Principals Message 

Year of Jubilee

Good afternoon everyone.  

A reminder that I will be on leave from Monday 25th August until Monday 13th October.  Christy Roberts will be Acting Principal during this time.    Christy can be contacted the school phone number or via email  croberts@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au or office@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au.   I look forward to seeing everyone again in term 4.

GASTRO:  Unfortunately gastro is making the rounds of the school.  Out of respect for our staff and your child's classmates, please ensure that you keep your child home a full 24-48hours after their last vomit or loose motion or are or have been complaining of feeling unwell.   There has been a  case of RSV reported in the junior area as well.

Monday was a very productive staff PD on reviewing data to drive school improvement.  We are always striving to improve on what we have and how we deliver.  These PD days are valuable learning days for all staff.  

Congratualtions to  Maeve, Bailee, Aiden, Samuel, Leo, Addie,  Ryder, Ivy, Indie, Ruby, Elijah, Kiara and Aidan on making the   Sacrament of Confirmation on Thursday evening in Korumburra. This is the final Sacrament in the program.   Bishop Greg officiated the Mass with Fr Stanly.  We also wish to congratulate the St Joseph's and parish children who also made the Sacrament last night.  

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Article 5 on Anxiety and your child.

Helping Young Minds Navigate Big World Events: A Guide for Parents

By Michael Hawton, Child Psychologist (MAPS) and Parentshop founder.

Teenagers today are bombarded with information about climate change, global conflicts, and social injustices through social media and news platforms. Unlike younger children, adolescents have greater cognitive capacity to understand these issues, but they're also more likely to feel overwhelmed by their apparent magnitude and their perceived powerlessness to create change.

Whilst teenagers can think more abstractly than younger children, their brains are still developing, particularly the prefrontal cortex responsible for emotional regulation and long-term planning. This means they can understand complex global issues but may struggle to put them in perspective or manage the anxiety these issues provoke.

Research shows that teenagers who set unrealistic goals about changing the world are less happy than those who focus on achievable contributions. This is particularly relevant when discussing climate change and global issues with your teenager.

Four strategic approaches

Encourage Meaningful but Realistic Action.  Rather than trying to solve climate change single-handedly, help your teenager identify specific, manageable ways to contribute. This might involve joining environmental groups at school, volunteering with local organisations, or researching careers that align with their values. The key is helping them understand that meaningful change happens through sustained, collective effort rather than grand gestures.

When teenagers feel they can contribute meaningfully to solutions, it builds what I call a 'growth mindset' - the belief that challenges are opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles. This approach helps them develop resilience thinking skills that will serve themt hroughout their lives.

Discuss Media Consumption Critically. Teenagers are sophisticated consumers of information, but they need guidance in developing media literacy. Discuss how news outlets and social media platforms are designed to capture attention through dramatic presentation. Help them identify reliable sources and encourage them to limit their consumption of distressing content.

Unlike with younger children, complete avoidance isn't realistic or appropriate for teenagers.  Instead, help them develop skills to critically evaluate information and manage their emotional responses to it. This includes understanding how the constant stream of negative news can create a distorted view of reality.

Facilitate Deep Conversations.  Teenagers need space to express their concerns about world events without judgment. Create opportunities for meaningful discussions about their fears and frustrations.  Listen actively to their perspectives and validate their emotions whilst helping them think through realistic responses.

Use these conversations to explore complex topics like the balance between individual responsibility and systemic change, the role of technology in both creating and solving problems, and how to maintain hope whilst acknowledging serious challenges. These discussions help teenagers develop sophisticated thinking skills and emotional regulation strategies.

Model Proportional Response Show your teenager how to respond proportionally to global challenges. This means taking appropriate action without becoming consumed by anxiety about things beyond individual control. Demonstrate how to stay informed without becoming overwhelmed, how to contribute meaningfully without taking on unrealistic responsibility, and how to maintain hope whilst acknowledging difficulties.

Supporting Emotional Regulation Teenagers are particularly susceptible to anxiety about global issues because they're developing their sense of identity and place in the world. Help them understand that feeling concerned about climate change and global injustices reflects their developing moral reasoning and empathy - these are positive qualities that, when channelled appropriately, can lead to meaningful contributions.

However, it's important to help them distinguish between productive concern that motivates action and overwhelming anxiety that leads to paralysis. Teach them techniques for managing intense emotions, such as mindfulness practices, physical exercise, and maintaining connections with friends and family.

Building Future-Focused Resilience The goal with teenagers is to help them develop what I call 'active hope' - the ability to maintain optimism whilst taking concrete steps towards positive change. This involves helping them understand that whilst global challenges are real and serious, human ingenuity, cooperation, and sustained effort have solved significant problems throughout history.

Encourage your teenager to think about their long-term goals and how they might contribute to solutions in their future careers or civic engagement. This forward-thinking approach helps them see themselves as part of the solution rather than helpless victims of global problems.

Discussing world events with teenagers requires balancing honest acknowledgement of challenges with realistic hope for positive change. By helping your teenager develop critical thinking skills,emotional regulation strategies, and a sense of agency, you're preparing them to be thoughtful,resilient citizens who can contribute meaningfully to addressing global challenges.

Remember, the goal isn't to eliminate your teenager's concern about world events - their awareness and care are signs of healthy moral development. Instead, we want to help them channel these concerns into productive action whilst maintaining their mental health and optimism about the future.

Yet another great article from Michael.  There is so much going on in  the world right now and I hope these strategies will  help you to encourage your child to sift through their thoughts and feeling and guide them to process those thoughts and feelings in a managable way to elliviate their anxieties.  We won't always be able to soothe their anxiety but we can try our best to give them coping skills. Embrace any assistance that will give you the skills to help you naviagate the tricky issues that your child will experience throughout their junior and teenage years.    I look forward to reading the final article in this series.

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Father, 

I release this day into your hands. 

I thank you for the work accomplished and the victories of the day.  I turn over to you my frustrations and I ask you to cover my shortcomings with your grace.  Restore my soul as I shift my mind off work and turn my attention to the people and other moments in my life that matter.

AMEN

See you all when I get back.

Liz