Wellbeing
PBL
At SFS, our PBL (Positive Behaviours for Learning) school wide expectations are:
Respect, Responsibility and Kindness
We have a whole school social skills lesson where we explicitly teach an expected behaviour from our Behaviour Expectation matrix.
The focus for this week has been on KINDNESS: ENCOURAGE and SUPPORT OTHERS. We have particularly focused on “Think before you speak” with a focus on not spreading gossip about others. The children learnt the acronym of THINK.
This is to help the children to ask themselves the following questions before they say something to someone else. Is it TRUE, HELPFUL, INSPIRING, NECESSARY, KIND).
It has been pleasing to see the children settling back into school for Term 2 and following routines and demonstrating our school expected behaviours.
Peaceful Classrooms and Peaceful Kids
‘Peaceful Classrooms’ provides schools, organisations and wellbeing practitioners with engaging Mindfulness activities and meditations for children and teens. The program has been created to support all children in the classroom or groups to develop an ongoing Mindfulness practice, learn about Mindfulness and be able to embed this into their day to day lives.
Simple, effective and proven exercises help students to stay calm, relax, focus and learn more effectively during the day. Peaceful Classrooms help students to build their emotional resilience so they are better equipped to deal with the day to day stresses that life brings them.
‘Peaceful Kids’ is a Mindfulness and Positive Psychology based program to lessen anxiety and stress and increase resilience in children from Prep to Year 12. The program gives children the skills, practice and support to utilise coping strategies that lessen the symptoms of anxiety and stress. This program helps children to build their emotional resilience so they are better equipped to deal with the day to day stresses that life brings them. The program also involves parental involvement and commitment to supporting the strategies at home.
This week on Wednesday 22nd April 2026 there was an online meeting from 7pm and 8pm to inform parents about the program. A big thank you to all those parents who joined me online for the meeting. I hope you found it helpful and informative. If you are interested in your child participating, please send me an email at rlenko@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au or speak with me at school.
Child Safety standards
To highlight the importance of Child Safety in schools, MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools) has created a resource called “11 standards in 11 months.”
Let’s look at Child standard 1 in more detail through a newsletter created for parents and carers by MACS.
Child Safe Standard 1
‘’Establish culturally safe environments in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children, young people and students are respected and value’’
As Catholic educators, we have a moral, mission-driven and legal responsibility to uphold and actively promote the wellbeing and safety of every student entrusted in our care. Our commitment to the protection of students is enabled in nurturing, respectful and safe communities where the uniqueness and sacred dignity of every young person are celebrated, and they can flourish in their learning and development. This newsletter series provides an overview of what the Child Safe Standards are, how they are designed to help keep children and young people safe and what school governed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic
Schools (MACS) are doing to prioritise and achieve this.
Overview of the Victorian Child Safe
Standards
The Victorian Child Safe Standards are a set of
11 minimum requirements that all organisations working with children must meet. These standards are designed to:
• Prevent child abuse and harm
• Make child safety a shared responsibility
• Support the wellbeing of all children, including
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and
children with disabilities
• Promote the participation and empowerment of
children and young people
These standards apply to all school staff, volunteers,
contractors, and anyone working with children in
schools.
Walk safely to school day
We will celebrate Walk safely to school day on Friday 15th May, 2026.
The purpose of the day is to encourage students to make safe pedestrian choices, promote physical activity, to combat obesity, and to reduce car congestion around schools.
There are also health benefits of walking to school.
Walking boosts energy levels, improves focus for learning, and helps children achieve their recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise.There is also an environmental impact as it helps reduce air pollution by lowering car usage.
It is important for safety to remember that children under 10 should always hold an adult's hand when crossing the road. Other important safety reminders to teach children are:
Stop, Look, Listen: Before crossing, stop, look left and right for traffic, and listen for cars.
Use Designated Crossings: Always cross at pedestrian crossings or traffic lights.
Stay Alert: Avoid distractions like mobile devices while walking.
Plan Ahead: Practice the safest, quickest route to school with an adult beforehand.
To promote these important messages, the students are allowed to wear bright and colourful socks on the day.
We will have 2 meeting points where children can meet the staff to walk to school together.
We encourage parents to bring their children to one of the 2 meeting points at 7.55 am.
Meeting point 1: Lynbrook Community Centre
Meeting point 2: Figtree Reserve Cnr Aylmer Rd and Waterbush Crescent
The P and F will be providing a piece of fruit for the children who walk to school which they will get when they arrive at school.
If you have any concern about your child’s mental health or wellbeing, please do not hesitate to contact me or make a time to speak with me. My working days are Monday to Wednesday and Friday.
Positive Quote for the Day
Positive Quote for the Day
Rachel Lenko
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader