Wellbeing

Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL)

Last year SFS became a PBL school. A big focus of our school that came from our Review was to focus on student behaviour.

PBL is a whole school approach where we explicitly teach the students social skills that we have identified from collecting data about the student’s behaviour. Last year we developed our school expectations that staff, students and families voted on.

At SFS, our school expectations are:

Respect

Responsibility and

Kindness

From those expectations, we then created a matrix of expected behaviours that helps the children to understand what the expectation looks like in all the areas in our school.

This week we have continue to focus on the expectation of RESPECT in the learning space and listen and follow instructions. You might like to think about what your family expectations of behaviour are at home and how you show respect, responsibility and kindness at home or in the different parts of your home such as bedroom, bathroom, shared living spaces, outside etc.

Seasons for Growth

Seasons for Growth is a program which focuses on strengthening the social and emotional wellbeing of children, young people and adults following significant change and loss in their lives. If your child has had an experience of change or loss such as death of a loved one or pet, divorce or separation of parents, birth of a new sibling, moving house or some other change which has impacted on them, then this program may help them. The program is for children in Year 1 to 6 and runs once a week for 8 weeks in a small group. Each session runs for about 40 minutes and we finish with a celebration. I am a trained Seasons for Growth Companion, trained through McKillop Family Services. I would like to run some groups this year. If you think your child would benefit or you would like some more information, please contact me rlenko@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au

Harmony week/Day

What is Harmony Week?It is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism, and the successful integration of migrants into our community.Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it.Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

We are going to be focusing on the message of Harmony Day during the week beginning Monday 20th March. Children are asked to come dressed in clothes representing their cultural background or the colour orange on Tuesday 21st March, which is Harmony Day. The students will learn about this in class that week through literacy activities, Inquiry Learning, PBL and Circle Time.

The Department of Home Affairs leads national celebrations for Harmony Week to recognise diversity and inclusion activities that take place during the entire week. Harmony Week is celebrated during the week (Monday to Sunday) that includes 21 March, which is the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.Since 1999, more than 80,000 Harmony Week events have been held in childcare centres, schools, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, state and local government agencies across Australia.

Top tips for a smoother start to school

Hopefully you have all had a smooth transition back to school after the Summer holiday break. Despite our best efforts, some children may struggle with the transition back to school getting used to new teachers, classmates, learning space and other changes. Leading parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson has some helpful tips for helping your children with the transition.

Get kids involved in the organisation process
Use positive language
Add a personal touch (something they can take with them to school)
Talk about how they are feeling
Maintain a consistent routine at home
Limit after school activities in Term 1

If you have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Rachel Lenko

Student wellbeing Leader

rlenko@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au