FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents and Carers,
2020 continues to present challenges for families and children and this is having a notable impact at school. The effect of bushfires, drought, COVID 19 and floods we feel is contributing to an increase in need, and a decline in our children’s health and wellbeing and behaviours for learning.
As parents and teachers, we are aware these disasters and the pandemic can have psychological impact on children including (but not limited to):
- Worry
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Mild, moderate and acute stress
- Panic
- PTSD
We have been noticing a change in the behaviour of students across the school.
Some of the behaviours we are noticing include:
- Mild to extreme fatigue
- Reduced capacity to manage emotions
- Heightened emotional responses
- Fight, flight, freeze responses with increase in physical reactions
- Headaches
- Hunger
- Tears and sadness with no identified cause
- Separation anxiety and children seeking / needing contact with parents during the school day
What we have in place
- Student Welfare Worker – Ms Spicer (Monday)
- Group Program ‘Together we are strong’ – Denise Wright (2nd Wednesdays)
- School counsellor – Rose Trew (Thursday)
- Empowered –Ms Spicer (Friday)
- We are running a short Term 3 Boys and Girls program for Year 3 to Year 6 students (3 Fridays) with a longer (5 week) program in Term 4.
What we ask of you:
Please talk with your children.
Please notice their needs or changes in their demeanour.
Please look into ways to support them..…
Examples:
- Let their class teacher know they need to belong to one of the above programs
- Make a meeting time with class teacher or Classroom Support Teacher (Mrs Grant) to discuss needs
- Earlier bed time and sleep-ins where possible this could include a PJ day once in a while
- More healthy food in their lunch box
- Go to the doctor for your child to have a check up
- Make an appointment with a psychologist
Thank you for working together to support the mental health and wellbeing of our St Pat’s kids during 2020.
Jo