WELLBEING & ENGAGEMENT UPDATE
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back, I hope you all had a lovely holiday break and that the children are refreshed and ready for their final term of learning in 2024.
School Wide Positive Behaviours for Learning (SPBL)
As communicated at the end of last term, we are in the process of rolling out a more succinct and clear framework around processes and procedures to manage behaviours. The SPBL committee has established three new school expectations; Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Kind. The awarding of Merit (academic) and PAWS (displaying of positive behaviours) awards will begin from next week (week 2) at the Friday morning assembly. The parents of the award recipients will be notified by email each Wednesday. PAWS tokens will be given out by teachers to reward positive behaviours displayed by children on the playground and in the classroom. Children will vote with these tokens for one of four end of term whole school rewards. After refining in coming weeks the processes and procedures to manage behaviours and consequences will be communicated with you.
As part of the ‘Grow Your Mind’ wellbeing program we use here at Sacred Heart, we apply an understanding of neuroscience with storytelling to teach students about their brain.
We use animal characters to represent the 5 key parts of the brain to make some basic brain science accessible, relatable & playful to children. This can help them understand their emotions, behaviours, and learning processes.
The animals provide purpose to the ‘Grow Your Mind’ wellbeing content. Teachers refer to the animals during activities such as calming our Guard Dog down with a mindfulness exercise. This might help the Wise Owl to wake up and make a good decision about what to do next—or waking up the Sensitive Octopus by naming our emotions to be a kind friend.
The teachers recognise that each child’s brain develops at its own pace and that tailoring support to their developmental stage can enhance their emotional wellbeing and academic success.
Refer to the infographics below to familiarise yourself with the Grow Your Mind animals and how they link to mental fitness skills.
Screen Safety Tips for Parents
In today's digital world, children are using screens more than ever. While technology offers wonderful learning opportunities, it’s important to ensure that our young students use it safely and responsibly. Find attached some simple yet effective screen safety tips to help you guide your children in developing healthy digital habits. Together, we can create a safe and balanced online experience for our kids!
Have a wonderful week and remember to keep refilling that cup.
Amanda Macourt
Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement