Supporting Safe & Positive Online Connections

From December 10th last year The Australian Government introduced social media restrictions for under 16’s to protect young people at a critical stage in their development.

Despite this we are increasingly aware that many of our younger students are still communicating via social media, sometimes at all hours of the night. While digital platforms can offer positive ways to connect, they also present risks that require careful guidance and supervision, to guide them in developing safe and healthy online habits.

Bairnsdale Secondary College works closely with Victoria Police to promote positive online behaviour and to respond appropriately as concerns arise.

Through education and partnership, we aim to empower students to make responsible choices in digital spaces.

Families play a vital role in supporting this learning at home. We encourage parents to:

Stay informed about the platforms their children are using
Be aware of age guidelines for social media access
Monitoring usage — including having appropriate access to your child’s phone
Teaching and modelling respectful communication online
Establish healthy routines, including regular “phone-free” times
Establishing clear routines around device use, particularly at night (for example, keeping phones in a shared family space rather than bedrooms)
Maintaining open and ongoing conversations about their online experiences

By working together, we can help our young people enjoy the benefits of technology while building respectful, balanced and safe online practices.

There are many supports available to assist families in navigating this stage with confidence. Establishing clear expectations and boundaries not only protects your own child but also helps create a safer environment for all children both online and physically.

Please find below a range of links available to support families:

🔗Online safety | eSafety Commissioner

🔗Social media age restrictions and your family| eSafety Commissioner

🔗Social media age restrictions: Get-ready guide for parents and carers | eSafety Commissioner

🔗Parent resources | eSafety Commissioner

🔗Webinars for parents and carers | eSafety Commissioner

Social media age restrictions explained – a guide for parents and carers

From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account. Join our 30-minute information session to understand the changes. Learn more about this webinar.

Please click the dropdown box on the registration form to pick your preferred date.

Term 1 (AEDT)

24 February 2026, 12:30pm

REGISTER NOW

Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online

Parental controls can be a useful addition to the strategies you use to help protect your child online. This 45-minute webinar covers the types of controls available, and how to use them alongside other online safety measures. It’s suitable for parents and carers of primary and high school students. Learn more about this webinar.

Term 1 (AEDT)

5 March 2026, 12:30pm

REGISTER NOW

Bus passes

We would like to kindly remind parents that the College is unable to issue casual bus passes.

Travel arrangements for sports, sleepovers, birthday parties, and other private activities remain the responsibility of families. We appreciate your understanding in helping students plan these arrangements in advance.

Students who are eligible for school bus transport are allocated a specific bus service. For safety and compliance reasons, students are required to travel only on their allocated bus.

Thank you for your cooperation and ongoing support.

NAPLAN 2026: Key Information

Preparation for NAPLAN 2026 is well underway. NAPLAN is a series of assessments for all Year 7 and 9 students across Australia, designed to monitor student progress in literacy and numeracy. It is not a pass-or-fail test but provides valuable insights into student growth, curriculum effectiveness, and the quality of teaching and learning at our College.

This year, NAPLAN will take place in Term 1, from Wednesday 11th March to Monday 23rd March 2026.

While participation is expected, parents and carers have the option to withdraw their child from NAPLAN testing for religious, philosophical, or educational reasons. If you are considering withdrawal, please contact the College as soon as possible to discuss the process and complete the necessary paperwork.

For more information, parents and carers can refer to the attached brochure or visit the official NAPLAN website:

🔗 NAP - Home

🔗 NAPLAN Information for Parents and Carers

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the College.

Youth Myki

A child under 18 requires a Youth Myki to travel for free- if ordered online it can take ten days to arrive, so it's advisable to be prepared.

From 1 January 2026, all young people under 18 can travel for free anywhere in Victoria.
Youth myki can now be purchased online for $5 at transport.vic.gov.au/myki

At locations that sell Myki, they can be purchased directly from the stations (Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Warragul and Drouin- in the Gippsland Region).

More information is available on the following website-

🔗https://transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/campaigns/travel-freeeeeeeee

Canteen

888 Triple Eight has Online Ordering.

Students can place lunch orders at:

https://888-tripleeight.square.site/

Just make sure you open the website in Chrome or Edge (does not work on Internet Explorer)

Online orders are available from 3.30 pm the day before through to 9.00 am on the day of requirement
Timeslots are now updated in line with our new timetable. You can select times from Breakfast, Break 1 or Break 2
When completing the Checkout, please enter the student's Year Level in the 'Add a note for the seller' box under the Order total.
If you are ordering for your child please also include their name in the 'Add a note for the seller' box

Dates to remember and events