Columba Catholic Primary School Acknowledges the Bunurong Peoples’ of the Kulin Nation as Traditional Owners and Custodians and pay respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging.  

Columba acknowledges the Bunurong’s continuing relationship to the land and waterways and respects that their connection and spiritual identity are maintained through ancient ceremonies, songlines, dance, art, and living culture.

We pay tribute to the invaluable contributions of the Bunurong and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Elders who have guided and continue to guide our work.

- Narelle Urquhart

A warm welcome back to all families for Term 3.

I am hopeful everyone had a restful break. Getting back to school can be hard for some families but rest assured, we will all be back into the the swing of things in no time.

The disco was a big hit and what a way to start the term! Thank you very much to the Parents and Friends for organising and running the event. All that attended volunteered their own time which is amazing. There are a few reminders below including the key dates for this term. Please add them to your calendars so we don't miss anything. We have one pupil free day this term Wednesday 16th August.

Wednesday 19th July - Junior Mass 9:15 am MP Room

Wed-Thu 19th-20th July - Family Conferences from 3:45 pm

Thursday 27th July - Grade 1/2 excursion to Coal Creek

Wed-Thu 2nd-3rd August - African Drumming Incursion

Monday 7th August - Prep 100 Days

Thursday 10th August - Book Week Dress Up Day

Wednesday 16th August - Pupil Free Day

Saturday 19th August - Comedy Night

Wednesday 30th August - Preps & Middles Mass 9:15 am MP Room

Thursday 31st August - Father's Day Event

Friday 1st September - Round Robin Sports Day 5/6

Wednesday 6th September - Confirmation Reflection Day

Saturday 9th September - Confirmation Sacrament

Friday 15th September - End of Term 3 (Early finish 2:25 pm)

Student Reports – Semester 1

Semester One Reports were published on PAM prior to the holidays. I encourage all parents, guardians and carers to discuss their child’s report with them; to help them to celebrate success and set goals for further progress in the future. Much of the report will shape the conversations at your Family Conference next week.

If you have any queries regarding your child’s report, can I please ask that you begin by contacting the classroom teacher directly.

School Fees

At the time of enrolment, families sign a contract with Columba accepting the commitment to pay Education Fees and all fees must be paid in full no later than Thursday 30 November 2023, unless a continuous direct debit arrangement is in place.

All and any discussions regarding Education Fees for your child/ren are treated as strictly confidential and our Fees Team will be more than happy to assist you with any questions or queries you may have via phone on 5629 5933 or email: fprincipal@bunyip.catholic.edu.au or finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au

Uniform

The School Winter Uniform can be purchased from BELEZA in Warragul.

Please see the options here - https://columbacpsbunyip.schoolzineplus.com/enrolments/uniform

Beleza now stocks pants that may be better suited to girls, however all genders are able to purchase all uniforms.

Students are expected to present themselves well and to wear the uniform, including footwear, correctly. Teachers will challenge our students to maintain or lift their standards with the school uniform in Term 3 if required. You can expect an alert on PAM if your child is out of uniform.

A few reminders

- Our first Assembly will be on Friday 21st July

- Please book your Family Conferences asap, they are next week.

https://columbacpsbunyip.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/26

- Please contribute to our PULSE survey for families (see details below).

PULSE SURVEY - Parent Survey to HELP our school

Each term we send out a parent survey which helps us get 'the pulse' of how our parent community. Below is a link to the survey. The surveys will always be brief and will support us in creating the best possible learning environment for your children.

This survey is CONFIDENTIAL and no names or email addresses will be collected unless you provide them for us. The school will not contact you personally to discuss your responses.

This is your best opportunity to let us know how you are feeling, and your best opportunity to let us know what we are doing well and what you know we could do better.

I ask that this survey be completed by Friday 28th July.

HELP US HERE - https://forms.gle/nXp8DQn7yjZ3K3D96

NEXT Assembly

Friday 21st July 2:20 pm

Multi-Purpose Room

All Families Welcome

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REMINDER - Book Family Conference ASAP

Family Conferences Book Now for Term 3 2023 Daniel Howells will be on leave during the Parent Conference Dates. 1/2H Parent conferences will be held at a later date in Term 3. BOOKING LINK HERE https://columbacpsbunyip.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/26 All Family Conferences will be held at school in your children's classrooms on Wednesday 19th July and Thursday 20th July Please book your conference/interview using our portal. We ask that all families be proactive in making time to see their child's teacher, as it will be a perfect opportunity to discuss your child's learning and some learning goals for the remainder of the year. You may receive contact from the school asking for your attendance. Some families have already attended PSG meetings and do not need to book a Family Conference. Students are welcome to attend the conferences if that is the preference of the parent. Please book asap especially if you have more than one child to ensure your meeting times are similar.

Each year Columba published a report for the school community, outlining the work of the previous year. It provides a snapshot for the community on what we have achieved and what we aim to achieve as a school moving forward. This report is published on our school website each year, the direct link is below.

