What to do now:
Log in to My Smith Family and help your child complete their Student Profile.
This takes about 15 minutes for each child.
This takes about 15 minutes for each child.
My News: April 2026
09 March 2026
Get ready for your Semester 2 scholarship payment
Semester 2 scholarship payments start in mid-June.
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While you’re in My Smith Family:
- check if any other documents are due
- if you see “School report due”, upload your child’s 2025 end of year School Report.
Having everything up to date helps avoid payment delays.
About the Student Profile
The Student Profile is a short list of questions for your child to answer for their sponsor.
Before you start, ask your child to think about:
- what they like doing after school or on weekends
- their favourite school subjects
- what jobs they might like in the future
- places they would like to travel.
How to complete it
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1. Log in to My Smith Family
- select Student Profile next to your child’s name
- select Complete online.
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2. Answer the questions
- help your child write as much as they can for each answer
- keep personal details private, such as their full name, school or home address
- select Submit when finished.
Screen time at home during the school holidays
With school holidays coming up, it’s normal for children to spend more time on screens at home.
Screens can support learning, connection and fun. There’s no one right amount of screen time for every child. What works will depend on your child’s age, maturity, learning needs and your family routine.
It can be tempting to focus only on time. But what your child is doing online, and how you support them, matters just as much.
Screen time works best when it doesn’t get in the way of sleep, physical activity, or time with family and friends. Noticing how your child feels before and after screen time can help you decide what’s working, and what might need adjusting.
Screens can support learning, connection and fun. There’s no one right amount of screen time for every child. What works will depend on your child’s age, maturity, learning needs and your family routine.
It can be tempting to focus only on time. But what your child is doing online, and how you support them, matters just as much.
Screen time works best when it doesn’t get in the way of sleep, physical activity, or time with family and friends. Noticing how your child feels before and after screen time can help you decide what’s working, and what might need adjusting.
You may find these helpful:
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Healthy internet use
Simple tips to help balance screen time with offline activities, choose quality content, and set clear routines at home. -
Communicating Online
A free 45 minute webinar with practical ideas to manage screen time, boredom and family routines for primary and lower secondary school aged children.
Choose what feels right for your family and your child’s age.
Want to learn more?
The Information Hub has a range of free eSafety webinars for parents and carers.
These cover everyday topics like:
- screen time at home
- AI risks for young people
- healthy online experiences for boys
- navigating friendships online.
Play and learning at home during the school holidays
School holidays are a great chance for children to learn through play at home.
Play is not just about keeping busy. It helps children build confidence, try new ideas, and learn how the world works. It also supports learning in areas like thinking, movement, communication and relationships.
Play does not need to be organised or expensive. Free play, using everyday items, can be just as valuable as structured activities. Giving children time, space and encouragement helps them play in ways that suit their age and interests
You may find these helpful:
Play is not just about keeping busy. It helps children build confidence, try new ideas, and learn how the world works. It also supports learning in areas like thinking, movement, communication and relationships.
Play does not need to be organised or expensive. Free play, using everyday items, can be just as valuable as structured activities. Giving children time, space and encouragement helps them play in ways that suit their age and interests
You may find these helpful:
You may find these tips helpful:
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The power of play: helping your child learn and grow
Practical ideas for supporting learning through play, including low-cost activities and simple ways to join in with your child. -
Why play is important for child development (Raising Children)
A large collection of play ideas, games and activities for all ages and skill levels. Includes lowcost ideas for indoor and outdoor play, art and craft, and everyday learning at home.
Available in multiple languages and videos.
We’d love to hear what you think!
At the end of each article, click the ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ buttons. You can also write a comment if you want. This helps us know what you like and what we can do better.
You can also read past editions of My News, watch webinars, and log in to My Smith Family.
You can also read past editions of My News, watch webinars, and log in to My Smith Family.