Wellbeing

Inform and Empower - Starting School Workshop

We were privileged to have Carley McGuaran speak with our Kinder and Prep 2024 parents about starting school.  Here are some take aways:

Skills you can use at home.

Focus on you…

• Tune into your stress levels.

• Set up additional support.

• What can you take out?

• Be aware of your own reactions to school-related stuff.

• Review your expectations. 

What is school readiness?

• Each child looks different in their ‘readiness’.
• Learn from other transitions - How did you support your child? What worked well? What didn’t ? How did you involve others?

What to expect:

Rollercoaster, Meltdowns, Exhaustion, Anxiety, Mistakes, Growth!

Where to focus

Emotions

Feelings: All feelings matter! Name it to tame it! Make space for feelings

Role Model 

Downtime, Calm Time

Support rather than punish

Calm down tools

Mindfulness (comfort objects use music)

Independence

Encourage it

Chart list

Social

Building social capacity

Play dates

Play games

Teach and use manners

Problem Solve

Opportunities for practice

Ask for help

Routines rituals rhythms

Set them up (charts)

Plan screen time especially not in the evening

Buy more uniforms!

Communication

Get curious not furious

Say less

Share stories

Talk to trusted others

Keep teachers in the loop

Consider the “how”

Concerns

Wait and see

Trust your instincts

Staff professional Learning

We are working with Behaviour Consultant Patrice Wiseman on Positive Behaviour Support (PBS).  PBS focusses on strategies and methods that aim to assist students to reduce challenging behaviours and increase success through the teaching of new skills. Positive behaviour is explicitly taught and reinforced and prevention approaches are emphasised. 

Proactive strategies that are aimed at decreasing behaviours of concern and replacing them with pro-social skills that lead to enhanced social competencies.

Schools work towards creating a climate where positive behaviour is explicitly taught and reinforced and prevention approaches are emphasized. 

Prevent strategies 

- Prevent or minimise the behaviour triggers from occurring. Predominantly environmental changes made.

Teach strategies 

- Teach the student new skills or replacement behaviours

Reinforce strategies

• Reinforce the positive behaviour

• Alter response of others around the student

Moira Allied Health - Occupational Therapy in Schools

Hello from the MOIRA Allied Health Team,

We have exciting news! We have new OT’s starting at the end of July who will be ready to support your students.

To get started, complete our online referral form linked below:

MOIRA Allied Health Referral Form

Occupational therapists work with children and young people of all abilities to support participation at school to achieve their best outcomes from their education. Each person is an individual, so their needs will be to. MOIRA’s occupational therapists conduct assessments to identify individual goals, strengths and barriers to learning, then recommend strategies or changes to the environment to increase a student’s capacity to participate.

Advanced Psychology

AP is a newly established private practice, that aims to improve the quality of life for individuals and families. Even though our psychologists have years of experience, as we are a new practice, we have immediate availability for referrals for therapy and assessments, available both face-to-face and via Telehealth.

AP provides assessments for Specific Learning Disorder (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia), Autism, and ADHD for clients of all ages. We offer therapeutic services for a range of mental health conditions commonly present in children, adolescents, and adults, such as emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, stress, sleep issues, inattentiveness, and challenging behaviour. We work closely with individuals as well as the whole family to develop healthy and sustainable long-term coping mechanisms in order for them to thrive in all areas of their lives.

Director and Principal Psychologist

Advanced Psychology

Suit 1.04 71 Queens Road, Melbourne 3004

Phone: 0479069648

Email: lindakollind@advancedpsychology.net

Web: https://www.advancedpsychology.net/

Josy Reeder

Learning Diversity/Wellbeing Leader