Deputy Principal

After-School Routine

With the frequent focus in the media on student safety while travelling to and from school, it is a timely reminder to reflect on your son’s after-school routine, particularly if you are at work. How do you ensure your son arrives home safely? Regular check-ins to keep track of his whereabouts are vitally important. These safety measures act as a net to catch any irregularities that might need parental intervention. Knowing which bus your son takes, which stop he gets off at, and the walking route or distance he covers are all crucial factors.

Please be mindful that St Virgil’s has always had a policy that students go directly home after school, taking the quickest route. Going into shopping centres and catching up with friends, is not the quickest route home and from experience can quite often lead to negative implications. Once a student has arrived home their movements become that of a parental agreement. Giving boys freedom but also a healthy dose of responsibility and accountability are needed. I encourage you to please sit down with your young man and discuss your current arrangements to ensure our young men remain safe at all times.

Online Activity

With the South Australian Government considering a ban on social media platforms for individuals under 14 years of age, it is a good time to reassess how social media is managed at home. It has been great to hear from both students and parents/carers about how they have set boundaries for social media use and established expectations regarding appropriate online behaviour. Unfortunately, on social media platforms and group chats, we cannot control others’ actions. For example, receiving an inappropriate image or meme. However, what we can control is our response.

If a student forwards inappropriate or illegal content, they become implicated in the offence. The excuse “Oh, I didn’t start it” doesn’t hold up. If a student receives or is added to something that isn’t right, the following steps are advised:

• Remove yourself from the group.
• Talk to Mum or Dad about what happened.
• If it’s school-related, speak with your Head of House.

The eSafety Commissioner website is a valuable resource for addressing the negative aspects of social media. However, the most crucial element is setting boundaries and expectations between parents/carers and their sons regarding how social media is used. Checking in regularly, monitoring activity, and seeking permission before joining new platforms are particularly important.

Going the Extra Mile

No one has ever achieved success by doing the bare minimum. It is essential to acknowledge that positive results come from effort and hard work. A fitting quote sums up this mindset:  “You don’t get what you wish for; you get what you work for.” 

Homework or study is a great strategy to put this into action. Homework is traditionally finishing off an assignment or studying for a test the next day. Some students might well and truly be up to date and claim they have no homework, which may be correct. However, studying each night is something that should always be done. Focusing on those classes or topics that you know you are finding challenging. A great way to alleviate any anxiety or stress about the next day of school is to go over the subjects I have the night before I have them. This way students are not going into that class cold and are ready to be prepared for the activities, tasks and content to come.