Assistant Principals

Cyber Safety 

INTERNET SAFETY REMINDERS

As we come into school holidays, now is the time to sit down with your family and revisit your family cyber safety agreement. This will ensure your family continues to stay safe online. We have listed some reminders from our school iPad agreement and the CyberSafety Project below to help with these conversations.

CREATING A SAFE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT AT HOME

When it comes to using technology at home it’s important to plan for device use, leverage tools and settings to prevent harm, and protect young people as they develop skills to safely and independently navigate the online world.

Make certain that you check the privacy settings on all games, apps and devices that are used so you know exactly what is being shared or 

Tips to help your child stay safe online

An important question to ask can be: ‘What is your child doing with their time on the screen?’. Consider these tips:

• Have children use their iPads in the main family area of the house where others can see them and the iPad screen, rather than being tucked away in their bedroom.
• Monitor the websites, games and social media that your child uses.
• Develop an open and non-judgemental dialogue with your child around what they are using online, so they feel safe to come to you if something makes them feel uncomfortable. 
• Ask your child to explain the ‘Think About How You Feel’ strategy to assist in a discussion about how time online makes them feel. Use the ‘START’ strategy (see below) to assist with this discussion.

Tips to take control of your digital balance

S – Switch off

T – Take a break

A – do something Active

R – do something Restful

T – Time to go again

When online, we encourage young people to tune into how they feel both physically (tired, sore, lethargic) and emotionally (frustrated, angry, upset, worried or scared). If they start to feel this way, it may be time to START to take control and feel the benefits of a healthy digital balance.

It’s all about balance and noticing when one activity in our life is all consuming or impacting our health and wellbeing. Consider these tips:

• Create a list of active and restful activities that your child enjoys that they can do when they are not online. 
• Help your child plan their day and schedule social or gaming time with a balance of physical activity and mindful breaks.
• Set timers to help them to remember to take a break.
• Create a list of non-negotiable daily activities to be completed before screen use such as daily reading, chores, outside time or family time.
• Avoid screen time 30 minutes prior to bed. 

For more resources check out the free family resources on the ‘CyberSafety Project’ website.

NAIDOC Week 

National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June – is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

Here at Gilgai Plains Primary School, students engaged in lots of learning about the importance of reconciliation and what it means. 

Throughout the week students were able to write their own Acknowledgments of Country, created a feather for our whole school display of ‘Bunjil the Eagle’ which can be found in our Library and read lots of stories written by First Nations authors. Similarly, members of Gardening Club were fortunate enough to plant a number of Indigenous plants, which were generously donated to the school by Craigieburn Bunnings.

More student work was showcased at our assembly for that fortnight as Miss Bowden’s Year 1 class performed an Indigenous lullaby ‘Inanay Capuana’ They did a beautiful job! 

Below are some pictures from our learning and celebrations throughout the week. 

As a school, we will continue to strive towards reconciliation in our everyday actions and follow through with our learning. 

Reminders

Important Reminder - No Dogs on School Grounds

Parents are reminded that dogs are not allowed on any school grounds in Victoria. While we understand that many families have well-behaved and friendly dogs, it is crucial to prioritise the safety of our students. All dogs should be on a lead and remain outside the school grounds at all times.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support in creating a safe and conducive learning environment for all our students.

Respect our Neighbours

Parents are reminded that we are surrounded by many family homes and ask that you follow the local laws and do not park across any driveways. As well as this being very dangerous, Hume council are in the area regularly and will give a ticket to anyone not abiding by the traffic laws.

TheirCare Holiday Program

Bookings are open for our Holiday Program adventure - We Can Be Heroes!

Remember to book as early as possible as places are limited.  Early bookings help the team plan to ensure that your child has an amazing experience when at the service.

Book now at theircare.com.au