The Fountain

From the Deputy Principal 

The Resilience Project – Empathy 

The partnership we have with The Resilience Project not only provides us with the tools to develop the wellbeing of our students, but also the resources to support our parents and carers. 

 

As we have communicated previously, the program is centered around three key pillars that have been proven to cultivate positive emotion: gratitude, empathy and mindfulness (GEM), with emotional literacy being a foundational skill to practise these strategies. 

 

Part 3 of The Resilience Project's wellbeing curriculum focuses on empathy and kindness. View Part 3 of the series here.

Empathy is our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others, to feel and see what they do. We practise this through being kind and compassionate towards other people. 

 

Brain imaging data shows that being kind to others registers in the brain as more like eating chocolate than like fulfilling an obligation to do what's 'right' (e.g. eating Brussels sprouts)! 

 

Research also shows that practising empathy, such as performing acts of kindness, taps into our brain's 'mirror neurons', builds compassion and our behaviour becomes more social and community based. 

 

An activity to practise empathy and kindness: 

  1. Reflect on someone in your life who could benefit from an act of kindness today. It could be a friend who would love some affirmation about their work, your pet who deserves an extra treat, or a family member who would love a phone call or text message.
  2. Make a plan for who you are going to show an act of kindness to, and what you are going to do.
  3. If you want to add accountability to your plan, share it with someone else and encourage them to do the same thing.
  4. Follow up with each other in a few days time, to ask how it went!
Sources: Psychology Today, UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science) 
 
For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s support page.

School uniform reminder 

At St Mary's, we expect our students to wear our College uniform with pride, correctly and in its entirety. 

 

The uniform must be worn at school, when representing our College and when travelling to and from school. 

 

In recent weeks, students have been reminded of the College's expectations, including the following: 

  • The blazer must be worn as part of the uniform to and from school.
  • The soft shell jacket may be worn over the blazer to and from school especially in the colder months.
  • Hair should be off the face and tied back it if it sits below the collar. 
  • Students may wear a simple watch and one pair of small plain metallic studs or small plain metallic sleeper earrings worn in the earlobes. 
  • Makeup, nail polish, false eyelashes and false nails are not to be worn. 
  • The sports uniform may be worn to school on HPE days, when the student has a Sports Pass, or when advised by the College. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents and carers for your support when encouraging our students to adhere to the College's expectations. 

 

Caroline Wilson-Haffenden 

Deputy Principal