Coburg High School Newsletter

Health & Wellbeing

Wellbeing Team

Meet the Coburg High Wellbeing Team for 2023

Nicole Neale

Student Wellbeing Leader

Pek Lin Cerase

Student Wellbeing Officer

Inger Ross

Mental Health Practitioner

Inger is the interim Mental Health Practitioner at Coburg High School.  Inger holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Masters in Counselling,  and practices as an integrative therapist in her role as mental health practitioner at CHS. Inger brings vast professional experience with youth, asylum seekers, survivors of family violence and both tertiary and secondary school students to her role.

If you would like to meet with Inger please contact Nicole Neale, Wellbeing Leader  at Coburg High School:

nicole.neale@coburg.vic.edu.au

Isabelle Dolan

Youth Worker 

Edwina Nagorcka

DET Health Promotion Nurse

Careers

Stay tuned to Compass for fortnightly Careers updates from our news Careers Coordinator Agnes Fenech. You will find Agnes in the office opposite Reception.

Agnes Fenech

Careers Officer

Permission to Pause Program

This program is about taking the time to "woooooo" (breathe out deeply) from the chaos of everyday life such as school work, extracurricular activities and social media, etc. to focus on keeping ourselves healthy and resilient.

Yesterday, Inger and Pek Lin (Student wellbeing staff) launched the program that involved 17 students across Year 7-9 cohorts to make delicious chocolate coconut balls that contained affirmations such as, "You are enough, you are so loved and we all make mistakes." 

The kitchen was buzzing with enthusiasm and laughter as students were encouraged to mix ingredients with their hands for tactile stimulation. New friendships were fostered and old ones maintained as students enjoyed their handmade treats whilst embracing the affirmation within. 

The program runs for 7 weeks and covers Art therapy, Progressive muscle relaxation and Pet therapy, Sensory therapy: DIY slime, DIY organic skin potions, Horticulture therapy: DIY succulent mini world and Holistic Yoga.

Saver Plus – helping take the stress out of back to school time

The Saver Plus community program has helped over 55,000 Australians take the stress out of back to school time. It’s free for eligible people to join. At Saver Plus, we pair you with a savings coach while you budget and save over the next 10 months. You attend online workshops to learn tips, tricks and information to grow your budgeting and savings skills. Once you reach your agreed savings goal, ANZ matches your savings dollar-for-dollar, up to $500. You can use that money towards education costs such as uniforms, text books, laptops or extra-curricular activities such as sport or music. You could be eligible to join Saver Plus if you:

  • have a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card
  • are at least 18 years old
  • have some regular income from work (you or your partner) including casual, part-time, full time or seasonal (we also accept child support and carer’s payment as income)
  • have a child at school or attend vocational education yourself. 

If you’re eligible, start now and we’ll help take the stress out of next year’s back to school.To find out more, or to apply, go to www.saverplus.org.au or call  1300 610 355

Get Active Vouchers

Could you be eligible for a Get Active voucher for your child's sporting expenses? Check out Get Active Victoria to find out!

Little Dreamers

Hello, do you ever:

  • Help take care of someone in your family who has a disability, chronic or mental illness, frail aged or is impacted by alcohol and drugs?- Come to school worrying about the person you care for?
  • Miss out on spending time with friends or participating in activities because of your caring responsibilities?
  • Feel too tired to do school work? 

These are just a few examples of what a Young Carer might experience in their caring role! If this is you, you’re definitely not alone. Come along to Little Dreamers peer support sessions to meet other Young Carers! Make friends, learn new skills, share interests and explore what it is to be a Young Carer (and yes, there will be snacks!). Term 1 Tuesday 21 & 28 Feb, 14 & 28 MarchTerm 2 Tuesday 2, 16, 30 May & 13 June - 1.30- 2.15pm in AU05

Pek Lin Cerase

Smile Squad at CHS

All children deserve a healthy smile, and the Smile Squad is coming to Coburg High School to help make sure this happens. 

