ARE YOU OK?

This question has never been more important. As some people are isolated and disconnected from support groups, checking in on each other and forging new ways to manage stress and feelings of hopelessness are a must.

The Wellbeing Team met this week to discuss what we are doing as a school to support each other, and the students, during a time for which there is no precedent.

To celebrate and promote student wellbeing during remote learning, teachers are implementing a variety of activities, strategies and games to support students throughout our remote learning time.

Examples are activities such as teachers singing happy birthday and putting aside time for students to share work, ideas and special skills.

Some levels are giving students the opportunity for lockdown journal writing as a means to express their feelings.

Other students are being encouraged to engage in activities like mindful drawing, meditation and yoga. Teachers are creating collaborative tasks such as book clubs, themed days and providing well being check-in surveys. Some grades are discussing Zones of Regulation strategies to support emotional wellbeing as well as covering aspects of the Respectful Relationships program. Family dance activities, use of ‘Fun Friends’ language, extreme reading forts, playing games such as 'Where’s Wally' and making virtual hugs are other ways teachers are trying to tap in and support children’s emotional health and wellbeing.

A Friday assembly has also been introduced as a way to maintain community connection.

Looking after the kids is obviously everyone’s priority, but please remember to be kind to yourself.

The children in our community need us more than ever, but to help them we must remember to look after ourselves.

Written by Gabby Grant on behalf of the MPS Wellbeing Team

OUR FAMILIES LEARNING FROM HOME

Thank you for sending us your photographs of home learning!

STUDENT WELLBEING – Accredited Programs for the Older Students

Cool Kids

Last year, a small group of students participated in the Cool Kids Program which was run at school, once a week for a series of weeks. The students were asked to be critical participants and provide us with feedback regarding the benefits of the program and whether our school should continue to run it in future years.

Resoundingly, all participants (and their parents) gave high praise to the benefits of the Cool Kids Program and recommended we run it again.

So What is the Cool Kids Program?

The Cool Kids Program is a world renowned skills-based program that teaches older children (including teenagers) and their parent(s) how to better manage anxiety.

There are a range of different types of anxiety experienced by children and teenagers, including finding it difficult to be away from parents, being extremely shy, worrying about what others think of them, avoiding social and school activities (e.g. speaking to people, class presentations) or worrying a lot about everyday matters, potential dangers and the future. Sleep difficulties, headaches, nausea and difficulty breathing can be part of these feelings. Many children experience more than one type of anxiety.

The Cool Kids program has been running at Macquarie University since 1993 and numerous research studies have found that most young people who complete the program show significant improvement. The program is now offered to schools and run by accredited facilitators.

Topics covered in the program include:

Learning about feelings and anxiety.
Learning to think realistically.
Parenting an anxious child.
Fighting fear by facing fear (stepladders).
Learning coping skills such as building confidence or problem solving.

Are you thinking this program would benefit your child?

Our school has been successful in obtaining funding from the Glen Eira School Focused Youth Service to run the program at no cost to participants; the downfall is that we can only offer the program to a small group of 6 students.

If your child is in either Year 5 or 6 and you believe they would benefit from Cool Kids, then please email the school as soon as possible.

The program will commence in the first week back in Term 4 via an online platform and an adult must be present (either a parent or teacher depending on whether we’re back at school or not.)

For further details about the program and the presenters, please see the flyer attached.

MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM

MAT Program (A Therapeutic Martial Arts Program)

Commencing in the first week of Term 4, we will be running the MAT program for a small group of Year 6 students (max 10 participants). The MAT program is designed for young people who are at risk of disengagement from school due a variety of risk factors, some of which may include: mental health issues, family crises or low educational achievement.

The MAT Program is delivered in weekly sessions for an average period of 60 mins a week for 10 weeks. Our school has chosen the MAT Life Skills Program which uses an evidence-based approach, including; pre and post group surveys, school interviews, key success measures and risk management strategies throughout the planning, delivery and reporting phases of the program.

Below is an example of a lesson (however lessons have been adapted to suit the online learning environment.)

Last year, the Top 5 areas where the MAT Program had stronger impact for students as requested by schools and agencies were:

(a) Helping young people to be able to recognise their emotions and express them appropriately

(b) Supporting them in becoming confident, resilient and adaptable

(c) Developing pathways for effective communication

(d) Showing positive ways in which to negotiate and resolve conflict

(e) Becoming disciplined and capable of setting goals

We believe this program will benefit most of our Year 6 students as they begin to think about their transition to secondary school. The school has obtained a grant to run the MAT program, however there is a maximum group size of only 10 students. If you believe this program would be beneficial to your child, please don’t delay in emailing the school to express your interest. The program will commence in the first week of term 4 in an online format. Either a teacher or parent will need to be present: but this will depend on our CoVID restrictions).

A flyer is attached below with further information regarding the MAT program.

Chellee Plumb

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