We are committed to ensuring a safe and happy environment for your child.
We support your child’s health and safety through a range of strategies including:
- the behaviour code for students, which outlines the standards of behaviour expected in all NSW public schools
- anti-racism education
- anti-bullying programs
- conflict resolution and mediation training
- peer support
- road safety education
- the Healthy School Canteen Strategy.
For more information, visit the student wellbeing section of the department’s website.
Like all NSW public schools, we promote the healthy development of students through:
- school programs and practices that protect and promote health and safety
- supporting individual students who need help with health issues
- providing first aid and temporary care of students who become unwell or who have an accident at school.
Student wellbeing
Like all NSW public schools, we provide safe learning and teaching environments to encourage healthy, happy, successful and productive students.
The department is committed to creating quality learning opportunities for children and young people. These opportunities support wellbeing through positive and respectful relationships and fostering a sense of belonging to the school and community.
The Wellbeing Framework for Schools helps schools support the cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual development of students and allows them to connect, succeed and thrive throughout their education.
Positive Behaviour for Learning
At our school, we use Positive Behaviour for Learning – a whole-school approach for creating a positive, safe and supportive school climate where students can learn and develop. Our whole school community works together to establish expected behaviours and teach them to all students.
Student leadership at Yass Public School
At Yass Public School we believe that exposing students to leadership opportunities is an essential part of a child's education. Leadership skill development is an important part of a child's growth as they progress through school and beyond. Leadership for students is closely related to our PBS values of responsibility and participation. At Yass Public, we believe in providing leadership opportunities for the children not only when representing the school to the wider community, but when performing a role within the school community where others rely on the actions of the student.
Leadership skills begin in Kindergarten and are continuously built upon and refined as the children progress to Year 6 and move on to high school. In the earlier stages, children are encouraged to be respectful, responsible and active in school affairs and are continually gaining experience for taking on more challenging leadership roles in the future. As children move on to the latter stages of their primary education, expectations concerning leadership roles change.
SRC Representatives
Each semester, 2 children from all primary classes (Yrs 3 to 6) are elected by their classmates to represent their class on the Student Representative Council. Meetings are held at regular intervals throughout the year and the representatives are able to voice concerns/ideas passed on to them by members of their class. Occasionally, fund-raising ideas are also passed on to the SRC for their consideration.
House Captains
At the beginning of each year, members of the three school houses – Gilmore, Patterson and Mackellar – elect 2 captains and 2 vice-captains from Years 5 and 6. Children in each house can nominate candidates and then these candidates should give a short speech on the responsibilities of being a captain and what they intend to do if they gain the position. A secret vote is then conducted and the boy and girl with the most votes are declared the captains while the runners-up are the vice-captains.
Captains are expected to support their team at all carnivals – Swimming, Athletics and Cross Country - by organising relay teams, listening to announcements and making sure competitors are where they should be, organising cheer squads, streamers and posters and generally being a positive influence on their team. The Captains are also responsible for accepting the Winning House Shield on Presentation Night.
Assembly, Sportshed and Bell Monitors
At the beginning of each term all Stage three children are given the opportunity to volunteer as an Assembly Monitor, Sportshed Monitor or Bell Monitor. Those children who volunteer but miss out in Term 1 are given the first opportunity the following term. Children who do not volunteer will eventually be given these responsibilities at some stage through the year.
Bus Runners
Each term a Bus Runners Roster will be drawn up and placed in the staffroom and on the COLA noticeboard. Children from Year 4 are given the chance to volunteer for this role. It is important that children who do volunteer are able stay after school for a short time or catch one of the later buses so that they don't need to be continually replaced. A Year 4 meeting is usually held to ensure that all children know exactly what is expected from a bus runner.