Phones should be taken away at night to stop ‘keyboard warriors’, Loreto College tells parents
Parents at a private school in the state’s west are being warned some students have become “keyboard warriors” in late-night online activity.
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Online safety questioned by private school
Parents at a private school in the state’s west are being told to remove their children’s electronic devices and “invest in an alarm clock” after students were reported to be getting in online debates at night.
Loreto College, Ballarat has questioned parents about their daughters’ late-night online activity and safety and are warning them “keyboard warriors usually end in hurt to themselves and others”.
Assistant Principal Gemma McDermott said there had been “situations” of students using their phone or computer until 2am.
“We ask for your help in having a conversation with your child about their online activity. We would like parents to remove their phone and computer at night and invest in an alarm clock for your child. Go shopping and test out the alarm clocks,” she said.
“Students staying up till the early morning will find it hard to get up for school and function, if they have not had enough sleep,” she said.
New learning centre on track
Students at a catholic primary school in Melbourne’s west are set to get a new $4.7m learning centre which will include eight new classrooms, a staff planning room, a toilet block, sports equipment room and a breakout room.
Holy Eucharist Primary School in St Albans announced they were on track to open their new building by mid-January.
Work began on the building in September last year with parts of the roof and ceilings due to be completed this week.
Cladding is expected to be installed next week, giving the building its final external look.
Multimillion-dollar pool for private school
Students at one of the state’s leading private schools are set to make a splash with work starting on a multimillion-dollar sporting and aquatic centre.
Presbyterian Ladies’ College announced the first concrete had been poured for centre, expected to be completed by 2025.
The Sports, Aquatic and Fitness Centre “reflects the college’s vision to provide contemporary learning faculties to support our students’ development in sport, recreation, physical education and aquatic-based programs”, principal Cheryl Penberthy said in a brochure about the new facility.
The first sod was turned in December last year, with basement level work beginning in July.
This month, carparking works are expected to begin.
“Innovative learning spaces will excite, motivate and sustain the wellbeing and learning needs of our students and staff for generations to come,” Ms Penberthy said.
The facility includes a 50m, eight-lane swimming pool, a learn to swim pool, diving towers and seating for 400 visitors.
There is a gymnasium and spin room, multipurpose spaces for aerobics, dance, relaxation, table-tennis and class teaching, staff areas, collaborative meeting spaces for students and staff and an underground carpark.
The sports centre will be the size of three basketball courts, which can also be configured for badminton, netball and volleyball.
The building will feature about 700kW of solar panels and stormwater reclamation systems will be installed to filter water for the pool and surrounding gardens.
Elite school changes its tune
A grammar school in Melbourne’s southeast has changed its tune, rewriting the lyrics to its school song.
Carey Baptist Grammar School updated the lyrics as it celebrated its 100th birthday this year, deputy principal Peter Robson said in the latest school magazine.
“The original words of the school song capture our beginnings, and now in our centenary year, the revised words reflect who we are now,” he said.
“It is not to dismiss our foundations, but it encourages us to be proud of the fact that we can now ‘boldly stand with great pride in our story’.”
The new version of the song was written by students.
Mr Robson said there would be occasions when the old song would be more appropriate but the new song would be one for all to enjoy.
Slowing down to smile
A popular private school in Melbourne’s east is celebrating a victory after VicRoads dropped the speed limit on a nearby road.
Camberwell Girls’ Grammar announced in its latest newsletter to parents Burke Rd had been reduced to 40km/h outside the school.
“The new signs come in response to a joint request by the school and Boroondara Council to VicRoads to improve road safety in the area,” the newsletter stated.
The new signs are also an important addition for students who use the tram stop.
We’ll be watching you
A catholic primary school in the state’s west has banned the use of smart watches.
All Saints Parish School in Portland announced a review of its Student Mobile Phone Usage Policy in its August newsletter, and said it applied to mobile phones, smart watches and other devices brought to school by students.
“Students who need to bring personal mobile phones or smart watch (sic) to school for contact with their parents on the way to and from school must switch them off and hand them to their classroom teacher prior to the commencement of the school day,” the policy states.
The teachers will then lock them away.
Smart watches, and phones, are also banned from school camps. The policy does not apply to students’ school-issued laptops.
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