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Social Media Age Restrictions

As I am sure you are all aware, from 10th December 2025, Australian young people

under 16 will not be allowed to create or hold accounts on certain social media platforms.

The aim is to delay account access, which will allow more time for young people to build digital literacy and greater resilience.

There has been significant discussion within the media and amongst primary and secondary students. It's important that all students receive the correct information regarding how the upcoming changes will impact them. We will work with our senior students in stepping them through the facts using credible resources that we are fortunate to have access too.

As mentioned in previous newsletters, we have partnered with a well renowned cyber safety organisation Safe on Social (Ctrl+Shft). Recently this organisation released a parent and carer guide on the impending 16+ age restriction on social media accounts. Please click the link below for this highly helpful guide:

Another helpful resource (including a QR code for further support) from the eSafety Commissioner:

As part of our partnership with Safe on Social (Ctrl+Shift), we have a library of resources, cheat sheets and supports regarding any aspect of Cyber Safety/Online Gaming/Social Media. If you are finding any of these a challenge with your child, please feel free to reach out and we can provide some specific information and support in this space.

For more information email: dboulton@smkangarooflat.catholic.edu.au

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

Over the next fortnight our focus is on finishing the year being kind to each other and being resilient when things don't go our way. It's been a busy term to finish off what has been a big year. We have shared this message around being kind to others and finishing the year positively during our last assembly, within each classroom as well as individual year levels.

Mini Blitz:

After a busy year, we are all feeling tired
and sometimes things don't go our way.
Let's finish off the year by being friendly
and resilient every day.

Each week, we count up our pebbles across the whole school. Pebbles are earned by students who are following the school expectations! These pebbles are tallied up into house team and class totals. We announce these results at assembly.

After 9 weeks this is our pebbly tally as it stands...

So far our term winners have been:

Term 1- Backhaus, Term 2- Augustine & Term 3- McAuley

This week McAuley house came together to share their reward lunch of hot chips and pizza! We made the most of the warm weather and celebrated together outside.

Attendance

You can view your child's attendance on the SimonEverywhere App. Attendance percentage appears just below the students profile when you click on the home icon.

Each edition of the newsletter we share the attendance percentage from the previous two weeks. Below is a break down of the most recent fortnight. The aim is 95% attendance. While it's wonderful to be aiming for 95-100% we know that this is not always possible with illness, fatigue and family days all factors across the duration of a term.

Each newsletter this term, will include a visual graph (below) as well as the breakdown of numbers. We will track our attendance through these graphs each edition of the newsletter.

Breakdown of last fortnight:

Year Level	School Attendance Percentage
Foundation	89.01%
Year 1	93.27%
Year 2	90.79%
Year 3	90.58%
Year 4	92.31%
Year 5	90.91%
Year 6	82.23%
School Average	89.87%

GEM Award Winners

Congratulations to our GEM award winners who have each demonstrated Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness during the past fortnight.

(L-R) George, Blake & Abbey

Over the coming issues of the newsletter, we will share some prompts and activities you can do at home with your families using TRP. This week it's a mindful movement activity. Now the weather is warming up and nature is in full bloom, head outside and have a go with your family.

Hats

We continue to encourage the importance of being Sun Smart with a focus on all students wearing an appropriate hat.

Fresh Fruit Friday

Thanks to The Mckern Foundation for donating fresh fruit to our school weekly.

This is a great initiative but please make sure children are still bringing a piece of fruit in their lunchbox for fruit break as fruit is not available all week.

Season’s for Growth

A grief and loss program

Change and loss are issues that affect all of us at some stage in our lives. At St Monica’s we recognise that when changes occur in families through death, separation, divorce or related circumstances, children and young people may benefit from learning how to manage these changes effectively. We are therefore offering a very successful education program called Seasons for Growth. This program is facilitated in small groups and is based on research that highlights the importance of social support and the need to practise new skills to cope effectively with change and loss. The program focuses on issues such as self-esteem, managing feelings, problem-solving, decision-making, effective communication and support networks. Seasons for Growth runs for eight weeks and each weekly session is 40-50 minutes during school hours. The program concludes with a 'Celebration' session. Later in the year each group will have the opportunity to meet for a re-connector session to build on their earlier learning and to follow up how each child is going.

Seasons for Growth is facilitated by Bronwyn Fieldew ( Family Liaison Officer) who has received special training in the use of this program.

For more information please contact Bronwyn at the school and/or express your interest in this program by filling out the email form below which will be sent to Bronwyn Fieldew. St Monica’s is pleased to be able to offer this important program and we are confident that it will be a valuable learning experience for those who request to be involved.

Please send an email below letting us know if your child would like your child/children to participate in this program. Please include the following information:

Student name, class and whether they have experienced separation or loss.

Helpful Parent resources:

rch.org.au
earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
parentingideas.com.au
australia.gov.au
kidsafe.com.au
betterhealth.vic.gov.au
kidsmatter.edu.au
youtube.com - Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Sport

Golf Australia Little Ripper Clinic

Swan Hill Little Athletic Club's 100m Junior Gift