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From the Deputy Principal

Culture and Connection

This point in Term Four is, each year, a curious mix of celebration, excitement and exhaustion...with lots of big emotions on the side!  We have so many things to celebrate: warm and kind relationships, a beautiful campus on Menang Noongar boodja (land), a school full of exciting opportunities and experiences that encourage our students to discover their passion.  All of that happens in the context of a culture of connection and care. In this edition of the Anchor, you will see so much of this!

 

But that culture does not come from a disconnected, external source.  It comes directly from the people who play, learn and grow here; our students, staff and families.  And, as our students start to look forward to the holidays and being places other than school, there is a temptation to lose focus on what makes GSG a great place to learn and grow, together.  We sometimes see our students forgetting that living by the school values of respect, integrity, courage and compassion are still expected of them.  We sometimes see our students taking the blessings they have, in abundance, for granted.  We sometimes see them making choices that are not in the interests of being part of a group of people working and learning together.   

 

Our positive, thriving culture is one of the highlights of our school community and one of the elements most commented on and appreciated by families when we seek feedback from you.  As we approach the end of the school year, it is timely that we remind our children of the important part they play in living and growing our school culture.

 

Mrs Emma Franklin | Deputy Principal - Head of Teaching and Learning

New Social Media Laws: What You Should Know

The digital landscape for our young people is changing rapidly. With the introduction of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which comes into effect on 10 December 2025, social media platforms will be age-restricted for users under 16.

While the exact methods that each platform chooses to restrict access are not clear, it will include:

  • Instagram
  • Snapchat
  • TikTok
  • X (formerly Twitter)
  • YouTube
  • Threads
  • Reddit
  • Kick

For some of these platforms, you will still be able to watch videos or view threads, but young people will not be able to interact beyond that. The legislation recognises growing concerns about online harm, distraction and the developmental impacts of unrestricted access to social media on children and young people.

GSG’s Position: Safe, Age-Appropriate and Educational

At Great Southern Grammar we are supportive of efforts to improve online safety. Our approach has always centred on partnerships with families to ensure that students use technology in ways that support their wellbeing, learning, and long-term digital responsibility.

We are aligning with the new legislation and refining our own digital systems. Our goal is to ensure the devices we provide to our students remain focused on learning while still practical and safe for everyday use, supporting balanced, healthy digital habits.

Supporting Families

We will begin rolling out the Cisco Secure Client to all student devices from this week. This tool supports families by helping to manage internet safety at home without additional steps and ensures that a standard filter applies consistently across all networks. Parents may also request additional restrictions, such as time-based limits. We believe this will provide a clearer safety net for students.

Helping Your Child Protect Their Digital World: Downloading Data

  • Facebook
    1. Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings → Your Facebook Information → Download Your Information.
    2. Choose the data types (posts, photos, messages, etc.) and date range.
    3. Select format (HTML for viewing in browser, JSON for data portability).
    4. Click Create File → Facebook will notify you when it’s ready to download.
  • Instagram
    1. Go to your profile → Settings → Privacy & Security → Download Data.
    2. Enter your email and password; Instagram will email a link with your data (can include posts, stories, messages).
    3. Download may take some time depending on how much content you have.
  • TikTok
    1. Go to Profile → Settings and Privacy → Personalisation & Data → Download Your Data.
    2. Request either JSON or CSV format.
    3. TikTok will prepare the file (can take up to 7 days) and notify you when ready.
  • Snapchat
    1. Go to Settings → My Data (Snapchat website).
    2. Login and select Submit Request.
    3. Snapchat will email you a download link with your snaps, chat history, and other account data
  • X (Twitter)
    1. Go to Settings & Privacy → Your Account → Download an archive of your data.
    2. Verify your identity (password, sometimes phone/email confirmation).
    3. X will prepare the archive and notify you when it’s ready to download.
  • YouTube
    1. Go to Google Takeout (takeout.google.com)
    2. Select YouTube and YouTube Music data.
    3. Choose file type and size, then click Next step → Create export.

    4. Google will email you a download link once your data is ready.

       

Mr Kieran Bailey | Head of IT and Innovation