Principal's News

We have had a wonderfully celebratory last couple of weeks with some fantastic events. Congratulations to all our Year 6 students who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday 24th August. Many thanks to our wonderful Parents' Association members who organised a fantastic Fathers' Day Breakfast and Fathers' Day stall. We hope all our dads had a lovely Fathers' Day and enjoyed the celebrations at St Mark's. Thanks also to Gina our library manager and all the staff and students for a wonderful book week parade and book fair. Thanks to all our parents who worked so hard to support their children to come dressed up in some wonderful costumes.

School Production:

Don't forget to buy your tickets for the school production being held on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th September from the link here: SCHOOL bookings There is not long to go now!!!!!

 Please also make sure you have paid for your child's production T-shirt - which will form the main part of your child's costume. T-shirts can be paid for at the school office or via a direct debit transfer to the school bank account. Please make sure you use your child's name and class as the reference.

A note will come home soon on Operoo with final details for the concert letting you know what time the children need to be at the venue and processes for picking children up etc. Please watch out for it.

Child Safety/eSafety:

Leah from the Victorian Police Force came to St Mark’s on Thursday 29th August to speak to the Year 5 / 6 students about the Think u Know  cybersafety program. Leah talked about the following topics:

We all like sharing content online like messages, photos, videos etc. But just because we can share everything and anything, doesn’t mean we always should. Certain things shouldn’t be shared but sometimes it can be hard to work out what is and isn’t okay. One way to help with checking whether you should be sharing something online, is to be Share A.W.A.R.E. This is an acronym designed to help you work through a series of steps when thinking and deciding whether or to not post. 

-Many students use Social media - Leah reinforced the 13+ age limit 

-Not everyone is who they say they are. Some red flags to watch for are personal questions, requests to meet up, things that don't add up, gifts offered, added on another platform.

-Leah asked who has been contacted online and at least 15 hands shot up and the main platform was fortnite. Safer gaming should involve single player or multiplayer with friends only. The average age of gamers is 34-35 so there are concerns of predators, so report and block users that make you uncomfortable 

-Police are there to help with Cyber crime

- Inappropriate photos - can be forwarded and can come back years later 

-Make sure you talk to a trusted adult, even if the mistake is yours

-Kids Helpline is a free, confidential telephone and online counselling service for young people between 5 and 25 years old. Phone 1800 55 1800

Resources 

https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/resources-tab/parents-and-carers 

https://kidshelpline.com.au/ 

Congratulations:

Congratulations to Chanel and Sienna who both recently competed in a Cheerleading competition and did very well, both securing place medals in their events.

Congatulations also to Logan and his family on the birth of his little brother Kaison.