Shifting Your Mindset

As I was sitting at my desk getting ready to write this week’s article, I could not believe how quickly the time has flown during lockdown; we’re in Week 9 now! And yet, each day seems like Groundhog Day. I haven’t had a haircut since 25 June and am now wearing a headband (I haven’t worn one since Year 4)! Even learning to adjust to my appearance has been an effort like it has been for all of us.

As a seasoned educator, I have had to draw deep into my skills of resilience and agility to more positively lead my amazing community. How have I changed? I would say that learning from the students, I have enhanced my coping mindset.

An outbreak like this triggers a response from us that not only demands energy and creates stress but can also lead to physical and emotional problems. It’s essential to recognise that mental health is a part of our response, so developing strategies that reduce stress while building resilience skills are important for maintaining our mental wellbeing.

We may not be able to control what happens with COVID-19 in the coming weeks and months, but we can control how we respond to it. With social distancing, school closures and event cancellations, many people have experienced negative emotional stress states leading to feelings of powerlessness, fear, and panic. I am one of them. However, I am learning to adjust my attitude and adopt a mindset that helps me manage through times of change with a greater sense of control over my responses and helps keep my anxiety at bay. I share them with you here:

1. Step back and look at the bigger picture

Taking a limited view of the events unfolding around you can elicit a strong reaction and trigger your fight/flight response. Your thoughts can easily turn to anxiety-inducing ‘what if’ statements. The danger of the first ‘what if’ statement is that it’s often not true, yet it has the power to set off a chain reaction of negative thoughts that lead you into a downward spiral.

For example, you may start thinking, what if COVID-19 has a permanent effect on the economy? Next, you may ask, what if businesses are affected? This might lead you to ask what if I lose my job? Followed by what if I lose my house?

It’s essential to gain control of those ‘what if’ statements since they are typically negative and can often lead to a state of hysteria. Avoid ‘what if’ statements, take a step back to look at the bigger picture and focus on what you can proactively do in the present moment.

2. Focus on what you can control

In the absence of control, people will often try to create a rationale or fear to make it feel like they possess a sense of control – this inevitably leads us astray. We live in a world with international travel at the forefront. There is no one person or one group of people to blame for the outbreak.

When things feel uncertain, it can be difficult to focus on the control that we do have. Information and facts will help you take precautions that can give you back a sense of power. Another area that we have control over is how we consume information about the outbreak. The World Health Organization has great information about how to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Mental Health Innovation (Global) Network has information for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, summarising key mental health and psychosocial support considerations for the COVID-19 outbreak.

3. Adopt a mindset that minimises fear

Strive to establish a mindset that knows the difference between your fears and worries and the real facts. Remember that even if we’re frightened that something bad could happen, our thoughts do not make it true. It’s okay to have concerns that this crisis may impact the way you live over the next few months, but it’s detrimental to live through the period with your worst fears. Compare and challenge your fears when emotions rise.

4. Have a flexible game plan

Seek out the familiar things that have not changed in your life as a way to anchor you in turbulent times. Aim to maintain your regular routines and activities where possible and try to adopt a flexible approach that allows you to shift your plan daily as needed. It’s about being flexible in a factual and realistic frame as opposed to looking at the world in a fearful way.

5. Practice self-compassion with the help of happiness habits

During times of crisis, it’s easy to be distracted by fear and neglect self-care. The reality is that during periods of uncertainty, it becomes even more critical to balance your anxiety with good nutrition, sleep and exercise and find ways to relax by embracing your happiness habits. If you feel like spending an afternoon watching Netflix, pick a comedy to elevate your mood with humour that releases the positive neurotransmitter dopamine. Stay connected to others and overcome social distancing measures by reaching out to friends and family members via a video telecommunications app. If you require professional support, consider connecting with a mental health professional, using a digital mental health platform.

For me, I have tried to make the current crisis an opportunity to make positive changes and build resilience.

It may not feel like it at the time, but with every major change and crisis, we have a chance to develop new coping strategies and build our resilience. By shifting our mindset, we can learn to navigate fears, manage life’s threats more effectively and achieve positive mental wellbeing.

