Wellbeing
Wellbeing News
Hello!
My name is Tina Mouzakitis and I am very pleased and grateful to be the Wellbeing Coordinator at West Beach Primary School.
At West Beach Primary School all staff believe that being proactive about supporting and promoting mental health and wellbeing in our students is vital in today’s world and the world of the future. Life has its ups and downs and …. students who are socially and emotionally competent, are better able to navigate through these times with a positive attitude and optimism, therefore feeling happier more often.
All staff at West Beach Primary School are dedicated to working together and building a positive community based on respectful relationships and a sense of belonging and inclusion … and as the Wellbeing Coordinator at West Beach Primary School I enjoy working closely with staff and students on wellbeing initiatives. Our school’s strong focus on Positive Education supports our aim - to provide daily opportunities for our students to live each day to the fullest and to flourish.
Research shows that students who flourish in all aspects of their life regularly experience positive emotions, feel engaged in what they are doing, develop and enjoy positive relationships with others, find deeper meaning in their lives and strive to achieve.
At West Beach Primary School, we use The Australian Student Wellbeing Framework to support all students and their families through a systemic whole school approach to wellbeing, with tiers of support that emphasise appropriate early intervention.
Programmes and courses taught are:
The Australian Student Wellbeing Framework
Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum
Positive Education and Growth Mindset
Growing with Gratitude
Restorative Practice
Bounce Back (Resilience and social emotional learning)
Interoception Program (Interoception is a pre‐requisite skill for self‐management and self‐regulation. It provides the tools to know when we are developing emotional reactions and the skills to be in control of those reactions.)
When we partner closely with families and the community we are best positioned to support children's wellbeing. Your thoughts, perspectives and feedback are always welcome and we encourage you to get in touch with us if you’d like to talk about our wellbeing priorities.
I’m available to meet with parents and caregivers on Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays. You can get in touch with me by phoning the Front Office on 83567930 or emailing Tina.Mouzakitis552@schools.sa.edu.au. Our Pastoral Care Worker, Cathy Turner, is available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She can be contacted by emailing Cathy.Turner255@schools.sa.edu.au.
A Mindful Approach to Wellbeing
Everybody experiences stress in their lives and with this in mind, I thought I would share with you some of the key messages about Wellbeing that are embedded within our wellbeing programs at the school.
1. Wellbeing is not about being happy 24/7. Happiness can come and go in a moment, whereas wellbeing is a more stable state of being well, feeling satisfied or content.
2. Your emotions are like the weather – they are constantly changing. Some days it may be cloudy, raining, hailing, or snowing outside whilst on other days it may be searing heat or a comfortable 27 degrees. Rather than resisting its presence (otherwise known as experiential avoidance), sometimes it is best just to acknowledge the emotion is there E.g., “I am noticing anxiety” – after all, you cannot change the weather!
3. Emotions do not control our behaviour, the choices we make do.
4. Stress is neither good, nor bad! The more you try and change it, resist it or get rid of it, the greater the hold it takes.
5.Life is not perfect and there is value in imperfection. Mistakes help us grow as individuals. Embrace the benefits of failure!
6. No matter how hard we try, unwanted things will continue to happen in our lives.
7. Belly-breathing may be one of the most helpful to do for our natural stress response. Studies have shown that belly-breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and therefore calms our body’s natural ‘” fight or flight or freeze” response. The next time you are stressed, try 4 x 4 sets of belly breaths.
8. There are a host of physical and mental benefits from engaging in regular physical activity. Ironically, exercise is one