Deputy Principal - Students, Ms Gabby Smith
Sleep
Sleep is important for physical health, energy levels, recovering from injuries and illnesses, psychological wellbeing, mood, concentration, memory, school performance, and getting along with others. We don’t really pay attention to our sleep, until we start having problems with it. People need different amounts of sleep; however, most teenagers should aim for 8-10 hours of sleep each night.
Teenagers often juggle their need for sleep with other activities such as homework, spending time with friends, and sport and extra-curricular activities. They also have naturally later sleep cycles, which means they get sleepy later in the evening compared to adults, but early school starts don’t allow them to sleep in the mornings. It can be tricky, and many teenagers don’t get enough sleep, but there are small changes that can be made to get better sleep.
I encourage you to read the below resources from the Black Dog Institute to support your son over the holiday period to get into some solid sleep routines as he commences Term 4.
Click here to view the Sleep Ninja App
Click here to view the Sleep Resource for Teens
ICT Update – Reminder
A reminder of our ICT update that will commence Term 4:
The Junior School policy will not change, this being:
- Mobile phones and smart watches are not permitted for use on College grounds between 8:15am – 3pm. They need to be turned off and handed to the class teacher at the beginning of the day.
- Mobile phones and smart watches are brought to the College at the owner’s own risk. No liability will be accepted by the College in the event of loss, theft or damage of the phone.
- If a parent/carer does need to contact their son, they should do so by calling the front office on 02 9387 5022.
- If a student has a mobile phone or smart watch on school grounds between the hours of 8:15am – 3pm, they will receive a one-hour lunchtime detention in the first instance and an afternoon detention in the second instance. In a third instance they will be suspended from school, and a meeting with the Director of the Junior School will take place upon their return.
Years 7 – 12 Updated Procedures
- Mobile phones and headphones are not permitted for use on College grounds between 8:15am – 3:15pm. They need to be turned off and placed in the student’s locker within these times.
- Smart Watches are permitted to be worn, but should be switched to aeroplane mode and are not to be used for communication purposes.
- Laptops are not permitted for use in the playground or outdoor spaces between 8:15am – 3:15pm. Students may use their laptop within the Library for College use only (homework or assessments).
- Students are NOT permitted to access social media, games, texts, phone calls, cameras or applications.
- Headphones may be used for teaching and learning purposes at the discretion of the classroom teacher.
- Mobile phones and Smart Watches are brought to the College at the owner’s own risk. No liability will be accepted by the College in the event of loss, theft or damage of these items.
- If a student has exceptional circumstances that require the use of their mobile phone during College hours (such as issues relating to health or family), the Head of House should be informed and requests for exceptions made.
- If a student needs to contact home they must go to the Wellbeing Centre.
- If a parent/carer does need to contact their son, they should do so by calling the front office on 02 9369 0600.
- If a student has a mobile phone or is using headphones on school grounds between the hours of 8:15am – 3:15pm, they will receive a one-hour detention in the first instance, and a three-hour detention in the second instance. In a third instance they will be suspended from school, and a meeting with the Deputy Principal (Students) will take place upon their return.
Please click here to view our updated Responsible Use of Technology Policy.
A hard copy of this policy will be located in the 2024 College diary.
I wish you all a safe and happy holiday period.
Ms Gabby Smith
Deputy Principal – Students
gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
