General Information about Chapel Hill State School for all.

 Arrival at School 

It is recommended that children who arrive at school before 8.15 am should go to Before School Care. There is no formal playground supervision before school. No play on the oval is allowed.

Assemblies

Our assembly is held each Monday morning from about 8.55 in the School Assembly Hall. It is designed for pupils, teachers and parents/caregivers. The assemblies feature achievements of students, information of a general nature about each year level and general notices.

Banking

Banking with the Commonwealth Bank accounts can be operated through the school on Thursdays. 

Book Club

The school utilises the Ashton Scholastic Book club organization. The brochures are forwarded home and if an order is to be placed, the order with the appropriate money is to be placed in an envelope and taken to the Library.

Book list

Year level book lists are issued to all year levels from Year 3 to Year 7. Year 1 and Year 2 students lists are based on a user pay system and an appropriate levy is applied.

Care of Property

It is recommended that all personal belongings are named. The lost property area is to be found in the foyer of the office. It is suggested that valuable items and toys are not bought to school.

Classroom Helpers

The school encourages parents to be part of the classroom program and parents are used in all year levels for a variety of activities from Maths, reading, art, etc..

Collection of students / Parking

Parents may enter the school grounds off Ironbark Road to collect their child/children. However, it is asked that parents do not park in the turning circle and use the parking bays provided. The turning circle is a STOP DROP GO area.

Dental Services

Free dental treatment is available to all students. Participation is voluntary. The dental van visits the school annually.

Hats

HAT GUIDELINES FOR CHSS

The caps that the majority of students who wear on weekends, are not acceptable headwear. With the increasing knowledge around sun protection, the school asks that a hat that covers the back of the neck and the ears be worn.

All students are expected to wear a hat with a brim.  Students can wear their own brimmed hat or bucket hats that they might have at home instead of parents having to purchase new hats.

Remember : HATS not CAPS.

Head lice

To address this challenge, the school asks parents to check your child's hair carefully and regularly and notify the school if treatment is required.

Homework

This is essential as a consolidation exercise for lessons that have been taught at school. It also gives children the opportunity of developing good individual work and study habits. Parents can be great support to their children and the class teacher by taking an interest in homework assignments. Reading is a must!!!

Illness

Pupils who are not well should not be sent to school. Please contact the office if your child is not coming to school. Parents will be contacted in order that their child can be taken home if they fall ill during the course of the school day.

Newsletter

The Chapel Hill School Newsletter is forwarded home to the youngest in each family each and every Tuesday. A current copy of the Newsletter is attached to this web site.

Photographs

School photos take place in the beginning of Term 4. Individual photos are not generally taken on this day. Group and sporting and cultural photos are taken.

Religious Education

Ministers of Religion or their representatives visit the school on Friday from 11.45 to 12.45. Children attend in year level groups. Children not attending religious education lessons will be supervised by the teacher in their room or in the library.

Reporting

At the end of Term 2 and Term 4, a written report of each child's progress is made and forwarded home to parents. In June, an opportunity is made to have a formal interview with your child's teacher is made.

Interviews can be made with a classroom teacher at any time. To do this please contact your child's teacher to make an appropriate and convenient time.

Sporting Houses

Patterson, Russell and Breddin are the three houses for sporting activities. Children are allocated to a particular house upon their enrolment and remain in this house for their time at Chapel Hill School. Children from the same family will be allocated into the same sporting house.

House Colours

Patterson- gold

Russell - Navy Blue

Breddin - Green

Telephone Calls

Please try to avoid telephone calls to teachers or pupils during teaching periods, as delivered messages can only be used. Telephone calls from students are for emergency purposes only and they are  expected to pay for any calls. 

Uniforms

The wearing of uniforms in Queensland State Primary Schools is not compulsory, however the wearing of uniforms at Chapel Hill School is recommended and strongly encouraged. The school is a uniform school

Bullying

As part of our Behaviour Management Policy, we include specific details regarding the school’s approach to Bullying.

Anti Bullying Policy

Chapel Hill State School is committed to providing a safe and caring environment, which fosters respect for others.  This school will not tolerate bullying. We are committed to helping both the victim and the bully to arrive at permanent solutions.

OUR DEFINITION OF BULLYING.

Bullying is defined as any act that causes hurt or fear in another person who is less powerful – either physically of psychologically. 

