Wellbeing

Welcome to Term 2

Welcome to Term 2! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter break, filled with relaxation and quality time with family and loved ones.

Term 2 is already shaping up to be an exciting and fun filled term for our St Mary’s community.

Last week, I had the absolute joy of joining our amazing Grade 6 students on camp in Canberra, and wow, what an unforgettable week it was! From exploring New and Old Parliament House to standing in awe at the Australian War Memorial, geeking out at Questacon, and even visiting the Governor General’s House , our senior students soaked up every moment.

But the real magic? It wasn’t just the incredible places we visited , it was the spirit, kindness, and energy our students brought to every single day. There was laughter by the busload, memories galore, and enough joy to fill a lolly store! (There were lots of those too) New friendships blossomed, old ones grew stronger, and plenty of unforgettable moments were made, including making a brand new friend!

Mr Stu, our wonderful bus driver, quickly became everyone’s best mate.  The kids absolutely adored him! Throughout the week, our St Mary’s students proudly showed what it means to be respectful, responsible, and resilient, impressing everyone we met with their manners, enthusiasm, and beautiful behaviour. It was such a proud moment to see our students represent our school so proudly.

The staff and I felt so lucky to share in the fun . This camp was truly one for the books!

Peaceful Kids Begins

This term also sees the start of our Peaceful Kids program, an evidence-based mindfulness and resilience program designed to support students with anxiety, stress, and emotional regulation. Through guided sessions and practical strategies, students are learning how to manage big emotions, practise mindfulness, and build resilience in everyday life. We’re already seeing students develop new tools for wellbeing and emotional awareness, and we look forward to the growth that lies ahead.

Strengthening Our School Community Through Our New PBL House System

This term, we are excited to officially launch our new Whole-School Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) Approach at St Mary’s. This approach is all about recognising and celebrating the everyday behaviours that reflect our core school values: Respect, Resilience, and Responsibility.

One of the most exciting parts of this new approach is our House-based collective reward system. Every student belongs to a House, and throughout the term, staff will be handing out PBL Tokens to students who consistently demonstrate our PBL values, whether it’s helping a peer in need, showing persistence during a challenging task, or taking responsibility in the playground.

These tokens are collected in House Boxes, and at the end of each term, the House with the most tokens will win a collective reward.But more than just a prize, this system is designed to build teamwork, strengthen peer relationships, and foster a sense of shared purpose and community across all year levels.

By working together towards a common goal, students are encouraged to support and uplift one another. It shifts the focus from individual gain to collective achievement, promoting the idea that we rise by lifting others. Whether it’s a Foundation student being cheered on by a Year 6 House Captain, or a team rallying together to reach a target, this approach cultivates school spirit and belonging.

When we reward the team as a whole, we reinforce that everyone’s actions matter and that kindness, effort, and responsibility contribute not just to personal success, but to the success of the entire community.

We can’t wait to watch our Houses grow stronger, prouder, and more connected through this exciting new initiative. Let’s continue to live out our values and celebrate the incredible things our students do every day.

How it works:

• Students will be awarded a TOKEN when they are seen upholding our school’s PBL values outside the classroom
• Each token contributes to a termly House Token Tally.
• At the end of the term, the House with the most tokens will receive a special reward!
• Houses will also earn points toward the Overall House Cup:
  • 🥇 1st Place – 10 points
  • 🥈 2nd Place – 8 points
  • 🥉 3rd Place – 6 points
  • 🎖️ 4th Place – 4 points

Each classroom will implement its own individual PBL reward system, focusing on recognising and celebrating positive learning behaviours within the classroom. The PBL token system will be used as a collectiveapproach to acknowledge positive behaviours outside the classroom, including in the yard, during transitions, assemblies, incursions, and other shared spaces. Tokens will be awarded to students and contribute to their House’s total, with a celebration at the end of each term for the winning House!

Students will also continue to receive fortnightly PBL award certificates for demonstrating our core values of Respect, Responsibility, and Resilience, presented at fortnightly Friday assemblies. On alternating weeks, Student of the Week awards will be presented at Monday morning assemblies.

Ms Hynes and myself will be visiting classrooms in the coming weeks to explain this new initiative to students and will be officially launching the new system later this term. Both students and staff are already buzzing with excitement! 

A wonderful opportunity is available through Emotional Growth, who are offering a 9-week program called Truly Amazing Kids. This small social skills group is designed to support children and teens in building confidence, improving communication skills, and forming positive friendships in a caring and supportive environment. With only four participants per group, the program provides personalised support tailored to each child's needs. Children will engage in creative activities, guided peer interactions, and evidence-based strategies to enhance their emotional wellbeing both at school and at home. If you would like to learn more or feel your child could benefit from this program, please visit the following linkfor more information. 

Long Service Leave 

Please note, I will be taking Long Service Leave from May 10th to June 2nd Inclusive. During this time, please direct any urgent wellbeing matters to the Leadership Team at St Mary’s. For any non-urgent enquiries, I will be returning to school on June 2nd and happy to follow up then.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership as we continue to work together to support the wellbeing of every child at St Mary’s. Let’s make Term 2 a term filled with connection, positivity, and proud moments, for our Houses, our students, and our whole school community.

Daniela Day