GENERAL NEWS

COVID UPDATE - ST NICHOLAS SCHOOL

The Delta strain of COVID-19 is causing havoc in the greater Sydney region. The NSW State Government has instigated restrictions across the state which are impacting all our lives.

As an educational setting, restrictions and requirements are not the same as those found in the community. This can lead to confusion and frustration, though St Nicholas Primary School has no choice but to follow the requirements set out for an educational setting by both the NSW State Government and Catholic Schools NSW.

Schools will therefore operate under the NSW Health levels. Levels are from 1 to 4. Level 1 involves students learning at school in a COVID safe environment and level 4 involves remote learning.

St Nicholas School Current Level - LEVEL 2.

Masks and Face Coverings	Current advice does not mandate St Nicholas School staff or students to wear masks while on the school grounds. Staff and students are able to wear a mask if they choose.
Parents & Visitors	Non-essential visitors are not permitted in schools. Parent teacher meetings will need to be conducted via ZOOM or over the phone.
Student Drop off and Pickup	Parents are strongly encouraged to use “Car Pickups” (Carthage Street in front of the school Auditorium) to drop off and pick their children up from school. Parents and carers must refrain from congregating in front of the school.
Front Office	Any parent or visitor entering the front office of the school must sign in using the QR code provided. Parents and visitors entering the front office must also be wearing a mask.
Tuckshop/Canteen	No parent helpers until further notice.
Library	No parent helpers until further notice.

LOST PROPERTY

We have a wallet that has been handed in to the school office. Please contact our office staff if you think that this may be yours.

STUDENT UNIFORM AND HAIRSTYLES

With the return of school after the holidays, we ask for your support in ensuring that students' hair is neat and tidy as per our uniform policy. This means that 'extreme' haircuts are not permitted, nor is hair to be of an unnatural colour. We ask that hair is tied back if it is below the shoulders.

We also remind students that a tie is a mandatory part of the winter uniform which is worn on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are available for purchase from Lowes. Please ensure that all your child's belongings are labelled. We currently have a lot of lost property without names which makes it very hard to return to it's owner.

Thank you for your support in maintaining a high standard with our uniform.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

School photos were sent home yesterday with children. We thank MSP Photography for the quick turn around and hope that you have many happy snaps to look back on in future years.

If you are missing any photos,

please contact 67723519 or email newengland@msp.com.au

SCHOOL BAND

At the end of last term, under the expertise and guidance of Mrs Maria Creigh, the school band performed a repertoire of songs. A massive congratulations to all band members as they have really begun to gel as a group. Please enjoy the clip below of our wonderful school band in action.

PARENTING TIPS

STRESS O'CLOCK

by Michael Grose www.parentingideas.com.au

A recent Australian study found that 7.00am is the most stressful time of the day for working parents. Dubbed stress o’ clock, this is a time in the morning when work and family pressures and the deadline of the clock converge.

Recent conversations held with parents indicate that children and young people experience stress o’clock too. This is a time soon after a child wakes when self-doubt, getting ready for school and looming fears clash. Children’s tummy-aches and heads-aches often prevail at this time of day.

“Mum, I don’t feel well. I think I’ve got a cold. I don’t want to go to school.”

How do you respond when you suspect there’s more worrying your child than a sniffle, and you’re hurrying to get ready yourself? Most parents don’t have a script to guide them when stress o’clock hits.

Pandemic Induced Anxiety

Since the pandemic, adults and children are reporting higher levels of stress and anxiety. Morning is one of the worst times for anxiety to strike. Like a fox, anxiety comes in the night, robbing children of their courage, replacing assuredness with self-doubt, apprehension and fear.

Dealing with a child or young person in the middle of their anxious moment is super hard, particularly when you’re still wiping the sleep from your eyes. In times of stress it’s always best to stay SOBER. That is ...

Stop what you are doing and pay attention to your child and to yourself
Observe the emotional reaction you are having to your child’s distress and ask what your gut is telling you
Breath deeply to remove yourself from panic mode (‘I can’t take this!’) and kick start your thinking brain that has succumbed to your survival brain
Expand your vision and look at the bigger picture. Perhaps your child is genuinely nervous but it’s important that they sit the test that makes them feel awful. Allow the bigger picture to guide your actions.
Respond to your child or young person calmly. Empathy and understanding are in short reply in the mornings, but if you have practised this type of response in low stress situations, you’ll be more than ready to respond appropriately, rather panic or over-react when your child is stressed.

Like everything in parenting, this plan sounds easy when there are no kids around, but it’s important nevertheless. A lack of a plan you can follow when kids are anxious is the major cause of parent stress. In times of stress, it always helps to have a plan to follow. When dealing with children’s nerves, tension and anxiety at stress o’clock this plan will really help you.

THE 6 UP'S

Next week we will be having a focus on our first of the 6 Up's - "Speak Up".

This means that we encourage children to speak up for themselves and each other. Everyone has the right to feel safe, valued, respected and cared for at school. If children see or hear something that is unkind, we ask them to speak up in a respectful way to stop the unkind behaviour. Having the courage to speak up for themselves and others is an important life lesson that is important for all children to develop. Please take a few minutes to talk to your child/ren about how they can "speak up" in a respectful way to support others or themselves.