Sowing the SEADs of Success
From the Assistant Principal: Wellbeing & Engagement
In one of my first newsletter articles this year, I wrote about our two major focuses of the SEAD program for 2022 including continuing to develop resilience capacity and emotional intelligence within our community. These themes have been embedded in various ways through the school. Resilience and emotional intelligence have been a focus in our dedicated weekly SEAD lessons, woven into conversations between teachers and students, into community events we have held across the year and into the Parenting workshops we have held.
Resilience is the ability to bounce forward from an emotional, social, academic or physical setback. The words ‘bounce back’ are frequently used when we talk about resilience implying that we are rubber bands and need to go back to the same state we were in before. With every setback, we grow as individuals in whatever form that takes and so ‘bounce forward’ seems more apt when talking about resilience and our capacity.
When I look back on the year, there are particular instances where resilience was ever present among our girls. During our annual Performing Art Festival, a third of our Mulhallians had been struck down by COVID, however the girls got up and sung bravely. The Mulhall captains believed in what they had created and were able to stand up proudly and put on a 30 minute performance in front on a packed crowed at the Convention Centre with all the grace and elegance of performers. At the Athletics Carnival, on a 40 degree day the relay girls ran gallantly along the track for their house cheered by a crowded stand of colour. Our Head Girl, Georgina Tenny gave an inspiring speech at one of our Assemblies about how grades do not define you. This resonated with many girls and was a talking point for weeks with girls not just looking at grades for their self worth. At the Year 12 graduation, our Vocal Ensemble put on an amazing performance singing through many tears while celebrating and commemorating 13 years of school. The friendship and camaraderie of the girls allowed them to continue on and perform bravely in front of their peers and families.
Resilience doesn’t often scream from the roof tops but is an inner courage that allows us to bounce forward when time are tough. One of the factors that helps us to do this is to have a memory bank of good times we can look back on when we feel we are in a tough spot. These holidays, I encourage you to create as many fun memories and family times with your children as you can so they come back to school with a full memory bank of good times to help them through tougher times. Another protective factor around resilience is to develop strategies when experiencing setbacks so we develop the skills to overcome problems. Our job as parents is not to go in and fix a problem for our children, it is to provide the skills for children to solve their own problems. These holidays, provide opportunities for your children to problem solve, take appropriate risks and be with them to come up with ideas and solutions to problems.
In April 2023, we are offering a trip for 26 girls to travel to Cape York for an Indigenous Immersion from Years 8 to Year 12 2023. We currently have 17 girls wanting to go, but need 20 for the trip to go ahead. Expression of interest are due on Monday 14 November with the first deposit due on Monday 21 November. Please encourage your daughters to fill in the expression of interest https://forms.office.com/r/rFAV0fQDGF.
Shortly, a parent letter will come out to detail the last day of term. We will invite parents to an End of Year Mass followed by Morning Tea and a Years 4 to 11 Awards Ceremony. All students from Reception to Year 11 will finish school at 12.30pm on Thursday 8 December. Please look out for the letter early next week.
Anna Partridge
Assistant Principal: Wellbeing and Engagement
SEAD Across the College
Teenage gatherings provide young people with important opportunities to interact and build on their social skills and experiences. Celebrations, partying and socialising are a fundamental rite of passage and one of the most important aspects of a young person’s life. However, it is possible for the best young person to get carried away by their peers and the euphoria of the moment.
For parents and caregivers, keeping your young person safe can at times feel daunting and is often a compromise and a challenge. Most teenagers try to do the right thing most of the time, but your leadership as a role model is crucial. Your child may appear to be physically large and mature, but this is not necessarily matched by their emotional maturity and responsibility in behaviour.
Every party has the potential to get out-of-hand as sometimes it’s hard for young partygoers to make good decisions. Communication and regular discussions are vital, particularly because young people are often faced with peer pressure to do things they prefer not to engage in. Hosting a celebration at home or at a venue can be a fun and memorable event but it is important to agree on the ground rules well before your event is announced to ensure there are no misunderstandings later on.
If hosting an event, you owe your guests a ‘duty-of-care’ and should ensure all reasonable steps are taken to keep partygoers safe. School TV has a Special Report which provides caregivers with list of things to consider when planning a celebration. Here is the link.
If you have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact your daughter’s ELC Educator, Classroom Teacher, or Head of Junior School and Early Learning Centre, or the relevant Leader of Student Wellbeing and Academic Care, or Mentor/Subject Teacher in the Senior School. You also are encouraged to seek medical or professional help.
Monica Bignold
College Psychologist R-12
Life in Boarding
The past fortnight has been filled with celebrations, excursions and a trip down memory lane at Loreto Boarding.
Master of ceremonies, 2023 Head Boarder, Scarlett Pearce, led Halloween celebrations with a cookie making competition and fancy dress, with the girls having a crazy sugar intake throughout the afternoon. There was ample trick or treating at the boarding house despite the stormy conditions.
Special guest, Old Scholar, Parent Representative Group member, and Mother of two current Boarders, Lucille Bailey, joined the girls to share her memories and stories of her experience as a Loreto Boarder some two decades ago. Lucille captivated our girls with examples of where boarders use to sleep, the routines of yester years, how the hierarchy of boarders worked, the menu, and of course the most daunting “only one phone, attached to the wall, in an open space” that was used by staff and boarders alike. Needless to say, our girls were horrified at the thought of only having one phone for everyone to access! Whenever I meet and speak with Old Scholars, the overarching message that shines through is the importance of being a Loreto Girl. Thankyou Lucille for being such a pivotal point as a Loreto Girl and sharing your journey with todays Boarders.
The 2023 new Loreto Boarders have joined us for their orientation evening, and it was lovely to meet our new families and share a meal. Sisters from our Big Sister Program have exchanged contact details and committed to keeping in contact until the 2023 school year begins to make sure our new boarders feel at home upon their arrival.
Ms Kerry Houston
Director of Boarding
From the Libraries
Respect Stories Winner 2022
As previously mentioned, the very talented Emma Choi received, amongst her other prizes, $500 to be used for the purchasing of new resources. York Library was delighted to help with this (we love books!) and have now acquired a beautiful selection of Indigenous non-fiction books celebrating art, culture and multiculturalism. We thank Emma for her contribution and look forward to receiving the rest of our selections and putting these fantastic titles on display for student and staff borrowing.
Scholastic Book Club 2022
Our final Scholastic Book Club orders for the year have now been distributed to students and we thank you for your support as we trialled the online ordering system (LOOP). A percentage of each order goes back to Micklegate Library to purchase new resources for students and we are pleased to say that nearly $1,000 in free books have been acquired in 2022. Thank you to all those families that took part, we look forward to offering this again in 2023.
Ms Julie Stayley
Information Resources Coordinator R-12