office. Please be aware that parents/carers will be required to hold a Working with Vulnerable People Card prior to commencing volunteering. An application online can be made at Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Application
School Association
Our School Association is made up of elected members from our parents/carers, the Deloraine community, staff and students. Our Association meets every month and approves all school policies, the annual school plan and budget.
Canteen Volunteer
We value this contribution - our canteen cannot operate without volunteer support. Please call the school office on 63628900 to volunteer or for further information.
Sport
Opportunities exist in various sporting areas for parents/carers to contribute to coaching or to assist at any of our three carnivals.
Sun Smart School
Deloraine High is a Sun Smart School and endeavours to promote sun protection measures during the daily sun protection times and implement the policy during peak UV periods. Hats are available at the school office to purchase.
Library
We live in a time of rapid innovation and change where each and every day students and teachers discover new ways to use technology to collaborate, teach, and learn. Our School library is at the heart of these changes by promoting and facilitating the learning of core 21st-century skills.
Our Library contains extensive non-fiction, fiction and reference collections that have been selected both to support the curriculum and to promote reading enjoyment.
Our library uses a fully automated TALIS circulation system. This allows students to search for resources using on-line catalogues which link to both the Deloraine High School Library and the State Library system.
Computers are available for students who wish to access information using the Internet. There are also word processing, printing, scanning and editing facilities.