Principal's Report

Wantirna College on Facebook

We thought you might like to find out information about Wantirna College on Facebook, just in case you don't have time to keep up with our newsletter. Please search for us and "Like" to receive the occasional post. We will also continue to push notifications out to you from Compass, a more critical form of communication. Our website is always there in the background with the general information you need about the College. But please always feel free to make the human connection and ring us if you can't find the answers to your questions in any of those media.

Parent Teacher Student Interviews

Just a reminder that Interviews are this coming Thursday. Students should only attend school with parents for their interview times. You would have received your child's Interim Report on Compass, and should be able to logon to book in to see teachers. If a teacher is fully booked, please send them an email and they will organise to speak to you at a seperate time. If in any doubt, ring the General Office and they will help you.

The Parents Association will be providing free tea and coffee, biscuits and chocolate in Mason House. If you are coming straight from work, drop in for some refreshment. They might also try and recruit you, which might be the best group you ever sign up to!

End of Term 1 Arrangements

Next Friday, 31 March, is the last day of Term 1. Students will be dismissed at 2.30pm. Because Easter is the last weekend of the holidays, we will be looking forward to seeing them back on TUESDAY 18 April, after Easter Monday. We wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday. The Year 7s have been settling in at a cracking pace and could do with a break. And the Year 12s need that combination of a breather, and a time to catch up and make sure they are focused on what needs to be done. We hope the holiday has all of those components, and some chocolate on top!

Congratulations to Regency Park Primary School - 40th Birthday

Congratulations to Carolyn Drinkwater and all at Regency Park on reaching the milestone of their 40th Birthday. We have such close ties with the school as so many of their students transfer to Wantirna in Year 7. I will be attending their assembly on the last day of this term to give them a special birthday present from us.

Dr Michael Carr Gregg speaks to Later Years students and parents

This week we were really lucky to hear Dr Michael Carr Gregg speak in our theatre about the strategies for surviving Year 12. He gave us 20 Top Tips, which we have recreated below. Sadly we seem to have lost one in the translation! I hope someone who was there can send it in.

As Dr Carr Gregg is one of Australia's leading psychologists, he is incredibly interested in brain research, and that is where he draws the information he shared.

If you cannot change something then change the way you think about it

20 top tips

Make sleep a priority
1. 30 minutes of dim light before you go to sleep –melatonin (the natural brain chemical that induces sleep) needs an absence of light
2. 9 Hours sleep is needed per night
3. In the cycle of sleep REM or dream sleep occurs every 90 minutes and is the time information moves from short term to long term memory – helps to consolidate the learning of the day. REM sleep increases in every cycle during the night, and the most important one is the last one, as it is the longest.
4. No technology late at night as the light wakes you up.
5. No caffeine after lunch – each cup of coffee in the afternoon takes an hour off your sleep
6. Invest in a sleep tracker to make sure you are getting enough REM sleep
Breakfast is the most important meal
1. You need carbs that will transform into glucose – cereal / toast
2. Eggs are a great source of choline which is a neurotransmitter
3. Yoghurt is also. Any flavour is fine
4. Fish oil, blueberries, avocado, walnuts are all foods that assist the brain in thinking
Eat a healthy diet – Mediterranean diet. It has been proven to alleviate depression and improve your mood. Foods high in fat and sugar can negatively impact your mood.
Study routines - study in 50 minute blocks with a 15 minute break. Students who do this recall 30% more.
The brain is 73% water so sip water every 20 minutes to keep hydrated and your brain functioning at optimum level
Exercise regularly. The Harada Experiment showed that students who exercise every day recall more and more easily. He recommended apps such as C25K (Couch to 5km), which can be your own personal trainer.
Have a study area which is well lit, comfortable. Study at the same physical time and space if you can each day – studies show people who do this recall a third more than those who don’t.
Create a positive mindset. Use the three blessing technique – write down 3 things that went well each day and why. Get the Gratitude App, (it wasn’t clear which one he suggested – there seem to be a lot). Joining a team will help you become more satisfied with life.
Parents – avoid the Vulture Syndrome (constantly hovering over your child questioning what they are doing!) Talk to them about how they think you can help them.
1. Help keep a diary of due dates of their work
2. Help them structure their social life around it. It is ok for them to go out on Friday or Saturday night, but not in the lead up to exams and during exam time.
3. Don’t nag
4. Don’t talk about how well their siblings did at VCE
5. Don’t be too intrusive – if they are studying in their bedroom take in food and drink, but don’t stay
6. Don’t be too busy around exam time – they’ll need extra support, transport, someone to calm their nerves with them.
Manage social media use – there are apps to help like Cold Turkey or Self-control. Our Pact app enables parent to control all devices and would be more useful with younger children.
Improve your memory
1. Use Mind Maps,
2. writing lyrics to familiar tunes with important information,
3. Use colour and headings to improve recall
4. Write information in your own words,
5. When revising for an exam, take notes with a pen and paper – it triggers part of your brain for memory if you’ve written it.
6. Use quiz apps to revise
7. When making lists have no more than 7 items
8. Chew gum – there is apparently something about the activity of it that stimulates the brain!
9. Teach someone else
10. Consider your sense of smell. If you learn something with essence of orange oil in an oil burner, you will recall it better during exams if you have a tissue with a dab of the oil on it to help recall the facts.
Form study groups. The teenage years are the most social we ever are as a human being. It is very powerful to share your learning with a group of others doing the same work. (It is very clever to choose the right people to study with – those who know more than you do!)
It is good if those people in the study group care about you. Being with people who care about you is supportive and nurturing. Work with the groups of friends you have who want to achieve the same things as you.
Be on the lookout for depression. This is a very stressful time and depression can set you back. beyond blue has resources to help you understand the symptons and determine whether you need to see your GP.
1. Online help is available:
  1. The tool box from Reach out .com is a list of best apps for your brain and body
  2. Smiling Mind is a mindfulness app that will guide you through meditation
Do not smoke marijuana – there is nothing good in it. It can do great damage to the developing brain, including, for a small percentage of young people, drug induced psychosis. Just say no! Just say no to parties in the lead up to, and during, exams. People should put 18th birthday parties off until after exams finish.
Have healthy relationships. If you want to break up with your girlfriend / boyfriend / partner, do not break up before exams. A helpful app is Break Up Shake Up
Do not over do the part time job – no more than 15 hours a week
Use the teachers and gain their wisdom. See them just as Yoda, but younger!
Down load fact sheets – Surviving Year 12 – beyond blue

https://www.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/StressTipSheet.pdf

https://au.reachout.com/sites/thetoolbox

https://www.youthbeyondblue.com/do-something-about-it/surviving-year-12