Earlier in the month we partnered with Catholic Care to present a parent workshop on social media for primary school students. The presenters reminded parents and carers about their crucial role in decision making around children accessing social media and the pitfalls associated with accessing too young. The eSafety Commissioner reinforces this message:

Parents and carers play a key role in guiding their children as they first encounter the online world and begin to learn through exploration, play and social interaction. 

When is your child old enough to take their first online steps and begin to explore on their own? How soon are they ready for smartphones and social media accounts? 

It is a good idea to protect younger children from online risks such as encountering harmful content, contact with strangers or missing out on physical activity. But it is up to you to decide when and how they take these first steps, and how best to support them as they begin their online journey.

In particular the eSafety Commissioner emphasises the following in regards to social media:

Both the physical age of your child and their level of maturity and resilience can affect their ability to have positive experiences on social media. 

Each social media site and app has its own criteria for minimum age requirements. Most require users to be at least 13 years of age before they can register, although some sites are created especially for children under 13.  

Generally, the 13-year age requirement is not necessarily because the site is unsafe for children to use but to comply with a US law — the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), which prevents collection and storage of personal information from children under 13 years of age.

The eSafety Commissioner suggests these questions are a good way to determine whether your child is ready for social media.  

Does your child know how to deal with negative online experiences? 

If you think your child would be very upset by a negative experience online, you may need to guide them closely if you allow them to establish a social media account.  

Look through online profiles and public feeds together, and talk about how some people behave differently online. Teach them how to filter abusive comments, block and report people. 

Does your child understand the importance of protecting their personal information?  

Explaining to a child why privacy is important can be difficult. Start by describing what personal information is. Emphasise that it includes anything that can identify them, such as their mobile number, email address, photos, the name of their school, and any sporting clubs they belong to. Remind them that photos can contain information that could be used to identify them, such as a photo taken right outside your house or a photo of them in their school uniform.  

Let them know that if they share personal information online, it could mean that others, including strangers, could use it in ways they may not have thought about. Someone could even post bullying messages or inappropriate photos on social media while pretending to be them. 

Does your child understand how privacy settings for social media work? 

Show your child how to view the privacy settings for each social media service you use. Talk about the settings you have selected for your accounts and why you chose them. You can find advice on privacy settings in The eSafety Guide.

Does your child understand what is safe to share online? 

If you are concerned your child may post personal information that allows people to identify and locate them – even after you have talked about  the dangers – then they may need your help to use social media sites. 

Discuss the risks of 'checking in', tagging people in photos, sharing inappropriate pictures, meeting online friends in person, making offensive comments and other behaviour that is considered unacceptable. 

Does your child know how to report cyberbullying and other kinds of abusive content? 

Although there are huge benefits to being connected through social media, your child may experience some form of online bullying or harassment. If this happens, it is important that they know how to manage and report this behaviour.

More comprehensive information about how to navigate key online milestones for your child can be found on the eSafety Commissioner’s website - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/issues-and-advice/are-they-old-enough ).

Long Service Leave - Term 3

Mr McElhone is taking long service leave from Friday, 20 September to Friday, 27 September. Mrs Robinson will be Acting Principal during this period of leave.

Change into Summer Uniform

The students are able to transition to summer uniform after Father’s Day. During the transition period the students can elect to wear either the summer or winter uniform, but not a combination of both. The transitional arrangements apply until the start of Term 4. Please ensure that your child complies with all aspects of our school uniform policy.

Parent Contact Details

At all times, we ask that parents keep your contact details up to date.  Phone numbers and email addresses can be amended, by you, through the Compass portal.  Please advise the office, in writing/email, of any other change in details.

Change of Routine

Please remember to inform the office or your child's class teacher if there is going to be a change in routine. If a parent is running late please contact the school office. If you have organised for someone else to collect your child, please inform the office of this as soon as possible or write a note for your child's class teacher.

2024 School Calendar

The key date of events and celebrations for 2024 can be viewed in our online school calendar. The calendar can be viewed on our school website and via the newsletter.

Upcoming Events

• 12 September Catholic Mission Launch at Wollongong

• 13 September Mark Taylor Shield - Round 2 Game vs Nazareth Shellharbour

                       2:30pm Whole School Assembly

• 16 September Excursion - Year 5 Minnamurra Rainforest

• 20 September CEDoW Primary Basketball Gala Day

• 26 September 1:00pm Super Skippers Performance

                     1:30pm Lunch on the Lawn (weather permitting)

                    2:30pm Whole School Assembly

• 27 September Staff Development Day

• 14 October Staff Development Day

• 15 October First day of Term 4 for students

Teacher Professional Learning

At St Thomas Aquinas the staff has an ongoing commitment to professional learning. The staff benefits from attending in-services, in curriculum areas, that assist them in providing quality learning opportunities for the students in their class. The following staff have or will attend professional learning:

Staff Development Days - Terms 3 & 4

• Term 3 - Friday Week 10 (27 September)
• Term 4 - Monday Week 1 (14 October)
• Thursday & Friday Week 10 (19 & 20 December)