Assistant Principal
The teachers are in the process of finalising end of year student reports. Due to COVID-19, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has permitted schools to select the content that will form the basis of educational programs for Kindergarten to Year 10 students during 2020. As a result, not all syllabus content will be reported upon in Semester 2.
| FEATURES OF SEMESTER 2 REPORTS |
WHY? |
| Omission of an overall grade for each Key Learning Area (KLA) |
In line with the flexible curriculum requirements as outline by NESA, schools addressed all Key Learning Areas, however, not all outcomes and content were taught, assessed and reported upon. Therefore, the overall grades in each KLA have been omitted from the Semester 2 Report for 2020. |
| 5 Point scale for Effort Descriptors |
Previous Academic Reports contained Commitment to Learning Descriptors, these have been replaced with a 5 point scale outlining the effort demonstrated by the student during learning activities. |
| Positive Behaviours for Learning (PB4L) Description |
The format used to report on PB4L has been modified to reflect a more comprehensive range of students’ social skills and behaviours. |
| Inclusion of descriptions for each Key Learning Area (KLA) and Content Strands |
Additional detail has been added to describe the knowledge and skills taught in each KLA. The purpose of this information is to provide parents with a clearer understanding of the teaching and learning taking place. |
Reports will be made available on Compass on Wednesday 9 December.
PB4L Rule: Be Responsible and Respectful
As the Christmas holidays approach, I thought it is a good time to revisit how we can be respectful and responsible online. At St Francis' it is recognised that technology plays an important role in engaging students in education, therefore the school staff incorporates the 3 school rules into all expectations regarding technology across the school.
The school works towards ensuring that effective programs and supports are put in place to encourage the responsible use of technology and to counter the inappropriate use of technology. The raising of student awareness of their safety online is a focused intent of planning where technology is involved in the classroom.
It is important to emphasise that the use of technology in the school environment is as a tool for learning. Devices are not used at school for gaming or social networking.
What can I do to help to keep my children safe online?
Online safety is a whole of community issue and it is vital that parents and carers are included in the conversation. This newsletter is aimed to raise awareness and develop a greater understanding of your child’s online behaviour, the risks associated with digital devices.
Often parents can become confused or are unsure as to how much time their children should spend using online devices. Consider the following when you are asking yourself the question: How much is too much?
Your child may be spending too much time online if their online behaviour is having a negative impact on other aspects of their life.
To many parents it can seem as though children and young people are constantly online. Often they are multitasking; for example downloading and listening to music while studying and chatting with friends or sending messages on their mobile phones.
The number of hours children and young people spend online can vary significantly. There is no guideline for the ‘right’ amount of time for children to spend online, however if their online behaviour appears to impact negatively on their behaviour or wellbeing, or that of the family, it may be time to discuss expectations and establish time limits.
What can you do?
● The longer you wait to address the issue, the more difficult it can be to overcome. So if you see an emerging problem arising from excessive use, act on it right away.
● Talk to your child about the concerns you have and monitor what games, apps and devices are bought or used by your child
● You may like to install a filter on the laptop or computer your child is using which can be adjusted to limit the amount of time an internet connection will be available on that device.
● Consider implementing family agreements about the amount of time your children can spend online. You might like to have a rule where the ‘wifi password of the day’ is only given once all homework/chores/family time is done. A similar approach can be used to limit access to devices.
● For iphone and/or ipad users, there is a new feature of iOS 12 called ‘Screen Time’. It lets you know howmuch time you and your children spend on apps, websites, and more. This way, you can make moreinformed decisions about how you use your devices, and set limits if you'd like to.
● If your child seems particularly anxious or irritable, or you notice them seeming isolated from friends or other activities, there may be an underlying mental health issue. Consider getting help from school counsellors or your GP who can refer your child to a professional psychologist.
To remain consistently updated about your child’s use of technology, further information is available in the iParent portal at www.esafety.gov.au
Morning Drop Off
Thank you to those parents who are remaining in their car and moving on promptly as they drop your children off each morning. This is a legal requirement in the Drop Off Zone (as it also is in the afternoon). We will not be opening the top gate near the Hall, as we have noticed that a lot of parents are not moving up to the double gates when dropping off. All students will now enter through the main gates. If any parents have any concerns around the cars at drop off, please contact the Wollongong Council.
As this is the last full newsletter for 2020, I would like to thank everyone for their support this year. I truly appreciated the families being calm and patient during this COVID-19 year and particularly for adhering to the expectations regarding pick-up, for not congregating near the gates and the marvellous preparation and reassurance you gave your child as they returned to school. Your support has been magnificent! The children demonstrated independence and real pride in the way they arrived each morning and left each afternoon. I am really proud of them!! I hope everyone has a very holy and happy Christmas.