Junior School
Here we are mid-way through the premiership quarter. How is it going for you? How is it going for your family? We as a school are very aware that the winter has brought upon numerous health challenges on top of COVID-19 that has affected students capacity to be present at school and engaged in learning.
Certainly, within my family it feels like we have had a continuous flow of runny noses, coughs, blocked sinus’s through our children. It has been a fatiguing effort as a parent to support, encourage, and convince my children that following up on school work missed through reaching out to teachers in person or via MS teams is worthwhile for their long term physical and mental health, their long term job prospects as well as their sense of achievement and success in life. However, I want to cheer on and thank the parents and carers in this DSC community that are facing this same challenge.
We know that attendance at school leads to greater outcomes for students (as above) and we also know that when students are unable to be at school due to illness; the following up of work missed via lesson plans on compass or talking with teachers contributes greatly to a successful return to school and the path to a thriving and resilient life.
If you or your family have concerns and challenges in attending school or following up on work missed during this important term of learning then please reach out to your Discovery teacher, Year Level Coordinator or other Junior School Staff. We are all here to partner and support the learning of students.
Drew Hanna
Positive Climate for Learning and Community Leader
Year 7 Discovery
This term in Year 7 Discovery we have been exploring ‘Positive Coping’ as part of the Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationship Curriculum. This unit is designed to support students to understand that how we respond to challenges in our life can have a positive or negative impact on us and those around us. We have explored the different types of ‘self talk’ and the impact that has on our attitude and outcomes.
In line with this unit of work I wanted to share this poem and I encourage you to read and think about the theme of ‘Positive Coping’ in the face of your daily challenges.
How is that you find moments to breathe? Where is your forest? Perhaps you could share your response with your family.Breathe:
She sat at the back and they said she was shy,She led from the front and they hated her pride,They asked her advice and then questioned her guidance,They branded her loud, then were shocked by her silence,When she shared no ambition they said it was sad,So she told them her dreams and they said she was mad,They told her they’d listen, then covered their ears,And gave her a hug while they laughed at her fears,And she listened to all of it thinking she should,Be the girl they told her to be best as she could,But one day she asked what was best for herself,Instead of trying to please everyone else,So she walked to the forest and stood with the trees,She heard the wind whisper and dance with the leaves,She spoke to the willow, the elm and the pine,And she told them what she’d been told time after time,She told them she felt she was never enough,She was either too little or far far too much,Too loud or too quiet, too fierce or too weak,Too wise or too foolish, too bold or too meek,Then she found a small clearing surrounded by firs,And she stopped…and she heard what the trees said to her,And she sat there for hours not wanting to leave,For the forest said nothing, it just let her breathe`
~ Becky Hemsley ~ https://thissimple.wordpress.com/2021/12/09/breathe-by-becky-hemsley/
Reporting Bullying
Doncaster Secondary College has created a form that all students can use if they have identified any student who is involved in bullying behaviour or disrupting the learning of others. If you don't have anyone to report, leave the question blank.
This form is seen by Year Level Coordinators only; whatever you write is private and confidential. Your school email will be recorded, however, so please make sure you are completely honest.
This form will also be made available on the College website in the coming weeks.
The Junior School