2024 | ISSUE 5 | SJC Newsletter

Acting Deputy Principal -Wellbeing

This week we were delighted to welcome back all staff and students as we continue with our Semester 1 subjects and learning goals. Although Term 1 was very busy, the College is pleased to report that both students and staff are navigating the new timetable changes well, with any minor concerns being currently discussed for future improvements.

Key Dates:

Please note that there are a number of key events approaching in early Term 2. These include:

1 – 3 May: Year 12 Renewals & alternative learning timetables for Years 10 & 11

2 May: Year 8 AAS Testing

8 May: Edmund Rice Day (Cross Country)

13 May: Mother’s Day breakfast

17 May: IDAHOBIT Day

23-24 May: Year 10 Careers program

18 June: GAT Testing (VCE students)

For parents with students in Mt Sion, you will receive more detailed information via email regarding the Renewals week and alternative arrangements for Year 10 and 11 students.

Mt Sion Presentation- CTRL Your Scroll

This week Mt Sion students heard a presentation from ‘CTRL your scroll’. This presentation is an integrated, research-based program that utilises peer-reviewed data, scientific study and personal experience to provide real-life strategies to combating phone addiction. Ctrl Your Scroll provides students with the skills and tools to be able to take back control of their phone usage.

The key takeaways from the presentation were:

• The impact of excessive media consumption leads to reduced mood
• Social media apps have been designed to create an unconscious use of our phone and scrolling
• Over use of a phone can cause an increase in memory failure and reduce our ability to concentrate.

The student body were provided with some valuable strategies moving forward:

• Download the “One Sec” app, which provide an external stopping cue that is missing from al social media apps
• Modify the digital settings of each App (eg: The digital wellbeing schedule for Tik Tok)
• Replace the scrolling habit with something new and create a list of options to replace this with healthier habits
• Mange the notifications of personal devices
• Download the “Opal App”, which allows the phone user to block apps for a chosen period of time at a specific time of the day

I would encourage you to discuss this presentation with your child, as I am sure we can all appreciate the impact phones and social media has on our own personal health and growth.

In addition to the above presentation, the wellbeing team have recognised that student mobile phone use during class and in the yard increased throughout Term 1. This started to impact the teaching and learning within some classes. As an interim response, students have been informed that in addition to normal processes, if a student has their phone confiscated twice in a term a further consequence will given. This consequence will be to hand in their phone to the Deputy Principal office area for a minimum of two weeks. In some cases, further support will be provided to students who are having difficulties with excessive phone use. The College appreciates parent support with these processes.

I look forward to a productive and positive term ahead.

Cassandra Gleeson
Acting Deputy Principal -Wellbeing