Wellbeing

Wellbeing Update – Celebrating Inclusion, Respect and Belonging

Next week our school will be celebrating Harmony Week, a time for us to recognise and celebrate the incredible diversity that makes up our school community. Harmony Week reminds us that everyone belongs and encourages students to show respect, kindness and curiosity about the cultures, traditions and experiences of others.

Throughout the week, students will participate in classroom discussions and activities that explore cultural identity, respect and inclusion. The Inclusion Action Team invites all students to…

• WEAR ORANGE OR TRADITIONAL CLOTHING FROM YOUR CULTURE
• BRING A LUNCH BOX WITH FOOD FROM YOUR CULTURE, YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD FROM A DIFFERENT CULTURE OR A FAMILY RECIPE!

Families can support this learning at home by:

• Talking about your family’s cultural background or traditions
• Encouraging children to ask respectful questions and learn about others
• Sharing foods, stories or customs that are meaningful to your family
• Try one of the delicious recipes from https://www.tasteofharmony.org.au/recipes/ 
• Reinforcing the importance of kindness and standing up for others

For some families in our community, Ramadan has also recently begun. Ramadan is a significant and special time for Muslims around the world, focused on reflection, generosity, community and compassion. We wish all families observing Ramadan a peaceful and meaningful month. It can be a wonderful opportunity to talk with children about different cultural and religious traditions and the shared values of empathy and giving.

We are acknowledging International Women’s Day on Wednesday March 11th this year, which celebrates the achievements, leadership and contributions of women and girls across the world. In classrooms, students have been discussing inspiring women who have helped shape our communities and learning about fairness, respect and equal opportunity for all. At home, families might like to continue this conversation by sharing stories of women who inspire you -  whether they are historical figures, community leaders or people in your own family.

Our senior students also participated in a powerful workshop with Project Rockit a couple of weeks ago, an organisation that works with young people to create kinder and safer communities both online and offline. One of the key messages students explored was the difference between bystanders and upstanders.

• A bystander sees something unkind happening but does nothing.
• An upstander chooses to take positive action — showing kindness, including someone who is left out, or seeking help from a trusted adult.

Our students had thoughtful conversations about how small actions can make a big difference in helping everyone feel safe and included.

To continue spreading kindness across our school, our senior students have contributed messages of support into The Belonging Box, located at the front office. If a student is having a tough day or could use a little encouragement, they can collect a positive message written by one of our senior students. These messages are small reminders that someone cares and that everyone deserves to feel valued and supported.

Wellbeing at school and at home works best when we partner together. By continuing conversations about respect, kindness, courage and belonging, we can help our children grow into compassionate and confident members of their community.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Caro and the Wellbeing Team