Assistant Principal News
Dear Parents and Carers,
Celebrating Success in the Eurobodalla Mayor’s Writing Competition
We are delighted to congratulate Alexander (Yr1), Emilia (Yr 4) and Milton (Yr4) on their wonderful achievement in the Eurobodalla Mayor’s Writing Competition! Being selected as finalists out of more than 400 entries is an outstanding accomplishment and a true testament to their creativity, imagination, and hard work.
Competitions like this provide valuable opportunities for our students to express their ideas, explore their creativity, and develop confidence as young writers. We are incredibly proud of these three students for representing our school with such talent and enthusiasm.
Congratulations, Alexander, Emilia and Milton — what a fantastic achievement!
Social Media Age Changes - What Parents Need to Know
What’s Changing
Australia has introduced a new law — the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024. From 10 December 2025, most social media platforms must take reasonable steps to stop children under 16 from creating or keeping accounts.This change aims to make social media safer for young people and hold platforms accountable for who uses their services.
Which Platforms Are Affected
The law applies to major social media services such as:
* Instagram
* Snapchat
* TikTok
* Facebook
* X (formerly Twitter)
* Reddit
* YouTube / YouTube Shorts
Some apps and platforms are exempt, including:
* Messenger Kids
* WhatsApp
* Google Classroom
* Gaming and educational platforms
(Exact details will be confirmed by the eSafety Commissioner as the rules are finalised.)
Why the Change
The law was created to:
* Reduce online harm for children and teens
* Increase accountability for big tech companies
* Encourage healthy digital habits from a young age
* Support parents and schools in guiding safe, age-appropriate online use
“Every child deserves to grow up in a safer online world.” — eSafety Commissioner
Find Out More
eSafety Commissioner: esafety.gov.au
Official legislation: Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024
PAT Assessments
Our students are currently undertaking PAT testing across the school in Reading and Mathematics. These tests are a valuable tool for demonstrating student growth year on year... which is ultimately what we aspire to. We use the data from these tests, alongside other forms of assessment, to triangulate (cross-reference) student results to get an overall picture of their progress. Teachers are currently pulling all of this information together in preparation for Semester Two reports. Busy times!
God bless and take care,
Sue Heffernan
Assistant Principal