Budgeting screen time…

I often receive emails and phone calls from parents asking for support as they navigate the digital world with their family. Navigating technology is challenging for all families as technology is so easily accessible. We live in a digitally-saturated age, and our culture tells us children need to be digitally-savvy citizens. Therefore, we all need to seek God’s wisdom and discernment about how to use technology while continuing to live for God; to help us keep technology in its proper place of priority, to help us discern what is good and evil online and offline, and to help us be good stewards of our time.

Many parents often ask me the ideal amount of screen time that their children should be having at home. Christopher Hogbin, leader of the global strategy of 3P Learning, suggests the idea of budgeting screen time as a family to help negotiate the minefield of children and technology. Hogbin describes screen time budgeting as:

“A budget that determines how many hours your family will spend in front of devices each week.”

As with any budget, he suggests the allocated time will be different for every family and possibly even different for each family member. Each family member should be given the opportunity to choose how their screen hours will be spent, perhaps with some help and negotiation by the parents. Children could even create a timetable outlining how they will use their budget ahead of time.

Hogben suggests the following to help set up a successful screen time budget for families:

Decide on the budget with your children: give your children a say in how much screen time they believe is fair and possible. Start listing all of the areas where they feel they need screen time and agree on a compromise.

Check-in weekly: set aside time at the end of each week to see how everyone spent their hours. If your screen time budget has had a blowout, that's okay; like with any budget, you adjust it for the following week and keep tweaking it until you have arrived at the number of hours that work. Soon your children will be self-regulating their own screen time.

Hold yourself accountable to the expectations: the best part of the screen time budget is that it keeps everyone accountable. As children may end up monitoring their gaming time, parents will likely be reminded also to spend less time on technology. The budget highlights that it is a family-wide effort instead of a rule that applies to children only. As we all set examples of being proactive wise, and deliberate, we'll have healthier families as well as healthier children.

Miss Bethany Armstrong — Principal  

As a school community, we will be officially opening our new
Performing Arts Centre (The PAC) and our new Kinder precinct on Wednesday, June 9 at 2.00 pm. Join us as we thank God for these amazing new learning spaces.

This is will be a wonderful community event, which will include a performance from our choir, our student leaders cutting the ribbons, coffee from
Bean to Brew, donuts from Sprinkled Delights, and more! Guided tours of the new buildings are available immediately after the event.

Tickets are FREE but essential, and all visitors need to check-in via the
Check-in Tas App upon arrival.

Dr Anita Collins, an award-winning music educator, researcher and writer, asked herself this question:

“Did learning music help students to achieve at the highest levels in their academic work, or were students already smart to begin with and therefore drawn to learning music?”

This question, referenced in her book The Music Advantage, led her on a journey to find the answer. The answer was an eye-opener in her understanding of how music and language are so closely connected.

At Northern, students have the opportunity to participate in classroom Music as well as extra-curricular activities such as Choir (Senior Choir in photo above) and Band. 

At home, you can help your child along that journey in short, bite-sized ways. One activity you can do is to pick a rhyme or tongue-twister they know and get them to try and say the rhyme or tongue-twister while marching their feet to the beat.

Ms Andrea Marks — Music Teacher

Our two netball teams have recently finished the first roster of the year.
The roster consisted of 9 games played at the Creek Road Netball Courts against several other schools in the Hobart area. I had the opportunity to watch both the Years 3/4 and Years 5/6 teams play their final games, and it was wonderful to see the teamwork, development in skills and cheering from the sidelines!

We would not be able to participate in these rosters without the tremendous help from our coaches of Amy Greenwood, Taylor Barnes and Lauren Terry. The coaches have been encouraging and teaching our players every Monday during lunchtime training sessions, as well as at the games. We are so appreciative of their time and effort. We also want to thank those that have helped with training and games when needed and those who have provided transport and support. The roster would not have run so well without you all.

When asked, players said that a few of their favourite parts of being involved in the Netball Competition were playing with other schools, spending time with their friends, and learning new skills. They also loved getting better at shooting and the opportunity to try different positions.

The second roster for the year will be in Term 4. If your child is interested in playing, forms will be sent home at the end of Term 3 for expressions of interest to join a team. It’s lovely to have returning players, and it will be great to welcome some new ones!

You can view more photos via our Facebook Page.

Miss Claire Gardner — Netball Coordinator

Employment Opportunities

Applications are invited from suitably qualified practising Christians for the position of Maintenance Officer/Coordinator – Calvin Christian School. The position is full-time for 38 hours per week .

Applications are also welcome for other positions at Christian Schools Tasmania Schools. To APPLY or learn more please visit the Christian Schools Tasmania website.