Reading: A Superpower for Wellbeing

Did you know that reading is not only great for learning, but also for wellbeing?

Spending time with books can help children relax, reduce stress, and improve their emotional health. Reading allows children to explore different feelings, understand other people's perspectives, and develop empathy. It can also provide comfort during challenging times and help children build resilience by seeing how characters overcome obstacles.

Even just 10–15 minutes of reading each day can create a sense of calm and routine. Whether children are reading independently, listening to a story, or sharing a book with a family member, these moments help strengthen connections and support positive mental wellbeing.

We encourage all students to make time for reading each day. A good book can open up new worlds, spark imagination, and support a happy, healthy mind.

The school holidays are the perfect time to encourage your child to read. They might even be able to complete the Premiers' Reading Challenge.

We are always getting new books for the students to explore in the library. Through some recent donations and the Book Fair we are excited to have many new books available for the students to enjoy when they return to school next term.

Wellbeing Programs for Families

We are lucky to have Uniting services supporting our local community. Brogan, who is a Family Wellbeing Practioner works at our school every Monday to support families who may need some extra support. For more information about the services that Uniting provide please visit this website.

This is a referral based program. If you think your family could benefit with some extra support, please reach out to Sarah Hodgson (sarah.hodgson@education.vic.gov.au).

Uniting services also offer classes / support groups that can be accessed for free. This is what they are offering next term:

Tuning in to Toddlers: https://www.unitingvictas.org.au/event/tuning-in-to-toddlers-10-aug/

Tuning in to Kids is a free 6-week parenting program that focuses on the emotional connection between parents/carers and their children.

Dads Tuning in to Kids: https://www.unitingvictas.org.au/event/dads-tuning-in-to-kids-27-july/

Dads Tuning in to Kids is a 7-session program that teaches you how to help your child understand and manage their feelings and develop emotional intelligence.

Tuning in to Teens: https://www.unitingvictas.org.au/event/tuning-in-to-teens-july-22/

Tuning in to Teens is a 6-session parenting program that is designed to help parents and carers feel more confident in supporting their teens.

Treehouse Senior: https://www.unitingvictas.org.au/event/treehouse-senior-4-august/

Treehouse is a therapeutic writing and craft-based program for children in grade 6. Treehouse supports children with feelings associated with worry, anxiety and grief/loss.

Lunchtime Clubs

Run Club

Our Friday Run Club has now journeyed over 927km! This is as far as Tokyo to Fukuoka!!

We are very proud of our amazing runners!

Useful Websites:

Looking after your child's mental health:

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/parents/family-health/your-childs-mental-health-advice.pdf

Easing into Adolescence

The Department of Education has launched an Easing into

adolescence webpage for families of students aged 10 to 14 (Grade 5 to Year 8).

The webpage has information and strategies you can use to help ease your child into adolescence and secondary school. These include:

a guide to emotion coaching. Staff from The University of Melbourne’s Tuning in to Teens Kids program developed the guidance.
how to support your adolescent with their studies and more generally. Parenting expert and clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller helped develop this resource.

Subtitles for videos by The University of Melbourne on the webpage are available in 10 languages. You can select your preferred language on the translations page.

Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Supports

Reward System

SWPBS focuses on multi-tiered interventions to promote positive behaviours. As part of the approach to enabling a strong school culture which embodies our school values, we have put in place a whole school sticker rewards system.

Aim of the Reward System

At DPS we have implemented a reward system to reward positive behaviours that are necessary for promoting a positive and supportive school environment. These positive behaviours are based on our four values of Compassion, Resilience, Respect and Responsibility. Part of our reward system includes the handing out of stickers which are distributed by staff when the students are "caught" displaying one or more of the values.

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