Onsite Attendance

For those families who have applied for and been approved to have access to onsite supervision; you have been sent a link to the email you used in the application process. This attendance form is where you log the days you are requiring during the last week of Term 3 and the first week of Term 4. The link will close at 5pm Thursday, so please check your emails and contact the office if you did not receive this.

When completing the attendance form, please be as accurate as you can to support staffing rosters.

For families who have not yet required the support of onsite supervision, but now find circumstances have changed, you will need to go through the application process that starts with filling out a google form. Once you submit this, the application process can take a few days, and may also require extra information being provided. Please contact the office if you need access to the google application form.

Parent Information Session

Last night Dale, Mrs Nissen and myself hosted an online information session to speak about the experiences of remote learning 2.0, and the 'roadmap' back to onsite learning. Here are my notes from the Wellbeing section for those of you who were unable to attend:

The roles of parents during remote learning...

Teachers often receive posts or positive memos like the one pictured here, and I thought I’d take a moment to acknowledge the many different roles that you as parents have assumed throughout these periods of remote learning. All of these roles are necessary to ensure the successful education of young minds, yet we know that it is never easy or straight forward. The ones that jump out at me as a mum during these times are motivator, negotiator and IT specialist!

I’ll bring your minds back to the student reflections that were made at the end of the first stretch of remote learning, that still decorate our hallways here. A few memories that students selected to reminisce over were...

Having pizza for lunch, going walking with the family, finishing my learning earlier in the day, using lots of technology, my parents asking me how to do the work.

Your children will always remember this time as special, and for the most normal of reasons - having extra time as a family.

The focus of the Wellbeing office during remote learning...

As in Term 2, the Wellbeing focus of Miners Rest Primary has been to ensure that the strong connections with teachers and school life are continually nurtured and maintained for all students in a positive and constructive manner whether learning from home or attending onsite for supervision.

I believe that this time round, we have further strengthened our efforts to ensure that families have felt supported to help their children through the core curriculum lessons every day.

We have maintained contact logs which record engagement in Webex sessions, as well as keeping track of work submissions. The Wellbeing role has brought with it the capacity to reach out to families who have shown concerns through discussions with teachers, and to make contact if a drop in engagement has been noticed.

It has been lovely to build relationships with many parents and families, and identify a next step or a strategy to make the next week even better than the last.

The focus of the Wellbeing office during Term 4...

Term 4 is a busy term in Wellbeing. It involves supporting students who are moving into Foundation in 2021, as well as making sure that the Yr 6 students are ready and supported to make their transition out to secondary school. There is also the coordination and continuation of our many intervention programs around the school and the organisation and completion of assessments and applications to support students with needs.

The School Chaplaincy Program...

Jesse Winter is our School Chaplain. School Chaplains support the emotional wellbeing of students by providing pastoral care services and strategies that support emotional wellbeing. They work closely with allied health members and staff in schools to support students and their educational outcomes, and also support staff, families and the wider school community. Jesse has been incredibly active and supportive during remote learning, working both on and off site to connect with students and their families.

The social and emotional aspect of returning to onsite learning...

The most important message to pass on tonight is that we are all here to listen, support and share in your child’s academic success and challenges. Contact from you is always welcome, and will be especially important as we come back to full onsite attendance.

There are a number of feelings that you and your children may experience during the first week or so of returning to ‘normal’ schooling. Separation anxiety is an area that that we can and will support families with, as well as worries about reforming friendships or even eating and toileting at school after having had the run of the house for so long.

And for parents, there may be questions around ‘whether the kids have learnt enough?’ or ‘have they fallen behind everyone else?’ These are normal concerns and will be similar for lots of families. Please don’t worry excessively, we are all in this together.

Returning to onsite schooling in Term 4, will bring comfort around predictable routines, a soothing stability to each day and boundaries that often enable children to thrive. Being onsite will also support the reestablishment of important relationships with teachers and friends as they are of vital importance in every learning journey.

Families can look forward to once again being able to focus on enjoying your children and family time.

The Wellbeing office at Miners Rest has been exceptionally busy over these last two terms, and continues to be permanently open and ready to offer support to each and every one of you.

Quote of the week ~ "Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives." Brené Brown

Tess Kelly

Leading Teacher - Wellbeing

R U OK?

Looking out for each other and supporting your partner, friend, relative, or colleague is more important than ever during this straining time. However, asking people if they are okay can sometimes feel awkward.

An ‘R U OK’ check-in is primarily about giving people the space and opportunity to share if they need. We cannot fix someone’s problems, but we can listen to them and be there for them. Having someone care enough to ask after our wellbeing and to just listen is valuable. If you notice a change in them, it is only the more important that you ask R U OK? I’ve noticed …

To ask someone, ‘R U Ok?’ simply requires us to:

approach someone in a private space, when they, and you, have the time to answer
be ready to listen, not to answer or fix anything - but to listen and empathise with them
ask them who, or where, they can get support from if they need e.g. EAP, counsellor

What if they say no?

You may have noticed something in someone, and asked them if they are OK, but they turned you down or just gave an evasive answer.

That’s okay - You have asked the important question, and given them the opportunity
They aren’t obliged to engage, nor is it your responsibility to pursue it further
Let them know that you are available if they need to have a chat

Well done for noticing and asking someone - R U OK?

Being there and supporting each other builds a healthy community. Thank you for caring during this difficult time. If you need support, or you think someone else in the community needs a check in, please contact us at the school. We value you and are here to help.

Stay Safe, Take Care and Keep Connected,

Jesse Winter – School Chaplain

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