Potential is now!

A few weeks ago, I read in the paper of children who had invented different ‘gadgets’ to solve everyday problems. One girl invented a ‘kick button’ for pedestrian traffic lights, so that people don’t have to touch it with their hands anymore. Another child invented an app to alert drivers to animals on the road. While searching up the article (because I am ‘old’ and forgot the other inventions!), I came across this website: https://www.littleinventors.org/.

Boy do we have some creative children around the world! We also have some at CHPS! Since returning onsite, I have: had the privilege of watching Madison, Tayla and Katie do a creative dance, been read to by Hayden (AKA Captain America), been visited by a Storm Trooper (Nash) and his friend Blair to let me know of their achievements, helped the Pos Ed Captains (Eden and Tom) get their ‘creative juices flowing’ to write a Pos Ed article for the Senior newspaper, spent a morning with the Year 6s to explore their upcoming journey to high school, witnessed amazing artwork (See Imogen and Chloe’s below), had a bookshelf constructed (with the help of Kim) by Will in SKF and been gifted a plant featuring my favourite colour.

As adults we tend to focus on (and even ask) what children want to be or do when they grow up. Children don’t need to grow up to make positive contributions to their family, friends, school and wider community. As evidenced above, they can do it now and need to be encouraged to do so. They have so many great strengths and ideas. It would be a shame if they withheld them from the world until they ‘grew up’.

Be ‘e’alert

I am becoming increasingly concerned about the types of online games that children are playing and the risks associated with them. Risks not only in relation to their exposure to inappropriate language, concepts and violence, but also in relation to who they have access to (or more to the point, who has access to them) in online gaming platforms.

Please monitor what your children are playing and make sure that they are not communicating with anyone online that they don’t personally know. If there are games that your children continually speak about (as my son does!), please spend time getting to know what they are all about. Look them up and make sure that you are happy with the content. Below are a couple of e safety resources and a website devoted to rating movies, games and TV shows to ensure the age and content appropriateness of them. We also have some very tired children coming to school. Please make sure that they get off screens at least an hour before bed to give their brains time to relax before going to sleep.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/big-issues/gaming

Ratings on games, TV shows and movies - https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

‘Colour your threads for Pos Ed’

Thanks to all staff and students who dressed up for Positive Education Day yesterday and contributed gold coin donations.. $480 raised will go to disadvantaged schools commencing their Positive Education journeys.

“Positive Education is an approach to education that blends academic learning with character & well-being. Its content prepares students with life skills such as: grit, optimism, resilience, growth mindset, engagement, and mindfulness amongst others (Bott. D et al (2017), The State of Positive Education, World Government Summit in conjunction with IPEN).”

At CHPS we do so much in the positive education space, from infusing it into all curriculum levels, to Pos Ed Captains, to children undertaking the Character Strengths survey, to classroom and school displays about growth mindset and resilience, not to mention the Pos Ed staff team. Being new this year, I am continually amazed at all that CHPS does to assist students to flourish. I am very grateful to be part of the team.

Please find attached a PowerPoint presentation about Positive Education and some things you can do at home. This was specifically put together by the Positive Education Schools Association (PESA) for yesterday’s event.

For more resources see link below.

https://www.pesa.edu.au/

https://www.thepositivityinstitute.com.au/resources/positive-education/

What do Wellbeing Officers do at CHPS?

We recently received some of the Whole School Survey results. In the Wellbeing category, it was indicated that some members of the CHPS community were unaware of the role that Student Wellbeing Officers play at the school.

Student Wellbeing Officers are specifically focussed on supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of students. Our role includes: facilitating individual sessions with students to assist them to explore issues and learn what they (and others) can do to address them, partnering with parents/guardians to ensure a continuity of support, small group work, developing and distributing resources and workshops to staff, students and parents/guardians, collaborating with staff and developing wellbeing plans.

Where appropriate, and in consultation with parents/guardians, we also refer children to external service providers such as GP’s, Support workers, Psychologists, Paediatricians etc.

To work individually with students, parents/guardians are required to complete a ‘Useful Information’ form and a consent form. Once signed, the consent form is valid for the duration of the child’s enrolment at the school, but can be revoked at any time. These forms can be requested via classroom teachers.

Although holding the title of ‘Wellbeing’, all staff are responsible for the wellbeing of students. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact their classroom teacher first. They are a wealth of knowledge and information.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Carol Wyatt via email if you have further questions.

NAIDOC Week

Although usually celebrated in July, this year, in order to protect the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Elders and communities from COVID-19, NAIDOC Week will commence on November 8th and go until November 15th. This year’s theme is ‘Always was, Always will be”. For more information and ways that you and your family can celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, visit https://www.naidoc.org.au/.

Positive Partnerships Free Webinars covering varying topics relating to Autism. Click here for more information.

Until next time,

Julie Reid on behalf of the Student Wellbeing Team

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