Has your child been sunburnt before? It is not pleasant. The good news is that it is preventable! As parents and educators, we must play our part in educating, modelling and ensuring children are being sun safe in their daily lives. Today I am asking all families to ensure your child/ren are wearing the correct hat each day.
Why wear a wide brim hat?
The sun gives off ultraviolet (UV) radiation which you cannot see or feel. No matter the type of weather each day or your skin type, it is very important for everyone to be sun safe and reduce UV exposure as much as possible. Sun-safe hats are broad-brimmed style hats with an angled brim that protects the face, neck and ears whenever a person is outside.
When do students wear the Wide Brim Foam College Hat?
Students are expected to wear the wide brim foam hat every day, at all break times. It is also recommended to be worn when arriving and leaving the College.
When do students wear the Sports Cap?
Pack your child’s Sports Cap in their bag on PE (Physical Education) days, College Sports days and Carnivals for use during these specialist lessons. Students continue to wear the wide brim foam hat at break times even on PE or College Sports days for sun safety.
Below you can read the expectations for students wearing hats in the Junior School. On the whole, our students love active play and being outdoors. It is especially important they are protected from UV radiation and always wear their wide brim foam College hat all year round. Packing sunscreen in your child’s bag and teaching them to apply it also provides additional protection to sun exposure. Sunscreen is made available to students in classrooms and while on excursions.
College Expectations:
• For Junior School students, the Wide Brim Foam Hat is compulsory all year round. The Wide Brim Foam Hat is to be worn when outdoors at the College for their own sun protection.
• The Sport Cap can be worn during PE lessons, Carnivals and College Sport lessons. The Sports Cap should not be worn at other times as a substitute for the Wide Brim Foam College hat.
Here is an extract from the Cancer Council Website explaining the importance of sun safety.
“Ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage accumulated during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world… Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers.
Students are in school when daily ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels are at their peak, meaning schools are uniquely placed to educate about sun protection behaviour, minimise UVR exposure and ultimately reduce a student's lifetime risk of skin cancer.”
Thank you for being a part of our sun safe culture at the College and to instill positive practices in our students for life-long sun safety habits.
