2023 Year 1-6 transition

On Tuesday 6^th December, our current Prep – Year 5 students will participate in a full day ‘Step-Up’ day as part of our 2023 transition. Students will begin the day in their regular classroom and from 9:30am they will be placed in groups (not their 2023 grade) and will rotate through activities in their 2023 year level. Students will have the opportunity to experience what learning will be like in their 2023 year level, hear about some of the different activities and events they will participate in and have an opportunity to interact with other children that will be in the same year level.

The Step-Up day will finish before the end of the day, so they have time to return to their classroom and debrief on the day with their current class teacher.

Teachers and Grades for 2023

We are both excited and saddened at the same time to announce the teachers for next year.

We are saddened because we are losing (perhaps temporarily) Mrs McCallum and Mr Sandy who are going to new schools, Mr Akeroyd who is going to relocate interstate, and Mrs Mullavey and Ms Felmingham who are going on Family Leave.

We wish them all the very best wishes for next year!

We are excited because we have some excellent new teachers joining us. Mr Luke Jones, Mr Andrew Coutts and Ms Emily Tremewen. There will also be one other new teacher but they haven’t been appointed yet.

Years 5/6: Mr Waters, Mrs Middleton, Mr Jones and Mr Halperin

Years 3/4: Mrs Ioverio, Ms Goray, Mr Coutts and Mr Jasiewicz

Years 1/2: Mrs Batson, Mr Rankin, Ms Brennan, Mrs Ballos/Mrs Turner, New teacher

Prep: Mrs Murray, Mrs Jennings/Mrs Clark, Ms Tremewen

Phys. Ed: Mr Mac, LOTE: Bu King, Art: Mr Cook, Music: Mrs Keeley

Literacy intervention: Mrs Wicks, Tutor: Mrs Tisseverasinghe, Inclusion: Ms Fregon

ES staff: Kellie Moore, Elizabeth Forbes, Suzie Peacock, Angela Lang, Kirsty Oliver, Jacinta Vukovich

Maintenance man: Jon Cartwright

Office staff: Wendy Helling, Sharon Keates

Tricky Friendship Days

by Michelle Mitchell

Relatively small issues, like not being invited to a party, can arouse big, intense feelings in our kids. Because belonging is at stake, friendship challenges will always feel like a life-threatening experience – so be assured that most parents find themselves dealing with powerful tears and shattering disappointments after tricky friendship days.

It is easy for both parents and teachers to fall into the trap of trying to “dial down the drama” when our kids feel overwhelmed. However, minimising or dismissing strong feelings will only tend to ramp them up, because our tween’s brains seek to be heard and understood in the process of regulating. I’d also like to suggest that it denies our children the opportunity to master these big feelings. Our kids need to feel to practise the emotional regulation strategies they need to navigate life well.

I want to share three practical strategies that parents can do to support their tweens during these moments. Friendship challenges are an incredibly rich platform to help kids learn emotional regulation strategies, as well as social skills, and we want to capitalise on both as we coach them forward.

Strategy 1: Let’s not fight the intensity

The more I learn about emotions the more I am in awe of our body’s way of coming up with solutions to discomfort, anguish and pain we experience. It doesn’t make any sense to judge that process but rather appreciate it. That’s why we want tweens to know there are no bad or good emotions. There are only healthy emotions, and each one of them is an acceptable and necessary part of being human. Ideally, we want tweens to feel safe to feel, without shame or guilt.  This means accepting emotions within our home, in the same way we accept anything else about ourselves (or our experiences) that we cannot change – our age, our height, freckles or ears.

Strategy 2: Ask questions that empower

Although it’s tempting (and much quicker) to offer children prescription answers to friendship problems, it won’t help them in the long term. The problem with childhood conflict always being followed by adult intervention, is that kids can get into the habit of projecting their wishful thinking onto someone else who they perceive as being more powerful than they are.

If our children focus their energy on recruiting support rather than problem-solving, they miss vital learning opportunities. We are best to ask questions that express a sense of curiosity and empower them to take ownership.

Strategy 3: Find a positive expression

Whereas there are times that we suppress our painful emotions for our own survival, emotions are far better off moving through our kids rather than festering inside them.

One of my dearly loved local psychotherapists wisely tells me that children who have imaginations become their own play therapists. Play is a distraction that pulls kids out of their heads and into their bodies. Any type of play including immersing themselves in craft, participating in drama, dance, or sport, or building forts, slides and adventure courses are all helpful..

In closing

Home really is the hero in kids’ lives. It is the emotional shield from all that hurts us, bothers us, and tires us. It’s a place where love is tangible, and we are cared for in ways that make it easier for us to move back into the world with a soft heart. It’s the Utopia that we all yearn for and strive towards. When they feel disappointed, lost, afraid or disoriented it will be the predictability of home that continues to welcome them with open arms and wise words. As you implement these strategies, know you are offering your tween the home they deserve.

