HSC 2023

Congratulations to our HSC class of 2023 who have completed their exams. They are a wonderful group of students, who can now focus on the Graduation Dinner next week and their life after school.

I also thank their teachers over their time at St John’s. There is a significant investment of self when teaching and generating the personal connections that allow us to teach well. I also thank Mrs Kelly for her commitment to this group.

YEAR 7 2024

We had a wonderful turn out for the Parent Information Evening last night and welcomed our newest members to the St John’s family. The Orientation and Peer Support day takes place today and I’m sure will be a great success as well.

TECHNOFERENCE

I came across this term while reading an online article. It basically talked about the interference that technology is causing in peoples lives and how we are dealing with our addictions to the technology we have. One of the major effects is that family connections are being damaged. So how do you improve your family time and interactions and still use technology effectively?

I often take my seven year old grandson to the local park. I constantly see other parents with their children and Mum or Dad on their phones while the kids are ‘playing’ or trying to get their parents involved in their play. ‘In a minute’ is often used as they check their messages. Does this sound familiar? Is it something that you have seen?

Ninety-eight percent of families have at least one internet connected device in the home. Parents use their device for an average 3.5 hours per day and children for 2.5. But this varies widely depending on the situation. Research says that 47% of families use devices while eating the evening meal.

Research also tells us that parents consumed by their devices have an effect on their own children. The children can become sad or withdrawn or can act out to get their parents attention. Haven’t we all been having a wonderful conversation with others when suddenly a phone rings or beeps. In a millisecond it is instantly checked, indicating it as a bigger priority than the conversation.

When I read this article I immediately took stock of the technoference in my own life. And I was a little disappointed. Although I am old enough to have spent my early life without the internet, I haven’t ‘grown up’ with a mobile phone. I do have a heavy reliance on it though. Most of my use is as a work tool, but I also use it for many other purposes that sometimes interfere with my family relationships. The versatility and range of needs it meets, makes the phone a very attractive item to have. Not only does it meet our needs for communication and entertainment it also occupies us.

To understand the importance of mobile technology and its good uses is important. It is such a necessary tool for so many people over a range of purposes. But to also understand the negative side of excessive use is equally important.

We use technology extensively at the school if it supports the students learning. Our teachers constantly use technology to develop resources for the classroom and assist their teaching.

Why don’t you do an audit of your technoference? Why not google the term and have a read? (Statistics from The Conversation).

WORKING BEE

We held our school working bee last Saturday 28 October and I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to all the students, family members and staff who gave up their Saturday morning to help complete various jobs around the school. There was a great turnout and we were able to accomplish many of the tasks that will improve the school environment for our students. We have a wonderful community here at St John's that takes extreme pride in our school which makes my job so rewarding.

Mr Wayne Marshall