Cranbourne Campus News
Navigating the Digital Playground
For today’s young people, the playground no longer ends at the school fence. It extends into bedrooms, buses, and pockets, through phones, tablets and laptops that connect them constantly to an online world. This digital playground offers incredible opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, but it also presents real and growing challenges.
One of the most immediate concerns is incessant distraction. Notifications, messages, videos and games compete relentlessly for attention. This constant stimulation can make it harder for children and adolescents (and adults for that matter) to focus, manage their time, or engage deeply with learning. More importantly, it can reduce opportunities for boredom, reflection and rest; things young minds desperately need to develop resilience and creativity.
There is also the very real issue of cyberbullying. Unlike traditional playground disputes, online conflict can be anonymous, persistent and visible to a much wider audience. Hurtful comments, exclusion from group chats, or the sharing of images can follow students home, making it difficult to ever truly escape. The emotional toll of this can be significant, affecting confidence, wellbeing and mental health.
Closely linked is the fear of missing out (FOMO). Social media platforms are designed to showcase highlights who is included, who is having fun, and who is being noticed. For young people, not being part of an online conversation or image can feel like social failure. This pressure to always be “in the loop” can drive excessive screen time and anxiety, even when being online no longer feels enjoyable.
Perhaps most subtly, when technology becomes pervasive, it can begin to dilute basic social skills. Face‑to‑face conversations, reading body language, managing disagreement, and building empathy all require practice. If most interaction happens through screens, these essential skills can be harder to develop.
As parents and guardians, keeping up with this rapidly changing digital space can feel overwhelming, especially if technology is not something you feel particularly savvy with. You are not alone.
To support families, we warmly invite parents and guardians to our Navigating the Digital Playground Information Evening on 12 May (6:30 – 8pm at the GEODE at the Clyde North Campus. Here the experts from the Cyder Safety Project will explore the digital online playground with us. This session is designed to build understanding, confidence and practical strategies for everyone, especially those who feel unsure about navigating this space. Students in Years 7-9 will have accompanying Cybersafety sessions presented to them during school time on 14th May.
We encourage you to join us, ask questions, and take part in an important conversation about guiding our young people safely and confidently in the digital world. Please see the QR code on the attached flyer for more information and to book.
ANZAC Day
Last Tuesday, we hosted a moving ANZAC service led by our Vocational Major students. The oval was adorned with crosses replicating those seen in the fields of Flanders, each bearing the name of a grandparent or family friend who had served our country. Three flags were raised from their half‑mast position before wreaths were laid at their base. Guests from Botanic Ridge Retirement Village attended, and students stood respectfully as two guest speakers, Damian and Bruno, shared their reflections.
Damian spoke warmly about the importance of serving others and the valuable learning opportunities he has experienced in his field of engineering as a current serviceman. For Bruno, it was his first return to the campus since graduating in 2000, and he proudly spotted his photograph on the library wall. He expressed genuine pride in how far the College has come and was visibly moved as he reflected on the school that helped set him on his path. His connection to the College motto, “Be Not Afraid,” resonated strongly with students. (Bruno’s speech is included below with his permission.)
Good morning students, staff and guests
As a former student of St Peter’s, it is a genuine honour to be invited back to attend and speak at today’s ANZAC Day service.
This school played an important role in shaping who I am, and to stand here again – as an alumnus, a veteran, and an advocate – is something I do not take lightly.
Thank you for welcoming me back into this community.
ANZAC Day is a time when we pause to remember service, sacrifice, and the people behind our history.
On 25 April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed at Gallipoli.
Many were young – some not much older than senior students here today.
They stepped forward into uncertainty, not knowing what lay ahead.
Your school motto, “Be Not Afraid,” speaks powerfully to that moment.
Those words are not about the absence of fear. They are about choosing courage despite fear.
That message sits at the very heart of the ANZAC story.
The men and women we honour today were afraid. They were human.
But they went forward anyway – guided by duty, loyalty to one another, and belied in something greater than themselves.
When we speak about ANZAC Day, we often hear words like courage, mateship, service and sacrifice.
Courage, as I learned during my military service, is rarely dramatic. Most often, it is quiet.
It is showing up. Standing with others. Doing what is right – especially when it is difficult or uncertain.
“Be Not Afraid” does not mean ignoring danger. It means choosing integrity over convenience.
It means standing up for others. It means acting with purpose and compassion. Those are the same values you are encouraged to live out here at St Peter’s.
Supporting your classmates.
Showing respect and responsibility.
Looking after your mates.
Leading by example.
As a member of the Australian Defence Force and now an advocate with DCRSL, I support veterans and their families long after military service ends.
ANZAC Day reminds us that service does not always end when a uniform is removed.
This day is not about glorifying war. It is about remembering people – ordinary Australians called upon in extraordinary circumstances.
Your house system teaches an important ANZAC lesson: belonging.
In the military, no one succeeds alone. We rely on those beside us – just as you rely on one another here.
ANZAC Day does not ask you to go to war. It asks you to live well.
To live with courage.
To support your mates.
To serve your community.
And when challenges come – as they will – remember the words that guide this school:
Be Not Afraid.
Lest We Forget
Traffic Management
We welcome the reduced speed limit at the front of the school down to 40 kmph. However, we remain concerned that some parents are choosing to disregard road rules by using the bus lane for drop‑off and pick‑up during peak times. This unsafe practice places children; both those in vehicles and those waiting alongside the road; at serious risk.
For the safety of all young people, including your sons and daughters, we ask that parents refrain from using the bus lane and instead park around the corner or arrange a designated pick‑up location.
Mr Jeremy Wright
Deputy Principal - Head of Cranbourne Campus