Senior School - Overview

In Senior School (Year 10-12) the focus moves towards creating futures beyond secondary schooling. Senior School staff foster and promote a learning environment that values and responds to the needs of older adolescents.
Year 10 students will have a general education course, but your child will also have an opportunity to select from a range of 'specialist subjects.' This will allow students to begin to focus and specialise in preparation  for Years 11 and 12.
All parents and students in Senior School receive quality information to make the important career determining course selections for Year 11 and 12. A range of information nights on selecting Year 11 and 12 subjects, University and TAFE entrance, and careers are held every year. Individual parent student interviews are also make available at any time.
Your child will be allocated an 'Advocate teacher' who is responsible for guiding your child through Year 11 and 12 studies to reach in senior schooling. Most students will continue to choose the standard 6 subject course that will lead to University or TAFE, some however will chose a mixture of TAFE, school and work.
At Govo we have developed the structures and support in Senior School to guide your child into their chosen career.

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS PROCESS IN SENIOR SCHOOL
CODE OF CONDUCT
Introduction
Governor Stirling SHS has a behaviour management plan which covers all aspects of behaviour management including the creation of a positive school environment, the rights and responsibilities of all members of the school community and a code of conduct. Govo’s Code of Conduct Process addresses issues of attendance, behaviour and educational progress for all Senior School students.
The school utilises the Code of Conduct to help Senior School students to take responsibility for their learning. Its aim is to ensure students are achieving satisfactory educational progress, which can be disrupted or negatively affected by unsatisfactory attendance, poor standards of behaviour and refusal to adhere to school policies and procedures.
Unsatisfactory educational progress may impact on a student's completion of a particular subject course. This can affect the student's academic record and lead to them not fulfilling their educational potential.
Students and their parent/s will be asked to sign an acknowledgment form indicating they have read and understood the school's process.
Procedures
All students commence the year with a positive Conduct record. This recognises that students have taken responsibility for, and are committed to their learning. A student's good conduct will be downgraded to “on probation” if acceptable standards are not demonstrated. While on probation an action plan will be negotiated with the student and their progress monitored by the student’s Advocate teacher. If the student's achievement of agreed targets is met, then the student's good standing will be reinstated.
Failure to maintain good conduct could lead to the following consequences;

  • Ineligibility for leadership roles
  • Loss of privileges
  • Excursions
  • Camps
  • Interschool Competitions
  • Extra-curricular Activities (e.g. River Cruises, Dinner Dances)
  • Internal Suspension
  • External Suspension
  • Exclusion

Attendance and Punctuality
All subject teachers are required to maintain an attendance register on students in their classes. Students are expected to attend every class in each of their subjects. When absences from school do occur, they must be explained by one of the following:
A letter, SMS or telephone call from the parents/guardians
Class teachers records all non-attendance in a class as an absence. This includes all absences for lateness, illness, excursions, camps and work experience. This is to ensure students maintain an awareness of their responsibility to their academic program and eliminates the need for teachers to determine what constitutes a legitimate absence. Time of late arrival to school and/or class will be noted.
Calculation of excessive absences does not include absences that result from approved school activities or appropriately explained illness.
Lateness

  • Students must arrive to class at appropriate start times and maintain punctuality.
  • Lateness to class will be dealt with appropriately by the teacher of the class. Students may be asked to make up the time they were late by staying back during the next break time.
  • Consistent lateness to class will result in parent contact and a negotiated consequence. Lack of improvement in this area over time will result in the issue of a Conduct probation slip

Educational Progress
The educational progress of a student is a key element of good standing. Attendance and behaviour are both factors that may influence educational progress. All students must show progress by meeting each of the assessment policies for their Learning Area. Failure to do this without an agreed negotiated alternative will result in loss of good standing.
Behaviour
The school's Behaviour Management plan is applicable to all students enrolled at Governor Stirling SHS. This means that the school's Vision, Values and Beliefs, Attendance and Punctuality, Electronic Communication Guidelines, Uniform and Dress Policy, Discipline Procedures and Consequences at School, apply to both Middle School and Senior School students. In event that a student does not fulfil the expectations of the Code of Conduct Process the following Managing Student Behaviour Policy will be followed.
If repeated applications of the above actions produce no improvement in the student’s behaviour, then the student can be referred to the Senior School Dean for action at Level 3
STAFF / PARENT COMMUNICATION
It is important that staff and parents develop partnerships regarding the education of students. At this stage of the child development this is an equal three way partnership.
Such partnerships rely upon good communication between all groups. Staff are available with reasonable notice to discuss with parents the development of their children.
Staff and parents need each other in the educative process. Parents have an intimate knowledge of their children that we cannot hope to match and we have a professional knowledge that most parents are unable to access. Communication is best conducted in an atmosphere of trust and reasonable knowledge of each other built up over time. Hence the high expectation of parents being in and around the school and building relationships with staff over time.
It is in the interests of all groups that Parents and Staff are working towards similar goals. It does not entail agreeing about all aspects of a students life but clear communication is most needed when minor disagreements occur.
OTHER COMMUNICATION
Telephone conversations can occur as required, but please remember the face to face teaching commitments of teachers, including yard duty mean that calls may not be returned the same day. E-mail correspondence can also be conducted but parents need to be sensitive to the fact that such discussions may be available to students on their home computer.
SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
A School Newsletter will be distributed regularly throughout the year. This will include up-to-date information on school matters.
WHO DO I TALK TO?
Resolution of Disputes
Parents are advised that we have in place a process to resolve disputes that may arise from time to time within the school community. It is designed to assist staff, parents, students to resolve conflict in an appropriate and satisfactory manner. The process is written with the understanding and experience that, in most cases, matters are best resolved at the local school level.
STEP 1 – Attempt to resolve the issue with the teacher involved.
STEP 2 – If no resolution refer to Senior School Coordinator.
STEP 3 – Refer to Associate Principal.
STEP 4 – If no resolution, appeal to the School Principal.
STEP 5 – If no resolution appeal to the District Office.