Engagement & Wellbeing

Teamwork - working together to achieve a goal

Teamwork - this is a favourite word of mine and one I work on with kids in my class, our staff and within the wider community - together we can achieve so much more. I constantly try to work with my own children on how they can see the best in each situation they are in and who they have and trust to support them along the way. I also want them to try to work towards a positive outcome - sometimes this doesn't always happen on the first go, the second or sometimes even the tenth. My eldest child started secondary school this year and was anxious about the changes and everything new that was ahead of him. As it turns out his 'best mates' are not in his class, he has new subjects that he has never tried before, he has to catch a bus for 2 hours a day and he has a new independence that he has not experienced before.  What he has done is reach into his backpack of experiences and used strategies that he has learnt at school, at home, with his friends and in his local community to build a team of people around him to be safe and happy. His ‘best mates’ are still his ‘best mates’ before school, at recess, lunch and after school and on the bus home and he has made wonderful connections with his teachers and even some new kids out of the 300 in year 7. This has provided him and us as a family with a great chance for him to challenge himself, test his social skills and develop even more ‘best mates’ and experiences along the way. Our challenge as parents is to guide, assist, model and reassure our kids that they will be okay and they have a team of supporters who have got their back and will champion their successes and challenges. As we start this year your children may tell you about the challenges they are facing or things that haven't gone the way that they planned and this is where we stand up as parents and parent. Listen to your children, offer suggestions and strategies and set some goals, engage with us as a team and trust that we are all working towards the same goal of providing your child and every Surfside child with the best possible opportunity and outcome and that we are all on the same team. On this education journey there will be highs and lows and speed bumps along the way - it won't be perfect - life never is. How we as parents SUPPORT and GUIDE our children through the CHALLENGES is crucial in these situations and developing TRUST that we as a school are there to SUPPORT you and your child/ren is integral towards their GROWTH and SUCCESS. I choose Team Surfside!

Mr Walsh - Principal and parent

What to Do (and Not Do) When Children Are Anxious