Student Wellbeing News

Supporting Your Child’s Wellbeing During Exam Time: Tips for Parents

School exam periods can be a very stressful time for teenagers. Stress around exam time can affect all areas of a young person’s health including their general wellbeing, physical health and mental health.

Supporting your teenager during exam time can benefit their study and overall health and enable a calm home environment. Here are some tips which you may find helpful to support your teen to manage exam stress.

1. Maintain a positive attitude and talk to your child: Create a supportive and encouraging environment at home and give them a chance to talk about how they might be feeling. Express confidence in your child's abilities and remind them that they have prepared well. Avoid adding unnecessary pressure or stressing about the outcome. 
2. Ensure a balanced diet: Help your child maintain a nutritious diet throughout the week. Provide them with energy-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein, which can enhance cognitive function and sustain their energy levels.
3. Encourage relaxation techniques and good sleep hygiene: Encourage your child to use various relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or mindfulness practices – there are various apps that can provide them guidance on how to do this. Ensure that your child is having adequate sleep and maintaining a sleep routine of regular bedtimes. Sleep and relaxation techniques can help them manage stress, improve focus and memory, and enhance overall well-being.
4. Assist with organisation: Help your child organise their study materials, such as textbooks, notes, and stationery. Ensure they have a clear understanding of the exam timetable and any specific requirements for each subject.
5. Be flexible and adaptable: Understand that your child's needs may vary during these crucial weeks. As there is lots of pressure at exam time, removing the additional tasks at home can be helpful to a young person. Giving them less of their regular chores at home will free up more time for them to study. Allow your child to have flexibility with their schedules by encouraging them to balance their time for study but also make time for activities that they enjoy.

If you would like to read more information about supporting your child through exam periods, including some additional resources your child can access for support, please visit:

Managing exam stress - parents (nsw.gov.au)

Shelley Beasley Adolescent Health Nurse  

(Wellbeing team)

Cybersafety and Responsible Use of Digital Technologies 

The following resources are available to parents and carers to assist them with guiding their children with the use of digital technology in a safe and responsible way. Parents and carers are their child's first role model when it comes to online behaviour. Please find information to assist parents and carers when dealing with Cybersafety issues: 

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents 

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/services-for-parents/Pages/parentline.aspx

https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/counselling-support-services

The following fact sheet may assist in encouraging the safe and respectful use of social media and to provide tips to parents for being a positive role model:

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/programs/bullystoppers/parentsocialmediaschoolcommunity.pdf

If parents/carers have any questions regarding Cybersafety or Digital Learnings in Schools and our Mobile Phone Policy, please contact Reception. 

Cameron Campbell

Assistant Principal

Food & Financial Support

As we are all aware, the cost of living is increasing. We realise that this might be causing some distress to members of the EDSC community. If you are experiencing financial difficulties or food insecurity please look at the website www.askizzy.org.au. This website can help you locate services for food, money, clothing, health and housing in your area. 

The College is able to provide a range of food to families within the community. Foodbank Victoria provide EDSC fresh fruit, cereals, milk, different types of ready meals, fruit cups and Messy Monkey snacks. If you and your family are experiencing food insecurity, please contact the school to arrange a food collection. For a confidential conversation, please call Maddie Sill on 9842-2244.

Please also note that if your child forgets their lunch they can come to the Wellbeing Hub to access the pantry.

Breakfast Club

The Wellbeing Team believes that offering high school students a Breakfast Club can significantly promote physical health, mental wellbeing, academic success, and a positive school culture.

The Breakfast Club will take place every Monday from 8:15 am to 8:45 am at the Wellbeing Hub.

All students are welcome to join us for free healthy breakfast options. A group of community volunteers will run the Breakfast Club, and we kindly ask that you show respect and appreciation for their time and effort.

When: Every Monday

Where: Wellbeing Hub

Who: All students are welcome

Time: 8:15 am – 8:45 am

Cost: Free

We hope to see you there and look forward to a great time! 

Request for Uniform Donations

The Wellbeing Team provide second-hand uniforms for students in need. We are asking for uniform items, in good condition to be donated to the Wellbeing Team. Specifically, we are looking for dresses, shirts, pants, jackets and any sports uniform in larger sizes. 

If you require uniforms for your child, please contact the Wellbeing Team for support.

Wellbeing Team

Wellbeing Staff

For more information about Wellbeing at the College, please visit the following link .. 

Child Safety Standards

East Doncaster Secondary College is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision making.

East Doncaster Secondary College has zero tolerance for child abuse.

East Doncaster Secondary College is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.

Every person involved in East Doncaster Secondary College has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

In our planning, decision making and operations, all personnel at East Doncaster Secondary College will:

• Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;
• Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;
• Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children
• Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;
• Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children;
• Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development;
• Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues;
• Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities;
• Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk; and
• Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.