Page Contents

• Purpose

• Respectful behaviours with the school community

• Unacceptable behaviours

• Respectfully raising complaints

• Communication of this policy

• Further information and resources

Purpose

To ensure that members of our community understand Templestowe College’s expectations for appropriate interactions with school staff.

Policy

Staff at Templestowe College, including teachers, education support staff, office staff, the Assistant Principal/s and Principal are committed to providing a positive and supportive learning environment for all our students. Our staff take their work very seriously and feel privileged to be able to play an important role in each child’s education.

Parents/carers and visitors to our school also have an important role to play in fostering a safe and inclusive environment for the entire school community.

All staff at Templestowe College have a right to a safe and supportive work environment, and we expect that parents/carers and visitors behave in an appropriate and respectful manner at all times.

The Department of Education and Training has outlined expectations on parent/carer behaviour within Victorian government school communities in the Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy.

When parents and carers engage in unacceptable behaviours against a staff member of another member of the school community, this can affect their health, safety and wellbeing.

Unacceptable behaviours include, but are not limited to:

• being violent or threatening violence of any kind, including physically intimidating behaviour such as aggressive hand gestures or invading another person’s personal space

• speaking or behaving in a rude, aggressive or threatening way, either in person, via email, social media, or over the telephone

• sending demanding, rude, confronting or threatening letters, emails or text messages

• discriminatory or derogatory comments

• the use of social media or public forums to make inappropriate or threatening remarks about the school, staff or students.

At the Principal’s discretion, unacceptable behaviour may be managed by:

• requesting that the parties attend a mediation or counselling sessions

• implementing specific communication protocols

• written warnings

• conditions of entry to school grounds or school activities

• exclusion from school grounds or attendance at school activities

• reports to Victoria Police

• legal action

The Principal may also seek support from Department of Education and Training staff when managing unacceptable parent or carer behaviour.

We welcome complaints from parents and carers if they are communicated in a respectful and constructive way. Complaints and concerns raised with us can help our school community by providing feedback to improve how our school operates.

When raising a complaint or concern with us, Templestowe College expects all members of our community to act consistently with this policy, our Statement of Values and School Philosophy and the Department’s Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy.

For information on how to raise a complaint or concern with our school, refer to our Parent Disputes Policy.

The Family Engagement in Learning is also a useful Department resource outlining how parents and carers can best engage with schools to provide feedback, suggestions and complaints.

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:

• Provided to staff at induction

• Available publicly on the school website

• Annually referenced in Next Week @TC

• Hard copy available from school administration upon request

The Department’s Policy and Advisory Library (PAL):

• Work-Related Violence in Schools Policy

• Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy

• Family engagement in learning

Templestowe College polices:

• Parent Disputes Policy

• Statement of Values and School Philosophy