From the Deputy Principal

Last week teaching staff enjoyed the opportunity to work with Antony Keely from The Resilience Project. 

The session began with a review of current statistics, a stark reminder that we need to look at the causes of mental health issues and how we can best prepare students to become more resilient. 

Did you know*? 

• Twenty-four per cent of primary school-aged students have a mental health issue compared to 40 per cent of secondary school-aged students. 
• One in three girls suffer from an anxiety disorder. 
• Sixty-five per cent of adolescents do not seek help for mental illness. 

The bullet points below outline the key learnings from this professional development opportunity: 

• Music, exercise and laughter are three powerful activities that influence the strength of our emotions. 
• Developing emotional literacy allows young people to name the emotions they feel which in turn can immediately reduce the impact of stressful emotions on the body.
• In just 21 days, practising gratitude can rewire the brain so that it scans for the positive, negating natural negative bias.
• In 42 days, you are less likely to get sick, have higher levels of energy, feel happier, enjoy improved self esteem and better quality of sleep.
• The benefits of empathy include increased thoughtfulness, compassion and kindness.
• Every time you do something kind for someone else, your brain releases oxytocin.
• The mental benefits of mindfulness include reducing depression and anxiety whilst improving decision making and the ability to focus.
• The physical benefits of mindfulness include improved sleep and a reduction in stress, blood pressure and heart disease.

I encourage parents and carers to access SchoolTV's mental health series which covers a range of topics as well as fact sheets, apps, books, website links and videos. 

*Findings from the Royal Commission into Mental Health as cited by The Resilience Project. 

Caroline Wilson-Haffenden 

Deputy Principal