EDUCATION

Getting to School on Time

It goes without saying that the more time students spend in class, the more positive the outcomes will be for their learning and working towards their future. As such, while we have had an increased focus and follow-up for students who are frequently absent, it is just as important for us to work to support those young people who find it difficult to arrive to school on time at the start of the day.

We are all late from time to time, with unexpected factors beyond our control taking more time than usual causing us to run behind schedule. But chronic lateness will eventually have an impact on a young person’s overall educational experience and affect their progress and engagement in school as much as absences can.

When a student arrives late to school, not only do they miss out on whatever learning has taken place in their absence, but when they enter the learning environment they also disrupt the learning of others and take the teacher away from the lesson in order to address the lateness.

If a student arrives at school after 8:50am (due to appointments etc), they are expected present a note from a parent/guardian explaining why they are late to the Administration Office. Alternatively, a parent/guardian may also enter the reason via the Compass portal.  If students sign in without a note, parents can expect an unexplained lateness text notification to say that their child was not at school on time.

We are working on a new process to aim to reduce the number of students who frequently arrive late to school by having students make up the time missed, but in the meantime, here are some strategies that may help with your young person’s organisation in the morning.

• Students should make sure they have everything they need for school each day ready to go the night before to reduce the rush in the morning. Devices charged, uniform ready, bag packed. 
• Students need to have a good sleep routine and avoid using devices in the hour before they go to bed.
• Students may need to set an alarm in order to allow themselves enough time to get themselves to school or be ready to be dropped off. 
• The first lesson begins at 8:50am, so students should be aiming to arrive by 8:30am to ensure that they are in class and ready to learn by the time the session starts.

If you are concerned about your young person’s attendance or lateness, please get in touch with their mentor teacher, Learning Community Leader or Sub-School Leader for additional support.

Tips On Keeping Your Family Safe Online

Online safety basics

Help your children safely navigate their digital world and educate them to avoid harmful online experiences. Explore websites, games, apps and social media together and set some rules. 

Your support and guidance can give your children the confidence to make sound decisions online ― and ask for help when they need it.

Three key strategies

1. Be engaged, open and supportive

• Get involved. Share online time with your children as part of family life. Play games together. Talk about favourite apps, games or websites.
• Keep lines of communication open. Ask about their online experiences, who they are talking to and whether they are having any issues.
• Reassure your child they can always come to you, no matter what. Let them know you will not cut off internet access if they report feeling uncomfortable or unsafe when online ― this is a real concern that may stop your child from communicating with you openly.
• If you notice a change in behaviour or mood, talk to your child about it. If you are concerned, consider seeking professional help ― from your GP, a psychologist or school counsellor.

        2. Set Some Rules

• Set age-appropriate rules for devices and online access, with consequences for breaking them.
• Get your child’s input — this will help them understand risks. As they get older you can review your rules together. 
• Consider creating a family tech agreement (sometimes called a family media plan or family online safety agreement). This is a set of rules about how devices, like smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs and gaming consoles are used in your home. It is written down and agreed to by all family members and kept in a place where everyone can see it, such as on the fridge.
• Your family tech agreement could cover the type of websites that can be visited, time spent online and acceptable online behaviour. 
• eSafety has created our own version of a Family Tech Agreement, in collaboration with ABC KIDS, especially designed for families with children under 5. You can download this and fill it in with your family. Another example, from ThinkUKnow Australia, can also be a good starting point for families with older children.
• The consequences for breaking the rules should be clear. Negotiate these with your child when you create your agreement so they mean something to them — Raising Children Network has some useful tips and advice.
• Consider making some ‘rules for parents’ too and stick to them! Model behaviour that you would like to see.

      3. Use technology and get information

• Get to know the devices you and your children use and set them up for privacy and online safety. Take advantage of parental controls to monitor and control screen time and access to content, based on your child’s age and experience. See our guide to taming the technology.
• Choose apps and games carefully and visit the App Store or Google Play for age ratings and consumer advice. Read the Australian Classification Board’s online database for information about movies and games.
• NetAware (UK) has a comprehensive guide to popular social media apps and games. You can also visit The Australian Council on Children and the Media and Common Sense Media (US) for information about apps, games and websites searchable by age.

For further advice on Online Safety Basics for different age groups for parents and carers, please click the links below:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/online-safety-basics

Tutor Support

Our fabulous Tutoring Team continue to support our students in classes during Term 3. This includes individual and small group work. Our Tutors are available to all students on Tuesday after school from 3pm - 4pm in the school Library and Senior Study Centre. Please encourage your child to utilise these very skilled teachers if they need extra support with their classwork.  Our tutors have a wealth of experience in both Literacy and Numeracy and are always eager to help and support all students at Surf Coast.

BatForce Free Online Sessions

TERM 3 

BatForce are offering face to face, the presentation Digital Tattoo to schools in Term 3 during the period August 29th to September 16th.  Digital Tattoo is about student safety when using social media including understanding your digital footprint, what employers can see about you online, and learning to stay safe online. Please see this LINK for further details 

NDIS Victorian Pathway to Post School Life

TERM 4 

The National Disability Insurance Agency invites Victorian students living with disability in Years 9 -12, their parents, carers and education professionals, to attend a virtual information session about building skills in preparation for, and paving a pathway to, post-school life.  A range of NDIS-funded supports and other assistance to help young people build skills to prepare for their transition, and support them in achieving employment and other goals, post-school will be presented.  

Monday, 17 October 2022 7.00pm – 8.30pm (AEDT) 

Tuesday 25 October 2022 7.00pm - 8.30pm (AEDT)

Delivered via video-conference using Microsoft Teams.  Registrations will close three business days before the event.  Two business days prior to the event, details to join the session will be sent from events@ndis.gov.au to the email address you provide at registration, so please ensure your registered email address is accurately captured to receive these details.

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