Wellbeing
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Miss Karen Chiu. Karen is a Psychologist who joined the college last week, she will be working as part of our wellbeing team on Thursdays and Fridays. We are thrilled to have some extra support available for our students.
The Killester community celebrated International Women's Day on Tuesday March 8 with a range of activities. Our Arts Committee Leaders organised a Lunchtime Music Session at Tullow with both recorded and live music. The Celebrations Leaders provided a photo booth and you can see some of the photos in this article. Throughout the past week, our Year 12 Student Council Leaders (Nandira Xavier and Lucinda Tran) sent an email each day to students and staff highlighting the achievements and impact of Inspirational Women from around the globe.
After the Labour Day Long Weekend, it is an exciting time for all students from Year 10 - 12. The Year 10 students will participate in a range of informative and stimulating activities for “Dare to Dream” week from March 15 - 18. Year 11 (The Old Priory, Beechworth) and Year 12 (Rutherford Park, Blampied) students will attend a Retreat from March 16 - 18. We look forward to sharing reflections and photos from these events with you in the next Newsletter.
This is a friendly reminder to parents/carers that if your daughter is absent from school that it MUST be communicated with us. This can be via a phone call, email or written note. And please remind your daughters that if they are late to school they must sign in at the front office before going to class. If you have any questions around absences or attendance please don’t hesitate to contact the College. We appreciate your support with this.
Students are only permitted to wear their Killester PE Uniform on the days that they have a PE Class. VCE students doing PE and/or VET Sport and Recreation should only wear their PE Uniform when it is a practical class. Students need to communicate with their PE Teacher if they need clarification about when to wear PE Uniform. We are grateful for parental support to ensure that our students are wearing their Killester uniform appropriately and proudly.
Sadly there is much unrest in the world and our young people are being exposed to comforonting footage and images of the Ukraine war through social media platforms like TikTok, SnapChat and Instagram. We ask parents to please monitor what your daughters are accessing and ensure it is appropriate. Being exposed to such raw footage and images can be very damaging to young people. If you need any further information about keeping your children safe and protected online there are some great resources through https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents.
SPECIAL REPORT: Managing Overwhelm
Due to the pandemic, recent world events in the Ukraine and the impacts of the floods in Queensland and NSW, the world we now live in is a very different place. The hyperconnected nature of our current environment means that we are constantly being reminded of the challenges we face via numerous media and social media channels. Our connectivity to the digital world exposes us to a barrage of messages that can leave us feeling overwhelmed. As a result, many children and their parents are reporting higher levels of stress and anxiety.
Unfortunately, our brains have not evolved fast enough to adapt to this digital landscape. The combination of constant access to information and having little control over the situations presented, can be stressful and overwhelming. It is therefore important for adult carers to check in with their children and be aware of what information they may have been exposed to. It may not necessarily be the information itself that is harmful, but more their inability to process and make sense of it. Providing children with the skills and strategies to cope will enable them to flourish and thrive, socially, emotionally and academically.
The blueprint for parenting, based on our own experiences, is no longer fit for purpose in raising kids as citizens of tomorrow. This can be inherently stressful and overwhelming, not only for parents and carers, but children alike. If left untreated or unmanaged, constant stress and anxiety can lead to a number of behavioural issues or health consequences. This Special Report suggests a number of strategies to help manage any feelings of overwhelm that you or your child may be experiencing. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to your special report https://killester.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-managing-overwhelm
Emma Neville (7-9) and Peter Harte (10-12)
Assistant Principals - Students
