Principal's News
Greetings Families,
I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and enjoyable long weekend. Hopefully, this mini break provided you and your family with a welcome reprieve from the busy days of this first term. Can you believe that we are now in Week 7?
Cyber Safety and Wellbeing at HR
In today's digital age, a strong cyber safety and wellbeing program in primary schools is essential to help children navigate the online world safely and responsibly. By educating students on topics such as online privacy, cyberbullying, and the management of screen time, we empower them to make informed and responsible decisions, and develop healthy digital habits. At Holy Rosary we take our responsibility seriously and over the past three years, since the introduction of our 1:1 device program we have provided students with a comprehensive cyber safety and wellbeing education via the Inform and Empower Program. This Melbourne based program operates in 243 schools across Australia and offers a comprehensive program from Prep-Year 6 with live digital incursions held each term. We’ve recently held our Term One sessions and you can find the accompanying parent information sheets in this newsletter. Further parent resources can also be found here.
Families can reinforce in school learning at home by setting clear guidelines for the use of devices, monitoring online activities, and fostering open communication. By working together, we can equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world safely, protect their personal information, and make responsible choices online.
To further support families in this journey, we invite you to join our online session, Raising Kids in a Digital World. This interactive session will provide practical strategies for fostering a safe and balanced digital environment at home, ensuring children can enjoy technology while staying protected. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to learn and connect. Circle May 15 in your diary now! Detalis of times and how to connect online will follow as we get closer.
NAPLAN
Best wishes to our Year 3 and 5 students who are undertaking NAPLAN this week. As with everything we do at school, we expect you to give NAPLAN your biggest efforts, but remember—each test is a snapshot of one day, not a measure of everything you know and can do. Stay calm, do your best, and be proud of your effort!
Our thanks to our teachers Vicky, Sophie, Megan, JP, Allison, Tarquin, and Sam for their efforts in preparing our students, and to Maria and Chisachi for taking care of the organisational aspects of the testing process.
Division Swimming
This week Nino (5/6) and Mali (3/4) will compete at the Division swimming competition in Oak Park. We wish them the best of luck for their swims and hope they have a wonderful day. We thank Mary for representing HR as a staff representative for the day.
Victoria Police
Following the incidents of last week, Victoria Police have informed me that we can expect increased proactive police presence around the school, particularly at drop off/pick up times. Thank you to families who followed up with conversations at home and to those who have been making a concerted effort to keep the gate locked.
Privacy Policy
At Holy Rosary we take steps to protect personal information and student photos from being disclosed to those who do not have the right to access that information. Please be reminded that our privacy policy applies to all members of our school community. We are all committed and obligated to maintain the privacy of students, staff and families.
SRC
Last Thursday our Student Representative Council met for the first time this year. What a wonderful group of students! They came along to our meeting brimming with enthusiasm and ideas on the ways they can make a positive difference this year. I am looking forward to hearing more of their ideas, listening to them consider a variety of opinions and suggestions, and watching them put their plans into place. Student voice is definitely alive!
Christine