Wellbeing Zone

Enter the Wellbeing Zone

Welcome to the Wellbeing Zone. When you enter the zone, you will find a wealth of information about all the things happening in the Wellbeing space at Sunshine Heights PS as well as strategies, articles, book recommendations and events that will help build our dream and culture of Wellbeing throughout our school community, inside and outside of school, so that we can sail together through a universe of possibilities with all the emotional and social skills we need to thrive. 

Warm welcome. 

A big warm welcome back to all our families. We hope that you were able to refuel your souls over the holidays and enjoy some memory-making together. This term is set to be another great adventure with a strong focus on the wellbeing and connection of our students and community. There are so many great things happening and I can't wait to share them all with you through this term's newsletters! 

With love, 

Francine

NAIDOC Week Smiling Minds Collaboration

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, Smiling Minds collaborated with the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women's Council, an organisation they have been working alongside to create resources to support the mental health and wellbeing of Anangu in remote communities. Together, they created this most exquisite visual mediation; written and recorded by senior Yarnangu women to guide children through breathing and grounding exercises. 

Enjoy being brought to the present moment while enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. 

The Sunny Heights ZINE Club is coming! 

We are SO excited to announce that Sunny Heights is getting a wellbeing-focused ZINE Club. 

Kylie and myself are partnering up to offer our students an amazing opportunity to explore their emotions and get creative with zine-making! 

The club will start next week and run from Weeks 2-7 in the library. Zine Club will run in separate groups for P-2 and 3-6 students on Tuesday and Thursdays. 

Our young zine makers will be invited to explore their emotions & strategies for escaping to other worlds. They will discover themselves and their feelings in a range of specially curated books and learn how to make ZINES about their emotions, other worlds and strategies. 

In Weeks 4 & 5, zine-making gurus - Sticky Institute - will join the club and share their amazing expertise with the students and zines will be launched in a special Book Week event in Week 7.

We are literally bursting with excitement! 

Please discuss the zine club with your child and encourage them to come along! 

Also, if you have any awesome magazines you can donate for the Zine Club, we would love that so much! Donations can be dropped at the office.

Art Therapy Program with Kanling 

In other exciting news, Sunny Heights is also getting an Art Therapy program! We've been busy building a strong partnership with La Trobe University and starting this term, we will be home to Art Therapy students doing their placement. This is such an exciting opportunity to add an extra layer of Wellbeing support for our students. 

In collaboration with teachers and parents, students will be selected to participate in the Arts Therapy program run by the students on placement. 

Arts therapists use visual art-making, drama, dance and movement to improve physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. They work with individuals or groups using arts processes such as painting to create meaning, rather than focusing on the end product.

Now let me introduce to you our first Art Therapist in training - Kanling! 

Kanling will officially start on Monday 19th July, but many students will have seen her face about the school on Friday and at assembly, as we welcomed her into the Sunny Heights family. Kanling will be working in the school on Mondays and Wednesday throughout all of Term 3 and the beginning of Term 4. 

BREAKFAST CLUB. 

This week, our Breakfast Club officially launched and we couldn't be prouder. It has been absolutely beautiful seeing students come and enjoy breakfast with their family and friends, powering up their school day with happy, healthy and full bellies. 

And an extra massive thank you to our amazing parent volunteers. Without them, the daily running of the program wouldn't be possible! Big shout out to Bec, Andrew, Maria, Marijke, Patti, Nat, Deidre and Sukie for the energy and enthusiasm they brought to the mornings! 

If there are any other parents out there keen to get involved, we would love some extra hands on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8:25AM to 9:00AM. Please email me if you are free and interested! 

Breakfast Club runs everyday from 8:30-8:55AM. 

Cereals and fruit will be served outside of the canteen in the Specialist Hub. To access Breakfast Club from 8:30AM, you will need to enter the school via the main entrance at Mailey Street. All other gates will be closed until their usual opening time of 8:40AM. 

All students and families are welcome to Breakfast Club! Students must be accompanied to Breakfast Club by a parent/carer/guardian/adult and supervised until 8:45AM when teachers are on yard duty. 

We can't wait to see you all there for some banter and breakfast! 

Need to reach me? 

To discuss anything Wellbeing related, feel free to contact me via email or the school phone number!