Principal's Message

Industrial Action Concludes

An in-principle agreement has been reached between the Department Education and the Australian Education Union (AEU), the AEU informed the Education Department that all industrial action will now cease.   We will look at how we can reorganise our Learning Conversations and recommence our school council meetings.  Stay tuned for further details.

Curriculum Day Reminder

As per our school calendar, in week 7 (two weeks), Friday 28th August is a curriculum day  for staff. This curriculum day is for all staff to participate in professional development sessions at school. All classes will recommence on Monday 31st of August.

Welcome Kiwis

On Monday we welcomed six New Zealand Principals to Wedderburn College for a tour and to share in a luncheon.  Thanks to Kylie, from the College Cafe, we were treated to a delicious casserole lunch which the visitors really enjoyed.  The visitors presented us three NZ books for the school library.  I will be meeting with them again during the week as I will be presenting two sessions at the SPERA (Society for Provision of Education in Rural Australia) National conference in Ballarat.  Mr Lockhart, Mr Pettifer and Miss Milne will present our SWPBS journey on Wednesday, and Mr Iser will also present our Learning Model/Active Learning on Thursday. 

Staff Fitness Challenge between Ansett and Jacka. 

If you see staff members walking, running and being active they are supporting each other in a fitness challenge between houses. Please give a cheer of support to your house staff representatives as they strive to 'out do' each other.   

Ansett narrowly won the average for week 1 of the five-week challenge.  Mr Gretgrix Gold for most points earned, Miss Fraser silver and Mr Lockart bronze.   Go Jacka!

Reminder New Social Media Laws 

The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 will require social media platforms to:

· prevent children and young people under 16 from having a social media account

· deactivate or freeze existing accounts held by people under 16.

Delaying access to social media protects the health and wellbeing of young people and gives them extra time to build real world connections and digital literacy skills.

The responsibility will be on the social media platforms, not parents, carers, children or schools, to implement these new restrictions.

Most popular social media platforms will be age restricted. These include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit and YouTube. Messaging services and online games, as well as apps and platforms that support health and education, can still be used.

How to help under 16s prepare for the change

Parents and carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online.

To help get under 16s ready for the social media minimum age requirements, you can go to the eSafety website to learn more about the social media age restrictions and find tips on how to talk about social media age restrictions with young people.