Deputy Principal's News 2026 Term 1 Week 6

Keeping Our BDC Community Safe: A Guide to Bus Travel

At Bishop Druitt College, our commitment to student safety extends far beyond the classroom gates. For many of our students, the school day begins and ends on a bus. We want to take a moment to discuss how we can work together to ensure these journeys are safe, respectful, and reflective of our college spirit.

A Big Thank You!

First and foremost, we want to extend a sincere thank you to the vast majority of our students. Most of our K-12 travellers consistently make excellent choices, representing BDC with pride. We see you being kind to younger students, greeting your drivers, and following safety protocols. Your commitment to safe travel does not go unnoticed—thank you for setting such a positive example.

Living Our Values on the Move

While most excel, we have noted instances where safety standards have slipped. To ensure every student arrives at school and home safely, we ask families to discuss our core values in the context of transit:

• Mutual Respect: This means treating our bus drivers with the same courtesy you would a teacher. It also means being mindful of your fellow passengers.
• Integrity: Doing the right thing even when a teacher isn't watching—like keeping your seatbelt buckled for the entire trip.
• Courage: Having the strength to say "no" if peers are acting up, or the courage to report behaviour that makes you feel unsafe.

Our "Safety First" Reminders

To help our drivers focus on the road and keep everyone secure, please reinforce these four key expectations with your children:

1. Stay Seated: Students must remain in their seats for the duration of the journey. Moving around or standing while the bus is in motion is a significant safety risk.
2. Buckle Up: If the bus is fitted with seatbelts, they must be worn. It’s the law and it saves lives.
3. Keep it Quiet: Excessive noise, shouting, or music without headphones can distract the driver. A calm bus is a safe bus.
4. Take Your Rubbish: Respect your environment and the driver’s workspace by taking all litter with you when you depart.

Transport NSW Guidelines & Expectations

BDC works closely with bus operators and adheres to Transport NSW guidelines. It is important for families to understand that bus travel is a service provided under specific codes of conduct.

We encourage all parents to review the Transport NSW Regional Bus Safety page for more detailed information on traveller responsibilities.

By working together, we can ensure that the trip to Bishop Druitt College is a positive start and end to every school day.

Child Safety and Online Behaviour - Working Together

At Bishop Druitt College, the safety and wellbeing of every child is always our highest priority. Throughout this semester, our staff are engaging in professional learning focused on Child Safety, strengthening our understanding, awareness and practices to ensure that every student feels safe, supported and respected in our care.

In today’s world, child safety extends well beyond the physical environment of school. Our young people are growing up in a digital landscape where learning, communication and friendships often take place online. While these spaces offer wonderful opportunities for connection and creativity, they also require students to develop the skills to navigate them safely and responsibly.

At school, we continue to support students to think carefully about their online behaviour and digital citizenship. This includes conversations about respectful communication, protecting personal information, understanding digital footprints, and knowing how to seek help if something online doesn’t feel right.

We also know that the most powerful way to support children in this space is when schools and families work together. Open conversations at home about technology use, social media and online interactions can make a significant difference in helping young people make safe and respectful choices.

To support our community in this important area, next term we will be hosting an Online Safety Workshop for parents and carers. The session will provide practical strategies for navigating the digital world with your children, explore some of the current trends young people are experiencing online, and share ways families can respond if concerns arise.

The workshop will also draw on guidance from the eSafety Commissioner, Australia’s national online safety regulator, which provides excellent resources for parents and carers supporting children in the digital world.

More information about the workshop will be shared early next term, and we warmly encourage parents and carers to attend.

By continuing to work together as a community - students, staff and families - we can help ensure our young people feel safe, supported and confident both at school and online.