News from the Deputy Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
Happy Mother's Day to our wonderful Mums, Grandmas, Nans, Aunties and strong female women in our school community. I hope that you have a wonderful time with your family this weekend, celebrating Mother's Day. I thank you for the wonderful contributions you make in our school and to the children that we educate.
Over the next fortnight, I will be away from school, caring for my son who has just had surgery. I will be back in my office from the 25th of May. In the meantime, if you need to contact me, I will still be checking my emails and would be happy to respond to any queries or to chat about anything you think I might be able to help you with.
Below is information about a program that Bec and I attended this week, as well as some information about anxiety in children. As part of my role, I often check in with some of the research-based sites and one which I am quite fond of is Emerging Minds. Recently, information has been added to the site for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. I have added the links below for you to access.
Seasons for Growth
Over the past two days, Bec and I have participated in the Seasons for Growth training. Bec and I have been lucky enough to do this training through a donation from the Church of Christ to support wellbeing programs at St Joseph's.
Seasons for Growth is an evidence-based education program designed to help children,
young people, and adults navigate significant change, loss, and grief. Using the metaphor of the four seasons helps understand grief, foster resilience, and develop emotional literacy.
The program is voluntary and is targeted at children who may have experienced grief and loss, trauma or separation and divorce. Bec and I are looking forward to beginning the Seasons for Growth sessions in Term 3.
If you feel that your child/ren may benefit from this program, please contact Bec and I via email kvranken@sjyarrajunction.catholic.edu.au and rbeveridge@sjyarrajunction.catholic.edu.au
Worry and Emotional Regulation
For many of our students, worry or anxiety seems to be something that can either dominate their lives or be something that comes in and out depending on their circumstances.
Anxiety is an emotional and physical response to stress. Common bodily responses include a pounding heart, rapid breathing, butterflies in the stomach and a burst of energy. Anxiety is a natural and usually short-lived reaction to a stressful situation, associated with feelings of worry, nervousness, or apprehension.
For some people, however, anxious thoughts, feelings, or physical symptoms are severe, upsetting, frequent, and interrupt daily life. If this happens, it is important to seek help as early as you can.
There are several things you can do to help your child reduce and manage anxiety, and decrease its impact on their daily life.
Everyone’s experience of anxiety is different, so figuring out which strategies work for your child and family might take some time. Remember, it’s important to keep encouraging them until you find the right fit.
As children develop and grow, start by asking how you can help and if they’ve found any strategies that work for them.
Emerging Minds has some fantastic information and resources about anxiety in children. I have added the link via the button below. Please click on the link for additional information to assist you with speaking to your child/ren.
Below is an image which has some interesting and helpful hints about the worry loop in children. If you feel that your child may need additional support in this area, please speak with your child's teacher about your concerns, or with me about referral pathways.
Parenting our way: Resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and families
The Parenting our way resources were created with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents, families and workers to share ideas and tips for supporting children’s social and emotional wellbeing.
For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families, it might be hard to find resources about parenting that feel right or culturally relevant. These resources are made with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing at their centre, honouring and building on families’ strengths and skills.
The link below connects you to the Emerging Minds Parenting our Way: Supporting family wellbeing through culture, identity and connection
To find out more, click the link below to visit the full Parenting our Way site.
Wishing you all a wonderful couple of weeks until I see you again. If you need anything, please reach out,
Kind Regards,
Katie Vranken