Student Wellbeing
THANK YOU - National Walk to School Safely Day. Last week, our school community took part in Walk Safely to School Day, a wonderful reminder of the importance of building healthy habits and making safe choices on our journey to and from school. It was fantastic to see so many students walking with their families, friends, and caregivers and joining us for breakfast!
Beyond being an enjoyable start to the day, the experience highlighted key messages around road safety, awareness of our surroundings, and the benefits of active travel. Students showed great responsibility by using crossings correctly, staying alert near traffic, and supporting one another along the way.
Events like this help our students understand that small daily choices, such as walking to school, can support both wellbeing and safety. We encourage families to continue these conversations at home and look for opportunities to stay active together whenever possible.
A big thank you to all families, staff and MACS Eye, who supported the morning and helped make it such a positive and safe experience for everyone involved.
GEM Leaders
A huge congratulations to our GEM Leaders. This is a well-deserved recognition of the way you consistently demonstrate Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness in all that you do. Your positive actions and leadership already make a meaningful difference within our school community, and we are excited to see you continue to grow in this important role.
We would also like to extend our thanks to the families who were able to attend and support the presentation of badges at the assembly. Your presence helps to celebrate and strengthen the partnership between home and school, and it means a great deal to our students to share these special moments with you.
We look forward to working alongside our GEM Leaders throughout the year as they take on opportunities to lead, support others, and contribute to a positive and inclusive school culture.
Strategies
This week, we are sharing a few simple strategies that support students to build independence, resilience and positive relationships in their learning and everyday interactions.
A key focus is the “3 Before Me” routine. This strategy encourages students to pause and:
- Have a go independently
- Check their work, notes or success criteria
- Ask a peer for help before seeking an adult
This approach helps students build confidence, persistence and responsibility for their own learning, while also strengthening their problem-solving skills.
We are also providing families with simple problem-solving strategies to use at home. This includes supporting children to break problems into smaller steps, think about what they already know, and trial different solutions before giving up. These habits help children become more confident and capable when faced with challenges.
Another key approach is developing compromise and respectful communication. Children are learning the importance of listening to others, sharing ideas, and working together to find fair solutions when disagreements arise. These skills support positive friendships and help children manage conflict respectfully.
How you can support your child at home
You can support these strategies by:
- Encouraging your child to use “3 Before Me” during homework or tasks
- Prompting them to break problems into smaller, manageable steps
- Supporting them to practise compromise during disagreements
- Asking, “What could you try next?” before stepping in with help
These small, consistent actions help build independence, confidence and resilience over time.
Vicky Karalis & Bianka Zorzut