Noticing the calm atmosphere present already at St Pat’s I feel we are in for an AWESOME 2021. For those of you that are new to our community my name is Alicia Spicer and my role here at St Pat’s is Wellbeing, working with students, parents and teachers.  Some of the programs I facilitate and new initiatives are;

* Peer Mediation Program: a program offered to all grade 5 students where they learn how to “mediate” issues on the playground like friendship disputes, not telling the students what to do, but by actively listening to both sides of the story and getting the disputants to come up with a peaceful resolution.

* Passion clubs:  Students who have a passion that they would like to share are encouraged to run a club on Monday and Friday lunchtimes in the Cola.   So far the clubs that have been suggested are Art and Craft, book club, fitness, bay blade, Fix it, and  lego clubs.

* M.U.M.S  : This is an acronym for MOTHERS/MALES USING MINDFULNESS STRATEGIES  a group for St Pat’s parents to learn mindfulness strategies to build calm from within. If interested please contact me.

* Chair Yoga for Teachers:  Breathing and stretching techniques for calm held before school and after school.

Empowered

Empowered is in its fourth year at St Pats which offers a 10 week program using movement, music and mindfulness for every child in the school to learn strategies to help keep themselves in their “calm zone”.  Students attend the program in small groups of six students for 30 minutes once a week.  The feedback from the students is that they feel calm after attending Empowered and I am always excited to hear stories of how they have used some of the breathing techniques learnt in Empowered to stay calm and respond to life rather than react.  This year in Empowered I will be focusing on the 24 Character Strengths, my aim being that every child will know and live through one of their top Character Strengths.

Enjoy

Alicia Spicer

Alicia.spicer@cg.catholic.edu.au