As part of our ongoing wellbeing work with Year 11, staff have recently spoken with students about maintaining respectful and thoughtful communication in their online group chats. These chats are an important part of how young people stay connected — organising activities, sharing ideas, supporting one another, and enjoying social interaction. Our aim is not to limit these spaces, but to help students use them safely and positively.

From time to time, staff may check in on student communication when concerns are raised or when we need to ensure that online interactions reflect the respectful culture we promote at school. This is not about monitoring every conversation; rather, it is a normal part of our wellbeing responsibility to ensure students feel safe and supported.

In recent weeks, we have noticed occasional moments where the tone in some chats has drifted into comments that could be misinterpreted or hurtful if viewed out of context. In the spirit of RUOK? Day, we felt it timely to remind students of the importance of kindness, empathy, and responsible digital behaviour.

Students have been made aware about the broader risk of “normalising” highly critical or unfair comments online — something increasingly discussed in public conversations about digital culture. Remarks about someone’s appearance, a misunderstood comment, or their views on an issue can escalate quickly in fast moving group chats. We have encouraged students to pause and consider the impact of their words, and to avoid contributing to behaviour that could unintentionally harm others.

To support this, we shared several key principles with Year 11:

• Think before posting – considering whether a comment is something they would say face to face.
• Keep humour kind – ensuring jokes don’t unintentionally target or embarrass someone.
• Be mindful when venting – recognising when frustration may spill into comments that could be hurtful.
• Remember that posts and screenshots travel – understanding that online messages can be saved or shared beyond their intended audience.
• Look out for one another – checking in if a peer seems upset, overwhelmed, or affected by online interactions.
• Set a positive tone – modelling respectful communication that encourages others to do the same.

We reminded students that our wellbeing team is not here to police them, but to help them look after themselves and each other. We have encouraged all Year 11 students to maintain the high standards they demonstrate in person when communicating online.

As Robin Williams once said, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” We hope this message continues to resonate strongly with our students.

If parents have any concerns about their child’s online experiences or wellbeing, please feel welcome to contact the Year 11 Wellbeing team. Working together, we can support our young people to be safe, responsible, and compassionate digital citizens.

Regards

Michael McCallum, Year 11 WelCom Leader