Wellbeing Report 

Welcome Back!

For families new to the school, we have a fantastic Wellbeing Team with myself, Sally and Libby. We can help with any parenting worries or support your family with home or family concerns. The Wellbeing Team are on before and after school duty and we can help with any questions or queries you may have. We’ve had a great start back to school and we can see that parents have prepared their children well in setting them up for a successful year. Some students may feel a little nervous walking into school, and we can help settle your child by walking them to their classroom or setting them up with a friend and informing their teacher. 

It’s a normal reaction for some parents to feel nervous about a new school year. Some children will experience separation anxiety and so will parents.  Speak to them about their worries and listen with empathy. Always acknowledge their feelings as this will give them a sense of control. Predictability is important for children to feel confident from the beginning so please be punctual at drop off and pick up time at the end of the day. Children pick up on what is being modelled so showing them that you are calm, supportive and positive will help your child feel confident and competent.  Following a routine, getting plenty of sleep and eating healthily supports good physical and mental health and promote a successful school experience.

At the Wellbeing Team, we like to listen to podcasts. There are some great podcasts around that have information and tips to help parents. I enjoy listening to Dr Justin Coulson’s Happy Families. This week I listened to one called, “But Everyone Else is Doing It!” where Dr Justin Coulson shared his advice about navigating the conversation around family rules and boundaries “when everyone else is doing it”. He touched on the “Fairness antennae” about mobile phones, social media, sleepovers, curfews, and ratings on tv shows and movies. 

Sally listened to a podcast by Dr Jodi Richardson on Spotify during the holidays. The episode was called School refusal: What you can do to help. Sally said it offered simple but purposeful tips.

Here is the link for you to check it out if you would like to check out Spotify-https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Rm5Xqkj0DEgTWjH6CazTh

Dr Jodi Richardson’s website-

https://drjodirichardson.com/school-refusal-what-you-can-do-to-help/

For any enquiries, please email the Wellbeing Team at-

andre.campbell@education.vic.gov.au

sally.marshall@education.vic.gov.au

elizabeth.martin3@education.vic.gov.au

Attendance & Absences

We encourage parents and carers to refer to COMPASS for information happening at school. Schools are required to work towards IMPROVING THE ATTENDANCE and PUNCTUALITY RATES of our students. We encourage all parents to call the office when your child is going to be away and to notify the school through COMPASS. This really helps us as we are able to communicate effectively with all relevant staff early in the school day.

Chaplain Chat

Breakfast Club Monday & Wednesday 8:15am-8:45am  

Breakfast Club is up and running and the program is run by Sally, our school chaplain, Sandy Walter our German teacher, and our team of volunteer parents. Breakfast club runs on Monday and Wednesday mornings 'pop up' style from 8:15 – 8:45am down at the entry to the grade 1 - 2 classrooms. Students can enjoy a range of foods, including toast with vegemite, butter or jam, small UHT milk packs, fruit cups and fresh fruit. Parents are most welcome to walk their children down to check out the range of choices that will be offered. Please try to drop your child off by 8:30am to avoid disappointment, Breakfast Club must close at 8:45am in order for the classrooms to start. 

Healthy Lunch Box Week

This week February 4th-10th is Healthy Lunchbox Week. Please check out the Nutrition Australia website for some great lunchbox tips and inspiration to help your young learner grow healthy eating habits: 

https://www.healthylunchboxweek.org.au/ children who eat a good healthy lunch will be able to learn and be more activity involved during their school days.

Food Pantry

The food pantry will now be open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons between 2:30 and 3:30pm. If you need a pantry top up, please stop by and pick something up. We also have food hampers available that parents and carers are free to access from the entry near the pantry. These boxes have a range of food staples and weigh 11.6kg, so please prepare for that if you intend on taking one home.

Chaplaincy

Sally Marshall is happy to catch up with your child if you feel they need that extra emotional support during school hours. Sally is available on Monday and Wednesday and can be contacted via email :

sally.marshall@education.vic.gov.au 

or by phone call 5964 7258.

Parent Helper/Volunteers

For interested parents, Flick has started running sessions to have our parent helpers start back in the school. Parents can help in a variety of ways to support the students with their learning including reading, high frequency words, spelling and timetables practice.

The school is keen to start working bees back up again so there are a number of different ways you can be involved within the school. 

If you are thinking you might want to be a parent helper. Over the next few weeks Flick will be running Child Safe Sessions (this is mandatory to meet our Child Safe Standards) which are compulsory for helping/volunteering in the school. Parent’s do not need to prepare anything for this, just come along and listen to Flick. Parents also need to supply their Working With Children Check (WWCC). This session as well as your WWCC is mandatory before you are able to volunteer. 

Sessions will run: 

Wednesday 7th February 9.00am

Friday 9th February 3.00pm

Monday 12th February 9.00am and 3.00pm

These sessions will talk about 30mins, and you only need to attend one as they are all the same. 

If you are unable to make these times but wish to volunteer, please speak to Flick and we can seek alternate arrangements. Additionally, if you need help with your WWCC please feel free to speak or email Flick-

felicity.curnow@education.vic.gov.au

Wellbeing Service Support

Uniting Child & Family Wellbeing Program

On Wednesdays, we have Callum McNeil from the Family Wellbeing program at Uniting in the school. Callum is happy to talk to parents about any potential concerns or behaviours with their children.  Also, Callum can support families with parenting strategies and service referrals including family services and online resources for parents. The referral process is straight forward, and Uniting can engage within a reasonable time.  

