The Moorabbin Primary School Community touch the land and think of the Bunurong People and surrounding Clans of the Kulin Nation
who cared for the land before us.
We share our gratitude to their Elders past, present and emerging. As we touch this land, we promise to treasure it, taking care of all its people, animals, plants and waterways. We at Moorabbin Primary School appreciate this land.
Thank you.

Dear Families of Moorabbin Primary School,

WELL DONE TO ARI AND A MESSAGE OF THANKS FOR SUPPORTING HIS FUNDRAISER!

Thank you so much for your support with Ari’s fundraiser. By sharing with the school community, he raised an additional $425 taking him to a total of $2,356 which is amazing!!

Here are a couple of photos from Saturday before and after Ari cut his hair. What a great effort and well-done Ari. We are so proud of you.

2026 ENROLMENTS - THANK YOU TO ALL THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THEIR ENROLMENT FORMS!

We encourage our 2026 Foundation families to visit the office to complete the enrolment process by filling out the school enrolment form and providing evidence of their child's date of birth and immunisation record. To assist with planning, we kindly request that parents finalise their enrolments by the end of this term. This is vital, as we will begin workforce planning in early Term 3. If you have any questions or need clarification regarding the enrolment process, please contact the office.

KING'S BIRTHDAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY MONDAY 9TH JUNE AND CURRICULUM DAY 10TH JUNE

This is a reminder that the upcoming public holiday on Monday, June 9th, celebrates the King's birthday. As a result, there will be no school for students on this day. On Tuesday 10th June the school will hold its reporting focused curriculum day and there will be no school on this day either unless you have booked into the Team kids’ onsite care program.

If you are traveling during the long weekend, we wish you safe travels and hope all members of MPS enjoy their time with family and friends.

STAFFING/ EMERGENCY TEACHERS AND THE REALITY OF OUR SCHOOL NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR MUSIC

MUSIC AND MS HOWDEN

Ms Howden our beloved Music specialist teacher has been advised by her medical team that she will need to be in hospital and bed bound with minimal movement as she is monitored for the remainder of her pregnancy. This means that Ms Howden will now be unable to finish up the term and is on leave until further notice.

As I have shared with our community, we have been seeking to recruit a music teacher, and I am now in round 5 of a recruitment process with no successful applicant for our school. The reality of having to suspend music until the end of the year is not something I am taking lightly but with no suitable music teachers available and the continued shortages of teachers across the state it is making this process extremely challenging.

I will have further updates of what this program may look like next week after we complete this round of interviews. Schools are also experiencing extreme shortages of Casual Relief Teachers (CRT’s). Whilst we try to avoid splitting classes, this may become necessary. Many of our staff have been unwell over the last few weeks. Before Winter even started, MPS has certainly had its share of COVID 19, influenza, Rhinovirus infections and respiratory illnesses including RSV, along with gastrointestinal problems and slap cheek. For example, yesterday we had 5 staff away and the 3 agencies we work with had no available CRTS; in order to keep classes going and teaching staff to have their approved planning time Mr Corrigan had to step in, this impacts on us all.

Please help us prevent the spread of viruses by maintaining child immunisations and keeping unwell children at home, where they should be. If your child has any symptoms of illness, please take these seriously.

REPORTS OUT AT THE END OF TERM 2 AND PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS IN TERM 3Our student reports will be emailed out to the community via the compass portal, please look out for this message and link to access your child’s report.

Parents may like to note the dates for our Term 3 parent-teacher meetings, will occur in the first week of term 3 from Monday 21st July- Friday 25th July. The school will send out a message for parents to book in a time across the week to talk about your child’s progress and the goals for the next semester.

GREAT ARTICLE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA

At What Age Should Children Have Social Media? By Gavin McCormack

Social Media and Our Children: What Are We Really Trading?

As parents, we find ourselves navigating a world that looks vastly different from the one we grew up in. Social media has become a dominant force, shaping the way we connect, communicate, and consume information. But before we decide to let our children join platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, it’s worth asking: what are they really gaining—and what are they losing?