Announcement from Peter Leuenberger - EREA Eastern Regional Director

Dear Parents/Carers,

I write today with some significant news about the leadership of St Patrick’s College. After five years of outstanding service in the role of Deputy Principal, Damian Chase will be leaving St Patrick’s at the end of the current school year to take up the position of Deputy Principal at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill. I warmly congratulate Damian on his new appointment and on behalf of all members of Edmund Rice Education Australia, I wish him every success in his new role. While Damian will be sorely missed at St Patrick’s, I am confident that when the Deputy Principal role is advertised in the coming weeks that the position will attract educational leaders of the highest calibre. Assisting me in the recruitment process will be the Principal, Dr Lavorato, as well as representatives from the College Advisory Council. I anticipate that the process will be completed early next term when I will write to you again.

With my best wishes,

Peter Leuenberger

EREA Director – NSW/ACT

TASS Launch

You would be aware from previous correspondence that the College will be launching its new Student Management System (SMS), TASS during Term 4 or in early 2022. With the launch date drawing closer, parents and carers may at this point be considering the following questions regarding what access they will have to TASS when launched.

How will parents/carers be able to access information once launched?

The TASS suite has a dedicated portal for parents and carers to access College and student information called Parent Lounge. The College will launch the new Parent Lounge portal during Term 4 or in early 2022.

How will parents/carers be allocated logins and access?

When the College is ready to roll out the new TASS Parent Lounge portal, all parents and carers will be emailed instructions and a special key to setup their new login for this portal.

This process will be similar to how the Sentral Parent Portal was rolled out; however, parents and carers will be creating new accounts in the TASS system with the College at the applicable time during the project rollout.

The Sentral Parent Portal will be available until the time we roll out the TASS Parent Lounge portal.

What will parents/carers be able to see?

During Phase 1 of the rollout to TASS, Parent Lounge will enable parents and carers to view the following:

Name, address and occupations of the parents/carers and the option to update both occupations and addresses
Attendance records including the option to submit a new absence and provide a reason where a student has been marked absent
Student Medical information including the option to update this information
Student General information including the option to update MCEECDYA data
Class teachers and their emails
Student eDiary and timetable and
School calendar events and notices.

What will parents/carers be able to action?

Parents and carers will be able to update the following information:

Parent/carer data:

Parent/carer occupations
Parent/carer addresses

Student data:

MCEECDYA data
Swimming levels
Medical conditions including attachments and medication
Medical practitioners
Immunisation information including the Australian Immunisation Register and
Medical User Defined fields such as Medicare Number, Expiry and Health Fund as indicated by the school.

As the College moves across the phases of its transition to TASS, further functionalities in TASS will become available to parents and carers which we will continue to provide updates on.

A final reminder also to parents and carers to advise the College of any change in contact details or provide updated medical information by email to enrolments@spc.nsw.edu.au.

Staff News

This week we farewell Mrs Romina Fisicaro as she commences her parental leave. Collectively, we wish you well Romina and look forward to meeting baby Fisicaro soon! Mrs Fisicaro’s role as Year 10 Coordinator will now be taken on by Mr James Biviano. A talented and experienced educator in his own right, Mr Biviano will take up the reigns and is committed to supporting parents of Year 10 students. He can be contacted at james.biviano@spc.nsw.edu.au.

In Memoriam

Please keep in your prayers Damian (Year 11) and Justin Ryan (Year 9) who lost their grandfather, Mick Ryan last week.

We are also saddened to learn that Father Max Barrett passed away in August at the age of 95. Father Max was Chaplain to the Christian Brothers in the 1980s and 1990s, living onsite in the old Monastery and would sometimes give Mass in the College Chapel. He maintained a close relationship with the Brothers who lived and taught at the College for many years. Over the course of his life, Father Max executed a variety of ministries competently and faithfully and will be missed by his Redemptorist brothers, whom he served for 76 years.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace.

Amen.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything!

**except divide by zero

College Notices

Friday Morning Liturgy