16-Oct-2020
It has been wonderful to see all of our students back at school this week and fabulous to see so many families at the start and end of each day too. We can all be very proud of the manner in which our students have transitioned back into their routines and structures and settled back into their work as well.
I am sure that by the end of the week they will all be tired as the stamina required to learn and socialise at school slowly increases. The similarities with the bus trips to and from School Camps are uncanny. On the morning of camp, everyone is highly excited and energised looking forward to a great experience for a few days. It’s often hard to hear each other speaking due to the noise and the music played in the bus. Everyone is alert- possibly a little bit nervous- but ready for whatever comes next. The bus trip home is very different. It’s quiet, reflective and calm. Students (and staff) are fatigued and after a debrief with friends and family reminiscing about all the great things that have happened at camp, an early night beckons.
Our students are tired after a full week back at school and after a busy few days re-learning routines, structures and boundaries- some might be after an early night to rest up and recharge. We understand this and will continue to adapt our work to get the balance between wellbeing and work, just right.
Bike Shed. It has been awesome to see so many students and families taking up the option to ride, scoot and walk to school and assist with social distancing around the perimeter of our school. The bike shed has been close to full capacity each day and while the weather remains conducive to outdoor activity, we will continue to encourage our students and families to ride scoot and walk to school.
I received this from a fellow school principal early last week and have been weaving these suggestions into our daily routines here at school this week. We have noticed that our students seem settled and ready to learn as a result of using these ideas- which complements the Wellbeing work we continue to do throughout the school. I am sharing these here in the hope that some of the tips included can make a positive difference at home too.
10 Calm Habits
- Strong human connectedness and belonging
- One-minute silence at the beginning and end of the day with some soothing music or a sound bath
- Regular moments of relaxation and stillness – 30 seconds-1 min
- Deep slow breathing/sighing
- Thinking pauses, brain breaks and brain rests
- Mindfulness moments – including closed eye exercises
- Time in nature with veggie gardens, nature play and even more outdoor learning opportunities
- Gratitude reflections often
- Laugher and lightness windows – fun releases the stress hormone cortisol
- Movement and music – triggers positive neurochemicals.
“We cannot leave to chance the high levels of stress students are experiencing, in a world that is still uncertain and continually changing”- https://www.maggiedent.com
Public Holiday– A reminder that next Friday October 23 is a Public Holiday and school will be closed
Student Free day– Friday October 30 is a student free day as we continue our focus on ways to support students to decode words, develop phonological and phonemic awareness and further embed our Literacy support and extension programs into our daily work.
Through a period that has challenged all of us, your support and hard work has ensured that this year won’t just be remembered for its disruptions and difficulties. It can be remembered for the remarkable efforts of our community, the success achieved in making such a positive difference to the wellbeing of our students and helping to ensure learning has continued in the most challenging of circumstances.
Kind regards
James Whitla