The Time Trade-Off

Let’s start with the numbers. Research shows that the average person spends about 2 hours a day on social media. That’s 730 hours a year, or roughly 30 days. Over the course of a lifetime, assuming a child starts using social media at age 13 and lives to 85, they could spend 7 years—yes, 7 years—scrolling, liking, and engaging with curated content. As author and psychologist Dr. Jean Twenge points out, “Social media isn’t just taking up time—it’s shaping the way young people see themselves and the world. When hours are spent online, those are hours not spent building real-world relationships, pursuing passions, or simply being present in the moment.”

What Could Those Seven Years Mean?

Seven years is a long time. It’s enough time to earn a degree, learn multiple languages, or master an instrument. It’s time that could be spent reading hundreds of books, travelling, or even starting a business. For our children, those years represent an opportunity to explore who they are, away from the pressures of likes, followers, and filtered realities. Imagine your child dedicating those 730 hours a year to learning a new skill or developing a passion. With just 30 minutes a day, they could become fluent in another language in a few years. They could volunteer, create art, or spend more time with family and friends—real connections that aren’t mediated by screens.

The Emotional Cost

It’s not just the time spent on social media that’s concerning. Studies have consistently linked heavy social media use to increased rates of anxiety and depression, particularly in teenagers. According to a study by the Royal Society for Public Health in the UK, Instagram and Snapchat were found to have the most negative impact on young people’s mental health, contributing to issues like poor self-esteem and fear of missing out (FOMO).

Dr. Twenge explains, “The more time teens spend on social media, the more likely they are to feel lonely, anxious, and dissatisfied with their lives. The comparison culture fosters an unrealistic sense of self-worth and a constant need for validation.”

Who Benefits from Social Media Use?

Here’s the tough reality: social media platforms aren’t free. They profit from our time and attention. Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) generates billions of dollars in ad revenue every year. Each time our children scroll, watch an ad, or engage with a post, they’re contributing to those profits. If a child spends 2 hours a day on social media, the platforms could make around $14,000 from their lifetime usage. Seven years of their time, reduced to a monetary figure on someone else’s balance sheet. “Social media companies are masters of designing systems that keep us hooked,” says Tristan Harris, a former Google ethicist and founder of the Center for Humane Technology. “Their algorithms are built to exploit human psychology, ensuring we keep coming back for more.”

What Can Parents Do?

This isn’t about banning social media outright. It’s about helping our children understand the value of their time and the impact of their choices. Here are a few ways to start:

1. Delay Social Media Use: The longer you can delay introducing social media, the more time your child has to build a strong sense of self without external validation.

2. Set Clear Boundaries: Create rules around screen time, such as no phones at the dinner table or during family time.

3. Encourage Real-World Connections: Help your child find hobbies, join clubs, or volunteer. These activities foster meaningful relationships and experiences.

4. Lead by Example: Model healthy technology use by limiting your own screen time and prioritising face-to-face interactions.

A Call to Reflect

The question isn’t just whether our children should be allowed on social media. The question is: how do we want them to spend their time? Do we want them to look back on their lives and remember the hours they spent scrolling through curated feeds, or the time they spent learning, growing, and connecting with the world around them? As parents, we have the power to guide them toward a future where their time is spent on things that truly matter. Because in the end, it’s not just about the hours they’ll save—it’s about the lives they’ll build. Let’s choose wisely.

UPDATE ON TEENAGER TRESPASSERS LAST WEEKEND

You may or may not have been aware of recent inappropriate activity that we had at our school last weekend with 3 teenagers trespassing and causing damage to our new building. I want to take this moment to acknowledge the amazing community who acted so quickly and were able to provide me with specific information about two of the three offenders. I was then able to provide this to the police.

I believe that 1 of them has in fact been arrested. We know that with youth crime at the moment it may not have the outcome that we would like but there was some kind of action. Thank you to Jay the project manager for the current building works who brought across all his workers to help clean up and repair the damages that were caused. We are truly grateful and thankful to you and your team.

EARLY FINISH FOR TERM 2

Please note that on Friday, July 4th, we will have an early finish at 2:30pm. Our staff will supervise the gates and grounds until 2:45pm that day.

Before and after school care (provided by Team Kids) will be available as usual on the last day, and bookings can be made for this service. If you require Team Kids over the holidays, please remember to book in advance.

Noxia Angelides

Principal

SCIENCE NEWS