20-August-2021
Dear Families
Thank you once again for your efforts and support in helping to maintain continuity of learning for our students this week. The scavenger hunt seems a distant memory now and we were fortunate with the timing of this event – and the weather for it too 😊
Increasingly, mental health and wellbeing is becoming a focus of many schools in our Network – and I assume, throughout metropolitan Melbourne, and today’s update aims to provide suggestions and tips and how we can all help to manage this concerning upward trend.
Resilience Project
To help support school communities, especially everyone going through remote learning, we’re really excited to announce the return of GEM TV next week with Martin Heppell. Tune in from Monday August 23 – Friday August 27 for this energetic and engaging series designed to support the wellbeing of young people.
What you need to know:
- New episodes will be released each school day from August 23-27.
- New episodes will be available to view from 2pm – 3pm (Melbourne Time/AEST) each day. So tune in from 2pm to avoid missing out.
- Episodes are intended for a primary school audience.
- Tune in through TRP@HOME, or go to www.theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/gem-tv
- Each episode explores a different evidence-based principle linked to positive mental health: Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness, Emotional Literacy and Connection.
The links below have been provided to us via the Department of Education messaging as part of their support for schools – some of which we hope you may find helpful
A short video produced by headspace with tips and strategies for parents and carers during lockdown
Some suggestions on how students (and our families) can deal with a tough time and boost their (our) mood through practising gratitude
https://au.reachout.com/articles/the-how-and-why-of-practising-gratitude
Looking after yourself
There are also lots of things you can do to look after yourself. You could:
- take a break from the news and social media
- spend time with people who make you laugh and feel happy
- do some exercise
- try to eat healthily and keep the unhealthy snack foods and drinks as treats
- get creative with some art, poetry or music
- try meditation and mindfulness
School Review
Monday marks the second day of our school review – a process that all schools go through every 4 years. This year our Review will all be completed online with a panel that includes an independent reviewer, Department Improvement leaders and representatives from other schools who are experts in their respective fields.
The online nature of this review will cause some minimal disruptions to our work on Monday next week with ALL staff to be interviewed by the panel throughout the day.
We are not able to shift the review back to Term 4, as we requested, as the Department’s wish is to keep the current cycle of Review, (and the cycle of all schools) and stick to the timelines we have been given.
This might mean that your child’s teachers may need to shuffle the times of Webex meetings. These new times are noted in the attached Weekly Overviews. Although the times may have altered, we are trying to ensure continuity and consistency for our students in an uncertain period of our lives.
Student free day
At this stage we remain committed to holding our Student Free day on the last day of this term – Friday September 17. It has been moved to this date to minimise disruption to our students’ connection and learning during this period of remote and flexible learning.
“The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison
Take Care
James Whitla
