We are ecstatic that students are returning to onsite learning. Lockdown 6.0 has been very challenging for our students, families, and staff, but it has been inspiring to witness the resilience and commitment of our community.

Term 3 ended with the Wellbeing and other staff members preparing Year 12 Packs to boost the morale of our students as they prepared towards the final leg of their schooling journey. The packs included letters to self from the beginning of the year, a letter from the wellbeing team, their exam revision packs, sensory toys, and some yummy treats from Donutopia.

It was a pleasure to welcome them back on the 7th of October with a hot chocolate and some more yummy treats! We will be farewelling them this Friday, and we wish our Year 12s all the best for their upcoming exams!

Our team has been busy developing interactive sessions to welcome the rest of our students over the next few days. It will include fun activities and prizes to welcome our students back into school.

As restrictions are finally easing, Breakfast Club will be running again. It will be resuming as of Monday the 25 October, running daily from 8-8.30am and is open to all students and staff. There is a range of healthy brekkie options each day catering to all dietary requirements. A reminder that the Breakfast Club is facilitated by community volunteers who generously give their time to support our school; please remember to be respectful and don’t forget to smile and thank them!

A reminder to our Fairhills Hills community that although we are returning to onsite learning, the wellbeing team is here to support you during this transition. Please see below on how to access our supports and services.

“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” - Theodore Roosevelt.

Amal Saleh-Zada

Student Wellbeing Coordinator

Mental Health Month

October is Mental Health Month in Australia. The theme for this year’s national campaign is: “Look after yourself Australia- Look Up, Look Out, Look Forward!” In what has been another challenging year for many, people are encouraged to make a promise to do something positive for their health and wellbeing. Making a promise is a way of committing to something and helping to prioritise it. No matter how small, it’s a step towards looking after yourself, finding small joys and feeling a small sense of control in a time that has been very much out of our control. Below are some ideas for promises that students and families can make.

We are encouraging everyone in our community to make a promise to look after their wellbeing. We are asking students to let us know what their promise is so we can make a collage of the way our community is taking action to look after themselves. We also welcome any families who have made promises to let us know as well. All promises can be sent to wellbeing@fairhills.vic.edu.au

RUOK? Day Photo Challenge

In recognition of RUOK? Day in Term 3, we ran a Photo Challenge competition, asking students to send in creative photos to capture the RUOK? slogan. We had some amazingly well-considered and crafted photo entries- thanks to everyone who participated! In the end, we were awarded 2 winners- Felicity from 12B and Aleisha from 11G. They both won RUOK? prize packs, including a $25 gift voucher and some other goodies.

Returning to life pre-Covid

As life is starting to open again, it is normal that we may be experiencing a range of feelings about resuming aspects of pre-covid life. For some people it will be exciting and long awaited. For others, it may feel a little daunting. For others still, overwhelming. These are all normal feelings in an abnormal situation.

Tops Tips for post-covid life.

Go slowly- take your time to reintegrate back into activities and tasks. Many things may feel strange after such a long break. Take note of how you are feeling and speak to someone you trust if you are feeling worried or anxious.
Rebuild relationships- it may have been a long time since you have seen some friends and family. They may have changed, as you may have too. Take time to reconnect, be open about what you need, be patient with others and yourself and be open to supporting others.
Reflect on your experience- rather than rushing to ‘go back’ to what life was like, take time to think about what changes you might like for the future. Do you want to work less, exercise more, spend more time with friends or family, start a new hobby. Make a list of any potential changes and work on them.
Seek help early- everyone experiences change differently. Take note of mood changes and strong emotions, anxiety, poor sleep or changes in appetite. Sometimes these can be signs that you are not coping as well as you have and may need to access some extra support. An appointment with your GP is a good start.

(Ref: Blackdoginstitute.org.au)

This is a link to a short, interactive headspace tool to help young people identify what might be helpful if they are feeling worried about a return to post-lockdown life.

https://headspace.org.au/decks/return-to-pre-covid-19-life/

And of course, we encourage young people and adults alike, to talk to someone you trust if you are feeling worried.

Peta Cartwright

Mental Health Practitioner

LGBTQIA + Peer Support Group

Fairhills High School had its first LGBTQIA+ peer support group session on October 12, followed by a second session on October19. On both occasions, there was a great turnout, with about seven students attending. All students participated in establishing the group, and two students have come forward volunteering to lead the group (which is excellent!). This group will be held at lunchtime every Tuesday in the wellbeing centre or online (if we are in lockdown).

We are looking forward to making this a successful and sustainable group that Fairhills students lead.

Melanie Miller

Social Work Placement Student

Accessing Support through Wellbeing

The Wellbeing team can assist students in accessing the support they need to navigate challenges that may impact their ability to engage in learning or general feelings of wellbeing. This may include an initial assessment of need with the student and/or family, short term counselling or skills development or referrals to external support agencies. Students may also be encouraged to access self-help strategies or resources. We will explore the best options for each student.

We encourage students and/or parents to contact the year level coordinators for wellbeing referrals. You can also make an appointment with someone from the Wellbeing Team by attending the Wellbeing Centre or contacting us via email at wellbeing@fairhillshs.vic.edu.au

Teachers who have concerns about a student may also refer them to the Wellbeing Team through their Year Level Coordinator.

If you or anyone you know needs immediate support, please contact kidshelpline or lifeline on the numbers at the bottom of this page.

Student Wellbeing Team

Student Wellbeing Coordinator - Amal Saleh-Zada

Chaplain – Stewart McCartney

Mental Health Practitioner - Peta Cartwright

Headspace Psychologist - Tashena Perry

Student Support Services Psychologist - Emily Habard