On Friday 9^th December the students in Grades 1 - 6 will be participating in a Christmas 'Dance Off' during assembly.  The assembly will commence15 minutes earlier than normal, starting at 2.45pm.  We would love for you to come along and cheer the children on.  Although it is NOT a free dress day, students are encouraged to wear something in the spirit of Christmas. eg. Santa hat, tinsel, reindeer antlers, etc. (no dangly earrings) 

Regards 

Robyn Keeley 

Energy Breakthrough in Maryborough was fun when we were camping with each other in the same area. The best thing we did at the camp was gang up tiggy. The Pushcart Team came 16th out of 17th overall. In each race we came first in our heat but in each race we came 5 or 6 overall. The only reason we came second last is because of our construction but we still did good and had the best time.

Declan W and Ewan G

                           

On the 15th of November, we arrived at our camping site in Maryborough. The next day we got ready to race in the obstacle course. We got first in our heat which was pretty encouraging. That night we stayed up late and played gang up tiggy which we later played on all the other nights. The next day we had the endurance race and the sprint. We got first in our heat in both of those too. We ate pub food on the first night and bread rolls and wraps for lunch and then pizza on the last night.

By Baxter Q and Lucas L

Over the course of four days the energy breakthrough team did lots of activities such as a party, games of tiggy and racing in the vehicles. Most of us enjoyed the games of tiggy that we played. Some of the games would go for ages. The whole team spent 14 hours collectively racing together.

By Frank Blake and Leo F, Mapalo M and Leo G

Last week the HPV team participated in the energy breakthrough competition in Maryborough. Everybody did really well and we came 22nd out of 53, even though we didn’t win it was a great experience. We had a few injuries along the way but everybody is now recovering. We started training for this event on 11th August which included building our muscles, working on our presentation and most importantly working as a team.  We also got the opportunity to camp with our teammates, which was so much fun. Everybody in our team connected through energy breakthroughs.  

•  Summer J & Sienna H

This year a group of year 5/6 students competed in a competition in Maryborough called Energy Breakthrough. In November, we went on a camping trip to Maryborough. We had dinner together and played big games of gang up tiggy. The competition was amazing. I enjoyed the sprint and endurance. The teams were competitive and ready to win. It was hard but we made it in the end. We enjoyed the whole thing and had a great time overall.

By Tilli N and Emma B

                           

In the mud is where we spent our days and nights while competing at the Energy Breakthrough event in Maryborough. Our school sent two teams of ten people each. One Pushcart and one Human Powered Vehicle. We had tons of fun giving our presentation and racing. We also had loads of free time to do whatever we wanted. The Pushcart team came 16^th out of 17 and the HPV came 21^st out of 53. We all had a blast. Everyone became better friends after having to deal with each other for four days straight which was sometimes fun and sometimes challenging. We also battled the weather. One day while racing it was so hot and then the next it was pouring down rain. We had people crashing into us and a few tumbles ourselves. The HPV is a little bruised. Another time we had a singing battle against Pearcedale Primary and obviously we won.             

By Griffin D and Ted C

                      

Earlier in the year we started our Energy Breakthrough experience. Firstly we signed up and had to write about what we would bring to the team and why we should be on the team. A while after the teams were selected! Straight away we started training/ preparing for the competition. The training consisted of improving our physical strength and learning how to use the vehicle's safety. In class sessions we worked on our presentation. Finally it was time to head off for the competition. It was an exhausting 3 hour drive to get to Maryborough. The pushcart team left on Tuesday to set up and the HPV team left on Wednesday. During this time we were meant to camp on an oval but it got rained out so we camped on a different one nearby. On Wednesday and Thursday the push carters competed and one Friday and Saturday the HPV people competed. We all had such great experience, made so many new friends and had a ball! We would like thank all the staff who helped us along the way. 
Bridget K and Asha B

                            

Now you may or may not have heard a lot about energy breakthrough over the last couple of weeks but this is what it's really all about. During the competition we had to endure this as there was nowhere to stay and we are here to tell you all about it. While we were there we had to stay somewhere so we camped on the Salvation Army grounds. Our activities that we played at the camp to not get bored were gang up tiggy hide and seek and many more. To eat for dinner we went out on the first night as we still had to set up but after this to eat we had egg and bacon rolls for breakfast and then for dinner it was always different. Another thing that happened during the camping experience was mud, mud mud mud mud, mud everywhere luckily though it wasn’t in the tents so much.

Written by Charlotte.S and Sophie.C

                             

_{Since we started training for Energy Breakthrough, everyone was looking forward to the camp. All of us trained hard in preparation for the races and had lots of fun. When we got there, because of the floods we couldn’t camp on the planned campground, but luckily there was another campground. In free time down at the track, the HPV team had fun and improved their teamwork by making human pyramids as the officials took photos. The pushcart team had fun messing around and telling jokes at the hotel during the first night.}

_{-Kailani A and Mia S}
                      

CHRISTMAS GIFTING

Christmas is only a few weeks away and we realise that it can be a difficult time for many families. We are encouraging our students to help share the true spirit of Christmas by donating a new gift for children less fortunate.

Please place the unwrapped gifts in the box in the office by December 14 and they will be collected by Mums Supporting Families in Need to be delivered in time for Christmas.

We appreciate this year has been tough for much of our community and thank all our families for your continued support and generosity.