We have come to the end of another term and reached the halfway point in the school year. What a joy it is to have seen so many of our students grow in confidence in a variety of areas whether that be their learning, their social interactions or with something specifically goal orientated for them. Our students have settled beautifully over the course of the semester and have all earned a well deserved break.

As we head into the break, it is important to be mindful about the amount of screen time that our students enjoy in their downtime. While many students love online gaming or socialising through online avenues, please remain vigilant about what children are doing online and who they are engaging with. I would encourage each of you to explore some of the resources we have on our school website through the School TV link under the Parents Tab or just click here

Yesterday our Year 5 students participated in the Positive Peer Relationships Program with UPP (Unleashing Personal Potential) where they were challenged to think outside their comfort zone and work outside their usual peer group about their relationships as a year level group. They worked through:

• THE POWER OF EMPATHY- focussing on standing as one, respect and appreciating differences.
• BULLYING & THE SCIENCE OF KINDNESS- learning about the potential impacts of bullying and kindness, on others and on ourselves.
• ACTIVE LISTENING- practical skills for strengthening relationships.
• CONFLICT RESOLUTION- learning how to be assertive, rather than passive or aggressive.
• FORGIVENESS VS HOLDING A GRUDGE- "Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace".
• TEAM WORK- Working collaboratively in teams to achieve more. Structured opportunities to apply what has been learned.
• RISING BY LIFTING OTHERS- Learning how to give a genuine shout out.

We believe the use of this program and the one they do in Year 6 called Aspire Higher creates an opportunity for our students to develop and enhance their interactions with others and to support them as school leaders and role models. I believe the students enjoy these days immensely and take the messages into the rest of their year which benefits not only them as individuals but as friends to each other and as role models to our younger students.

Finally, I would like to sincerely thank our staff for all of their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment to the work of education. It can be such challenging work at times, but when you work alongside a great team and can see the tangible difference we make, it is also a reminder about how important the work we do together is. Thank you to our community for working with us on this journey. While I understand, not everyone is getting holidays now as we are, I do hope you get to spend some time with your families over the break from school routine at least. Please enjoy a safe, happy and restful break.

Cheers

Penny