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High Notes, Vol 26 No 38, December 05 2025

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Saharsh Subramanian (8F) representing CIS, was selected into the NSW U15 Combined Team – a rare and impressive achievement! Well done to our Mock Mediation Team on their Grand Final victory! Congratulations to Zihan Chi (9T), Isran Kanwar (10S), (Mekaeel Khan (9M), Oscar Li (9M), Marco Ma (9M), Talha Adnan (10M) and Maxi Ibrahim (9M). Thank you also to their mentor, Hazel Stephens for her guidance.

Changes to U16 access to Social Media

The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, believes that the Commission aims to help all Australians to have safer, more positive experiences online. She considers that the technology industry needs a ‘virtual seatbelt’ to constrain its activities in relation to young people. This change aims to give young people more time to develop essential skills and maturity before engaging fully on social media.  From 10 December 2025, social media age restrictions will come into effect across Australia. Age-restricted social media platforms will have to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under-16s from creating or keeping accounts. Publicly available content without a login to a particular platform is OK. Cyber bullying tends to be peer to peer and is directly tied to conflict at school. Bullying may transition to excluded services such as messaging and online gaming.

Can Schools use Online content such as Educational Videos on YouTube?
Yes. Students can log in to YouTube using their school email address, and their access operates in Restricted Mode, which is not affected by the new age restrictions and provides a safer, education-focused environment. If the content is publicly available and does not require login to another platform, students will still be able to watch it. Additionally, learning management systems that support educators in sharing course materials, managing assignments and facilitating communication will be excluded from these age restrictions. Students can continue to access resources, submit work and collaborate within these systems as usual.

Do Schools have responsibility for monitoring or reporting Students under 16 who have Social Media Accounts?
No. There is no obligation for educators or any individual to report under-16 accounts on age-restricted social media platforms. The responsibility lies with the social media platforms to identify and deactivate accounts belonging to under-16 users.

Do Schools need to change their Communication methods with students?
This should not change the way schools interact with students, as the department’s do not allow staff to connect with or communicate with students on public platforms.

What should be done if a student under 16 experiences a harmful incident on a Social Media platform?
Regardless of age, if a student encounters harmful online experiences, they should be encouraged to seek support immediately. Cyberbullying, like harmful posts or profiles, should be reported to the platform first. If it's very serious and the platform doesn’t help, it can be reported to eSafety. 

Resources and Guidance
The contains information and resources to help parents and carers, educators, and students understand and prepare as the restrictions take effect on 10 December 2025. eSafety is also hosting a  for parents and carers, and educators.

Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day, held on Wednesday December 10, 2025, celebrates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and freedom from discrimination for all people. Sadly, this is not the reality of life for so many people. We need to keep raising our awareness of this international aspiration. In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly held that:

• Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.
• It is essential, if man is not compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law.

Regrettably, locally, nationally and internationally, humankind has not lived up to its agreed and pledged beliefs and values. Our Kindness Day, organised this week, keeps the dream of equality alive. Well done, boys.

Caught Doing the Right Thing

I was gratified to receive the following email from a commuter: ‘I was on the 120 bus this morning and just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that one of your students offered his seat for me on the bus. I find this rarely happens with school students anymore and just wanted to let you know how impressed I was with how courteous he was. It was a lovely surprise in my morning!’ Keep up the good work on the 120 bus!
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal