Policies and Procedures

Armenian Aginian School’s enrolment form can be found on the school’s website or can otherwise be obtained by contacting the school.

To withdraw a student/s from Aginian, parents must advise the school in writing and an exit feedback form will be given.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all students and members of the Armenian school community understand:

1. The importance of providing a safe and supportive learning environment for students
2. expectations for positive student behaviour
3. the support available to students and families
4. policies and procedures for responding to inappropriate student behaviour.

We understand that students reach their full potential only when they are happy, healthy and safe and that a positive school culture helps to engage students and support them in their learning. Our school acknowledges that student well-being and student learning outcomes are closely linked.

When a student acts in breach of the behaviour standards of our school community, the school will institute a staged response, consistent with the Department’s Student Engagement and Inclusion Guidelines. Where appropriate, parents will be informed about the inappropriate behaviour and the disciplinary action taken by teachers and other school staff.

Disciplinary measures may be used as part of a staged response to inappropriate behaviour in combination with other engagement and support strategies to ensure that factors that may have contributed to the student’s behaviour are identified and addressed. Disciplinary measures at our school will be applied fairly and consistently. Students will always be provided with an opportunity to be heard.

If a student behaves in an unacceptable way, the following steps will be taken:

• FIRST STEP – Warning and consequences of continued misbehaviour will be explained to the student.
• SECOND STEP – The student will be sent to another classroom with work to be completed.
• THIRD STEP – The student will be counselled by the school principal.
• FOURTH STEP – Parents will be informed and requested to attend a meeting together with the student, with the school’s principal, to try and resolve the problem.
• FIFTH STEP – The student may be suspended or expelled from the school.

Suspension and expulsion are measures of last resort and may only be used in particular situations consistent with Department policy, available at: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/suspensions/policy

Corporal punishment is prohibited in our school and will not be used in any circumstance.

The classroom or subject teacher is often the best person to handle routine concerns about matters within their classroom and/or area of responsibility. Some complaints will need the involvement of the Leadership Team or the Principal.

The below table outlines the responsibilities of school staff in relation to grievances.

The school adheres to the Department’s Guidelines for Parent/Guardian Complaints procedure. A copy of the document is included in this charter and can also be downloaded from the Department’s website at:

Armenian Aginian School does not tolerate harassing or bullying behaviour by any member of its staff or student body. Every member of the school has:

• a duty of care to take reasonable steps to protect students from any harm that should have reasonably been foreseen, including those that may be encountered within the online learning environment
• a  responsibility to refrain from harassing or bullying others, to actively discourage harassment and bullying and to support all parties involved in situations of potential conflict.

Breaches of school policy will be immediately acted upon by the Principal, and where appropriate, by the School Committee.

Students who complain of bullying can rely on staff to investigate their complaint promptly and in a thorough and confidential manner. Staff will respond to any acts of harassment or bullying immediately and positively.

In its aim to protect its students and staff from bullying and harassment, the school actively strives to prevent the harm that can be caused by the misuse of online technology.

The school understands that it has a duty of care to take reasonable steps to protect its students from any harm that should have reasonably been foreseen, including that which may be encountered within the online learning environment.

Teachers will supervise and support students using digital technologies in the classroom and will respond to an online incident as soon as they are aware of its occurrence.

Students at our school will:

• sign an agreement to abide by the school’s cyber safety policy, which aims to prevent bullying and harassment
• ensure that all material being accessed on the internet is appropriate
• seek clarification about accessing websites or other sources of information where they may be unsure of the content
• ensure that communications with other students, staff members and members of the outside community do not harass, vilify or attack personally other individuals. This includes, but is not limited to, written words and the posting of images
• report any communications which are inappropriate to parents/guardians or a teacher.

