A message from Emily Murcott - Assistant Principal / Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

Topics covered here are:

Cyber Safety Project - parent webinars available to watch
Imagine: Creative Experiences for Children - building skills in confidence and social connections
Self-Care September: A Month of Kindness to Ourselves
School Holiday Fun

Cyber Safety Project

At Rolling Hills Primary School, we are proud to offer the Cyber Safety Project as part of our commitment to developing digitally responsible and resilient students. This engaging and educational program equips our learners with essential skills to safely and confidently navigate the online world.

What the Program Offers

Through structured lessons, hands-on activities, and age-appropriate discussions, the Cyber Safety Project helps our students understand:

How to protect their personal information online
The importance of respectful and kind online communication
The impact of their digital footprint
How to recognise and respond to cyberbullying
Ways to stay safe when gaming or using social media
Strategies for managing screen time and maintaining digital wellbeing

What Our Students Gain

By participating in this program, students develop:

Awareness of how to stay safe and act responsibly online
Confidence to speak up, seek help, and make informed choices
Resilience to deal with online challenges and peer pressure
Critical thinking skills to identify scams, misinformation, and unsafe behaviours
A sense of responsibility for their online actions and interactions

The Cyber Safety Project is more than a digital safety course—it’s an investment in our students’ wellbeing, character, and preparedness for the digital age. We believe these lessons are vital for helping our young people grow into thoughtful, respectful, and empowered digital citizens.

Can families benefit too?

Yes, families can also benefit from the Cyber Safety Project. They offer free webinars for parents throughout the year. We will share links to the webinars through our school newsletter and Daily News, and families can then register and attend. If you are then unable to attend, they will send the link to you and you can watch when you have a free moment. These webinars are available until the end of the year.

So far this year, CSP have shared four webinars and there is one still to come. To view the four that have already happened please scroll down and click the links to receive an invite to access these recordings. The final webinar is Safe Gaming for Kids and will be held on the 23rd October at 7:30pm. Register by clicking here

Safe Gaming for Kids: Building Boundaries for Positive Play

Is your child spending too much time gaming? Are you unsure how to set boundaries without conflict? Join this practical webinar for parents, where you’ll gain simple strategies to manage gaming habits, create healthy boundaries and help your child build a positive, balanced relationship with online games. Perfect for all parents—whether you’re tech-savvy or just starting out!

Previous recordings are found below

Online Safety Essentials: Keeping Your Kids Safe in the Digital World

Are you worried about your child’s online safety? Our webinar will teach you how to manage simple parental controls to secure devices and apps, establish safe browsing habits for your family and implement essential safeguards against online threats. We’ll guide you step-by-step, offering practical, easy tips you can use right away. Don’t miss this chance to learn, ask questions, and feel confident about your child’s online safety.

To access the recording please click here

Cyberbullying Uncovered: Empowering Parents to Protect Kids’ Wellbeing

Concerned about your child’s online wellbeing and the risks and dangers of cyberbullying? Join our webinar to gain practical tools to spot cyberbullying, start meaningful conversations and create a safer, more positive digital space for your child. Perfect for proactive parents who want to stay informed and confident in safeguarding their child’s wellbeing online.

To access the recording please click here

The Social Media Guide: What Every Parent Needs to Know in 2025

Feeling overwhelmed by your child’s online presence? Learn how to master privacy settings, encourage healthy social media habits and navigate Australia’s new social media ban - all with simple, actionable strategies you can use right away. Whether you’re a tech-savvy parent or starting to discover social media yourself, this webinar has something for everyone.

To access the recording please click here

AI Deepfakes & Misinformation: Understanding AI’s impact on Your Kids

Are you wondering how artificial intelligence is affecting your child’s world? We’ll help you understand how AI is impacting your child’s digital experiences—both the opportunities and potential risks, with practical tips to guide your family through the new and evolving world of AI technology.

To access the recording please click here

Imagine: Creative Experiences for Children

Would your child benefit from building skills in confidence and social connections?

Are they between 8 - 12 years old?

Check out this local opportunity....

Maroondah’s Arts and Culture team is offering creative, nature-based activities designed to help children aged 8 - 12 years build skills in confidence and social connections.

The program is free or low-cost and has been shaped by ideas from local children.

These programs are taking place over September and October at Wyreena Community Arts Centre, Croydon. For more information click here.

Further details and bookings: www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/imagine

Self-Care September: A Month of Kindness to Ourselves

Self-Care isn’t selfish - it’s essential! That’s the message of Self-Care September, a friendly initiative from Action for Happiness that encourages us to be gentle with ourselves every day this month.

What’s This All About?

Each day in September comes with a simple prompt designed to help us practice self-compassion, build resilience, and celebrate who we are. These small acts help our hearts feel lighter, our minds clearer, and our spirits happier.

How Students and Families Can Take Part

Daily Check-In: Try starting each morning with the day’s self-care prompt. Talk about how it makes you feel.
Kindness Jar: Children can write or draw their reflections—little reminders like “Today I paused and took a deep breath,” or “I told myself I’m enough”—and pop them into a jar.
Self-Care Wall: Create a classroom board where students share their favourite self-care moment of the day.
Home Time Self-Care: Encourage families to continue the prompts at home—perhaps during the evening conversation, ask, “What’s one kind thing you did for yourself today?”

Why It Matters for Our School

Self-care isn’t just a “nice” idea—it helps children:

Manage their feelings during busy school days
Grow their self-confidence by honouring their strengths
Build a happy and caring classroom and home environment

By nurturing self-compassion now, we help our students learn to care for themselves all year long. Let’s use September to sprinkle daily kindness on ourselves—encouraging children to listen to their hearts, be gentle when mistakes happen, and remember they are already enough.

Calendar from Action for Happiness

School Holiday Fun

In recognition of World Mental Health Month, Maroondah Council's free Growing Wellbeing Activity Day is back this school holidays to raise awareness about the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Join them and experience ways to look after your mental health and wellbeing while discovering tips for supporting your family and friends to thrive too. There will be a range of organisations in attendance so you can also learn about some of the local mental health and wellbeing support services and programs available to you.

Event details

Date: Wednesday 1 October
Time: 11am to 2pm
Venue: Realm and Ringwood Town Square, 179 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood 3134
Cost: Free

Free activities

There will be many fun, free activities for all ages.

Active kids healthy minds activities
Better sleep workshop (starts at 9.30am, bookings are essential)
Card making
Growing Wellbeing Activity Day Art Tour (starts at 11.30am, bookings are essential)
Group art therapy
Herb seedling planting
Personalised advice to understand your bills
Lawn bowls
Library story time
Nature art with ivy crown wreaths
Safe bike riding for kids
Smoothie bikes where you can make your own smoothie
Urban artwork tour
Youth hang out space
Performance by Croydon Hills Pop Choir.

Register for the events here

Please note that bookings are required for some activities

Regards,

Emily Murcott

Physical Education