Principal

Dear Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College Community,

Remembrance Day Service

On Monday 11 November at 11.00 am we held a Remembrance Day Service at the front of the College Administration Area. Thank you to everyone for their respectful participation in this service where we remember those who have lost their lives in war. At this time, we also prayed for peace in this current period of conflicts taking place around the world.

Thank you to Pat McCarthy for his work in developing the service and the organisation on the day.

VCE Exams

Most of our students undertaking VCE exams will have completed all their exams by now, but we still have a few students who are continuing to prepare for exams, which conclude this week. Therefore, can I please ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you to all the staff who have supported our Year 12 students, not just during this examination period, but for the last six years.

Also thank you to Dianna Malloy for the oversight of the examinations and all other staff who supported her during this time including Adrienne Layton, Cade Maskell, Pat McCarthy, and Jodie Connell for their work.

Results and ATARs will be released to students by the VCAA and VTAC respectively on Thursday 12 December 2024. On that day key staff will be available from 10.30 am, including our Careers Team to meet with students and families to provide career advice.

Proposed Federal Government Legislation to raise the age limit of access to social media platforms

You are probably aware that the Federal Government is currently planning to pass legislation to raise the minimum age for young people to access social media platforms to 16 years of age. This proposal aims to provide better protection for adolescents from risks associated with social media use, such as exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and privacy issues.

Consequently, if the age limit is raised, students may no longer be allowed to access popular social media platforms until they are 16 or older. The proposed increase is based on evidence indicating that social media can affect mental health and well-being, particularly among young users.

However, even if the legislation is passed, it will not take effect for at least 12 months to allow time for social media companies to put in place the required technology to achieve the policy. This will be under the direction of the Office of the eSafety Commissioner.

Given that any change is in the future we as a school will continue to educate students on how to be responsible digital citizens and to stay safe in an ever-increasing complex online world. Additionally, I encourage families to stay informed about this potential change and to discuss safe social media use at home. Here are a few ways we can support our children together:

Finding balance in a digital world by monitoring usage by keeping an eye on how much time your child spends online, which platforms they are using, and what information they are sharing.
Promote offline activities through the balancing of screen time with physical activities, hobbies, and social interactions.
Becoming informed digital citizens discussing the concept of the digital world as a gateway to knowledge and growth.
Creating awareness and understanding the impact of personalised algorithms on the information that is consumed and recognising the importance of actively seeking out diverse sources of information.

Sapentia Domini Nos

John Freeman

Principal