Due to the situation with COVID-19, Armenian Aginian School is implementing Working/Teaching/Volunteering from Home arrangements in order to continue teaching the Armenian language to students, we hope to:

•  minimise the workplace risk to the health and safety of our teachers and students, and the wider community; as well as
• ensure that, as far as reasonably practical, privacy and confidentiality obligations continue to be met. This policy will apply until CLV advises staff/volunteers of changes to, or termination of, these arrangements. As far as reasonably practicable:
• all current school policies will remain in force including those relating to child protection, social media, bullying, harassment and discrimination.
• CLV will consult with SCHOOLS with respect to the application of this policy. Any concerns or queries should be discussed with the principal of the school. Applies to:
  • All committee
  • All students
  • All parents and guardians
  • All teachers
    Objectives: The main objective of this Code of Conduct Policy is to keep all children and teachers who engage in remote learning during the Covid 19 pandemic safe. Its purpose is also to guide parents, students and teachers to prevent online incidents, such as cyberbullying, stalking, ‘zoom-booming’ etc. by taking necessary precautions.

Working Hours will continue to be 2:00-5:30 pm every Saturday during school terms.

Staff will not contact students out of these hours unless otherwise granted by the School Administration.

Staff and students will only use the Google Classrooms provided unless otherwise instructed by School Administration due to technical difficulties.

Working from Home

Workplace health and safety When you work from home, your work area becomes your “workplace” and it is important that we ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that your workplace is safe. If there is any immediate danger to your personal safety by working from home, please advise the Principal immediately. Work should not proceed until this danger has been effectively controlled or removed. When working from home you are responsible for taking all reasonable measures to look after your own health and safety and that of anyone who may be affected by your work activities.

Maintaining Privacy and Confidentiality

All staff/volunteers are reminded of their privacy and confidentiality requirements. Care should be taken to ensure that:

• Hardcopy confidential and personal information is kept secure.
• Privacy and confidentiality are maintained when making work-related phone calls, and participating in online meetings
• You remain vigilant to cybersecurity concerns
• If you suspect that there has been a data breach whether as a result of lost devices or hacking, phishing, or another external event, you must immediately notify the Principal or the Child Safe Officer.

Students are not to share meeting invites with others.

The school welcomes and accepts all students, including those with disabilities and additional needs, and will ensure that they are accommodated to participate in classes on the same basis as their peers. Discrimination is not acceptable, and is illegal under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic).

For the purpose of this document, “Students with Special Needs” refers to students who have physical conditions, cognitive/neurological conditions or behaviours that require special educational arrangements or provisions. These students may require some adaptations to the regular school setting, curriculum and/or instructional style to enable them to learn and develop.

The school strives to ensure:

• each student is valued and the diversity of their abilities, needs and learning styles are recognised
• particular considerations, specific provisions and additional support are given to students with special needs
• provision of support is determined by a student’s individual learning needs, the type and level of support required and the school’s ability to meet these needs
• provision of the curriculum is developmentally appropriate, with maximum opportunities for meaningful participation, active engagement and positive learning outcomes
• supporting students with special needs is a whole school responsibility.

Extreme heat or a heatwave is a period of unusual and uncomfortable hot weather that can negatively affect health. Children and young people are more susceptible to heat stress. The school has strategies to recognise and respond to extreme hot weather and heatwaves and will manage risks associated with heat-related illness.

If a student, staff member or visitor shows any sign of heat exhaustion or heatstroke the school will apply first aid and seek medical assistance immediately.

To minimise the risks associated with extreme hot weather the school will review and where practicable and appropriate implement the following:

• ensure there is adequate shade on the premises
• educate and encourage students and school staff to stay hydrated throughout the school day and allow students to have their personal water bottles with them in their classrooms.
• review first aid kits and consider the inclusion of additional ice packs and hydrolytes.

During a period of extreme heat, the school will consider:

• air conditioning access during activities, especially during activity rest periods
• closing any internal and external blinds
• varying school hours by reducing breaks to no less than 30 minutes and allowing for students to stay indoors in air conditioning.
• students being supervised in classrooms during recess times

Sun safety is a shared responsibility and staff, parents and students are encouraged to implement a combination of sun protection measures whenever UV levels reach 3 and above (typically from mid-August to the end of April in Victoria).  Information about the daily local sun protection times and sun protection measures is available via the free SunSmart app, or at www.sunsmart.com.au or www.bom.gov.au.

