Deputy Principal's Report
Free Webinar for Parents
When it comes to kids and video games there’s so much for parents to learn. Why are kids so fascinated? How to manage the next craze? How to assess a game’s suitability for your kids? And there are so many decisions you have to make as a parent when your kids become interested in the video game craze. Should you ban your child or young person? What’s the best approach to take? When should you worry?
Join parenting and technology expert Martine Oglethorpe for a practical 60-minute webinar addressing the issues you need to know about. Martine will step back from the headlines, address the current myths and share the latest research on the effects of gaming on young people today. This is sure to be a fascinating webinar, designed to help you feel confident negotiating the murky world of kids’ video games.
In this webinar you’ll learn:
- the latest research about the impact of video games on children and young people
- guidelines to help you ascertain whether or not a game is safe and appropriate for your child
- how to manage your child’s use when “everyone else is allowed” to play video games
- practical tips and strategies to help kids keep video use under control
- the discussions you should be having with kids about video gaming
- how to effectively communicate limits and boundaries around gaming use with your child or young person.
This 60-minute webinar is on Thursday 13 September 2018 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM AEST
and is normally $37.
If you use this link: https://www.parentingideas.com.au/product/managing-video-games-and-the-next-digital-craze/ and enter the following voucher code, the webinar is free to parents of CRC Sydenham.
Michael Flaherty
Deputy Principal
How to talk to your kid's teacher when there is a problem at school
On Sunday 5th of August ABC Perth posted a great article discussing communication between families and schools. I have included a link to the full discussion at the bottom of this article.
The advice in this discussion is an excellent guide to making sure parents are heard by the right people and get their worries, concerns and queries addressed in the fastest and most appropriate ways.
They have a checklist of points:
Check out the story
If your child has come home from school and reported something that concerns you, try to clarify what has happened as much as you can before approaching the school.
Talk to the right person
"The parent has to determine who is the appropriate person to speak to, and the general advice would be the child's teacher." "The parent who jumps straight over and goes to the principal rather than the most important person in the child's school life is making a mistake."
Don't barge in or fire off an email
Arrange a time to speak to the teacher face to face, and don't try to chat in a busy classroom at drop-off or pick-up time.
Write down your concerns
"Prepare an agenda of what you would like to speak to the teacher about” "If you narrow it down to a particular set of issues to discuss, it's much easier to get a resolution than if you use the opportunity to bring up 10 issues that you can never get through."
Stay calm
Talking about their children, especially when it comes to bullying, behaviour problems or poor academic performance, can be enormously stressful for parents but it's important to try to stay calm.
Be thoughtful about what you share with your kids
If your child knows you have had a meeting with their teacher, they will likely ask you what was said, but that doesn't mean you should tell them everything.
What about teachers?
The experts agree that the overwhelming majority of parents want to have good relationships with their child's school. "I think as educators, if you come to the table with a solutions focus and believe in resolving the problem in a positive way, there are not many problems you can't resolve."
It can be hard for teachers when parents are demanding, entitled, pushy or very angry, but it is important to keep listening.
"As a teacher I feel it's important that from day one you need to develop a strong relationship with parents. This is easy to do when you are very open with them. The best time to start is your parent meeting at the beginning of the year."
Michael Flaherty
Deputy Principal
Twilight Open Evening and Careers Expo
We would like to thank all of our families for their attendance at out Twilight Open Evening and Careers Expo. There were close to 500 families in attendance at this evening which we believe provides current and future students of CRC Sydenham with a great deal of information which can be used to assist them in making the decision about planning their 2019 VCE or VCAL Program or future pathways beyond the CRC Sydenham . We believe very strongly in the mantra “Every Student, Every Pathway” and so we aim to ensure that all of our students have made the right choices in constructing their future learning program. As a specialist senior secondary college we offer more subject choices than any other school in this region and we hope that this helps our students to remain engaged in their selected learning pathway.
Pathway Planning
We are currently asking current year 11 students to give strong consideration to their intended program for 2019. Students are required to submit a course selection booklet by the 17 August 2018. On August 29 families will make an interview with staff to review the intended course for 2019 and confirm enrolment through payment of levies and subject selections.
We remind students that when they are choosing their subjects for 2019, that they should choose subjects:
- that they enjoy;
- that they achieve in;
- that interest them; and
- that are pre-requisites for their future pathways.
Year 12 students are currently working through a process of pathway planning during their pastoral periods. This process involves investigation of tertiary programs and the whole range of pathway options available. Students are being guided through the VTAC application process, which opened on August 6 and closes on September 27. We encourage parents to discuss this topic with their sons/daughters and to assist them in embracing a wide network of support in this very important process.
Student Absences
At Catholic Regional College Sydenham, we acknowledge that the effectiveness of the learning and teaching program as well as connectedness to community is dependent upon each student making maximum use of the available teacher and school contact time. It is expected that all students, as a condition of enrolment, agree to ensure their attendance meets the expectations and standards set in the attendance policy.
The College requires communication from parents/guardians for all absences.
The Student Attendance, Achievement and Promotion Policy provides requirements for student progression from one year level to the next. Student Promotion and progression is linked to the requirements of Attendance. The policy outlining this process can be located on the College Website.
For some families extenuating circumstances requires communication with the college regarding application for extended leave. We ask families that they apply for this leave through the Principal’s PA at info@crcsydenham.net
These applications should include:
- The student’s name
- The students Homegroup and Cluster
- The dates of the proposed leave
- The purpose for the leave
Adequate time should be provided for this leave to be considered by a panel of staff that consist of members of the leadership team and cluster coordinators.
Resulting decisions will be provided to families via email.
Chantelle Gauci
Deputy Principal