Child Safe Policy 

Child friendly version of Child Safe Policy (updated June 2022) Congratulations to our Year 6 Student Leaders on their creation of the student friendly version of the Child Safe Policy. This policy has been uploaded to our website. Child Safe page and can be found in the following link https://www.marymacnarre.catholic.edu.au/child-safety-standards

Parental Use of Mobile Phones (Privacy Laws)

We ask all parents to be mindful of their mobile phone usage, child safety and privacy laws when visiting our school.  During such times as morning Prayer time, Mass, Assemblies and school events/gatherings, we ask parents to turn off or put away their mobile phones and to respect the privacy of all students.  Photographs and video footage cannot be taken of students without parental permission.  Reminders of safe mobile phone usage will be shared with the school community at morning prayer times and assemblies.  On special occasions such as student awards at assemblies or student graduations, space will be made available for parents to photograph their child in a child safe way.  We thank you for working in partnership with us to respect the privacy of all our students.

Child Safe Resources to support Students, Parents/Carers

eSafety Commissioner

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents.

For families:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/parent-resources/online-safety-for-every-family

What is Safer Internet Day? 

Safer Internet Day is a global event that brings together communities, families, schools and organisations from more than 200 countries to help create safer online spaces. This worldwide initiative is celebrating 20 years in 2023, making it a great time to reflect as well as look forward.  Technology has evolved dramatically in the past two decades and the benefits have been huge. These developments have also exposed us to many risks with real-world impacts, making online safety awareness even more important.

That's why we are calling on Australians to Connect. Reflect. Protect.

• Connect safely and with purpose – by keeping apps and devices secure and using social media in positive ways.
• Reflect before we act – by taking a moment to consider how what we do and say online may affect others. 
• Protect ourselves and others by taking action – by telling family, friends or colleagues about eSafety and how we can help. 

Mary MacKillop School was proud to support Safer Internet Day on 6 February 2024. Together, we can all #ConnectReflectProtect. Our school is committed to raising online safety awareness and helping students build positive online relationships. By using eSafety resources, our school is helping our students have safer, more positive experiences online.

All families at Mary MacKillop School are encouraged to take an active part by doing these simple things - Connect Reflect Protect. We can work towards making every day a Safer Internet Day. Further information can be found in a separate letter sent to families via email earlier in the week.

CCYP - Commission for Children and Young People

https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/

School TV

https://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news

Today parents face a multitude of modern-day challenges in raising happy, well and resilient young people. Whilst there is a great deal of information available, this can often be confusing and overwhelming for parents looking for guidance. SchoolTV addresses this as a new online resource designed to empower you as parents with credible and sound information with realistic, practical ongoing support strategies. All SchoolTV topics are divided into series. The number of topics relating to a series will differ and over time new topics will be added. Every month from February to November, a new topic is published for you to review. Take the time to explore each series and topic and make sure you visit the resources section. Here you will find useful factsheets, apps, books, websites and other additional videos - all on one single topic!  

SPECIAL REPORT: The Wellbeing Barometer 2024

The Wellbeing Barometer survey has proven to be an invaluable tool for schools, providing insights into the state of youth mental health and wellbeing. Whilst last year’s results focussed the spotlight on areas of concern, there were also many highlights that demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of students and emphasised the necessity of prevention strategies. Participating in this year's survey, will assist in identifying areas of strength and concern, as well as pinpointing opportunities for early intervention. Previously gathered information has helped support families as they navigate difficult conversations that enable understanding and foster connections to build relationships.

This survey is part of an ongoing, longitudinal study, with the results being instrumental in tailoring support for students and their families. Participation is strongly encouraged, as it provides a comprehensive view of students' experiences, challenges, and achievements over the past year. Its aim is to capture a comprehensive picture of young people's lives, allowing for a tailored approach to enhance mental and emotional wellbeing.

We encourage you to take a few moments to complete a survey for each of your children. This will help us determine the nature and extent of your concerns and how best to support families in the months ahead. Responses remain anonymous and will only be reported on an aggregated basis. You are asked to base your responses on observations made in the last 12 months. 

Acquiring the skills for future independence, taking healthy risks, and giving young people the opportunity to emancipate from parents, are key developmental tasks that are essential if we are to stave off the impact of mental illness in the future. Please reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you or your child, please reach out to the school or seek professional medical advice.

Here is the link to your special report: https://marymacnarre.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-2024-au

Bravehearts https://bravehearts.org.au/

We are a Happy Families School!

Our school is subscribed to the Happy Families School Membership! Owned and run by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, the membership offers a wealth of parenting education and resources. We will regularly share resources available through our membership with you, including Insight Articles and Webinars. You can also access your resources at any time using the below URL (unique to our school) and password.

Unique URL - https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/mmnwn

Password - happymmnwn

We recommend bookmarking this link. You should only need to put the password in once and the site will remember you.  

Insights Articles

A new Insights article is released weekly during the term, and we will include these with the school newsletter. Insights articles are written by Dr Justin Coulson and other leading experts and provide parenting education and support for a wide variety of traditional and contemporary parenting challenges. You can also access 300+ previous Insights articles on our school’s URL.

Here is the latest weekly Insight Article (attached) - Play is Declining, and so is Mental Health

You have access to 4 live webinars a year (one per term). We will announce upcoming webinar details in the Insights articles. You’ll have access to the recording via our school’s URL but as the webinars are live, we recommend you watch them in real time so that you can ask Dr Justin and / or the guest presenter any questions you may have.

We hope you enjoy the Insights and webinars!