The school has the following measures in place to help reduce the risk of excessive UV sun exposure for staff and students. The school will:

• provide sufficient options for shelter and trees to provide shade on school grounds
• recommend that from mid-August to the end of April, and whenever UV levels reach 3 and above, students come to school wearing sun-protective clothing such as:
  • loose, cool, closely woven fabric
  • shirts with a collar and/or high necklines
  • tops with elbow-length or long sleeves
  • longer style shorts and skirts
• encourage all staff and students to apply SPF30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen daily whenever UV levels reach 3 and above. Sunscreen should be applied at least 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapplied every two hours according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• ensure all students wear a broadbrimmed hat that shades the face, neck and ears when outside, to be provided by the school and left at Armenian Aginian School at all times.

The school is aware of the need to manage the risks associated with extreme heat including the need to be SunSmart.

The school operates in accordance with Victorian and Commonwealth equal opportunity legislation which aims to promote everyone’s right to equal opportunities; eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination and sexual harassment; and provide redress for people whose rights have been breached. All employees, students, parents, school council members, contractors and volunteers are required to act in accordance with equal opportunity, anti-discrimination, harassment and vilification legislation.

Our school’s privacy policy is based on the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) (PDP Act) and the Information Privacy Principles (IPP) as passed by the state government. Further information is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/privacypolicy.aspx.

The school is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information and is bound by the terms and conditions of the common funding agreement (CFA) it signed with the Department of Education and Training (DET) when it was accredited. The school is required by the PDP Act to comply with IPP and the other provisions of the PDP Act. The IPPs regulate the way personal information is handled throughout its life cycle, from collection to use and disclosure, storage, accessibility and disposal.

To the extent required by the PDP Act:

• The school will not collect personal information unless that information is necessary for one or more of our functions or activities
• The school will collect personal information only by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive manner.

To the extent required by the PDP Act, the school will take reasonable steps to:

• make sure that the personal information that we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date
• protect the personal information that we hold from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure
• destroy or permanently de-identify personal information that is no longer needed for any purpose that is permitted by the PDP Act.

The school collects personal information for a range of purposes, including:

• process applications for student enrolment
• manage annual enrolments
• record and maintain student details and profile information
• coordinate payment of fees to the school
• provide teachers with adequate information for them to plan their classes
• communicate information about the school to parents/guardians, for example, term schedule and newsletters
• notify families about school events
• provide enrolment data to the DET to determine eligibility for per capita funding.

The school may contact parents/guardians in a variety of ways, including by post, email, SMS or telephone call. In performing our functions and activities, we may need to disclose personal information to third parties. Third parties with whom the school may share personal information include, where appropriate:

• government and regulatory bodies such as Community Languages Victoria (CLV), and DET for funding purposes
• financial institutions for payment processing.

Parents/guardians should contact the school if they have any queries about the personal information that the school holds about them or the way it handles that personal information.

The school should not photograph, film or record students without their parent/guardian’s written consent. The school uses a consent form that has been developed by the Department and is available from the CLV website.

The purpose of this policy is to explain to parents/carers how the school will collect, use and disclose photographs, videos and recordings of students, how parent/carer consent can be provided and how it can be withdrawn. Photographs, videos or digital images of a student are considered “personal information” and therefore their use and disclosure are governed by the Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic) (IP Act) and the Information Privacy Principles contained within it. Photographs, videos and digital images of students may also contain copyright, and therefore may also be governed by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) (Copyright Act).

The school will ensure that parents/carers are notified upon enrolment and at the commencement of each school year of the ways in which the school may use images of students. There are many occasions during the school year when staff photograph, film or record students participating in school activities or events. The school will use student images reasonably, appropriately and sensitively, consistent with our obligations under the Child Safe Standards. An Annual Consent Form and Collection Notice will be distributed to parents/carers on enrolment and also at the beginning of each school year.

It is a legal requirement that all volunteers present in schools must have either a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) or valid Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration. The school maintains a register of all checks to ensure that all staff, volunteers and teachers’ checks are valid.

