Thrive & Flourish

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

It’s hard to believe that we are at the start of Term Four. The year has certainly flown. This term is going to be very busy, with the Senior Camp to Canberra, Parish Sacramental Program and Swimming lessons all taking place. With such a busy term, along with leading up to the Christmas season, it’s a good reminder of the importance of looking after our wellbeing.

For those currently unwell, we hope for a speedy recovery for you. For those who’ve welcomed a new addition to the family, we extend our warmest congratulations on this happy occasion.

For those families who’ve experienced a recent bereavement, please know you are in the prayers and thoughts of all in our community.

Attendance

Parents/guardians are responsible for making sure that all children attend school every day unless they are too unwell, in which case the school must be advised. If families are going to be away for an extended period, (eg: family holiday), we ask that prior notice is given to the school, so that if parents wish, a learning program can be put in place for their children. 

If parents would like support with this, please feel free to contact a member of the Wellbeing Team. We thank you for your support with this.

PBIS    

Our current total of tickets for this term is…………

What a fantastic effort to achieve so many tickets. Our goal is to reach 3500 tickets. No doubt we will reach this very quickly and achieve our whole school reward. 

Well done to the children on their enthusiasm for collecting raffle tickets and helping to build a positive and affirming community here at Sacred Heart.

Our current whole-school blitz is focusing on wearing hats outside.

Our school Sun Smart Policy states that children are required to wear their school hat when outside. This includes before school, during play breaks, when participating in Physical Education lessons and others times when they may be outside. If children do not have a hat, they are to sit under the verandah area in the quadrangle. 

Well done to the school for being so responsible and ensuring they are wearing their hats outside.

Strategies for Parents of first-time (or nervous) School Campers

Our Senior Students will shortly be heading off on school camp to Canberra. This is a fantastic camp experience for the children visiting our nation’s capital. For some children this may be their first time away from home for more than one night. Below are some tips to help with supporting children who might be feeling a bit anxious.

School camps, slumber parties and sleepovers are important steps to your child gaining their independence, but for some children and their parents, this exciting opportunity can be riddled with potential anxiety. Thankfully, effective strategies resolve some of the most

common concerns around sleeping away from home or without the comfort of family. 

Why can Overnight School Camp seem scary?

Just like anything new, overnight trips present children with a series of unknowns. These can range from primal concerns around their safety to social concerns about fitting in and getting along with peers or practical concerns like whether they will remember everything or pack the right things. Knowing the main theme of your child’s concern will be the first step in assisting them to feel more confident. 

Overall, the main goal for parents is to focus on positives. Think about what your child has to gain from this experience. It is very likely to be a great opportunity to establish new friendships, participate in hands-on learning experiences and, importantly, gain a sense of independence outside of the family network.

Are you yourself anxious?

In preparation, it is important to check how you are feeling. What are you worried about as a parent? How are you addressing these concerns? In these times, if you are worried, you are more likely to present as flustered and somewhat erratic. This can heighten anxiety in young children, who could interpret camp as something to be concerned about. It is important to manage your own anxiety first!

Homesickness chat. 

This is a big one! You may have experienced some separation anxiety with your child. This experience is quite relatable in that it is an unknown situation. If your child is worried they may miss home too much to enjoy themselves; an easy fix can be to have your child bring with them an important item (inexpensive) from home that can easily be popped in their bag, such as a small toy (no digital device), scarf or bracelet.

Pack together. 

Make it fun! Often camps will provide you with a list of required items. Turn packing into a game, such as collecting the required items as if on a scavenger hunt. Further to this, make sure you do not leave packing to the last minute!

Reduce the sense of the ‘unknown’. 

Talk about what to expect. In the coming weeks a rough schedule with planned activities will becoming home. This will happen at school as well. Ask your child to share what they have learnt about the camp from discussions at school. Classes will visit the website and talk about the activities, sleeping arrangements, meal times and after dinner activities.

Normalise that some anxiety is okay. 

It is always important to emphasise that all feelings we experience are normal and good, and part of our body looking after us. Holding onto anxious feelings is not helpful in the long term. Help your children to recognise when they don’t feel good, and to challenge an unhelpful feeling with a helpful thought or saying to themselves, for instance, “I’m feeling nervous, but I know I’ll have a great time with my friends on camp”.

QUICK TIP:

Ensure children get a good sleep the night before camp. Being well rested and refreshed leading up to camp will help them feel relaxed and enjoy their adventure.

School camps are a great opportunity for children to reach outside their comfort zone, discover new friends and experience outdoor adventures first hand. Parents and teachers have an important role to play in helping them to be prepared physically, emotionally and practically. Have a great time visiting Canberra everyone.

Lions Barbeque – Last Day of Term

A big thankyou to the members of the Tatura Lions Club for cooking the sausage sizzle on the last day of term to raise money to fight childhood cancer. This is a fundraising event the Lions Club actively supports throughout the year. A big thankyou also to our parent community for supporting this fundraiser as well. We are very lucky to have organisations such as the Lions Club in our local community. Parents/families might like to join the Lions Club as a means of supporting the local community in the future.

Wellbeing Support

Wellbeing support can be accessed in the following ways:

• Any staff member can arrange for a referral to Student Wellbeing if they have concerns about a student’s wellbeing.
• Parents can also request support for their child/ren by contacting a member of the wellbeing team at school.

Email:

Tony McDonald: tmcdonald@shtatura.catholic.edu.au

Felicity Bryant: fbryant@shtatura.catholic.edu.au

Deb Turvey: dturvey@shtatura.catholic.edu.au

• At times, a student may be referred to an external support service. We also respect the fact that some students and parents may prefer to seek professional support independent from the school setting. In such cases, Sacred Heart values working collaboratively with external support services. We encourage parents/carers to communicate with the school if there is a significant issue affecting their child’s wellbeing.

If ever you need help sorting out personal or family issues, give CatholicCare Victoria a call.  They offer many services to all members of our community – ALL FREE.

Wishing all families a happy welcome back to Term Four. 

Tony, Deb and Felicity.