Deputy Principal's Report
Dear Parents & Friends,
It was great to be back at St Finbar's on Monday and to see the many smiling faces as children came through the gates or were dropped off at drive through. Watching children reconnect with school friends reminds me of how important those friendships can be. An important goal for us at St Finbar's is to ensure that each child is able to feel a sense of connectedness to our school community so that when they do finally leave here it will be with great memories and lasting friendships.
As we begin Term 2 it is timely to remind every member of our school community that we are committed to the wellbeing and safety of each child and have in place policies and procedures to ensure this remains a focus for our school.
'At St Finbar’s Primary School we hold the care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as a central and fundamental responsibility of our school.'
St Finbar's Child Safety Policy 2018.
St Finbar's uses the Kidsmatter Framework to help guide the wellbeing programs and policies which are in place throughout our school.
'KidsMatter is an Australian mental health and wellbeing initiative .
It’ is not a program, but a framework that helps schools take care of all their mental health needs by focusing on:
- creating positive school and early childhood communities
- teaching children skills for good social and emotional development
- working together with families
- recognising and getting help for children with mental health problems.
KidsMatter is funded by the Australian Government and beyondblue, and is a partnership between education and health sectors. It was developed by experts - mental health professionals and education and childcare staff - in response to the high rates of school-age children with mental health difficulties and the problems they face getting help.
In a Kidsmatter school 'Every Face has a Place' as we strive to ensure that each child is able to develop and maintain a healthy mental state.
Learning & Teaching
Much work and planning has be done by teachers, before during and after the holidays, to ensure learning programs for each level are both challenging and engaging. A snapshot of what each class will be covering this term will be explained in class newsletters. Please ensure you ask your children about their learning and when and where possible take the opportunity to reinforce skills learnt at school.
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST AVAILABLE:
Ms Stacey Dellas is available for students who may be experiencing difficulty emotionally. Stacey is a highly qualified Psychologist with many years’ experience working with children and their families. This service is completely covered by Medicare. To access this service please speak to your child’s teacher or you can email or speak to Mr Nigel Rodrigues ~ Deputy Principal who will provide you with details on how to refer your child.