Dear St John's Community,

This time last week we were in between the matinee and the final night performance of the St John's Production. I've said it a few times now, but... how good are your kids!!!! Sensational! Every time someone mentions Production around the school this week I see the kids faces light up. It truly was memorable.

Prep Transitions

Our new preps for 2025 have started their transitions and we welcome all the new families, and some of the existing families with new preppies who will be joining us for 2025. We have also had a number of new enrolments joining us in recent weeks across other levels and I am sure everyone will make them feel welcome.

Social Media Ban is now Legislation

I know I have spoken about this several times this year but you may not realise that last week a flurry of legislation was put through the Federal Parliament. One of them officially making Australia the first country to ban children under the age of 16 from using major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and X (formerly Twitter).

This groundbreaking legislation reflects the growing concerns coming out of recent research into the impact of social media over the last 10 years on young people’s mental health, physical well-being, and social development. The laws are also being considered by other countries across the world and have sparked a global debate, with the implication of potentially shaping the future of online regulation worldwide.

The laws in Australia won't take effect until the end of 2025. You can find out more about the reasons why they are so important by looking at Dr Jonathan Haidt’s hugely influential 2024, 'The Anxious Generation' which highlighted the correlation between increased screen time, social media exposure and unfettered access to online resources to the significant increase in the rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide among adolescents. Likewise, the 2020 Netflix documentary 'The Social Dilemma' underscored the dangers of social media addiction, manipulation, and its broader societal consequences.

What are the changes?

The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, mandates that social media companies must implement robust age verification processes to prevent children under 16 from accessing their platforms.

Non-compliance could result in fines of up to $50 million for tech companies. Parents and kids caught breaking the rules will not be punished.

Platforms used for messaging, online gaming, and educational purposes, such as WhatsApp, YouTube, and Google Classroom, are exempt from the ban.

The legislation explicitly prohibits platforms from requiring government-issued identification for age verification. Instead, companies must develop their own methods that balance enforcement with user privacy.

In a rare moment of bipartisanship in Australia, the federal opposition have said, if elected, this would be their number one policy priority as well.

Staff news:

In the Operoo earlier this week I announced the staffing arrangements for 2025.

As Mr Jason Selby will not be returning to St John's, I wanted to include here my thanks and the thanks of the community to Mr Selby for his years of dedication to the school and our very best wishes for him and his family.

I'd also like to thank Ms Tracey Cranch for her year with us and wish her all the best in her new role for 2025.

On a final note, I want to congratulate Mrs Danni Gunn (formerly Dalben) and Mick on the birth of their second child, Austin last Thursday.

Advent Prayer

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his steadfast love endures for ever!

Let those who fear the Lord say,

‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to put confidence in mortals.

I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,

but the Lord helped me.

The Lord is my strength and my might;

he has become my salvation.

Psalm 118:1, 4, 8, 13-14

Put up Christmas Trees this weekend if you haven't done it already!

Kind regards,

Derek Bruitzman

Principal

Jokes of the week:

What do you call and elf who won't share?

A. Elfish!

Q: What did one Christmas tree say to the other?

A: Lighten up!

Q: Why did the bush turkey cross the road on Christmas Day?

A: Because he wasn't chicken!

Fun facts of the week:

Singing Carols by Candlelight is an Australian Tradition that started in 1937 as part of a radio broadcast.

The Boxing Day Test Match is a major highlight of Christmas for sports fans, not just in Australia but all around the world.

The most popular Christmas dessert in Australia is pavlova.

Federal Government’s School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI)

Having access to the internet is an essential part of receiving a quality education. Students without access to the internet at home are at risk of missing out and falling behind in their education.

The Federal Government recognises the barriers posed to students who do not have access to the internet at home and have invested $8.8 million through the SSBI to provide up to 30,000 eligible families without internet free NBN service until 31 December 2025.

To qualify for this initiative, families and carers must:

Have a school-aged student (Prep to Year 12) enrolled at an Australian school;
Not have an active NBN network internet service currently, nor have had one in the last 14 days;
Live in a premise that can access the NBN network through a standard connection

Families can apply for services until 31 December 2024.

Further information on this initiative can be found on the SSBI’s website here.

Parish Christmas Timetable