It has been included it in this weeks newsletter also.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND STAYING SAFE ONLINE

 “What kids do and post online, the sites they visit and the things they say is permanent. This digital footprint denotes their digital reputation and there’s nothing to stop someone from saving and storing that information about your child.” Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

Social Media and staying safe online

Social media can offer many benefits to adolescents, connecting them with friends. We often hear or read about the dangers of young people logging on to social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, and other online spaces where they can socially interact, including Youtube, virtual worlds and gaming sites. In the online world, we know children and adolescents can be exposed to cyberbullying, harassment, sexting, privacy breaches and sexual predators.

Despite these negatives, many parents are surprised to discover there are also many real advantages for adolescents in connecting through social media. Research tells us that social media networking can play a vital and positive role in the development of young people and their lives.

As children progress into their adolescent years, the way they interact with their family, friends and the wider world changes. These developmental changes also influence how they use social media.

Moving into adolescence

While the age at which children transition into adolescence varies from child to child, it typically begins at around 12, 13 and 14. During these years, young people experience significant brain growth and development.

We notice young people becoming more independent, spending an increasing amount of time alone and investing in their friendships, while devoting less time to their parents. This is a pivotal stage when peers begin to have a major impact on adolescents. Peers typically influence young people’s choices, attitudes and behaviours, from the clothes they wear to the movies they see and their taste in music.

Adolescents also begin to see their parents through adult eyes, which can lead to a sense of embarrassment and withdrawal. As a result, many parents often feel a sense of loss and believe they may have ‘done something wrong’ to provoke the change. In actual fact, this process is a natural psychological development in the adolescent’s journey to becoming an adult.

Social media

Social media is an extension of what goes on in the real world. It enables young people to develop friendships and connect in ways like never before. Unlike adults, many adolescents see no difference between their online and their offline worlds.

In early adolescence, social media plays an incredibly important role. It has fast become an essential tool that adolescents can use to socialise and connect with their peers.

Social media has a range of benefits. It allows young people to establish their identity with pro-social peers at a time when they are laying the foundations for their independence.

Young people are able to communicate with their friends online and engage through common interests, such as following and interacting with their local sports club or dance, music or drama groups. Social media enables young people to research and share information online, showcase issues and opinions, stay up to date with school events, to socialise and to flirt.

Adolescents are also creating, uploading and modifying content. Many adolescents use social media to take photos to document what they are experiencing when they go out, before they post it online. While previous generations also documented their activities, those photos were placed in frames and albums and were not instantaneously available to their wider circle of friends.

Social media also enables young people to develop real world skills, such as managing their online presence and team collaboration.

A Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre literature review shows there are significant benefits that come with social networking services for adolescents. Social networking can help with identity formation, deliver educational outcomes and facilitate supportive relationships.

It can promote a sense of belonging and self-esteem which has the potential to build resilience, enabling adolescents to better cope with change and stressful events.

Maximising these benefits can work to protect young people from the risks of online interaction.

Peer influence online

Studies show that peer influence during adolescence is far more powerful than parental influence. We know that peers help shape the behaviour and attitudes of young people offline and online, driving their social media use.

Sexting is an online trend where adolescents send, receive or forward sexually explicit messages or photos. While parents may find this behaviour bizarre and high-risk, research reveals more than half of adolescents are engaging in sexting. For many young people, sexting is a common form of flirting.

The downside of sexting is that the images and messages can be rapidly distributed via devices and social media platforms, leading to long-term reputation damage and legal issues. Several Australian teenagers who consensually filmed themselves having sex before distributing it online were later charged under child pornography legislation and have been added to the sex offender register. Unfortunately, their online actions will now have consequences that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Staying safe online

Young people’s brains are continuing to grow and develop throughout their adolescent years. Especially in early adolescence, many young people are unable to predict the consequences of their actions.

It’s imperative that parents continue to teach, monitor and protect their children when it comes to cyber safety. Adolescents must learn how to use the internet in a safe, smart and responsible way. It’s just as important for parents to teach their children about cyber safety as it is about teaching them how to swim or to safely cross the road.

Unfortunately, this is a message that we’re still struggling to communicate. Many parents find addressing cyber safety overwhelming and, all too often, it’s relegated to the too-hard basket.

We need to get smarter about how we educate children and adolescents, parents and schools about social media and cyber safety. The government is making vital inroads through the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner but there is still much room for improvement.

Parents need access to greater education and schools need to better implement their cyber safety policies. We need improved regulation of cyber safety education in schools, with transparency around the qualifications of accredited training providers.

Despite these challenges, social media needs to be seen as an important asset for adolescents at a crucial stage in their development. The positive psychology movement tells us that one of the most significant contributors to wellbeing is equipping yourself with a rich repertoire of friends.

There are clear downsides to young people tapping into social media but we know the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, SchoolTV.me

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