Dear Parents / Guardians,

As you may be aware, the Australian Government has announced that on 10 December this year, major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube will be required to introduce age verification measures. This means children under the age of 16 will no longer be able to access these platforms.

The decision follows increasing concerns about the impact of social media on young people’s wellbeing, safety and mental health. By introducing stricter age controls, the government aims to reduce children’s exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying and online exploitation, while supporting healthier online habits.

For parents, this change is significant. We see it as an opportunity to:

Discuss online safety with your children and explain why age restrictions are being introduced;
Encourage open conversations about social media use, peer pressure and digital wellbeing; and
Explore age-appropriate alternatives for safe communication, creativity and entertainment.

At Academy, we will continue to support families in navigating these changes, but parental guidance will play a key role. For more information, families are encouraged to access an e-safety commissioner page using this link https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions

The Drug Education Project

As the Founder and Director of Drug Education Australia, Sharon Torpey is a leading voice in delivering high-impact, evidence-based drug education to school communities, sporting groups, and music festivals. With over 25 years as a qualified Physical Education and Health teacher, Sharon has a rare gift for connecting with young people and their families in both primary and secondary settings.

Sharon also has a 15-year partnership with VicRoads—facilitating learner driver education and the powerful “Look After Our Mates” drink/drug driving program—reflecting her deep commitment to youth wellbeing and community responsibility.

Sharon addressed our Year 10, 11 & 12 students this week. Her goal was simple: to equip young people with the knowledge, confidence and tools they need to make safer, healthier decisions. All students were genuinely engaged in her presentation with many of them asking pertinent questions at the end. It was evident in the sessions that she was able to break down complex topics in a manner which the students could easily understand and relate to.

Thank you to Health & PE Leader, Ms Tanya Vajda for organising all of these sessions.

Presentations of this nature are part of our ongoing commitment of providing a ‘holistic education’ to our students.

Mental Health Week

The Senior Student Leadership Team proposed the idea of having a Mental Health Week at Academy. They felt it could create another opportunity to openly discuss and normalise conversations around mental wellbeing, breaking down the stigma that can prevent young people from seeking help.

Activities during the week included: Just Dance, Footy Colours Day, Green Ribbons Day, Popcorn and Zooper Dooper Sales, Screening of a Movie, Mindfulness Colouring and a guest speaker, Kate Gurciullo, who presented to Year 8 and Year 9 students, focusing on the topics of friendships, resilience and effective communication.

During the week, we reminded students that mental health is just as important as physical health and we hope that the activities equipped them with further strategies to manage stress, build resilience and support one another.

Importantly, as Deputy Principal of Wellbeing, I feel that by dedicating this sort of time to focus on wellbeing, we are able to further foster a culture of care and connection, where students feel valued, heard and supported. Hopefully, these initiatives not only benefit students in the present, but also give them the tools and confidence to look after their mental health throughout their lives.

Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences (SPT Conferences)

Just a reminder that as per the College Calendar, there are two SPT Conferences for Semester 2 and will be held at the end of August and beginning of September. Details are as follows:

Thursday, 28 August - classes conclude at 1.35pm. Conferences from 4.00pm – 8.30pm Monday, 1 September - student free day. Conferences from 8:30am – 4:00pm.

All conferences will be online. The booking portal for parents opened at 9:00am on Saturday, 16 August and will remain open until 9:00am on Tuesday, 26 August. Further information has been posted on Compass.

Parents are encouraged to book a time to have a conversation with their daughter’s teachers and students are highly encouraged to be part of the conversations too.

Further to this, please note that Friday, 29 August is a Student Free Day. It is a ‘Time-in-Lieu’ day for teaching staff for the SPT Conferences.

Parents’ Association – Fathers’ Day Breakfast

A reminder that members of the Parents' Association are in the process of organising the annual Fathers’ Day Breakfast. It will be a wonderful morning where fathers (grandfathers, brothers, guardians, carers) and daughters can come together in a relaxed environment to have a cup of tea or coffee with a muffin or croissant, and just spend an hour or so relaxing and mingling with other dads. Apart from some musical interludes, we have also secured the services of guest speaker, Mr Chris Cairns. Chris is a former New Zealand BlackCaps cricketer and former ODI captain. He played for the New Zealand cricket team from 1989 to 2006 as an all-rounder. Chris will give a brief presentation on the importance of focusing not on what you are enduring but instead how you endure.

The breakfast is scheduled to take place on Friday, 5 September from 7:00am – 8:30am in the Dillon Centre.

The cost is $18 per attendee.

Bookings are now open and will close on Friday, 29 August at 9.00am unless SOLD OUT earlier. Thank you to all those who have already booked.

If you haven't done so yet, further details and bookings can be made using this link

https://www.trybooking.com/DEIIP

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the morning.

Mercy Day BBQ Helpers – Friday, 12 September

A massive thank you to all parents who have emailed me indicating their desire and availability to assist with cooking the BBQ on Mercy Day. At this point we still require another 12 parents, so if you would still like to volunteer please email me directly at Sam.DiCamillo@academy.vic.edu.au. All other details of what is required on the day can be found in the previous College News.

Empowering Parents and Carers to Support Teen Mental Health

The Black Dog Institute is inviting parents and carers to attend their upcoming free mental health webinars, designed to provide practical tools, strategies and insights to help them support the young people in their lives. Co-delivered by a clinical psychologist and a youth lived experience advisor, these webinars will explore:

Understanding mental health in adolescence, including insights from the Future Proofing Study
What is mental health and when to be concerned
Key strategies to support adolescents
Having the conversation – what to say and how to create a supportive environment
Getting help – health professionals, online and digital support for parents and adolescents
Promoting healthy habits – including building connections, sleep, and screen use

Upcoming dates are:

Wednesday 27 August @ 7.00pm (AEST) Register here
Thursday, 11 September @ 7.00pm (AEST) Register here
Thursday, 9 October @ 7.00pm (AEDT) Register here
Monday, 20 October @ 7.00pm (AEDT) Register here
Thursday, 30 October @ 7.00pm (AEDT) Register here
Wednesday, 12 November @ 7.00pm (AEDT) Register here
Thursday, 27 November @ 7.00pm (AEDT) Register here
Wednesday, 10 December @ 7.00pm (AEDT) Register here

As always, please remember never hesitate to be in touch should you have any queries or concerns.

Mr Sam Di Camillo

Deputy Principal - Wellbeing & Operations

iNFORMATION

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW