From the Assistant Principal- Wellbeing and Learning

Welcome to the start of Term 2. 

It has been a good start to Term 2. I thank the students for their efforts to get involved with learning from the first day of term.

I would like to remind students and families that all students are to be in full winter uniform including their hair styles as expected and their use of jewellery. It is important to start the day on a positive note. If you are organised for the day and are in the right uniform it means you have started the day well and it is easy to continue the positive streak. If you are unorganised, out of uniform or late it means you have started the day behind and it is more difficult to catch up and move in a positive direction. 

What happens if I am sick or cannot attend school?

If you are sick, you are not permitted to attend school. As the Flu season starts, we need to be mindful of expectations with Covid.

1. If your child has any cold or flu symptoms they must stay at home and do a RAT or get a Covid test. The results of the test must be sent to the school ASAP.
2. Any student attending school with cold or flu symptoms will be isolated and sent home for a Covid test or RAT. They need to stay at home if they have flu like symptoms.
3. Students can work online if they are at home and should continue to work while they are at home.

Mental Illness

The stigma around mental illness has disappeared and people are more willing to say they have a concern and reach out for help. One complaint that I hear on a regular bases is that mum and dad don’t understand what I’m going through. Sometimes parents don’t have a lot of knowledge about mental illness and this prevents them from fully understanding the needs of the child. There are many websites, e.g. beyond blue, headspace, black dog, that have information on mental illness to assist families in understanding what is going on. 

The College has 2 counsellors, Mrs. Castle and Sister Cristina, who are available to the students and their families if there are any concerns about mental illness. Starting a conversation about what is going on is the first step in helping the young person through their difficult time.  

All students have access to information on Google classroom Wellbeing page. Leaders of Learning are also available to assist students to get any assistance they require. I have put a picture in this section, which identifies how a parent can assist with mental illness. I hope this is helpful. Please don’t hesitate to contact the College if you have any questions.

Why are some of our kid’s suffering from Mental Illness 

Kids these days are over-stimulated and over-given material objects, but they are deprived of the foundations of a healthy childhood, such as:

• Emotionally available parents
• clearly defined boundaries
• Responsibilities
• Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep
• Movement in general but especially outdoors
• Creative gaming, social interaction, informal gaming opportunities and spaces for boredom

What are some of the issues with our kids:

• Digital Distracted Parents
• Pampering and permissive parents who let children "rule the world" 
• Kids are given everything without earning it or being responsible for getting it
• Inappropriate sleep and unbalanced nutrition
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Endless stimulation, constant technology, instant gratification and absence of boring moments

What you can do ?

• Set boundaries, Don't be afraid to say "no" to your children 
• Offer children a balanced lifestyle 
• Provide nutritious food and limit junk food.
• Spend at least one hour a day outdoors doing activities 
• Enjoy a daily family dinner without the distraction of smartphones or technology.
• Play games with the family.
• Involve your children in a task or housework.
• Implement a consistent sleep routine to ensure your child sleeps long enough. 
• Teach responsibility and independence. 
• Don't do everything for your children, instead of giving them the fish, show them how to fish.
• Teach them to wait and delay gratification.
• Provide opportunities for "boredom", because boredom is the moment when creativity awakens. Don't feel responsible for always keeping your kids entertained.
• Do not use technology as a cure for boredom.
• Avoid using technology during meals, in cars, restaurants, etc these are socialising moments. 
• Be emotionally available to connect with children and teach them self-regulation and social skills:
• Turn off the phones at night when kids have to go to bed to avoid digital distraction. Leave them in another room to allow propper sleep.
• Teach them to recognize and handle their own frustrations and anger.
• teach them manners and social skills
• Connect emotionally - smile, kiss, kiss, tickle, read, dance, jump, play with them.

What’s in the Planner?

There are many wellbeing activities in the planner that you can look at and use while you are learning online. Building relationships with teachers has been proven to be an indicator of success at school. 

Students need to use the expertise of the teacher and staff at the College. Getting feedback from the experts is not criticism but a helpful way to move forward in your learning.

Negative mind chatter can cause self-doubt and anxiety. Always be solution focused and have a growth mindset. Focus on what we can control and how we can move forward when we are faced with road blocks.

One of the focuses we should have is Active Constructive Responding (ACR). This is about listening enthusiastically, making eye contact, using positive gestures to make them feel valued. We must be mindful about being dismissive, showing no enthusiasm or being non responsive to others. Positive engaged listening to others helps us build relationships. 

The focus over the next few weeks is:

WHAT’S STRONG, NOT WHAT’S WRONG

God Bless

Mr. Nicholas Thrum
Assistant principal - Students