Parent Session -ThinkUKnow Australia Program

ThinkUKnow Australia is an evidence-based education program led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), delivered nationally in partnership with police and industry partners to prevent online child sexual exploitation.

ThinkUKnow Australia program incorporate up-to-date research, real case studies and examples from reports made to the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation. The program is pro-technology and addresses topics including self-generated child abuse material, online grooming, sexual extortion, and importantly encourages help seeking behaviour.

ThinkUKnow Australia program is designed to engage all key influencers in a young person's life—parents, carers, educators, and police, to raise awareness and provide crucial education on this important issue.

Why This Matters:

As parents and carers, your role in safeguarding your child from online harm is vital. This program aims to support you in both preventing and managing online safety challenges, while also helping your child understand these issues and feel empowered to take appropriate actions.

Resources Available:

You can find these valuable resources for parents and carers on the ThinkUKnow Australia website. To explore and utilise these materials, please visit: ThinkUKnow Resources for Parents and Carers.

Upcoming Sessions:

To further support you and your child, ThinkUKnow Australia will be hosting two important sessions.

Year 5/6 Students: A 1-hour session for students on Wednesday 18th September, where they will learn about online safety in an age-appropriate manner. There will be more information and a consent form sent home in the coming weeks.

Parents and Carers: A 1-hour evening session on Wednesday 18th September, designed specifically for parents and carers to provide insights and strategies for online safety.

Registration:

We highly recommend attending the parents and carers session to gain valuable insights and strategies. Please fill in the Registration Form if you would like to attend this informative session.

Your participation is crucial in ensuring that we collectively safeguard our children and equip them with the knowledge to stay safe online. We look forward to your involvement and support in this important initiative.

Term 3 Lunch Clubs

Lunch Clubs have started for Term 3! Our JSC Student Voice team has surveyed students on their interests and we are pleased to introduce two new clubs - Pokemon Club and Craft Club. Did you know that we also have a student borrowing system 'Borrow, Play, Return'? This is where students can borrow sports equipment to use during lunch breaks. Expanding options for play breaks not only increases engagement and peer relationships, but also decreases student behaviours. Check out the timetable below:

Bullying No Way: National week of action

This year Aberfeldie Primary School is participating in the Bullying No Way: National week of action, 12 to 16 August 2024.

Bullying No Way Week is a commitment being made by thousands of schools and supporters across the country. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to bullying prevention. It gives us an opportunity to connect with students, staff and school communities to implement workable solutions to prevent bullying.

The new hero colour for the campaign is purple, symbolising peace, strength and empowerment to take a stand against bullying behaviour. On Wednesday 14th August, students can wear purple to school to show their support.

The theme for this year's campaign is Everyone belongs. This theme highlights the importance of creating a sense of belonging and inclusion for students. We recognise bullying often thrives in environments where individuals feel marginalised or excluded, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that every student feels valued and respected.

“Positive school climates that value diversity and inclusion can foster a sense of belonging and provide a protective factor against negative peer relationships and reduce bullying.” (Australian Education Research Organisation 2023).

For more information about Bullying No Way Week and bullying prevention, visit the Bullying No Way website.

During the week we will be engaging students in meaningful discussions and activities aimed at promoting empathy, understanding, and respect for diversity. We encourage parents and carers to take this opportunity to have open and honest conversations with their children about the impact of bullying and what they can do if they need support. You can visit the Bullying No Way website for tips around how to have this discussion.

RESILIENCE, RIGHTS & RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Teaching for Social and Emotional Learning and Respectful Relationships

The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships learning covers eight topics of Social and Emotional Learning across all levels of primary and secondary education: Emotional Literacy; Personal Strengths; Positive Coping; Problem Solving; Stress Management; Help Seeking; Gender and Identity; and Positive Gender Relationships.

This term, students across Foundation to Year 6 will be engaging in important and timely topics as part of the Resilience, Rights, and Respectful Relationships program. Specifically, they will be exploring Topic 7 - Gender and Identity and Topic 8 - Positive Gender Relationships. We want to ensure that you are informed about these topics and understand their significance.

TOPIC 7: GENDER AND IDENTITY

Learning activities within this topic assist students to challenge stereotypes and critique the influence of gender norms on attitudes and behaviour. They learn about key issues relating to human rights and gender identity, and focus on the importance of respect within relationships. The activities promote respect for diversity and difference.

TOPIC 8: POSITIVE GENDER RELATIONS

Learning activities within this topic focus on building an understanding of the effects of gender-based violence and focus on the standards associated with respectful relationships. Students develop the skills needed to solve problems, set boundaries within relationships, and play an active role within the prevention of gender-based violence. They develop peer support and help-seeking skills that can be applied in response to situations involving gender-based violence in family, peer, community or on-line relationships.

The materials and resources for these topics can be accessed on the Arc website, which provides a range of lesson plans, activities, and support materials for educators. You can explore these resources by visiting the provided link: Arc Education Apps.

Extra-curricular Activities at school in Term 3