Wellbeing

 PBL

At SFS, our PBL (Positive Behaviours for Learning) school wide expectations are:

Respect, 

Responsibility and 

Kindness

This week in PBL we have continued to focus on KINDNESS: Encourage and support others. We have had a particular focus on bullying as a follow up to last week’s National week of action against bullying and violence and a follow up to the Kid’s Helpline largest anti bullying lesson that the children participated in.

We showed the students a flow chart that can be used to identify whether or not an incident is bullying. 

It is important for us to understand what bullying is and what it looks like. It would be great for families to have these discussions with their children using the flow chart to help them. We then looked at some different scenarios and the children had to decide whether they thought it was bullying or not using the flow chart to help them. 

We discussed what you could do in that situation if you were being hurt and how you could be an “upstander” if you saw bullying happening to someone else. 

If you would like some more information about bullying you can scan the QR code.

Here are some of our lucky PBL raffle winners who have been demonstrating expected behaviors at school. Congratulations and keep up the great work!

Here is a copy of the SFS PBL matrix of expected behaviours that we use to teach the students explicitly behaviours that are expected at school. You might like to use this at home to talk to your children about your behaviour expectations at home.

SRC News

Our Semester 2 SRC representatives met for their second meeting this week. The children had a chance to share their ideas or suggestions of possible positive actions for school. They also read out the ideas of other students. 

For term 3, we are focusing on Child safety and the raising awareness of the importance of mental health. Children in Prep to Two can write down their ideas and put them in the SRC box in their learning space. Students in Years 3 to 6 can also use the SRC idea form on the Student portal. 

National Child Protection Week

The week beginning Monday 8th of September we will be acknowledging National Child Protection week. This year’s theme is “Shifting conversation to action”. Child safety is everyone’s business and we need to ensure that children feel safe at school, home and in the community. 

We need to have conversations with each other and children about child safety then we need to make sure we demonstrate our commitment to child safety through our words and actions. The SRC are working on ways to promote child safety at school. The teachers have been having conversations with the students about the child safety standards and how we can keep children safe at school. They will also talk to the children about “Protective behaviours”. 

This teaches the children to understand what happens to their body when they feel unsafe and what their body signals are. It also teaches children to have trusted adults they can talk to at school, home and wider community when they are feeling unsafe. It is important that as parents you have these conversations with your children also. 

It is crucial that children know who are the trusted adults they can talk to when they are feeling unsafe. 

HEY ADULTS !

More ways to get involved with ensuring that children and families are safe and supported:

NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION WEEK: Find out about other activities & events at:

www.napcan.org.au/get-involved-2025/

OTHER WEEKS TO BE AWARE OF:

Here's a sample of the many national campaigns working together to create stronger, safer communities for children:

Safer Internet Day - February

Neighbour Day - March

Families Week - May

NAIDOC Week - July

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day - August

Anti-Poverty Week (includes curriculum resources) - October

Children’s Week - October

HELPLINES ARE LIKE LIGHTHOUSES

Raising children is a bit like sailing a boat. But when we experience serious stress - e.g. due to finances, health, isolation or violence - raising children can feel like sailing in a storm. Support lines can be the lighthouses that we all need to navigate these rough waters. 

These are some of the main Helplines that you can call for guidance:

• Kids Helpline:

1800 55 1800 (make sure your kids know this one)

• Parentline: VIC - 13 22 89
• Lifeline:13 11 14
• 13 YARN - 13 92 76 (24 hours/7 days)

Free and confidential service run by - and for - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• For reliable parenting information: Visit the Australian parenting website www.raisingchildren.net.au

Or access a free online course at www.triplep-parenting.net.au

R U OK day

We will celebrate R U OK day on Thursday 11th September. Students are able to wear a

 “splash of yellow” to school on this day to highlight the importance of checking in our family and friends and promoting mental health.

A CONVERSATION CAN CHANGE A LIFE

R U OK? inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with the people around them and start a conversation with those in their world who may be struggling with life.

You don't need to be an expert to reach out - just a good friend and a great listener. 

Use these four steps and have a conversation that could change a life:

1. Ask R U OK?
2. Listen
3. Encourage action
4. Check in

R U OK? is a suicide prevention charity and registered public health promotion that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives.

Having meaningful conversations with family, friends and colleagues can help them feel connected and supported through life’s ups and downs.

Rachel Lenko         

rlenko@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au                                                 

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader