October is Mental Health Awareness Month and this week is Mental Health Awareness Week…

As we sit here and think about lockdowns and remote learning it seems timely that this month is National Mental Health Awareness Month and the 9th to the 16th October is National Mental Health Awareness Week.

It is also important that we remind each other of the important things that we can do to support ourselves and others in relation to the 7 factors that contribute to our wellbeing.

Those 7 things that we can continually work on we discussed in the last edition of the Marian. They are:

Diet
Exercise
Sleep
Technology Detox
Friends
Plan
Structure

These are things we should focus on everyday to ensure that we are looking after our mental health. Over the course of this month we will continue to highlight the importance of mental health not just in October but everyday.

Welcome Back to our Year 12’s

With Term 4 beginning on Tuesday 5th October it was very pleasing to have our Year 12’s return onsite, firstly for the GAT and then on Wednesday for normal classes.

It would be true to say that schools are very different when we have students compared to when we do not. With only the Year 12’s the school has some life but it is still waiting for all of the students to return on a roster starting on Tuesday 26th October. This gives us the sign that, hopefully, by the end of the year our school, and all schools will return to the new COVID normal.

We as a school are working very closely with the students to follow the expectations placed on us by the Department of Health and Melbourne Archdiocesse of Catholic Schools (MACS) to ensure that we are doing everything we can to keep our Year 12 students safe. This includes rotation of classes in all rooms so that if a classroom was used during period 1 then the room would be vacant and cleaned during period 2. Students are expected to practice social distancing. Our school canteen is only open for lunch orders to ensure that we do not have students creating lines waiting to collect their lunches.

We will continue to be guided by the outside agencies and the instructions that they have to minimise the risk of spreading the infection. We will continue to keep you informed of these changes in the weeks ahead.

RU OKAY winners

In the assembly at the end of the term, we were able to celebrate and recognise both RU Okay Day and its importance – as we check on each other to see how we are travelling. We also announced the winners of the RU Okay Competition. Students had submitted entries in each of the categories for the Competition.

Each of those winners have been notified and will receive a $30 dollar voucher of their choice. We thank those students and staff who took the time to submit entries and focus on the message of the day, i.e. looking out for each other and making sure we are okay.

Wellbeing Packages and Vouchers to the Marian Community

At the end of last term, we were able to send Care Packages to all of Year 12 students to remind them of two things (1) we have not forgotten them or the journey they are on and (2) that within the pack are some items that may help them look after themselves.

The last of the students collected their packages when they returned to school this week.

All of our other students from Years 7 -11 received a voucher that they will be able to use when they return to onsite learning at the end of October – claiming both a muffin for morning tea and an ice cream for lunch. We have prepared the canteen for the fact that these items will be distributed to the students on their return.

From a school perspective, it was to remind all of our community that we know that things have been challenging but that we need to retain our HOPE that things will return to the new normal in the not too distant future.

Any student from Years 7-11 who did not receive their letter from the school by now will not miss out when they return to school.

At this time we have learned that things change…

Over the next few weeks, we would have had a number of activities on our school calendar that would both acknowledge the achievements of the year and the organisation of structures for 2022.

Firstly, our annual Awards Night was scheduled Thursday 13th October. This has now been moved to the last week of the school year. On this night we will acknowledge our 2021 award winners in a virtual presentation similar to last year.

Secondly, as our Year 12 cohort come to the end of their formal classes and prepare for exams we would traditionally have a Celebration Day. On this day we would have a hand over to the new Student Leadership Team for 2022 i.e. our Lamp Bearers and Student Representative Council.

Sadly, it is not possible at this time for our Year 12 cohort to have a Celebration Day as it has been in the past. It is hoped that they will be able to have an celebratory evening at the end of the VCE exam period.

With this in mind, the Year 11 students who have indicated their intention to be considered for student leadership in 2022 have been informed that the process would resume when they return after the 26th October.

Uniform Reminders

Seems a little premature to be talking about uniform but we need to remind all of our students from Years 7 – 11 that when they return to onsite learning that they will need to wear their summer uniform. The Health and PE uniform is to be worn only on the days that they have practical classes. If families need to obtain any uniform pieces, our uniform shop is not open now but you can access uniform pieces from NOONES at Hoppers Crossing by appointment.

If you need any assistance with uniform items please do not hesitate to contact the school office and ask to speak to Lisa Carnovale.

Wellbeing Reminder…

As we begin the transition back to onsite learning, firstly for our Year 12’s and then the rest of the students, a reminder that we do have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and the school community to keep ourselves safe. Taht is we are asked to follow the directives from the Chief Health Officer until we reach the vaccination targets that are needed to keep all of the community safe.

In the mean time, we need to continue to look out for each other …

Stay Safe

Kerrie Williams

Assistant to the Principal - Student Wellbeing

Term Dates

October 2021