Wellbeing and Inclusion News September 2024

As always, our Wellbeing and Inclusion team has been very busy.

We wish all of our families a safe and enjoyable break and look forward to warmer weather to come.

From all the of the wellbeing and Inclusion team.

Mrs Michelle Lewis

Assistant Principal

Wellbeing and Inclusion.

RUOK? Day Activities

This year's theme is 'Ask RUOK? any day'. This reminds us that we have an opportunity EVERY day to intentionally check in with friends or family members about how they are doing, not just on significant days like today!

At Lyndale we had some special activities to mark the occasion. Students joined together at the beginning of lunchtime, enjoying the opportunity to score some free goodies (including cupcakes prepared by some wonderful school community members!).

Congrats to our amazing team on such a fun day.

It is important to remember that every day, they are there for studens and families should you ever need to speak to anyone.

Reach out. It is totally ok to not be ok.

P.S. if you're interested in the story behind RUOK? Day, the following website link is worth a visit: https://www.ruok.org.au/our-story

Womenjika Cultural Learning Space Launch

We are very proud to have joined with our Koorie education Team KESOs, Community Partners Rotary and Plantmark to celebrate the launch of our Womejika Cutlural Learng Space.

Bunurong elder Steve Ulula Parker performed a beautiful Welcome to country for Koorie students from Lyndale Secondary and our neighbourhood schools, with friends and teachers.

The day was a celebration of Indigenous culture and saw the opening of our learning space. The space is a place of pride, where bush tucker foods will grow and where First Nations perspectives can be embedded in our curriculum.

The beautiful murals created by students with Steve depicting the Bunurong seasons will soon be installed, and the artwork showing Bunurong country, with Lyndale represented, will hang proudly in our foyer.

Meet and Greet African Liaison

Please join Hamdi and Anne at this special event for our families of African Heritage. The evening will be a wonderful chance to meet our SCLO team. Book via Try Booking Link

https://www.trybooking.com/CVJID

Lyndale Secondary College, Lyndale Greens Primary School and Dandenong North Primary School warmly welcome parents, carers and students of African Heritage to join us for a shared meal, and meet and greet event with our Schools Community Liaison Officers (SCLO) Anne Mukankusi and Hamdi Abdullahi.

Date: Wednesday 30 October 2024

Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

5.30 arrival and food.

6pm - 7pm presentation and Q and A.

4Cs Cultural Showcase

We were very proud of our students who represented our school, and their culture, through a beautiful dance performance during the 4Cs showcase at Bunjil place. Well done girls! You were absolute stars! Special thanks to Dahlia Harper, Youth Worker who worked with them every week to support them on their journey.

Cost of Living

On a serious note, we know that the cost of living is affecting many of our families. Please do reach out if we can help with food parcels or to connect you with services that may be available. Our caring and qualified social workers are here to help.

Wear It Purple Day

Every year on the last Friday of August we celebrate Wear It Purple (WIP) Day. WIP Day is a chance to take a stand against LGBTIQA+ discrimination & create safe and inclusive environments for rainbow young people.

WIP Day began in 2010 after a global response to stories of bullying and harassment and the impact of this on LGBTQIA+ teenagers. Every activity held on WIP Day sends a message of support and respect to LGBTIQA+ young people. This year’s theme was ‘Your Passion, Your Pride’ which celebrates LGBTIQA+ people achieving their goals in sport, art, science and more.

WIP Day is the perfect opportunity to start important conversations with students at school like:

How are you supporting the LGBTQIA+ folks at your school?
What can you do to make your school more inclusive and safe?
And how are you being an ally?

This year we celebrated WIP Day at school with lunchtime activities including quizzes, craft, give aways and beads from The Rainbow Shoelace Project. The Rainbow Shoelace Project was founded by Abbie Jane, a teenager living in Broken Hill. She created the project as a way to empower people to stand up and support LGBTIQA+ communities by wearing pride coloured beads on their shoelaces. Packets of beads from The Rainbow Shoelace Project are still available for students to collect from the Wellbeing Centre.

Dandenong Youth Services School Holiday Activities

Spring Spectacular School Holiday Activities

Looking for some excitement during the school holidays? Join Dandenong Youth Services for their fantastic September school holiday program for 12–25-year-olds! Enjoy a variety of activities including Bounce, the Amazing Race, Dumpling-making, Badminton, Acrylic painting, a Gardening workshop, a Skate and Bike clinic, and a Mt Cannibal Walk with a BBQ.

Dates: 23 Sep – 4 Oct

Cost: FREE or low cost

Bookings: Holiday Activities | Youth (greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au)

Dandy’s Got Talent

Dandy's Got Talent is a talent show hosted at The Castle, celebrating the talents of young people aged 12-25 from Greater Dandenong.

For just $5 entry, enjoy an exciting afternoon of live performances featuring singers, dancers and bands, a DJ set, a chill space with games and fidget toys, raffle prizes, a photobooth for you to snap fun moments with friends and tasty snacks including a sausage sizzle, popcorn and beverages.

Don't miss out on guest judges, DJ Alexandre and Sharny, as well as a special guest performance by Sharny herself.

Date: Wednesday 25 September, 2.30-7pm

Venue: The Castle, 61 Princes Hwy, Dandenong

Cost: $5 (Redeemable for snacks) / Performers attend free

Bookings: Dandy's Got Talent | Youth (greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au)

The link for registration is: https://events.humanitix.com/spring-spectacular-september-school-holiday-program-g5txekth/tickets

Reusable Period Underwear Pilot

Dear parents/carers,

Our school is participating in an 8-week trial during which the Department of Education (the department) provides free period underwear to students.

The trial is designed to help the department understand the benefits of providing free period underwear to students, and aims to:

relieve students of the stigma, anxiety and discomfort that can be associated with menstruation and its management.
ease the cost of living for families.

Using period underwear provided at the school is optional. Students can choose whether they would like to take the period underwear. Period underwear will be available in a range of sizes.

Menstruating students will be given the opportunity to get up to 5 period underwear for free.

What is period underwear?

Period underwear is reusable underwear that absorb period blood, replacing the need for a tampon or pad for many people.

The period underwear being supplied to students can hold up to 2-3 tampons worth of period blood and are designed for moderate-heavy flow.

Period underwear can be washed and reused. For more information about how to use and wash period underwear, see: How To Wash Period Undies – Your Complete Guide.

How can my child get free period underwear through the trial?

In our school, period underwear will be available from a range of locations. Students will be asked to take a maximum of 5 period underwear in their size from the boxes. Sizing charts will be available next to the boxes. Period underwear will be available from the week of 9 September for 8 weeks.

More information

For more information about the period underwear that will be provided, see: FAQs | Modibodi | Leakproof and Period Proof Underwear.

The below information may help you to have conversations about menstrual health and hygiene at home:

Periods (suitable for 9-15 years) Raising Children - the Australian Parenting Website
Girls with autism spectrum disorder: periods Raising Children - the Australian Parenting Website
Periods Jean Hailes for Women’s Health
Periods booklet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.

The Falcon Newsletter

Strength, Pride & Success

Issue 6 · 19 Sep 2024

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