Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this newsletter finds you all well, and safe. My apologies for getting this newsletter out a day late. Time got away from me yesterday, but I hope you find the information included useful.

COVID-19 Supports: As we move into another week of Remote Learning, with the looming uncertainty of when the children will be able to return to on-site learning, the impacts this is having on children, parents and our staff is more and more evident each day. The Department of Education has a range of resources to help parents and carers and I urge you to explore these to see if there are any that can help you and your family during this difficult time. Below is the excerpt from DET:

It can be challenging to process and manage changes to routines and the uncertainty that comes with COVID-19 and related restrictions – including moving to remote learning. To support our school community during this time, resources and support are available for parents, carers and families. These resources will help to support the mental health and wellbeing of our students and the young people in our care during this time. I encourage everyone in our community to access these resources and take care of themselves during this time.

Services and support for students and their families:

A Quick Guide to Student Mental Health and Wellbeing resources is available for students, parents and carers looking to access expert guidance and resources to support wellbeing. Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students remains our priority this year, especially during the continued COVID-19 pandemic and while students are learning from home.

For students, the guide includes resources to support their own mental health and wellbeing.

Advice and resources for students about ways to adapt their learning during COVID-19, to look after themselves and where to get help.
Wellbeing activities featuring AFL and AFLW players with tips on managing stress, staying active and gratitude.
Smiling Mind mindfulness activities for senior secondary school students, including short videos, online tip sheets and meditations.

The guide also includes resources and supports for parents and carers to help them build their child’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. This includes:

resources to support children’s physical, mental health and wellbeing
wellbeing activities and conversation starters for parents of parents of primary school-aged children and parents of secondary school-aged children
Raising Learners podcast series
how to talk to your child about COVID-19
headspace is running webinars for parents and carers about offering support when they are concerned about a young person’s mental health.

Wellbeing guidance for parents and carers is also available:

on the Department’s website
headspace has created a video providing tips to support parents and carers during lockdown
through the confidential parent support hotline, Parentline, available 8am to midnight, seven days a week, Phone: 13 22 89.

NAPLAN Results: You may have heard in the media earlier this week that Victoria, as a State, has achieved great results in this year’s NAPLAN results. I have included a document with this newsletter that shows the steady progress Victoria has been making over the past 5-6 years. Individual school and student results will be available early next week and we will post the individual reports to families once they arrive. If your child is in Year 3 or 5 this year please ensure your postal address is up-to-date to ensure they reach your home safely. If you have not received it by the 10th September, please contact the school and we will arrange for a photocopy to be available for collection. Whilst these results paint a picture of how individuals and the school are progressing, we need to refer to it as a piece of assessment at a given point in time. Our teachers regularly assess and adapt the learning program to accommodate individual children’s learning needs and it is this work that ensures each child continues to grow and learn, whether in the classroom or during remote learning.

Book Week: This week, across Australia, schools and students have been celebrating Book Week. The theme is Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds, and Melton West have been holding a daily quiz, with a dress-up Parade held via WebEx in different teams planned for TODAY. Check out your child’s Class Dojo page for details. Thank-you to Mrs Mills and her Literacy Team for ensuring we were able to celebrate whilst learning remotely.

Inclusion and Diversity Policy: The purpose of this policy is to explain our school’s commitment to making sure every member of our school community, regardless of their background or personal attributes, is treated with respect and dignity. The Policy is available on our Website and I have included it in this newsletter for your interest. If you have any questions or comments please let us know.

High Levels of Learning for All

Michelle Costa

Principal