Smile Squad is a Victorian Government program that provides free dental care to all Victorian government primary and secondary school students. 

The friendly Smile Squad dental team will visit CHS soon to conduct a free annual dental health examination for every student and provide free follow up treatment as needed. Further information will be provided to families once visit dates are confirmed.

Although the engagement of parents/guardians is encouraged, in Victoria, students who are considered ‘mature minors’ may provide consent for their own dental care. To be considered a mature minor, the Smile Squad clinician must be satisfied that the student has sufficient understanding of the risks, benefits, and possible complications of their condition and proposed treatment to give informed consent. 

The Smile Squad team will check the student’s teeth and mouth and show them how to keep their teeth healthy and strong. They will also provide any preventive services you have consented for. If the student needs more treatment, the Smile Squad will discuss this and seek consent.

Asthma & Anaphylaxis Action Plans (due 1 March 2023)

If your child has been diagnosed with Asthma or Anaphylaxis, we are required to have a current Action Plan on file from your GP.  If you have already handed one in then please disregard this notice.  

Plans can be submitted either via email at info@coburg.vic.edu.au or can be handed in to Reception.

If you currently have medication and/or Action Plans at school and would like the medical officer to check the expiry dates, please send an email to Ash at the above email address.

**Please note Asthma & Anaphylaxis Plans are only valid for 12 months and must be updated Annually**

Year 7 & 10 Immunisations

Dear Parents/Guardians, on Wednesday 1 March Merri-bek City Council’s Immunisation Service will visit the school to provide a free immunisation program to all year 7 and 10 students. 

Remember: choosing to not comply with the essential early childhood vaccination schedule may change your Child Care Benefit, Child Care Rebate and/or Family Tax Benefit. You should check with the Department of Health website to see how this affects you by visiting: http://www.health.gov.au/

Here is some more information about the immunisation program:

Immunisation protects people from harmful diseases. If your child is aged 10 to 19, they can receive free vaccinations at school as part of the Secondary School Immunisation Program. 

Immunisations are safe and effective, and administered by a council nurse at secondary schools. 

You will be provided with information about these immunisation sessions by your child’s school and must return a card to the school providing or declining your consent. 

Your child can also receive immunisations at your GP, a local council immunisation service and in some pharmacies. 

Due to interruptions to school-based learning in 2020 and 2021, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, some students may have missed getting important vaccines at school. 

Parents and carers should advise the school and nurse of any immunisations their child has missed, and any vaccines they have received outside of school. 

Learn more about the Secondary School Immunisation Program in Victoria at: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/immunisation-in-secondary-schools.

Immunisation saves lives and is a proven and safe way to protect against diseases. 

The protection provided by some childhood immunisations fades over time and needs to be boosted in adolescence. 

Secondary school students are at an age when some vaccines will be most effective and provide protection before possible exposure to a disease. 

Making sure your child receives their secondary school immunisations will help to keep them healthy and well through secondary school and into adulthood. 

Local councils provide the Secondary School Immunisation Program. For adolescents not attending school, vaccinations are available from your local GP or other immunisation provider. 

Learn more: 

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/immunisation-in-secondary-schools

Some vaccines are routinely provided free of charge to all Victorian secondary school students.  

Students in Year 7 (or aged 12-13) receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) combined vaccine. 

Students in Year 10 (or aged 15-16) receive the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine. 

Your child’s school will support your local council to deliver these important immunisations, as part of the Secondary School Immunisations Program (SSIP). They will communicate with you about upcoming immunisation sessions and you will receive information about a consent card which you must return to the school providing or declining your consent for your child to be immunised. 

Learn more: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/immunisation-in-secondary-schools

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club runs twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8.00am to 8.45am.  Some of the items we have are:

cheese toasties, toast with different condiments, cereal, milk, two fruits, cereal bars, and packets of healthy snacks.