Wellbeing 

This week at Sacred Heart, we have embraced R U OK? Day through our Wellbeing Program, with morning welcome circles and Respectful Relationships lessons

R U OK? Day encourages us to check in with one another by asking the simple yet powerful question, "Are you OK?" It opens up conversations about mental health and emotional wellbeing, which are crucial for building a supportive and connected community.

Across the school, students have been involved in a range of activities that focus on understanding and practicing how to offer support to others. These activities have helped students develop essential skills such as active listening, expressing empathy, and understanding the importance of being there for their peers, especially when someone may be struggling.

As part of the week's program, students have participated in the following activities:

• Role-Playing Conversations: Students practiced asking “Are you OK?” and responding with care and compassion. This activity helps build their confidence in offering support to friends who might need it.
• Feelings and Emotion Discussions: Students engaged in group discussions about different emotions they experience and strategies for managing them. These open conversations helped normalize the idea that it's OK to not always feel OK.
• Kindness Activities: Classes participated in a school-wide kindness challenge, where students aimed to do at least one kind act each day, and then shared their experiences in class discussions.

Through these activities, we are fostering a caring and supportive environment where students are learning that it’s important to ask, listen, and support each other. We’re encouraging students to recognise when their friends might need help and to feel comfortable reaching out when they need support themselves.

Here are some activities families can try at home to continue these important conversations:

• Role-Playing at Home: Encourage your child to practice asking “Are you OK?” and talk about how to respond with kindness.
• Daily Check-ins: Make a habit of asking your child how they are feeling each day and share how you’re feeling as well.
• Kindness Challenge: Try doing one kind act as a family each day and reflect on how it felt to support others.

We are proud of the way students have embraced the R U OK? message and look forward to seeing these values continue to grow in our school community.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and have a wonderful week!

Simon Brown - Wellbeing Leader