Engagement & Wellbeing Page

Parenting Seminar with Dr Justin Coulson – Resilience

Dr Justin Coulson — parenting expert and co-host of Channel Nine's Parental Guidance, founder of happyfamilies.com.au, and PhD in Psychology (University of Wollongong) — will be presenting a session on Resilience.

Join parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson for an engaging ession on building resilience in children. This practical presentation explores how parents can help their children develop confidence, cope with challenges, manage big emotions and bounce back from setbacks. You'll leave with simple, evidence informed strategies to strengthen your child's emtional wellbeing and support them to thrive at home, at school and in life.

Justin is one of Australia's most trusted parenting voices, author of 10 books on raising children (with an 11th, on raising boys, out later this year), and a regular feature in major Australian and international media including the Washington Post and New York Times.

Details:

📅 Monday 3rd August, 7:00pm–8:30pm

📍 Ocean Grove Primary School, 1-23 Draper Street, Ocean Grove

💰 Free — no cost to attend

🪑 No reserved seating

👥 Adults only (no children please)

This event is completely free, and we'd strongly encourage all parents and carers to take up this opportunity — sessions like this don't come around often. Bring along family and friends.

We'd like to thank Ocean Grove Primary School for generously extending this opportunity to our school community.

Please book ASAP viahttps://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1606223 — as numbers allow, OGPS will be opening the event to other local schools, so early registration is recommended to secure your spot.

Supporting Our Kids Together: Years 3–6 Health Evening Recap

Monday night's Health and Human Relations Information Session for Years 3–6 families was a great success, with around 30 parents and carers joining us for a warm, relaxed and informative evening.

Led by Kellie Hewson (Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader) and Mel Lonergan (Disability & Inclusion Leader), the session covered why we teach Health and Human Relations, how the program builds year-on-year, and how families can support these conversations at home. A highlight was the discussion time, with parents asking thoughtful questions and learning from us and each other. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with an average rating of 4.75 out of 5, and parents valuing the practical, personable approach and clarity on what's covered at each year level.

Some of what we covered:

• Why age-appropriate education helps children feel informed and confident as they grow
• How content builds in depth across Years 3–6
• Practical ways to keep the conversation going at home – short, frequent chats work best
• What is (and isn't) covered, and how out-of-scope questions are handled
• Consent, respectful relationships and bodily autonomy as threads through every year level

• Where to find further support, including DET policies and further resources

   

If you weren't able to attend, or would like a copy of the presentation, please contact the office or reach out to Kellie directly. Thank you to all who attended for such a positive and constructive evening.

Parenting Support Programs – Term 3

At Surfside, we know that parenting doesn't come with a handbook and that every family benefits from support from time to time. We are pleased to share a range of free parenting programs available throughout Term 3, covering topics such as anxiety, emotional wellbeing, emotional regulation, positive relationships, parenting adolescents and support for neurodivergent children. These evidence-based programs are delivered by experienced local providers and offer valuable opportunities for parents and carers to connect, learn and build practical strategies to support their children. Please see the flyer below for further information and booking details.

Lunch Clubs at Surfside!

Following student feedback through our Student Voice and Agency team, Lunch Clubs are now running across the week with activities including sport, art, coding, dance, music, games and more.

Lunch Clubs are a great way for students to build friendships, try something new and feel more connected to school. Please encourage your child(ren) to explore the timetable and consider giving a new club a go this term. Most clubs run for approximately 30 minutes.

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