Deputy Principal's Message
The weeks certainly are flying by! As I walk around the school each day I am impressed by the great learning occurring and the dedication of the teachers in providing so many wonderful activities for our students.
Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices
Parents are reminded that students should be signing all electronic devices (iPhones, smart watches, iPads, Kindles) into the front office each day. These items can be collected from the office at the end of the day but should remain in students' bags until they are off school grounds. This is for a variety of reasons including to ensure the safety of the device and to limit the negative impact of these devices due to inappropriate use.
Staying Safe Online
Online bullying – or cyberbullying – is engaging in bullying behaviour using technology, such as the internet or mobile devices. Online bullying is different from other forms of bullying.
- It is more likely to happen outside school.
- Harmful material can be shared quickly and long after the first incident.
- It can happen anytime, day or night.
- It is more difficult for children to defend themselves or get away.
Online bullying might include:
- Sending abusive text messages and emails;
- Posting hurtful or threatening material on social media like Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, or on gaming sites;
- Imitating or excluding others online;
- Inappropriate comments on pictures of others.
There are a number of key ways to keep your child safe online:
- Remind your child to tell a trusted adult if they are bullied online;
- Tell your child not to share their passwords with others;
- Remind your child to only give their mobile number or personal information to trusted friends;
- Talk with your child and understand the ways in which they are using the internet and their mobile phone;
- Find out the age restrictions for the sites and applications your child wants to use;
- Depending on the age of your child, set up your own accounts and ‘friend’ your child. By doing this, you can understand how the site’s privacy settings work, see what your child posts online and how your child responds to posts made by others;
- Make sure that your child’s account settings are set to ‘private’ to control who sees their information;
- Know how to block unwanted users;
- Encourage your child to only be friends online with people they know in day-to-day life;
- Remind your child to think carefully before they post comments, or upload or send images online.
It is important that schools and families work together to resolve issues of school-related online bullying. Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult at the school or notify the school yourself by contacting the office or class teacher.
Jeanenne Gale
Relieving Deputy Principal