School Newsletter
School Photos 2021 – Don Bosco Primary School
Annual school photos will be taken at Don Bosco Primary School by Arthur Reed Photos on Friday 26th February, 2021.
There is no need to return any forms or money to school.
Unique image codes will be issued to all students on/after photo day so families can register online to view images when they become available in the webshop.
Registration is simple, just follow the 3 simple steps on your child’s personalised flyer once you receive it, and remember to add the codes for all your children attending this school.
Even if you registered last year, it’s important that you do again this year using your child’s 2021 image code to link their images for the current year with your contact details.
When images are ready to view and in the webshop, all parents who have registered will be notified by SMS and email.
Once registered, please wait for notification that 2021 images are online to view before making your purchase.
STUDENT WELLBEING NEWS
Lisa Piasente – Student Wellbeing Leader
An interesting article from Australian Psychologist and teacher, Michael Hawton. It gives tips to parents about helping their child overcome anxiety.
Being the coach – Tips for setting yourself aside to help your child in distressing situations
by Michael Hawton | Feb 17, 2021 | Blog, Children, School
One of the greatest challenges we face as parents, is learning to temporarily set aside our own needs and emotions to help our child when they might face a problem. In doing so, we are better able to take in and analyse the situation, and to make measured decisions about how to incisively intervene. I call this stopping the bus. To stop the bus, the bus driver needs to remain calm, and think logically about what to do next.
A good way to think your way through a distressing episode is to think to yourself “My parenting philosophy is to help you (my child) to achieve self-control. So, that’s my aim.”
I realise this is easier said than done – to set your own feelings aside – but I’m here to show you some important tips for knowing how to stay calm in these distressing situations, and then making the right call when it comes to stopping the bus.
As a parent, your goal is not to eliminate your child’s anxiety altogether, it is to help your child manage their anxiety. To do this, as a parent you need to learn to manage your own anxiety and the emotions associated with seeing your child in a distressing situation. After you’ve done that it’s about you giving them skills to develop their emotional skillset.
Another way to look at it, is to see yourself as your child’s coach. The coach is emotionally detached, not cold, but is focussed on coaching the player to implement new skills and to learn new ways of coping. As your child’s coach, it is important not to get caught up in their emotional whirlwind, and to calmly direct and instruct them on how to manage their feelings of anxiety. It might sound like ‘Well I know it may seem that way to you, but are there other ways we can look at this?’
My top tips for keeping calm and setting yourself aside.
- Take deep breaths – and breathe ‘out’ more than you breathe in.
When you feel yourself rising to an emotional bait, your heart rate elevates, and your skin tingles, remember, you have other options. Try taking 3 deep breaths, counting to 3 on the way in, and 3 and a bit on the way out. This will help your heart rate slow. Set your own emotions aside, and assume your posture as the coach of your child.
- Practise putting yourself in their shoes.
Your child is getting distressed. Seeing their parent upset is probably not going to help. Try taking a moment to consider how your child is experiencing the situation. You might try acknowledging their feelings ‘It sounds like you’re pretty upset about this…’ which will help them to feel like you’re ‘on-their-side’.
- Check in with yourself.
We all make mistakes, and no one is perfect the first time around. Remember that just as your child is learning, you are too. Take the time to look at what went well, and what could have gone better, after the distressing situation has passed. Revisit your parent philosophy, and remember not to be too hard on yourself – you’re doing the best job you know how to.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
Lisa Piasente: Religious Education Leader
Sacramental Program
The Sacrament of Reconciliation
A message from the Parish Sacramental Coordinator
As the snap lockdown has been eased, the parish would like to invite all families enrolling for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to attend one of the Masses on the below dates to make the commitment and submit the enrolment form if you have not already done so.
Saturday 20th Feb 2021 at 9:15am, 6pm
Sunday 21st Feb 2021 at 7:30am 9am, 11am and 6pm
Tuesday 23rd Feb 2021 at 7:00pm.
