Our policies and reports

BYOD

Dapto High School is proud to support a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, encouraging students to bring their personal laptops to school. This initiative empowers students in their learning, fosters digital citizenship, and helps them develop essential technology skills for their future.

We maintain an open BYOD policy, allowing families the freedom to select a device that best suits their needs. To ensure success, it is essential for every student to bring a fully charged and functional device to school each day.

Device Specifications

To ensure a device is effective and lasts for several years, we recommend adhering to the following specifications.

Specification	Minimum Requirements	Recommended for Best Experience
CPU	Intel Core i3 / AMD Ryzen 3	Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 (or better)
RAM	8GB	16 GB (for multitasking & future-proofing)
Storage	256GB SSD	512 GB SSD (or larger)
Screen Size	11"	13" - 14" (for a balance of usability and portability)
Battery	Must last a full school day (approx. 6-8 hours)	-
Wireless	5GHz Wi-Fi capable (Standard: 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 6)	-

Important Considerations

• Laptops are Preferred: While tablets are permitted, laptops (Windows, macOS, or Chromebook) provide the most optimal experience for completing schoolwork. We advise against purchasing tablets or iPads as a student's primary device.

• Windows S Mode: Please ensure any Windows laptop you purchase is not in "S Mode". S Mode restricts the installation of software (like the Adobe suite) that may be required for certain classes.

• Protective Case: A durable, protective case or laptop bag is essential for safeguarding the device during daily travel.

• Chromebooks: For a cost-effective solution, we recommend considering Chromebooks. These devices are secure, boot up quickly, and are excellent for all cloud-based work using Google G Suite and other web applications

  Who to Contact

  If you have any questions, require additional information, or need to discuss a temporary laptop loan, please contact:

• Deputy Principal: Darcy Moore
  Email: darcy.moore@det.nsw.edu.au
• Technical Support Officer: Adam Toole
  Email: adam.toole5@det.nsw.edu.au

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy

Dapto High School requires all students to uphold standards of academic integrity.

Plagiarism is the act of copying someone else's work (such as an author, artist, photographer, or another student) and claiming it as your own.

Common forms of plagiarism include:

• Copying directly from a source (e.g., book, website, or another student) and submitting it as your own.
• Altering a few words in a sentence from a source and presenting it as original work.
• Copying images without acknowledging the source.

Students are expected to respect the work of others by properly referencing sources in a bibliography. When using someone else's exact words, you must use quotation marks (" ") to indicate they are a direct quote.

It is always best to rephrase information in your own words, as this demonstrates your understanding of the material to your teachers.

If you are ever unsure about how to properly reference sources or avoid plagiarism, please consult your teacher or the Teacher Librarian.

Be aware that plagiarism will result in penalties, which may include receiving zero marks or an N-award.

Energy Drinks

Why This Rule Exists (Health and Learning)

Energy drinks pose significant health risks for young people and can disrupt the learning environment.

• Health Concerns: Energy drinks can cause health problems, including increased heart rate, restlessness, nausea, and difficulty concentrating.
• Disruptive Behaviour: We have observed firsthand that consumption of these drinks at school leads to disruptive behaviour that interferes with an environment conducive to learning for all students.

Policy Support and Guidelines

This school policy is aligned with and supported by key external guidelines:

• NSW Department of Education:

  • Student Behaviour Policy: Allows schools to set local rules that promote student health and wellbeing.
  • NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy: Bans energy drinks from school canteens and promotes water as the drink of choice.

• Work Health and Safety Policy: Requires us to provide a safe environment for students and staff.

• NSW Health: Advises that children and young people should avoid or limit caffeinated drinks like energy drinks.

What This Means for Students

• Scope of the Ban: Energy drinks are banned during school hours, at school events, and on excursions.
• Enforcement: If students bring energy drinks to school, they will be confiscated.
• Return: Confiscated drinks will only be returned at the end of the same school day from the Front Office.
• Encouragement: We strongly encourage students to drink water instead, as it supports concentration and learning.

This policy applies to all students and will be strictly enforced to maintain a safe learning environment.

If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Mobile Phone

Key Policy Requirements

• Leave phones at home: Students are requested to leave all mobile phones and connected devices at home.
• Phones needed for safety: If a phone is required for safety on the journey to school, it must be turned off and secured in the student's bag for the entire school day.
• Check time: Students may check their phones only at 2:40 PM as they depart school for messages from parents/carers.

Scope of the Ban

Students may not access their phones at any time while on school business. This includes on site, on excursions, during school sport, and all other school-related activities.

There are only two strict exceptions to this rule:

1. Special Circumstances Pass: A pass is available from the Deputy Principals for very special circumstances (e.g., health requirement, family illness, or challenging circumstance). Phone use will be under supervision.
2. Teacher-Directed Learning: Occasionally, teachers may ask students to use their phones for specific learning activities in class or on excursions. Students will receive advance notice, be closely supervised, and may not use the phone for any other purpose during the activity.

Consequences and Digital Citizenship

• Non-Compliance: Students whose phones are sighted in class or the playground will be asked to get a 'ticket' from the front office. The phone will be stored safely until it is collected by a parent or carer from the school.
• Persistent Issues: Students who do not follow this rule will be banned from bringing their phones on site. If the issue persists, it may result in further consequences as per school policy.

Dapto High is committed to using technology positively and safely. Ongoing education supporting good digital citizenship is an essential part of this updated policy. School Police Liaison Officers will continue to support students in understanding the law and safe practice with social media and mobile technology.

Security Camera

Dapto High School will be implementing CCTV surveillance on the school grounds, commencing on Monday 8th June 2026. The CCTV system will be in place on an ongoing basis to enhance the safety and security of our school community.Please note the following important information regarding the CCTV system:

• The cameras will record only video and not audio.

• In compliance with legal obligations, clearly visible signs at all entrances to areas covered by the devices will inform everyone that images are being recorded.

The purpose of the CCTV surveillance is to:

• Protect the safety of students, employees, visitors, parents, carers, and members of the community;

• Deter unlawful activity on school premises;

• Assist in investigating any allegation or reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity on school premises;

• Support criminal, civil, or disciplinary action related to unlawful activity on the premises.

The CCTV footage is collected and held by Dapto High School at the school's address, 20 Cleveland Rd, Dapto NSW, 2530.

Footage may be disclosed to persons or units undertaking investigations or taking civil or disciplinary action on behalf of the Department of Education, or to a court, in relation to any allegations or reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity on school premises. Additionally, footage may be provided to police or other enforcement agencies for the purposes of investigating criminal behaviour and prosecution.

Any individual whose personal information is included in the CCTV footage may apply for access to that footage, in accordance with relevant privacy laws and Department policies.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement this important safety measure. Should you have any questions about the CCTV surveillance or this notice, please contact the school office.

Kind regards,

Joel Burnett