Welcome to Week Seven.  We were fortunate to have our local police to assist us with Road Safety activities on Monday.  Special thanks to Mrs Johnston and Ms Smith-Ashton (and 6A) for their organisation of the day’s events. Please follow up with your children and ask what they learned about road safety this week.

We are very excited to have our annual Book Fair alongside our Book Week parade this week.  I have heard many excited comments about costumes so I am keen to see everyone dressed up.  Parents and carers are welcome to come along to our parade, which will be held this Friday at 9:15am.  

As this is my last newsletter, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your warm welcome – I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Calliope community, and I wish you well as you navigate the second half of the year.  Please continue to work with us. I have been privileged to see the dedication and commitment from staff at this school – from the leadership team, teachers, teacher aides, office admin, and our support crew of cleaners and groundsman.  All are passionate about working with you for the best outcomes for our amazing children.

Student Code of Conduct

Each week, we will focus on an aspect of Calliope’s Student Code of Conduct.  This week, the focus is the school’s, students’ and parents’ responsibilities with regards to the use of mobile and phones and other devices.  We recognise that some students require these devices and that learning to use them appropriately is imperative.

Use of mobile phones and other devices by students

Digital literacy refers to the skills needed to live, learn and work in a society where communication and access to information is dominated by digital technologies like mobile phones. However, the benefits brought about through these diverse technologies can be easily overshadowed by deliberate misuse which harms others or disrupts learning. 

This also extends to Smart Watches i.e. watches that allow communication between school and the outside community to occur and that contain games and Apps which can lead to off-task behaviour.

 Responsibilities

 The responsibilities for students using mobile phones or other devices at school or during school activities are simple: all devices are to be handed into the office upon arrival at school.  It is the responsibility of all students to collect these items at the end of the school day.   

It is unacceptable for students at Calliope State School to:

• use a mobile phone or other devices in an unlawful manner;
• download, distribute or publish offensive messages or pictures;
• use obscene, inflammatory, racist, discriminatory or derogatory language;
• use language and/or threats of violence that may amount to bullying and/or harassment, or even stalking;
• insult, harass or attack others or use obscene or abusive language;
• deliberately waste printing and internet resources;
• damage computers, printers or network equipment;
• commit plagiarism or violate copyright laws;
• ignore teacher directions for the use of social media, online email and internet chat;
• send chain letters or spam email (junk mail);
• knowingly download viruses or any other programs capable of breaching the department's network security;
• use in-phone cameras anywhere a normal camera would be considered inappropriate, such as in change rooms or toilets;
• invade someone's privacy by recording personal conversations or daily activities and/or the further distribution (e.g. forwarding, texting, uploading, Bluetooth use etc.) of such material;
• use a mobile phone (including those with Bluetooth functionality) to cheat during exams or assessments;
• take into or use mobile devices at exams or during class assessment unless expressly permitted by school staff.

 At all times students, while using ICT facilities and devices supplied by the school, will be required to act in line with the requirements of the Calliope State School Student Code of Conduct.  In addition students and their parents should:

• understand the responsibility and behaviour requirements (as outlined by the school) that come with accessing the department’s ICT network facilities;
• ensure they have the skills to report and discontinue access to harmful information if presented via the internet or email;
• be aware that:
  • access to ICT facilities and devices provides valuable learning experiences for students and supports the school's teaching and learning programs;
  • the school is not responsible for safeguarding information stored by students on departmentally-owned student computers or mobile devices;
  • schools may remotely access departmentally-owned student computers or mobile devices for management purposes;
  • students who use a school's ICT facilities and devices in a manner that is not appropriate may be subject to disciplinary action by the school, which could include restricting network access;
  • despite internal departmental controls to manage content on the internet, illegal, dangerous or offensive information may be accessed or accidentally displayed;
  • teachers will always exercise their duty of care, but avoiding or reducing access to harmful information also requires responsible use by the student.

Some reminders of upcoming events from the calendar include –

Friday 25^th August Book Week Parade 9:15am

Week 8 – Prep 2024 interviews begin

Friday 1^st September – Student-Free Day