Over the holiday break I received notification from DOSCEL that they have declared a Diocesan wide closure day for all schools managed by them for Monday 31st October 2022.  As we already had this date booked for a closure it now gives us the opportunity to select another day as replacement.

Please be advised that this replacement day will be Friday 25th November.  

School Concert

Rehearsals for the concert have stepped up after the holidays. I am sure you will have heard the song(s) your child(ren) will be singing in the concert as they practise them at home .On your behalf I would like to thank Ashlea Vanyai and Alana Riseley who have choreographed all the acts and spent extra time making sure each grade is prepared.

We have had a great response to the ticket sales for the Concert. The evening session is now sold out but there are still tickets left for the matinee. 

School Hats

As the weather is warming up a gentle reminder that no hat no play is being enforced. Please check at home and send it to school ASAP. 

Face Mask Requirements 

The Victorian Government has announced that from 11:59 pm on Thursday 22 September 2022, face masks will no longer be required on public transport or in taxis, rideshare services or tourism vehicles and will instead be strongly recommended, in line with the existing indoor face mask recommendations. 

This means that staff and students are no longer required to wear a face mask when travelling to and from school, school activities, school camps and excursions, on school buses or via public transport. 

Face masks continue to be strongly recommended in indoor settings, where people cannot physically distance, for people who have any COVID-19 symptoms and for anyone who may be vulnerable to COVID-19. The requirement to wear a face mask will remain mandatory for everyone aged eight (8) years and above in the following circumstances, unless an exception applies: 

• if a person has tested positive to COVID-19 and leaves their house, including positive cases who are asymptomatic and leave isolation after five days 
• when indoors outside the home, if a person is a close contact or a household contact following additional safety measures in the days that would have been their quarantine period 
• when visiting a hospital, care facility or any other indoor space that is publicly accessible in a healthcare setting, including allied health providers 
• after being tested for COVID-19 and awaiting results.  

Screen time

The following is an article from the esafety commission;

How much is too much?

There is no magic figure. The right amount of screen time can depend on a range of factors like your child’s age and maturity, the kind of content they are consuming, their learning needs and your family routine. 

It can be easy to focus only on the clock, but the quality and nature of what they are doing online, and your involvement, are just as important.

Consider your child’s screen use in the context of their overall health and wellbeing. For example, is online time getting in the way of their sleep and exercise? Is it impacting on their face-to-face connections with family and friends? The answers to these questions will guide you and help strike the right balance of online and offline activities for your child.

Signs to watch for

Signs that your child’s online activity may be having a negative impact on them or on your family include: 

• less interest in social activities like meeting friends or playing sport
• not doing so well at school
• tiredness, sleep disturbance, headaches, eye strain 
• changes in eating patterns
• reduced personal hygiene
• obsession with particular websites or games
• extreme anger when being asked to take a break from online activity
• appearing anxious or irritable when away from the computer
• becoming withdrawn from friends and family

What to do if you are concerned

Ask questions and listen

• Some of the behavioural changes described above are a normal part of growing up but, if you are concerned your child is struggling, try to find out why — there may be underlying issues such as cyberbullying, friendship difficulties or mental health issues. 
• As part of your conversation, ask your child about how much time they spend online and explain why it is worrying and what they could be missing out on. 
• Try not to show that you disapprove or they might shut down communication altogether. 
• Talking to your child’s school may also reveal academic or social issues, and the school may also be able to provide support.

Explore underlying issues and seek help if necessary

• You can read advice for parents about issues like cyberbullying,  gaming, and unwanted contact and grooming.
• If necessary, you can get help for your child through a counselling or online support service.

Help your child manage their online time

Stay engaged and encourage balance

• Keep an eye on the games, apps and devices your child uses. Chat with your child regularly and help them stay aware of how much time they are spending on different online and offline activities. 
• Include positive things outside the online world in your conversations, such as what they love in life, careers they are interested in and new hobbies.
• Join in. Play games together as a family, or explore some joint online projects. Rather than being just a solitary activity, online time can then become another way of strengthening connections as well as building social skills.
• Where possible, avoid limiting online time as a punishment as this approach may inflate its importance to children.

Create a plan

• Involve your child in creating a family plan for leisure and entertainment time that balances time spent sitting in front of screens — including time online and watching TV — and a variety of offline activities. 
• Work out the plan together. Young people are more likely to respond to rules they have contributed to and see as being fair and consistent.
• As well as agreed age-based time limits, the plan could include rules about which websites can be visited and online games can be played. It could also include control of access to the internet or devices, perhaps with daily passwords revealed once family time, homework and chores are complete. 
• A minor reduction each day or a ‘15-minutes to switch-off’ warning can help the transition to a more balanced use of time. 

Reducing your own screen time also sets a positive example.

• You could also consider formalising your plan into a signed written agreement — a family online safety contract. Our advice in online safety basics has some tips on this.
• There should be clear consequences for not sticking to the agreement and it is important to follow through with these. 

Use the available technology

• Parental controls are software tools that allow you to monitor and limit what your child sees and does online. But be honest and open with your children about why and how you want to use these technologies.
• There are also apps and software to measure online time as well as set time limits on device use or internet access.
• Find out more information in parental controls.

Set boundaries for digital device use in your home

Device-free zones and times can help you manage screen time. For example, your family plan could include rules like this:

• no devices in the bedroom for younger children
• all screens off in bedrooms after a certain time for older children
• all screens off at least one hour before planned bedtime
• all family members switch off at dinner time
• devices charged overnight in a place your child cannot access