Helping our Creekers stay safe, smart and respectful online
Technology is an important part of learning and everyday life at Mountain Creek State School. Our students use digital technologies to learn, create, communicate, collaborate and explore new ideas.
With these opportunities comes the responsibility to use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly.
At Mountain Creek State School, we believe that cyber safety is a shared responsibility. Our teachers explicitly teach students about safe and responsible technology use, while families play an important role in helping children develop healthy and positive digital habits at home.
Our goal is to help every Creeker become a confident and responsible digital citizen.
The Creeker Code applies online too
Our expectations for students do not change when they are using a device or communicating online.
Be Respectful
Use kind and appropriate language. Treat others with respect and think carefully about how your words, comments, photos and messages may make someone else feel.
Be Responsible
Look after your accounts, devices and personal information. Think before you post, share, download or respond.
Be Safe
Protect passwords and personal information. Be aware that not everyone online is who they say they are, and tell a trusted adult if something online makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Be a Learner
Ask questions, explore technology safely and learn how to make smart choices in digital spaces.
Cyber safety at school
Cyber safety and digital citizenship are taught as part of our students' learning and are reinforced through classroom conversations and everyday technology use.
The Australian Curriculum includes online safety and digital literacy, with important learning incorporated particularly through Health and Physical Education and Digital Technologies.
Students learn age-appropriate skills including:
- protecting personal information and passwords
- recognising safe and unsafe online behaviour
- understanding their digital footprint
- communicating respectfully online
- identifying and responding to cyberbullying
- recognising scams, suspicious links and inappropriate content
- making responsible choices when using apps, games and websites
- understanding that online actions can have real-world consequences
- knowing when and how to ask for help.
Queensland state schools also have systems in place to help protect students when they are using school networks and devices. Internet filtering is used to restrict access to inappropriate, malicious, illegal or dangerous content. However, filtering does not replace supervision and guidance, particularly when children are using technology at home.
What can parents and carers do?
Parents and carers play an important role in helping children develop safe and healthy technology habits.
You don't need to be a technology expert. Regular conversations, clear expectations and knowing what your child is doing online can make a big difference.
We encourage families to:
- talk regularly with your child about what they are doing online
- encourage your child to tell you if something makes them uncomfortable, worried or upset
- establish clear expectations about when, where and how devices can be used
- check privacy and parental control settings regularly
- encourage children to use strong, private passwords
- remind children not to share personal information, passwords or private photographs
- keep devices in shared family spaces where appropriate
- know which apps, games and online platforms your child is using
- check the recommended age ratings for apps and games
- model respectful and positive online behaviour
- encourage healthy screen-time habits, including regular breaks and device-free family time.
The eSafety Commissioner provides information about popular apps, games and online platforms, including age recommendations, privacy information and advice about reporting harmful content.
Social media tips
Social media applications (such as Facebook) are extremely popular with young people and the usage of these sites is only likely to increase.
Some tips to help your child stay safe while using social media include:
- make sure they never reveal their home address, phone number, email address and passwords
- review the age suitability for any sites and apps your child joins or installs
- look at who their contacts and followers are—this will help reduce the risk of them encountering inappropriate people and content
- educate yourself on the issues that children face External link
- establish an open relationship with your child so they trust you to view their profiles
- reinforce the need for them to keep passwords private and to update them regularly
- ensure your child understands the implications of posting images and content External link on the internet.
Consider creating an account on the social media application your child uses and request to become friends or follow their account. Your child may resist this but it may still be a good idea to open an account to increase your understanding of the site or app they are using.
Reporting inappropriate content
Social media providers may remove content that breaches their terms of service or acceptable use policies. Most websites and apps have a 'report/block this person' or 'report/flag content' function.
If you don't know who the person responsible is or if they refuse to delete it, you can report the content to the social media administrators for review and possible removal.
Common links for reporting inappropriate social media content:
To help students navigate the digital world, we have provided a number of digital resources below: