WHSC Newsletter

Principal's Report 

'Creating Futures Together' 

Hello Everyone, 

 

It is amazing how quickly time flies. It seems like just yesterday that we were welcoming everyone back for the start of a new year. Now, we are speeding up to make sure that we have everything done by the end of term. 

 

Year 7 and 9 have just completed a week of NAPLAN testing. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our students for their excellent behaviour during the testing period. Their maturity and focus during this time was truly impressive. 

 

Our VCE students are working their way through those all-important assessment tasks. 

 

We also have a number of significant events coming up. 

 

The College will be holding its Open Day on Tuesday March 28. This year we will be holding a meet & greet in the Bunjil Centre and running tours during the school day so that parents (both prospective and current) can see the College in operation. Please check the College’s website for session and tour times. 

 

Early next term (May 4), we will be holding our Learning and Wellbeing Conferences (formerly Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences) online from 12.30 pm to 7.30 pm. There will be no classes held on this day. Bookings for the evening will be open on Wednesday 26th April at 9 am via Compass. 

 

We would also like to remind parents and students of the uniform requirements regarding the wearing of PE uniform for the whole school day when they have a PE or sports class. Students are required to wear the full PE uniform (i.e. Sports top, sanctioned shorts and appropriate footwear). Leggings and non-school shorts are not to be worn.  

Our final newsletter for the term will be on the 6th April. 

 

Stay safe. 

Andrew Dixon on behalf of the Principal Team

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES

 

Dear families, 

 

While we know sleep is essential for good health, research shows that many children and young people are not getting enough sleep on school nights. This can affect thinking, concentration, memory, reaction times and mood.

 

Research shows about 12% of primary school-aged children, a quarter of 12- to 15-year-olds and half of 16- to 17-year-olds don’t get enough sleep on school nights. The recommended amount of time to sleep for primary school-aged children is 9 to 11 hours. For teenagers, it’s 8 to 10 hours.

 

Signs that your child is not getting enough sleep can include:

  • low mood and irritability during social interactions
  • reluctance or arguing about getting off devices and going to bed
  • falling asleep during the day
  • difficulties waking up for school and sleeping in late on weekends to catch up
  • changes to communicating or interacting at home.

You can help your child to improve their sleep by:

  • establishing a regular sleep pattern and consistent bedtime routine
  • supporting them to avoid using electronic devices such as smartphones before going to bed and in bed
  • encouraging your child to exercise and spend time outside in daylight, steering clear of vigorous activity in the hour before sleep
  • encouraging them to wind down and relax before going to bed.

If your child is still having trouble sleeping, has persistent problems with low mood, excessive daytime sleepiness, restlessness in bed, severe snoring or wakening unrefreshed, despite getting adequate length sleep, they should see a doctor. 

For more information on sleep health, you can refer to: