Hi everyone, we have a fantastic Wellbeing Team with Libby, Sally and myself. We can help with any parenting worries or support your family with home or family concerns. The Wellbeing Team are on before and after school duty and we can help with any questions or queries you may have.

This term we’ve had an increase in students complaining that they are hungry at break times. We offer vegemite and honey sandwiches and fresh fruit. If children are hungry this really impacts on their concentration, moods and their learning. We ask parents to check in with their child and talk about their food needs. Instead of sandwiches, many children prefer other options for lunchtime. Flasks are a great way for children to have a warm meal, and you can pick them up cheaply from department stores. This week, Kmart is selling these kids flasks with a spoon for $12.00. Lunch flasks are a great product, they are small (490ml), and it really holds temperature well.

Step Up Day 9th December

On Tuesday the 9th of December, the children will get the experience of spending half the day with their next year’s teacher and grade. This transition experience will reduce student fears as the classroom programs are an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other. For 2026, this experience will set up the climate for a safe, happy and positive classroom environment. So, parents, set the tone now, prepare your child, talk through worries and reassure your child that they will have an amazing time with their new grade. At home, continue to follow routines, have clear boundaries and limits, make sure your child is getting plenty of sleep and eating healthily. These things do support good physical and mental health and will continue to help your child continue to have a successful school experience next year.

Tips for Parents

To help set your child up for going up a grade, aim to have conversations which allow you to gauge how your child is feeling. Focusing on their strengths will help you to set them up for a great experience in their new grade. Also reminding them that everyone’s brain works differently and everyone struggles at times. Struggle is a normal part of life and I’m sure you can give lots of examples of when you’ve experienced this. Best of luck and please let your child’s teacher know if you have any concerns.

What are your strengths in class?
What are you enjoying or excited about?
What work are you most proud of so far?
What is challenging you with your learning?
What would you like your next year’s teacher to know about you?
How comfortable do you feel asking your teacher for help?

For parents looking to purchase second hand uniform you can contact the office or the Wellbeing Team any time, Monday through to Friday. We are happy to make up bags (providing we have the stock).

For any enquiries, please email the Wellbeing Team at-

Andre.Campbell@education.vic.gov.au

Libby.Martin@education.vic.gov.au

Sally.Marshall@education.vic.gov.au

Head Lice

This fortnight, we have had only 2 reports of live head lice in the school. We ask parents to work with us to keep our reports low and to continue to treat and monitor your children’s hair. Please notify the office or tell your child’s teacher when you treat your child so lice alert notes can be issued on COMPASS. Reminder-any child found with live lice will be excluded from school until they are treated.

Medications at School

We have seen an increase in children requiring medication at school. If your child needs medication at school, it must be bought into the office by an adult, the paperwork needs to be filled out and picked up by an adult. Please do not send medications in your child's school bag.

Infectious Diseases

To help prevent and control the transmission of infectious diseases in schools, a child must be excluded from school if he or she has any of the following:

Gastro/Diarrhoea - until there has not been a loose bowel motion or any symptoms for 48 hours
Chicken Pox - until fully recovered and blisters have dried
Measles - at least 7 days
German Measles - until fully recovered and at least 4 days from the onset of rash
Whooping Cough - four weeks
Hand, foot and mouth - until all blisters have dried
Hepatitis - medical certificate needed
Impetigo “School Sores” - until treatment has commenced and sores are healed
Ringworm - until treatment has commenced. Medical certificate may be required.
Mumps - until fully recovered
Scabies - medical certificate needed

Importantly, children who have been vomiting should not attend school until 48 hours after the vomiting ceases.

While these are some common diseases, please refer to the Better Health School Exclusion Table* for a comprehensive list and updated information. Please contact the office if your child contracts any of these. Please refer to the Dept of Health for further information-https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/school-exclusion-table

Activities at Lunchtime

If your child is looking to make friends, have some fun and be creative, tell them they can come to the activity clubs. The clubs run in the main building outside the specialist classrooms and also in the library. The students are enjoying making bracelets, pom poms and cat’s eyes, finger knitting, bookmarks as well as creating some amazing Lego builds. Next week we will be bring the cheer as we start our Christmas craft activities.

Craft is always looking for donations, especially wool, crochet hooks, craft/haberdashery items and Lego. If you are having a clean out, please feel free to bring your items to the wellbeing office.

