School Council News
School Council Meetings
Our next School Council meeting will be held on Wednesday 23rd August at 7.30pm
The dates of the next Committee meetings are as follows:
Buildings, Grounds and Sustainability: Thursday 17th August at 6.30pm
Finance: Monday 21st August at 6.30pm
Parent Association: TBC
Community Voice: Tuesday 15th August at 6.30pm
Staff Introductions
We are so very fortunate to have a registered nurse on staff. Jenny (our nurse) leads the first aid team at Malvern Primary School. Her varied roles include:
- Managing the first aid needs of our students
- Contacting parents when there is a first aid incident and supporting parents on finding the right follow up care if necessary
- Advocating for the physical and mental wellbeing of our students
- Preparing the first aid requirements for camps and excursions
- Training staff in anaphlaxis and other first aid and mental health areas
- Organising more specialised first aid training for staff, including CPR
- Educating students and staff on health and mental health related topics
- Supporting students with medical conditions that require more specialist care
- ect
Very few primary schools have the good fortune of having a registered nurse at the school from 10am to 3pm every school day. Jenny is largely funded through the First Aid fees parents pay each year.
... I asked my son last week if he'd like to share some thing he got joy from during the day ....his response was, I went to see the school nurse today. My thoughts went somewhere else... but I let him finish. I love talking to Jenny, she's very interesting to talk too..so very nice.... and there it was...a sigh of relief from me ... our Jenny has our children's health and wellbeing covered and my son was exactly right, a beaut woman to talk to and I feel very fortunate that she's onboard at our school... here's a little about her....
Hello, I’m Jenny the school nurse….. I have been a nurse for a very very long time and prior to joining the MPS community I was teaching Mental Health and First aid to large corporate companies. I can’t believe I have been at MPS for 3 years and whilst each day is completely different, usually chaotic, challenging and at times complex, the role has evolved from just band aids and ice packs to providing a more holistic approach that includes the physical, mental and social aspect of the student.
I am a big believer in “knowledge is power” and as such my biggest undertaking over the next couple of years is to increase the students' resilience and self-responsibility by educating them about how miraculous their bodies are: why a ball to the face will hurt; how to stop a blood nose; why blisters appear after using the monkey bars; what injuries benefit from an ice pack; interpreting urine color, the importance of water; the difference between being overwhelmed verses having stomach pain; what your poo can tell you about your health, and the list goes on. The walls in my office are full of fun and interesting facts and it has already encouraged conversations, questions, and a curiosity that I never imagined would occur.
Another task I have set for sick bay is to convince the MPS community, that a therapy pet would be a game changer for students. The research has shown amazing outcomes for all students ranging from compassion and respect, bravery and courage, uninhibited learning, and improved concentration and the best medicine of all……. laughter.
When I am not at school, I am either concocting ancient herbal remedies (for which I am grateful that some of the staff are willing participants) and attempting to complete a certificate 4 to become a certified dog trainer with an interest in assistance/companion and working dogs. I currently have two working dogs. One prefers to sleep, the other is just a complete goof ball and treats her training as a game. But they are mine and I love them unconditionally, even if I am failing the course.
My hours are 1000hrs – 1500hrs, so feel free to pop in to check out what’s new in sick bay.
Sarah Meachem
School Council President