Acting Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinator
Welcome back to Term 3
Welcome back to students and parents to another fresh and chilly but bright start to our term. A reminder that students should be wearing the College Blazer to and from the College and that any damage repairs or washing concerns require a note for the student to be excused from having at school. Any variation to the required uniform will result in a recess detention where students have the opportunity to communicate home and inform you of why they were attending the detention. Please review your emails to ensure you are keeping up with their progress on Compass and in relation to lateness or uniform.
Learning Note Reminder
The Learning Note was a valuable introduction to communication from teachers to parents that has been introduced this year. The note allows you a short insight into a learning concern that the teacher may have encountered such as incomplete homework or disorganisation in some capacity. For further information about the learning in that class, please email the classroom teacher to best follow up and support your child.
Student Helpers: OLMC Celebrations
Students of Year 10 and 11 have contributed significantly to the preparation and set up of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast Day Mass and celebrations. Congratulations and thanks to all those students who gave of their time to ensure the day ran smoothly, inclusive of a sausage sizzle recess distributed to all students on the day.
Safe Guarding Our Kids Online
The AFP-led ThinkUKnow program has released a range of age-based tips and content to help parents and carers keep children and young people safe online across all stages of development.
Children and young people may use smart devices such as tablets for educational purposes, watching videos, playing games and social interaction. Children and young people can readily access the internet and technology in public places, schools and at home.
AFP Commander Helen Schneider said parents and carers needed to begin regular conversations with their children about online safety during early childhood to help children and young people understand the challenges they may face online and how to get help and support. "We are urging families to 'have the talk - the online child safety talk' this year," Commander Schneider said."We know about 52% of parents and carers talk to their children about online safety, which includes topics like online grooming and inappropriate contact online, but we are aiming to increase this in 2024”.
Advice from the AFP
While older children may want to use their devices independently and want more privacy around their relationships and online interactions, it is still important to be engaged in their online activities.
- Young people in this age group are likely to be playing online games, watching videos and using social networking platforms to interact with friends.
- Learn about the features of the apps, games and sites your child uses and the safety challenges so you can talk to them about implementing safety measures to keep them safe online.
- Encourage 'friends only' or 'private' security settings.
- If your child has public social media accounts, be aware of the privacy challenges and encourage your child to think critically about information sharing.
- Your level of supervision or oversight may vary across this age group, however you should always stay in touch with what your child is doing online and encourage them to come to you for help and support.
- Encourage your child to recognise safe or unsafe situations and inappropriate contact. This can empower them to make informed decisions, including when they are in unsupervised environments.
Mrs Theresa Moore Miss Rebecca Toogood
Acting Pastoral Care & Wellbeing Coordinator