Please contact the Wellbeing Team for a referral form and we will take you through the steps.

Fruit Available 

Fruit is available in the classrooms for students to eat. Every week, Food Bank supply the school with a variety of fresh fruit including apples, oranges, pears and carrots. Sally also makes up fruit/small snack tubs for the classrooms. 

Health 

I encourage parents to please investigate any potential sickness complaints.  Please encourage your child to practise good personal hygiene by washing hands regularly. It isn’t fun to be sick at school and there are exclusion periods for some health conditions.  Don’t forget to tell us of any phone or emergency contact changes so we can reduce your child’s concern if they need to be picked up.  In case of a toileting accident please supply a change of underwear in your child’s bag.

This term, we also expect to have some hot days so freezing cold drinks and adding them to your child’s school bag will help keep lunchboxes fresh longer. A reminder that school hats are compulsory, and I would like parents to be active with encouraging children to wear sunscreen. 

Head lice will be a problem from time to time at Woori Yallock Primary School and it is important to work together as a school community to minimise the frustration caused by the problem. I ask all parents/carers to regularly screen your child and please tell us in order to minimise the concern in the school. 

Infectious Diseases

To help prevent and control the transmission of infectious diseases in schools, a child must be excluded from school if he or she has any of the following:

• Gastro/Diarrhoea - until there has not been a loose bowel motion or any symptoms for 48 hours.
• Chicken Pox - until fully recovered and blisters have dried.
• Measles - at least 7 days.
• German Measles - until fully recovered and at least 4 days from the onset of rash.
• Whooping Cough - four weeks.
• Hand, foot and mouth - until all blisters have dried.
• Hepatitis - medical certificate needed.
• Impetigo “School Sores” - until treatment has commenced and sores are healed.
• Ringworm - until treatment has commenced. Medical certificate may be required.
• Mumps - until fully recovered.
• Scabies - medical certificate needed.

Importantly, children who have been vomiting should not attend school until 48 hours after the vomiting ceases.

While these are some common diseases, please refer to the Better Health School Excursion Table for a comprehensive list and updated information. Please contact the office if your child contracts any of these. Please refer to the Dept of Health for further information-https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/school-exclusion/school-exclusion-table

Wellbeing Supports

We promote many opportunities for families and students to be an active part of our local community and encourage parents to be a part of our extra-curricular activities.  Our welfare team are available to support families in times of need as we have established partnerships with a number of services. We would love to meet you so see myself, Sally or Libby.

• State School Relief-school uniforms including underwear and school shoes/runners. For families experiencing financial difficulties we can apply to State School Relief for new uniform. Families will get a voucher for $85.00 to use at Lowes, at Lilydale Marketplace Shopping Centre. 
• Free Glasses for replacement-State School Relief approve one prescription per year for replacement eyeglasses.  Please see me for more information. 
• Second hand uniform. We accept good quality second hand uniform donations which we sell. The monies raised help support our wellbeing programs including the Breakfast Club and our lunchtime activities including Lego Club and Craft Club.
• Students can be referred to DET psychologist or speech therapist. 
• Term 1 Preps-DET school nurse for general health checks including vision and hearing. 
• Student counselling-students can access counselling via a mental health care plan referral from a GP. Shine Bright Psychology-counselling service for students & clinical psychologist Simone Turner. Simone works at the school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 
• For approved students with NDIS or Allied Health Services-Speech Pathology and OT services can provide therapy at school.
• Service-Uniting Family Wellbeing.  Uniting offer families individual help for NDIS, linkage to other services, group based and individual support. Callum McNeil at school every Wednesday.  Please contact the Wellbeing Team for a referral form and we will take you through the steps.
• Eastern Health-Nutrition and Health support 
• School Chaplain-Sally Marshall (Mondays & Wednesdays)
• The Smile Squad Dental Program (once the building ground works are completed)
• Glass’s for Kids program every 2 years.  The program will be back in 2025.
• Pre-COVID 19-Shire of Yarra Ranges Head Lice Program-whole school screening once per term screened by the Shire nurse. 

Programs

• Free Breakfast club (Monday & Wednesday 8:15am-8:45am)
• Free community pantry open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:30pm-3:30pm. 
• Food hampers-are available at any time. Parents can pick up a box at the community pantry. 
• Parent Forums-Healthy Lunchboxes & strengthening families.
• Health & Gender programs including:
• 3/4 Body Education 
• 5/6 Sexuality Program 
• Social skills programs to small groups
• Activities at lunchtimes-LEGO Club, Craft Club
• Holiday & weekend camps for students. Please speak to Sally Marshall for more information.
• Gift a bike program-Lions Club

Service Supports & Agencies

There are many organisations across Yarra Ranges offering support and assistance. For community relief and support agencies, click on the link at-

 https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Community/Health-and-Wellbeing/Community-relief-and-support-agencies

For people looking for food relief, CIRE at the Yarra Junction hub, have food parcels and they have free bread on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The Yarra Junction hub is open food relief, and they are a Centrelink Access Point. This service can be accessed by appointment where the school Welfare Team can refer families. If you are interested or know of any one you would like to recommend, please speak to the Wellbeing Team. You can find CIRE Yarra Junction Hub next to the Yarra Junction Post Office and they are open Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm.