Wellbeing Report

HEAD LICE CHECKS

Recently live head lice were found in the junior school and parents need to be vigilant and screen and treat their children’s hair.  Due to the COVID Restrictions, we have not booked in the Shire of Yarra Ranges Nurse to come out to the school to run our Head Lice Screening program. Next year in Term 1 I hope to have our program operating and we will have regular checks throughout the year. If you are looking for treatment advice please contact me. In the meantime, please notify the office or tell your child’s teacher when you treat your child and lice alert notes will be sent home. Reminder-any child found with live lice will be excluded from school until they are treated. 

VIRTUAL GRADE SIX Q&A TRANSITION PARENTS UYSC FORUM

On Monday we had a virtual Grade 6 Transition Question and Answer session with Upper Yarra Secondary College. Principal, Scott Tully and Wellbeing Coordinator, Tracey Smedley offered practical advice and responses to a range of questions to help parents and carers navigate the secondary system. If you are looking to organise a tour the school is now taking appointments.  Please call UYSC to arrange a time- 5967 1877.

WOORI GIFT GIVING TREE COMMUNITY APPEAL

Our Woori Gift Giving Tree is set up inside the foyer near the hall entrance. We know many families in our community will appreciate your kindness and best wishes at Christmas time and we highly value your thoughtfulness and generosity. 

Thank you for presents that are turning up, it’s been great overhearing the joyful reactions from the children. This year we are running our Christmas Gift Drive for our local community. If parents or friends would like to donate a gift please contact the office or speak to the staff at the kiss and drop before/after school.  

Our Grade 6 transition support groups are running and our students have been comfortable sharing their excitement and worries about going to high school. Many students are worried about issues that adults would not necessarily be concerned with. For example, “what happens if…..I can’t find my classroom, I miss my bus or I forget where to go”? The students are supportive of each other’s nerves and problems where they back each other and we  talk it through together. We will continue to check in with the students each fortnight until the end of the term. 

Last week our Grade 1/2 social skills groups started and we focused our activities on “cool” and “uncool” friendship behaviours. The children brainstormed ways on how to make friends and they came up with some great lists including-

• Asking to join in
• Using a kind voice
• Standing up for a friend
• Agreeing on rules in a game
• People are not property

EMOTIONAL TIPS - RESILIANCE

Resilient children try new things. They understand that learning has plenty of setbacks and that they can overcome them. Listen carefully to the words that your child uses to explain things.  Resilient children talk to themselves differently from non- resilient ones, and do not turn mistakes into catastrophes ("I've failed my maths test, it's a disaster. I'll never get maths!"). Instead, they look at a wider, more positive picture ("Ugh that was a horrible test, and I messed it up, but I didn't do enough work. Next time I'll do more revision, and I’ll probably get a better mark"). By being your child’s emotional coach, you will be able to help them understand their emotions they experience, why they occur and how to handle them.  Don’t give up!

FREE HAPPY FAMILIES MEMBERSHIP

Veronica and I are thrilled that a number of families have joined the Happy Families membership. We have had lots of positive comments that parents and carers are enjoying the website. If you haven’t got around to joining, it’s not too late. The Happy Families membership gives you access to a number of resources which will help families, staff and students to thrive.  Every member will receive a weekly "Lighten the Load" email, which includes a quick, easy to apply tip from Dr. Justin, as well as some updates about other features in the membership. There is a library of parenting resources which offers calm assurance, direction and solutions you can try out on your families.

Click on the link to join- https://members.happyfamilies.com.au/woori-yallock-primary-school

THE DO'S & DON'TS OF DISIPLINE WEBINAR

Last night Dr. Justin Coulson presented information and strategies to help parents during those stressful times raising their children. Parenting and discipline decisions are actually about your child and it’s about what kind of human you want them to be. Dr. Justin spoke that development realities differ from a 4 year old to a 14 year old and when the emotional load gets too heavy the bridge will collapse. The messages we need to convey to kids is that we care about them and not the issue or the circumstances that led to the problem.

Tips-

• Children are people too, they have agendas and they really want to finish their game, write that message, complete their colouring or finish off that trick on the trampoline. Parents can say, “I wish you could finish that game and we’ll work out a time when we can come back to it”, or, “You are so loud and yet so am I” and,” I’m a bit like you and I get caught up on technology too”. We need to have connection for redirection.
• When kids are emotionally flooded, let them burn it out.
• Remember their developmental capacity, especially under stress.
• Watch, wait and listen.
• We need to step into their world and use helpful language, for example, “I know you are trying”.
• Parents are making a 20 year investment-love, compassionate, patience are key to better outcomes.
• We won’t see the payoff until they mature. Stocks always go up and down.
• Be reflective and not reactive. Picture the argument in 15 years and how would you deal with it then?

If you are needing help with school uniform, a food hamper or enquires for other services please call Veronica or myself.

Primary Wellbeing Officer

Andre Campbell