Bullying can take many forms.  We consider the following behaviours to be bullying:

PHYSICAL

·                    Hitting, kicking or punching

·                    Pushing, shoving or spitting

·                    Poking, blocking or tripping

·                    Unwanted touching

·                    Making rude gestures

·                    Taking or damaging something which belongs to someone else

·                    Forcing others to hand over food, money or something which belongs to them

·                    Making someone do something they don’t want to

VERBAL

·                    Name calling

·                    Teasing

·                    Bossing

·                    Threatening

·                    Making fun of someone because of their appearance, physical characteristics or cultural background

·                    Making fun of someone’s actions

·                    Circulating inappropriate notes and/or drawings.

·                    Sending inappropriate emails

INDIRECT

·                    Excluding others from the game or group

·                    Spreading rumours about others

 RESPONSIBILITIES

Staff:

  Will always model caring and tolerant behaviour towards students, parents and other staff members.

  Will deal with all observed or reported incidences of bullying as set out in this policy under” Responding to a Bullying Incident.”

  Will teach the students strategies for dealing with a bullying incident.

  Will carefully monitor student behaviour in class and on the playground and discourage all bullying.

  Will protect the victim from further harm.

  Will assist the bully to change his/her behaviour

  Will keep a record of bullying behaviour

Students:

  Will” tell” if they are being bullied or if they see someone else being bullied.

  Will help someone who is being bullied.

  Will do everything they can to keep the play safe and happy.

  Will use the strategies they have been taught to deal with a bullying incident

Parents :

 Will instruct their children to” tell” if they are bullied.

 Will watch for signs of bullying.

 Will speak to someone on staff if their child is being bullied or they suspect bullying and NOT approach the child suspected of bullying themselves.

 Will work with the school in seeking a permanent solution.

 Will model caring and tolerant behaviour when interacting with students, staff or other parents.

 Will promote strategies that enable their child to feel empowered and confident if they have to deal with a bullying incident

STRATEGIES WE WILL USE :

Talk openly about bullying because secrecy fuels bullying behaviour.

School songs about friendship e.g. Circle of Friends

 When you meet a bully ……Walk, Talk, Squawk

Assertiveness training: There are three ways to communicate; PASSIVELY  ASSERTIVELY  AGGRESSIVELY

Label assertive talk as BRAVE TALK accompanied by Brave Body Language and Brave Thinking

Talk up the role of the bystanders/onlooker as a powerful anti-bullying group.

Teach that the word DOBBING was invented by bullies.

Get children to identify their personal support group 

Help the bully . Encourage the students to understand that a bully tries to make

out that the victim has a problem BUT the bully is the one with the problem. e.g. He/She does not accept difference, Wants to control other people, Has not developed emotional intelligence.

Help the victim.  Encourage all children to act assertively and talk up the need for strong self-esteem and positive self-talk.

Talk up inclusiveness as a key goal at Chapel Hill.

Conduct regular classroom meetings to identify appropriate/bullying behaviours and to problem solve when necessary.

Target grades e.g. 3,5, &, 7,complete surveys in Term 1 annually.

Anti bullying Day in Term1; Anti- bullying Assemblies in Term1 2,3&4

Talk up “Acceptance of Difference” as a key value at Chapel Hill.

Mobile Phones

There are times when it is genuinely appropriate and beneficial for students to have access to a private mobile telephone. Students may, for example, need to contact parents in emergencies or to confirm or change a collection time after school. However, except in times of genuine emergency, mobile telephone use will be restricted at school. In most instances, the school’s phone land line would be available for most emergencies. As a result there is not a real need for students to have a mobile at school. However, if this not the case, the following Guidelines have been established. These guidelines apply to students at school, during excursions, camps and extra-curricular activities.

GUIDELINES FOR APPROPRIATE USE OF MOBILE TELEPHONES BY STUDENTS

• It is important that students display courtesy, consideration and respect for others whenever they are using a mobile telephone.
• Mobile telephones should not be used in any manner or place that is disruptive to normal school routine.
• Students should have their mobile telephone switched off and out of sight during classes.
• Students should only use their mobile telephones before or after school
• In-phone cameras are not to be used anywhere a normal camera would be considered inappropriate.
• Students should not photograph or film other individuals without their consent, or send harassing or threatening messages.
• Students should ensure that their mobile telephones are always stored in a safe and secure place.
• Mobile telephones are used at their owners’ risk and only brought to school with parent consent. The school in the event of the loss, theft or damage of any mobile telephone will accept no liability unless it can be established that the loss, theft or damage resulted from the school’s negligence.

These guidelines have been developed in accordance with Department of Education Manual CM-15: Guidelines for appropriate use of mobile telephones by students.