Principal's Update

Dear Families,

This week, we had a wonderful day eating pancakes at recess on Shrove Tuesday. We also gathered as a school for our Ash Wednesday Mass, which signified the beginning of Lent. Many thanks to the families for their amazing donations of pancake mix and for helping cook.

School Absences and my Mum:

Today, I want to share a story about my Mum; stay with me; it will make sense soon. My Mum was a hard-working woman with an exceptional work ethic and was firm with us all. Getting a day off school with Mum was a big ask. You had to be genuinely sick and then stay in bed all day. Sometimes, my,  'I feel sick,' was because there was something happening at school I might not have wanted to do or a problem I didn't want to deal with.

Reflecting on this, I can see that Mum was also teaching me other life lessons. She taught me to have the courage to try new things, to face up to my problems, and that sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do. She also gifted me with her strong work ethic.

Children should never be at school when they are unwell, but otherwise, school time is really important. Learning at school happens throughout the day and the week. Learning is often sequenced so that missing parts of a day can mean missing a key component of that learning. We ask that interruptions to a school day be kept to a minimum. Please ensure children are here on time to start their day and are not collected early unless absolutely necessary. We do understand that, at times, appointments genuinely need to be within the school day. For example, we know how hard it can be to get a medical appointment.

Thanks for your cooperation with this. We really want the best for all our children and want to give them every opportunity to learn and grow.

Enjoy your long weekend, and stay safe.

Louise

St Brigid's Parent Information Session

Parent Information Session: Digital Media Literacy & Online Safety

Supporting children and young people in the digital world is more challenging than ever. Join us at St Brigid’s College for an essential parent session designed to help you navigate the complexities of online safety, social media, and digital literacy.

This event is for all parents, carers, and educators, whether you are an existing family or wish to know more on this topic. The session will take place in our Library, located in the STEAM building, with a light supper provided. Register via the form linked below.

Register here: https://forms.gle/qCqAwZkYqcCn6PXF8

Date: Wednesday, 19 March 2025

Time: 6:45 PM

Location: St Brigid’s College, Horsham

What to expect:

• A valuable Q&A session featuring school staff and student leaders, providing both adult and student perspectives on the realities of navigating the digital world.
• A screening of an insightful webinar featuring two of Australia’s leading experts in cybersafety and youth wellbeing:

Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg – Adolescent Psychologist

Susan McLean – Cyber Safety Expert

Topics include:

• New Social Media Regulations
• Cyberbullying
• Online Safety & Fraud
• Exposure to Hate Speech