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June 2019
Dear Parents and Carers of St Patrick’s School,
Thank you for your patience in waiting for the announcement of the Inaugural Community Council. We were blessed to have 7 nominees by the closing date, and with 7 positions to fill, we did not need to hold an election. As the first meeting of the council was held this week I chose to delay the announcement of the council from last Friday to today.
I am now pleased to announce the membership of the St Patrick’s Community Council 2019:
Sitting side by side with the executive will be our new Community Council Committees.
Information about Community Council meetings will be communicated in the newsletter and on the Skoolbag app in the week following the meeting, this will ensure we keep the whole school community informed.
Let’s make St Patrick’s a school where everyone plays a part so that we each contribute to our children’s education and the continued growth of our community.
Jo Scott-Pegum
Principal
School holidays are fast approaching…….time online?
The internet can have a have a positive or negative effect on your children. One factor that can determine its effect is the amount of time a child spends on electronic devices. How much is too much, how much is the right amount? 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 vital.
So what can parents do?
Stay engaged and encourage balance - keep an eye on the games, apps and devices your child uses by sharing screen time with them. Help them stay aware of their important offline activities, like hobbies and sports.
Create a plan - involve your child in creating a family plan that balances time spent sitting in front of screens, with a variety of offline activities.
Use the available technologies - parental controls and tools to monitor online time allow you to measure and set time limits on device use or internet access. Be honest and open with your children about why you want to use these technologies.
What signs may indicate my child is spending too much time on devices?
Less interest in social activities like meeting friends or playing sport.
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.
Refer to the esafety Commissioner Website https://esafety.gov.au/parents
Peace be with you
Caz Perryman
On Monday we held our school athletics carnival in almost perfect conditions.
The winning team this year is Tennison and the age champions are:-
Junior Champions: Daniel Clarke and Isobel Nicholson
11 Year champions: Jaxson Dibley and Kirra Seenan
Senior champions: Lachlan Marks and Lana Venables.
Congratulations to these students and everyone else who had a go, did their best and achieved some personal goals.
The Southern Region Carnival will be held here in Bega on Thursday 1st August. The children who have been selected in the St Pat's team for this day have taken home a note which needs to be returned ASAP.
The canteen still requires volunteers, please contact the school office is you are able to help out.
The 1st August St Pats will be hosting The Southern Regional Carnival. Kylie will be running the BBQ/cake/drinks stall on the day but she can't do it alone! Helpers will be needed to cook, sell, setup and pack up. We are also asking for donations of baked goods, cakes or slices, to sell at the carnival. If you can help out in anyway please contact Kylie at the school office on 6492 5500. All money raised on the day goes back into the school for the benefit of all our children.
