As we see the end of week two for kids we are hoping the weather will improve and everyone enjoys their 4 day weekend.

ONLINE SAFETY

During the holidays we had an incident within social media (Tik TOK) which named our school and included a photo of some students and a teacher.  This site was not the way we want to see social media used.  The site was reported to the department’s social media department and to Tik Tok and has now been taken down.  Thank you to the community members who alerted us to this page.  Through the investigation process it was seen to have been set up outside of the school during the holidays.  I met with the senior classes about online safety and attached is a PDF from the eSafety Commission website which is a fantastic site for information and advice about safety online.  At any time you have concerns please talk with your child’s teacher.

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

As we pick up our phones, use social media or open our laptops to check our email, the children in our lives are watching and learning from us. What we do online and how we use devices provides a model that can help to lay the foundations for their online safety.

Modelling safe practices, even for the very young means getting involved in what children are watching and doing online, protecting their personal information and involving them in decisions about what you share online.

Below are some great tips on modelling good screen practices from the eSafety Commission site so you can help your child stay safe as they explore.

1. We often use screen time to occupy and entertain but it’s also important to use devices and screens as a way to start conversations with children, to help build their understanding of the online world.
2. Getting into the habit of talking also means that, as your child grows older, they know they can always come to you if they have a question or experience something negative online, such as seeing content that it not age appropriate.
3. Starting early with conversations about how the internet works and online safety encourages children to think critically about how data is stored, who can contact them online and how online sharing might affect them.
4. Watching or playing alongside your child can be a positive experience that promotes learning and development.
5. Ask questions, be curious and follow their interests — at the same time you can gently introduce online safety tips, such as not clicking on pop-ups and always coming to you if they encounter anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or if someone outside their family and close friends contacts them online.
6. Make sure your child is aware of what their ‘personal information’ is. Talk with children about how you protect your personal information— and theirs — online. Discuss what is appropriate to share, on which platforms and why, as well as the types of information that should stay private, like your address, contact information and date of birth.

Thursday 2^nd November, 2023

Come along in the morning and enjoy the beautiful Spring weather with your children while they take part in 2 amazing activities using the outdoors.  All families and warmly invited to come in and stay for as long or as little a time as you can spare between 9:00 am and 10:30 am.  The lovely coffee people will be here again with their hot drinks and treats to purchase.

On the first day of Term 4, Monday 16^th October, I had the privilege of attending the SPSSA Champions Athletics Carnival. There were some really amazing young talented athletes in Southern Tasmania at this year’s champions carnival, and 7 of these students came from Molesworth! Congratulations to Palasa, Ziva, James, Jack S, Haley, Angel and Lacie who represented themselves and Molesworth fantastically.

A special mention to Lacie who came 4^th in her 200m heat and made the final for Year 3 girls. And to James who came second overall in shotput, with a total distance of 10.59m. Since coming to Molesworth, I have been collating our athletics records from carnivals for vortex and shotput. With James’s distance of 10.59m, he now has the furthest record for shotput at Molesworth. Prior to this, Ewan held the furthest record since 2020.

I would like to thank Ms B Lakos, Mr P Roberts, Mrs P Jelkic, Mrs Ferris, Mr and Mr Saunders, Mr and Mrs Richardson and Mrs N Miller who came to support our athletes and arranged transport for their child to attend.

How does a skier get to work?… By icicle.

To start the term off in PE, we had Shane from the Bike Education Program come and visit us. Our students revisited their knowledge of safely checks and fitting a helmet, and how to perform an ABCD check on a bike. We practised adjusting the seat level for our own height, how to start in the power position, safely navigating through cones, giving way to people on our right and navigating through a roundabout. Our older students have been lucky to have Shane visit them for a few consecutive years now, and this enabled them to try some new activities on the bike, including sharper turns and giving way to oncoming bikes.

It is really special to see the progress our students make over the two-week program and over the consecutive years we have been involved in the bike education program. We would like to thank Shane from the Bike education Program for sharing his bicycle knowledge with us and for sharing his equipment! Shane will be back out to Molesworth for outdoor classroom day.

Next week in PE to tie in with the Bike education Program, we have Hayley from the RACT Road Safe Program coming to visit.

We are pleased to offer a Parent/Carer Seminar with Clinical Psychologist Lisa Ford here at Molesworth Primary School.  This is available for all families.  Lisa has over 20 years experience working with children, adolescents and educators.  As a mother of three children herself, she offers practical advice and deep understanding.

If you would like to attend this seminar please click the link below, complete and submit electronically.

https://molesworthps.schoolzineplus.com/form/140

Last Friday October 20^th, we had a total of 30 Molesworth students head to the New Norfolk Swimming Pool to participate in our 2023 Swimming Trials.

The sun was out and we had such a beautiful afternoon at the pool.

Many of our students were competing in their first ever swimming trials. For some students it was their second or third. Our students participated in the following events: 20m and 50m freestyle, 25m Breastroke, 25m aquatic underarm, 25m backstroke and the greatly anticipated 25m noodle race.

A huge congratulations to all our swimmers on their efforts and encouragement of each other!

We would like to thank our school community for coming along to cheer and support our students, Mr Peter Jelkic for recording our place getters, Mrs Smith, Addison and James (our sport leaders) for being at the finish line organising ribbons, Mrs Moores for helping marshal our students, Mrs Dillon and Mrs Baker for organising all of our forms in the office and Terry from the New Norfolk Pool for having us and organising the lane ropes and noodles!

Good luck to the boys who are competing in the Regional Tournament this weekend.  If you would like to go along and support Molesworth Primary please see the timetable below.