The school is also responsible for supervising all visitors present on the premises. If they are working with children, the school will check whether they require a WWCC/VIT registration prior to attending the school. All visitors will report to the school staff when arriving or leaving the premises. Visitors are required to sign a log-in book at arrival and when leaving, including printing their name, signing, and recording the date, time and purpose of their visit. All visitors are required to wear a visitor’s badge when on school premises. The school keeps a record of all visitors on file.

Students are required to attend classes on a regular basis. Absences may mean that students miss assessments and may not have the opportunity to demonstrate achievements of the relevant standards. The school maintains accurate, dated records of student attendance each week. Parents should notify the school of student absences in advance, where possible.

The school has a student supervision schedule and uses a student collection form which has been developed by the Department and is available from the CLV website at http://www.communitylanguages.org.au/Child-Safe.php.

The school will ensure parents/guardians are:

• aware of the procedures to collect students during school hours
• advised of the school’s supervision times after school while students wait to be collected.

Only parents/guardians and authorised nominees are permitted to collect. The school will record the details of when a student has been collected early from school including:

• date and time
• reason for collection
• the person who received the child (including the person’s signature)

Where a student is collected after school hours, the school will:

• only allow students to be collected by their parents (subject to any specific court orders) or by a person who has been authorised by the parents to pick up their child
• request and verify the identity of an authorised person who is not known to the school by using suitable photo identification (such as a driver’s licence)

If a child has not been collected from the school by closing time and the school is unable to contact parents, the school will contact the authorised nominees listed on the child’s enrolment form. In extreme circumstances where schools are unable to contact one of the authorised nominees by closing time, schools will contact the necessary authorities for the safe collection of the child.

The purpose of the Child Safe Standards is to prevent abuse of children by making organisations safer for children. So that children at community language schools can feel safe and be safe, responsibility for child safety should be understood and accepted by everyone in the organisation.

The Standards incorporate three principles related to identifying and responding to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children; children from culturally and linguistically diverse communities; and children with a disability.

The school complies with current Child Safe Standards and all staff, volunteers and committee members must attend Child Safe Standards training upon commencement and every two years, as well as sign a Child Safe Standards Code of Conduct annually, which establishes clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children.

The Child Safe Standards Policy and Child Safe Code of Conduct are kept on file at the school.

Working with Children (WWC) Checks

All staff, volunteers and committee members, regardless of whether they have regular contact with students, must have a valid Working with Children Check or current Victorian Institute of Teaching registration at all times. The school has a process to track and monitor the currency of these checks.

The school maintains a register of everyone who has undertaken the training and keeps copies of the Code of Conduct and WWC Checks /VIT registration on file.

In line with the First Aid Regulation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2004, the school has first aid policies and procedures that include the following components:

First Aid which is the immediate treatment or care given to a person suffering from an injury or illness until more advanced care is provided or the person recovers.

First Aid Officers (at least one per campus) who have successfully completed a nationally accredited training course or an equivalent level of training (either HTLAID003/HLTAID011 or HTLAID004/HLTAID012) that has given them the competencies required to administer first aid.

First Aid Equipment includes first aid kits and other equipment used to treat injuries and illnesses which are kept in a prominent, accessible location and be able to be retrieved promptly.

The First Aid Officer is responsible for ensuring that a Register of Injuries and Treatment is maintained up to date. The First Aid Officer is in charge of the Kit and must ensure it is properly maintained.

First Aid Facilities may include first aid rooms and other facilities needed for administering first aid. The school displays well-recognised, standardised first aid signs to assist in easily locating First Aid Equipment and Facilities.

The school keeps a list of students with allergies and their allergy plan i.e. Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan.

To minimise the risk of transmission of infectious disease, the school’s procedures focus on the quick and effective response to a suspected or identified infectious disease.

In the case of a suspected or confirmed infectious disease, the school will work with families, public health units and medical practitioners to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students, families and staff. Students diagnosed with an infectious disease will be excluded from the school until medical clearance has been provided. To prevent the spread of infectious diseases, government policy encourages all families to immunise their children in accordance with the National Immunisation Program Schedule.

The school also has an Emergency Management Plan which it updates on a regular basis. The Plan includes information about roles, procedures, and emergency contacts in case of a series of emergencies.