Wellbeing

Wellbeing continues to be a focus at a whole school level. Moving from resilience to resourcefulness (an ability to make the most of a situation and problem solve) is an area of continual exploration, especially as playground play looks a little different this term in order for us to keep everyone safe as per our DET COVIDSafe Operations Guide. 

Students will continue to focus on social and emotional wellbeing throughout the term, using their Resilience Journals, Smiling Minds and engaging in the Respectful Relationships curriculum (Positive Coping, Stress Management, Help Seeking).

Just as reading and maths need to be taught, so do social skills. Re-tuning our students into collaborative play is at the forefront of our minds as students re-enter and share spaces in the school playground. Some of the ways that we are supporting our students to feel safe and connected in the playground are:

• All classes engage in daily Circle Times as an opportunity to debrief, unpack and process our experiences this year.
• Students are currently playing in the playground in level teams in designated areas to reduce congestion (Preps; Grade 1&2; Grade 3&4; Grade 5&6), as per COVIDSafe Guidelines to reduce student mixing.
• Additional staff have been allocated to playground areas to support  ‘play’, at both a junior and senior level.
• Prep students engage in developmental play each morning. As well as providing a provocation for learning that day, play within the classroom provides crucial opportunities for dialogue, the development of vocabulary and to practise respectful communication, social skills for sharing, and turn taking and the skills of cooperative problem solving.
• Grade 1/2 students will be participating in whole class activities focused on initiating play, establishing rules, playing safely and seeking help as informed by the DET Be The Boss of Your Brain program. Thanks to Bonnie Anderson for leading this.
• Grade 3/4 will participate in weekly sessions of Friends For Life, facilitated by our staff member Linda McCaffrey. This program focuses on positive thinking, fostering friendships and respectfully communicating feelings.
• Grade 5 Upstanders will be beginning their project challenge, focused on building positive social action in the online world. Students engaged in a number of webinars last week facilitated by Project Rockit in this area. Thanks to Megan Craig for working with our network schools to get this going.
• Teachers are participating in a professional development session next week around Trauma Informed Practice to further our understanding of how to best support students who might be feeling anxious about our return to school.

Be kind to yourself

As mentioned already in this newsletter, with your children back at school, you might be able to entertain the thought of looking after yourself – self-care as a parent or caregiver is just as important as your own child’s. Be sure to take some time out for yourself this week and enjoy the quiet, uninterrupted time you might have during the day. 

Accessing Support

If looking after yourself is challenging and you have concerns about how you are coping, support is available. Talk to someone you trust, contact your general practitioner (GP), a counsellor or psychologist or visit a hospital emergency department. You can also access external help through:

Helpline

• Parentline  13 22 89 

• Lifeline 

• Beyond Blue