Wellbeing and Inclusion Update

Team Westbreen Behaviour Matrix

Through our Start-Up Program over the first three weeks of the start of the year, all classes are re-visiting and re-teaching the behaviour expectations from our Behaviours Matrix below. We encourage all families to reinforce these behaviours with their child/children and even discuss how they can be displayed in the home.

Shared responsibility of members of the school community to behave respectfully

Positive school environments are important because everyone has the right to be safe and play a shared role in being respectful. Everyone at school, particularly staff and parents/carers, play a role in making school a better place for learning and work.

Respectful behaviours are important in building strong, healthy and thriving school communities.

School staff in Victorian Government schools build and maintain a respectful workplace by:

treating each other with respect and consideration
being inclusive, valuing others and accepting their differences
recognising the efforts and achievements of others
considering our impact on others
calling out and addressing behaviour that can lead to bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Parents/carers can create a positive environment for learning and work by:

modelling positive behaviour to their child/children and to the school community
communicating politely and respectfully with all members of the school community
working with the school to achieve the best outcomes for their child/children
communicating constructively with the school
making use of the expected processes and protocols when raising concerns
following the school's processes for communication with staff and making complaints
treating all school staff, students, and other members of the school community with respect.

By treating everyone with respect, parents/carers and schools can make sure students feel supported and cared for.

Wellbeing Words

Good afternoon families and friends, welcome back to a new school year with new beginnings, friends, teachers and exciting new experiences in 2026! I hope the holidays were wonderful and you got to spend quality time with each other.

I would like to take the time to introduce our new Psychologist that will be commencing onsite in the coming weeks. Michal will attend fortnightly and will increase dependent on needs. Michal comes with a wealth of experience, particularly in the school setting and her work with children. I have attached further information about Michal below. She replaces Naomee who spent a short time here supporting some of our students.

If you feel your child could benefit from some support, or you have some concerns, please reach out and we can chat further about this.

To have your child engage with Michal they will require a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) which you can obtain from your GP. Please note a long appointment is usually required for this but you can mention this at the time of booking. Once you have received this then you can forward same on to myself and I will let Michal know.

Unfortunately these sessions are not fully funded by Medicare and there is an out-of-pocket expense that will need to be covered by you. NDIS funding can be used in this instance.

If you have any further questions, please reach out.

2ND HAND UNIFORM

LAST WEDNESDAY of each month

8.45-9.15am and

2.45-3.15pm

Thank you to all those families that donate 2nd hand uniform items, it is much appreciated. I’d just like to take this opportunity to remind anyone wanting to donate items to please check them over carefully and be mindful that if there are any stains e.g. paint, permanent marker, texta etc. then I am unable to offer them to other families. Whilst the effort is made to launder all items there are some stains that just will not come out. I will only be accepting those uniform items with the new school logo on them.

Thank you for your support.

Ms Georgie- MHWL 😊

Michal Barak - Phycologist

Michal is a provisionally registered psychologist with a background in educational and developmental psychology. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults across school settings, private practice, and community-based services. Her approach is collaborative, involving families and educational teams, and focuses on supporting emotional development, learning, and mental health.

Michal works with clients experiencing a broad range of challenges, including anxiety, emotional and sensory regulation difficulties, global developmental delay, interpersonal difficulties, depression, suicidal ideation, gender diversity, and LGBTQIA+ related concerns. She also has expertise in supporting learning disabilities and ADHD, as well as providing parent guidance and crisis intervention.

Her integrative therapeutic approach draws on evidence-based modalities such as psychodynamic therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT). Michal applies a systemic lens, considering developmental, relational, and environmental factors, while tailoring interventions to the unique needs of each individual. Her work is guided by warmth, curiosity, and respect, with a strong emphasis on family dynamics and the parent–child relationship.

Michal provides support for children of all ages, adolescents, parents, and adults, addressing concerns such as anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties, sensory processing challenges, developmental delay, learning difficulties, ADHD, depression, suicidal thoughts, gender exploration, LGBTQIA+ support, parent-child relationship issues, situational or developmental crises, and adjustment to family changes including divorce, loss, or migration.

Michal brings over seven years of experience as a psychologist overseas and is expected to obtain full registration in Australia within the next three months, pending completion of the required transitional process.

First Choice Allied Health

I am Melanie, a psychologist at First Choice Allied Health (FCAH). We are a multidisciplinary allied health team located on Mt Alexander Road in Ascot Vale.

I am writing to introduce you to ChatADHD.au, an information website FCAH has recently developed to provide evidence-based information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Our goal is to offer a reliable and accessible resource for individuals seeking to understand ADHD better. The platform is fully bilingual, offering content and chatbot interactions in both English and Vietnamese.

The main feature of our website is an interactive chatbot, designed to answer questions about ADHD. Users can access the chatbot by creating a free account on the website. This chatbot incorporates input from our therapy teams and is grounded in evidence-based practice, aiming to provide comprehensive and accurate information to users.

It is crucial to emphasise that the ChatADHD.au chatbot is strictly an informational tool. It does not provide professional medical advice, nor is it intended for diagnostic purposes. We strongly advise users to consult with qualified healthcare professionals for any medical concerns or diagnoses.

We believe ChatADHD.au can be a valuable supplementary resource for your students and their families, offering accessible information to support their understanding of ADHD. We encourage you to explore the website and its features.

Additionally, we will be reopening our free ADHD screening program in 2026 for both children and adults. If you have any students or families who may benefit from this service, please direct them to our ADHD grant intake website for more information.