Wellbeing Zone

Enter the Wellbeing Zone

Welcome to the Wellbeing Zone. When you enter the zone, you will find a wealth of information about all the things happening in the Wellbeing space at Sunshine Heights PS as well as strategies, articles, book recommendations and events that will help build our dream and culture of Wellbeing throughout our school community, inside and outside of school, so that we can sail together through a universe of possibilities with all the emotional and social skills we need to thrive. 

Hold on. 

Dear Sunny Heights Family, 

As we head into the holidays, I just wanted to say a big, deep hearted thank you for supporting your kids throughout this really challenging time. You played such a pivotal role in your child's wellbeing and ensuring they feel safe in these uncertain times. So stop and take a big deep breath! You made it through and helped your children hold on, whilst trying to hold on yourselves too! No easy mission. We know there's still lots of uncertainty ahead of us, but we will navigate that together. For now, rest and recharge a little. 

As we head into the holidays, I'm leaving you with a little love from one of my favourite artists - Alabama Shakes. I feel like this is an empowering soundtrack to our collective lives and experiences right now, and I am hoping the holidays will help us all to 'get back up and hold on' a little longer. 

See you on the flipside. 

With love, 

Francine

<3

School Holiday Ideas 

What we can and can't do these school holidays may be limited, but our imaginations are not! I've put together a few ideas to help keep the imaginations alight over the holidays. Click on the links below for some ideas and activities that are budget or entirely FREE. 

School Holiday Online Workshops for Young Carers

Are you a young carer looking after someone with additional needs? This school holidays two amazing organisations - Little Dreamers and Satellite are running young carer-specific events, which look like a whole lotta FUN! 

School Holidays Mental Health Support 

Mental health support, resources and advice are available for students and families to access over the holidays. Two fact sheets for students and families have been developed by the Department of Education to support the mental health and wellbeing of students during this time.

These have been developed to support school students and families over the school holidays to:

• support positive mental health and wellbeing of students
• identify signs students may need mental health support
• access available support.

These fact sheets are also available in 19 different languages. Click the link below to access them! 

Wellbeing Books for the Heart

This term, in our Wellbeing and Art webex sessions, we've shared lots of amazing Wellbeing-focused literature with the students! The holidays are a perfect time to sink into some books so we thought we would share the gamut of texts we have explored this term to revisit over the holidays. 

Farewell, for now, Maddy and Bea. 

Our beautiful creative artists - Maddy and Bea - finish up with Sunny Heights this week. I'm sure you and our students will agree, they have brought an incredible abundance of creativity, magic, loose threads and connection to our school that we are forever grateful for, and which will leave a great legacy. 

We secretly want to keep them forever, but we know we can't, so for now - it is farewell. We say for now because we are almost certain this won't be the last time the Sunny Heights paths cross with those of Maddy and Bea. 

We hope you'll join us in virtually whispering sweet thank yous to send them their way! 

Posture Tips for these Digital Times

While we may be heading into the holidays, all our kids will still most likely be spending more time on screens to connect with friends with restrictions and lockdown still in place. Good posture is hugely important when spending as much time online as our young people have been. Raising Children have just released these posture guides that are worth exploring! 

healthy-posture-child-screen-time

healthy-posture-for-teenage-screen-time

Tuning into Teens

Brimbank Youth Services have a free 7 week (2 hours per week) evidenced based program for parents in Brimbank to attend specifically designed to help young people (aged 12-18 years) manage their emotions better and parents to develop and maintain an emotional connection with their child. 

The impacts of the current epidemic and isolation have sometimes strained relationships this program is designed to assist parents to-

·       Have talks with their teen.

·       Better understand their teens development.

·       Help their teen to manage emotions.

·       Reduce behaviour problems in their teen.

·       Help their teen to deal with conflict.

·       Help their teen develop emotional intelligence.

When: Wednesdays 6-8pm from 20 October to 1 December 2021

Where: Online via Zoom

Register your interest for Term 4, 2021 by clicking the BYS logo below! 

Firekeepers Nature Program

Don't forget, if you're interested in participating in the Firekeepers Nature Program next term, visit the links below to complete the survey that will help shape the program! 

You can access the survey links in different languages by clicking the links below for the relevant language  - 

English

 عربي

Türkçe

Tiếng Việt

Brimbank Radio Ed Week 2021

We are super excited to be a part of the Brimbank Radio Ed Week in November. Last week, we shared the link for you to share your voice and add your ideas for possible radio segment ideas that our Grade 5/6 radio show hosts could plan and produce, which share what our Sunshine Heights PS Community is all about. There have been some amazing ideas already, but we would love even more, so please take a moment to think about what our school stands for and a radio show idea that could communicate that to the world. 

Need to reach me? 

To discuss anything Wellbeing related, feel free to contact me via email or the school phone number!