Adelaide Hills year 12 students caught climbing buildings late at night as school principals declare muck-up day over
A leader at an Adelaide Hills high school sent a warning to senior students after four year 12s were caught climbing buildings over the weekend.
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A warning has been sent out to families of students at an Adelaide Hills high school after four year 12 students were caught engaging in disruptive behaviour including climbing campus buildings over the weekend.
Leadership at Heathfield High School (HHS) has threatened to “shut down” farewell activities for its year 12s in a letter home to parents following the incident.
Heathfield High School leader of learning and culture Jason Dikkenberg wrote the students “made their way on to the HHS premises, making a lot of noise and in some cases climbing on our buildings”.
Mr Dikkenberg said the students engaged in the behaviour “despite the talks we held last week about expected behaviours”.
“There have since been many apologies and reparative measures put in place,” he said.
“The reason for sharing this information is that I would not want it to be a shock if we shut down planned activities for the rest of the week following any more incidents.”
A Heathfield High School spokesperson said the students “were quickly identified and this has been addressed directly with them and their families”.
No year 12 farewell activities have been cancelled yet as a result of student behaviour.
“The letter to all year 12 families being a reminder to all students of the appropriate behaviour expected of them before they go on study leave,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson did not say what, if any punishment, was given to the students involved when asked by The Advertiser.
A grandmother of a year 12 student at the school, Julie, said in response to the warning by Mr Dikkenberg that the school should “punish whoever did it and let everyone else get on”.
“I’m from the 50s and they’re (students) not allowed to do jack sh*t anymore,” Julie, 66, said.
“But climbing on buildings is very dangerous.”
Meanwhile, principals at other schools both public and private, have said their organised activities such as dress up days, shared meals with staff and other traditions have prevented their students from engaging in disruptive “muck up day” behaviour.
At top private school Scotch College, in Torrens Park, year 12 students on Wednesday had an organised water fight on their oval, which also had an inflatable bouncing castle, but the activities stayed “just between them”, principal Trent Driver said.
“Muck up days are a thing of the past,” Mr Driver said.
“We’re dealing with kids who are keen to leave in a way that’s respectful.”
The students at Loreto College, in Marryatville, started their celebrations on Sunday, with a high tea hosted by their old scholars association.
Principal Kylie McCullah said their celebrations “highlight the importance of community”.
“They’ve been reminded of their values,” Ms McCullah said.
At Walford Anglican School for Girls, in Hyde Park, principal Deborah Netolicky said their students had dress up days and on Friday, they will ring their historic bell as “a symbolic last moment”.
Adelaide High School principal Cez Green said the final days of year 12 have been toned down in recent times, except for a student who let off a confetti bomb about four years ago.
“It’s all about setting the right tone and structured activities really support that,” Ms Green said.
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Originally published as Adelaide Hills year 12 students caught climbing buildings late at night as school principals declare muck-up day over
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