From the Principal Week 7
Dear Parents and Carers,
It’s increasingly common for children to have social media accounts, even in Primary School, so learning how to use these responsibly is an important skill they need to develop.
Social media is a pretty broad term that refers to websites and applications that enable people to create and share content, or participate in social networking. The big ones such as Facebook and Instagram are widely known, but did you realise that many children have social media accounts associated with online games, or online learning communities? If your child has a username and can post comments or chat online, they have a social media account.
Online gaming sites and learning communities are common places for children to
have social media accounts. It’s easy to set these up, so make sure you know what your child is using your computer for, and that they check with you before filling out a form that asks for a name or username. 
Check the privacy policy of the site together and talk about what it means. If you decide to let your child create an account, teach them the basics of choosing safe usernames and passwords and keeping them secure; and set up the privacy settings together.
Through the use of Seesaw in our Kinder to Year 2 and Google Classrooms in our Year 3 to 6 classes we have created a secure online learning community that enables students to interact with each other and their teachers to discuss topics, work collaboratively and submit assignments. This can be a good way for them to learn the techniques and etiquette of social media, and how to use it responsibly; and to become aware of online issues such as bullying and scams.
When your child wants to set up a social networking account on one of the main public platforms, it important to remember that many have age restrictions, so make sure the platform your child wants to sign up to is appropriate for their age. For example did you know that Fortnite the online battle game that a lot of our students are talking about and accessing at the moment is not recommended for children under the age of 12 years?
It is worth visiting the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner Website at the following link https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents to get the latest expert advice on how to keep safe online, and make sure you discuss it with your child.
If you are wondering whether you should be their online ‘friend’, the short answer is yes. However this may be difficult with platforms such as game or special interest forums that you may not have an active involvement in. By being your child’s online friend, you can see what your child is posting and give them guidance if needed.
Thank you for your ongoing care and partnership in your child’s learning.
God bless.
Rachel Smith
Principal
Principal’s Notes
Tell Them from Me
In the coming weeks we will be inviting students, teachers, and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.
We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at St Clare of Assisi Primary School
The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You are able to access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device by using the URL below:
Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday
On Monday 13th June, the ACT will celebrate the Queen’s Birthday with a public holiday. As it is a public holiday, all schools in the ACT will be closed on that day. A reminder that Tuesday 14th June, is the second of our two Pupil Free Days this term.
Signing In or Signing Out
A reminder to parents and carers if children are arriving late or departing early from school. All students must be signed in or out by their parent or guardian at the office.
Carpark Etiquette
We ask that all parents and carers using our carpark for pick up and drop off please do so with caution. With the increased use of the carpark we must all work together to ensure the safety of all our students. Please drive slowly through the carpark and park front in into a designated carpark. When reversing please be mindful of those around you and the flow of the traffic. Thank you for your help with this.
Leaving St Clare of Assisi
If you anticipate that your child will leave St Clare of Assisi at the end of this year, please submit the form further in newsletter. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2023. Thank you to those who have let us know already, this is very much appreciated. Naturally Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.