Activity	Lunchtime-Christmas Theme
Monday	Yarn activities including cat’s eyes and Christmas decorations
Tuesday	Diamond Art club Preps-4 & Gr5/6 yarn craft including crotchet, paper puppets
Wednesday	Diamond Art club Preps-4 & Gr 5/6 yarn craft including sewing, decorations
Thursday	Lego club in the library and/or bracelet making with Sally
Friday	Prep-2 Christmas decorations & Gr 3-6 sewing club

12 Days of Christmas Kindness Campaign

We have a fun campaign planned to involve all the students to help them reach the end the year on a high as well as promote kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness to others. Students will be making Christmas chains where they will write acts of kindness or how they are being a good friend to others. In craft club at lunchtimes, the children will be making Christmas craft including decorations, cat’s eyes, angels, patty pan Christmas craft, pom poms and peg puppets. Outside the welfare office, students will come up with their own list of good deeds and we hope they will do at least one good deed per day to finish the challenge. Santa’s elves, Jinxie and Alfie will be watching and reporting directly back to base! We really hope these activities will shine some light and spread the Christmas cheer. Please chat to your children and ask them how they have helped someone and the values of compassion and kindness.

Attendance Data-It’s Cool to be at School!

This past fortnight we have celebrated 10 out of 14 students who came to school on their special day. When your child comes to school and it’s their birthday, we are bringing the buzz to make their day even more special. When they arrive at school in the mornings, we are presenting them with a special birthday sticker badge. I must say the kids are really loving this!

Over the time a child attends school, having 1- or 2-days absence does not seem like much but it does add up and can impact on missed learning opportunities.

Over the time a child attends school, having 1- or 2-days absence does not seem like much but it does add up and can impact on missed learning opportunities.

Playtime-Co-operation & Arguments

We all have arguments from time to time and when this happens it does not mean the end of a friendship or having enemies. Point out to children that in all arguments both people think they are right. Sometimes, an argument can be resolved when it occurs. At other times people need to avoid hurting the other people’s feelings too much at the time by going away to calm down and then try to resolve it later. Dealing well with arguments protects friendships and reduces bad feelings.

Tips-

Do try to stay calm and talk through the problem using a respectful voice.
If you or the other person is getting upset say, “We’re getting too angry. Let’s talk about it later,” and walk away.
Make sure you do talk about it later.
When you have calmed down, recognise that allowing the bad feelings to continue is not a good thing. You are responsible for dealing with them.
When you feel calm, go and talk to the other person.
Share your point of view and tell them about your feelings eg: “I felt bad when you did not include me in your game”.
Let them tell their point of view. Listen without interrupting until they have finished.
Try to find a way to be friends again. Remember to give and take and compromise.

Advice from school ambassador, Jemima-“It’s okay to get cross with our friends. When you feel annoyed, just go for a walk and take a break”.

The Whole Brain Child

At the end of last term I found a website that teachers children about food and nutrition in a way that is very interactive and fun. I have watched a number of the webisodes with my children and I have found that my daughter, who gets distracted at school and often arrives home without having eaten lunch, has now learnt from watching these short videos the importance of eating her food at school and has this term consistently eaten her lunch. This is remarkable, it is something I have struggled with her through her years in primary school, we have tried multiple things over the years including a reward chart at the start of this year, all of my attempts have been unsuccessful until now. The website is called Phenomenom you can find it here:

https://phenomenom.com.au/infographic/

This it their introduction from the website:

Phenomenom has been designed to talk with its audience, rather than at them, and put kids in control of their own future.And it might just help the next generation rethink veggies for good.

Let me know if your kids like it and if it makes a difference in their food journey.

Breakfast Club

At breakfast club we have small bowls of cereal and can spaghetti, toast with 4 spread options, fresh fruit, milk and fruit cups. Students have requested that the can spaghetti continues even when the weather warms up.

Pantry

The pantry is fully stocked, feel free to come down and pick up a few things to help you feed the kids over the summer holiday break. If you would also like a food hamper please let me know so I can order one in for you. Some of the foods in the hampers have been swapped for different items. Refer to the photo below to see what is new.

Gift Giving Tree

The Wellbeing Team have been putting together a list of student names who we believe will need extra support for Christmas. We have enough gifts to give this year but if you would like to be involved we will have a box under our tree where some pantry items can be left to give to our families who need them.

JSC Rainbow Fundraiser