From the Principal's Desk

Grant me resilience, O, Lord

O Lord, and fill me with your light and your hope. Please give me strength when I am weak, love when I feel forsaken, courage when I am afraid, wisdom when I feel foolish, comfort when I am alone, hope when I feel rejected, and peace when I am in turmoil. Lord, when I come up against something discouraging, give me the strength to keep moving forward. Help me to become stronger and stronger as You lead me through the challenges that I face. And remind me I am not alone. Amen.

This year our school is partnering with The Resilience Project with a focus on GEM (Gratitude, Empathy & Kindness, Mindfulness). Central to the program is the development of Emotional Literacy. Students are taught to recognise and respond appropriately to their own emotions and those of others. All classes participate in a weekly lesson which includes keeping a learning journal. As part of the Project some of our students completed a wellbeing survey earlier in the year and we will receive feedback about this as well as undertaking further professional development to ensure that we make the most of all that The Resilience Project has to offer.

The 7 Cs of Resilience and how adults can help:

Resilience is the capacity to face, overcome, be strengthened and transformed by adversity. More than ever, adults need the knowledge, skills and strategies to build resilience in children.

1. Competence- the ability or know how how to handle situations effectively.

Encourage children to focus and build on their strengths.
Avoid trying to protect them from every stumble.
Give them the opportunity to make safe mistakes.

2. Confidence- having a solid belief in your own abilities.

Encourage the development of personal qualities.
Don't focus only on past achievements; help them strive for new goals.
Praise with honest belief so that your feedback has impact.

3. Connection- an emotional safety net where children feel safe, valued and listened to, in other words, unconditionally loved.

Allow children to express all their emotions- good and bad.
Encourage them to develop relationships with other people.
Persuade them to resolve problems rather than letting them fester.

4. Character- a fundamental sense of right and wrong, their moral compass, which ensures their commitment to integrity.

Encourage children to consider how their behaviour effects others.
Help them look beyond immediate satisfaction or selfish desires.
Model your own values as actions speak louder than words.

5. Contribution- enables children to have a sense of purpose and believe that the world is a better place because they're in it.

Create opportunities for children to contribute in specific ways.
Teach the importance of serving others with your time, energy and resources.
Discuss how people benefit from our generosity

6. Coping- learning to deal with stress effectively to be better prepared to overcome life's challenges.

Help develop skills to positively and adaptively cope
Encourage care for the body (exercise, sleep, nutrition).
Practise relaxation, mindfulness or meditation.

7. Control- see how decisions, choices and actions affect their lives.

Enable children to make their own decisions for increased responsibility and freedom.
Encourage acknowledgement of even small successes.
Discipline means to teach not control or punish.

Building Resilience (from Ginsburg, KR, Jablow, MM. "Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Kids Roots and Wings")

The mental health of many people has been impacted over recent years. Children need support, understanding, empathy and encouragement from caring adults- parents and carers at home, teachers and staff at school. Together we can provide the support that children need. Please contact us if you have any concerns about your child's wellbeing.

All the best,

Jane Dunstone

PRINCIPAL