Just a few reminders to students, parents and families as we move into Week 5.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance at school is compulsory as per law. Data shows that attendance relates specifically to positive connections being made between the student, the school and their learning. As part of the process of maintaining students' satisfactory attendance at St John’s we have a school based policy that is a supportive positive process for this. This progression of support is as follows:

• PALS teachers will ring home if a student is absent for 3 or more consecutive days to enquire about the students welfare and offer support around this if required.
• If a student drops below 90% of attendance at any time during the school year, commencing from term one, a Step 1 notification will be issued to provide the students and families with an alert that they have reached this level and again any support that may be required will be offered.
• If a student is to drop below 85% attendance a Step 2 notification will be implemented again as an alert and a method of support to investigate whether the school can assist in maintaining consistent attendance. There are steps beyond this point where intervention may be required via the Catholic Education office to further support in conjunction with the family and the school.

SOCIAL MEDIA 
There are both benefits and challenges around the student use of social media. Positive conduct around the use of social media is obviously encouraged and this can involve effective communication in some circumstances between friends and families. However uploading material to the internet using any variety of social media platform can be harmful and dangerous.

If confronting or negative personal statements or videos are uploaded to the internet this can be extremely damaging for those whom they target. The following issues need to be considered by all students at St John’s:

• It can be offensive to a range of people even if it was not meant to be. It can be interpreted as such and have a big negative psychological impact on people.
• All students at St John’s have signed an agreement (technology) that outlines expected appropriate use of computers and mobile phones, this includes refraining from posting inappropriate material through any social media platform.
• Individuals and families have the right to involve the police if any material proves to be offensive or harmful to anyone in any way.

In summary we are saying this to support you in making the right decisions and also to report anything that you feel is having an effect on you or someone you know. Please report any incidents of social media misuse that you know may be affecting the peaceful relationships and/or the positive learning environment at St John’s.

UNIFORM

To support students in the correct wearing of the school uniform, all Year 8 PALS teachers have access to a document that outlines on which days throughout the A and B week cycle that students should be wearing their sports or school uniform. This is checked each morning in PALS and appropriate consequences are issued if the student is not wearing the correct uniform on a given day. St John’s students have always been encouraged to manage their own uniform correctly.

SPORT FOR YEAR 8
Later in this term Year 8 will be offered another opportunity to participate in a social lunchtime sports competition to further create positive connections and simply as a break to their normal lunchtime routine. Stay tuned for details.

YEAR 8 EMPOWERMENT DAY - Late in Term 2
The Year 8 “MPower Me!” day is a day when we aim to build the self-esteem and confidence of Year 8 students by connecting them through friendship and structured activities to create a cohesive and friendly school community. By helping students to understand their own and other people’s feelings, they will be empowered to know what kind of action they may take. Students will be divided into boys and girls groups on the day and will follow separate programs so that the activities can address the specific needs of boys and girls. Details and arrangements regarding this day will be forthcoming.