Principal's Report 

 Dear Parents, 

Before we get too far into the school term, this edition of our newsletter has some technology reminders designed to keep our students safe.

Firstly, a reminder that mobile phones are banned in all Victorian government schools.  If students have to bring a phone to school, these are to be dropped off at the front office before school, and can be collected after school. Any phones found with students during the day will be retained by the school until a parent or other adult comes to collect them. 

Phones however are not the only form of messaging, so our second reminder is that students are not to be messaging each other, or others outside the school during school times. We ask that parents relay any messages to their children through the front office rather than their device. As per mobile phones, students found messaging during the day may have their device retained by the school until a parent or adult collects it. 

Our final reminder is regarding iPad use generally.  iPads at school are for learning purposes when directed by teachers, not general entertainment for students.  As such, students are not to be using their iPad in the yard before or after school, or at break times. As with previous reminders, not adhering to this may result in their iPad being removed from them. 

These measures are designed to protect students online, and to ensure the physical safety of the device. It would be greatly appreciated if you could reinforce this at home so our messaging is consistent. 

On other matters, recently ten principals or assistant principals from the Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh Area visited our school to look at the great work we have been doing in School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports (SWPBS). They were very impressed by both students and staff, and no doubt took a lot away with them to incorporate into their own school.  A very big thank you to both Jo Wood and Tanya Lindsay-Clark for hosting our visitors, and to the SWPBS team for their hard work which led us to this point. 

Thank you also to those parents who came along to our Meet and Greet sessions last week. This was a fantastic opportunity to meet with your child's teacher and to set the year up for success. A reminder that our next parent event is fast approaching with our Fathering Project sausage sizzle and paper plane contest being held after school on Wednesday March 13th. All students are invited to bring their father, or a father figure, to school for a hot snag (Halal beef and vegan) and some fun flying paper planes.  See further into this edition for more details.  

Finally, a reminder that next Monday is the Labour Day public holiday followed by a student free day giving students a four day break from school. TheirCare is available on Tuesday March 12 should parents need care on that day. 

Kind Regards, 

Simon McGlade

Principal