Please contact the sacrament coordinator on 9704 7935 for any questions or concerns.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
A message from the Parish Sacramental Coordinator
For the children who were unable to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on 13th and 14th of February, the parish has decided to celebrate Confirmation on 20th and 21st of March 2021 at 3pm.
You are not required to book these sessions. Children booked for Saturday 13th Feb will now celebrate on 20th March at 3pm and those booked on Sunday 14th Feb will now celebrate on 21st March at 3pm.
For any queries, please contact the sacrament coordinator on 9704 7935.
The Season of Lent
On Wednesday the Church commenced the season of Lent. Traditionally, many Christians receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads, a sign that has been used by God’s people for many hundreds of years, to show that we are sorry and we wish to be better.
This year we were unable to have our Ash Wednesday Mass due to the circuit breaker lockdown, however, teachers provided a prayer service for the children focussing on Ash Wednesday.
During the season of Lent Catholics are encouraged to do three things:
- give to the poor,
- pray to God and
- fast
One of the ways the Church promotes giving to the poor is through the Project Compassion Appeal.
Each classroom has a Project Compassion box on their prayer table and we ask that parents remind their children about donating to the poor by dropping a coin or two into the box.
The money is sent to Caritas Australia who works to provide better levels of education, health care, and housing to people who live in countries that do not enjoy the same high levels of living as we do in Australia.
From the Principal
Dear Families,
Thank you to all our families for coping with the snap Lock-Down over the last 5 days. The staff and I are particularly relieved that students are allowed back on-site, with minimal interruption to their learning. We all prefer to have students on site and in front of us.
Communication with parents, especially during these times, is even more important and we do rely on a number of electronic media platforms. Currently, Skoolbag is are main communication platform but I have been made aware that some families have had ongoing connection issues. Alternatives have been investigated and changes will be made in the near future.
Seesaw & Google Classroom are our main platforms for communicating learning but they take time to set up each year as classes are rolled over, codes are circulated and new email accounts are created. The snap Lock-Down took us all by surprise. Thank you to families for your patience and understanding.
As we return to ‘COVID normal’ I would remind all families of a few procedures we have in place and some adjustments to procedures from the start of the year.
All procedures are based on minimising risk by maintaining safe distances, recording when visitors come on-site for more than 15 minutes, and wearing masks when inside or social distancing is not possible.
With this in mind, as from next week, parents may enter the school grounds to drop-off or pick-up children from their classrooms. Parents are asked to limit their time to 15 minutes on school grounds and not to enter classrooms, unless a pre-arranged meeting has been organised.
Junior & Foundation students may be picked-up from 3:15, whilst the Middle & Senior students will be dismissed at 3:20.
I would continue to encourage Foundation & Junior students to use the church carpark and gate, were possible, Middle students to use the front gate and Senior students to use the side gate. These arrangements are working very effectively at Pick-up time.
The Pick-Up Zone for cars will start at 3:20, normal finish time for students. Parents using the Pick-Up Zone are reminded not to park in the Pick-up Zone before 3:20 as this can cause traffic congestion on the Highway.
Displaying a large name tag on their left-hand sun visor for the staff to read enables the Pick-Up Zone to work efficiently for everyone.
PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
Parent / Teacher interviews have now been moved to Tuesday 23th February. Interview time slots that parents have already booked will still be applicable. If you are unable to attend at the time you have booked please contact the Office so that alternative arrangements can be organised.
As Interviews are only for 10 minutes, parents are able to attend the school and visit the classroom, entering via the external door. Face-masks and social distancing requirements will be in place during the meeting.
Staff are eager to make connections with all families and it provides a great opportunity to confirm contact details and relevant medical & education information.
I would encourage all families to attend these meetings.
School Photos 2021 – Don Bosco Primary School
Annual school photos will be taken at Don Bosco Primary School by Arthur Reed Photos on Friday 26th February, 2021.
There is no need to return any forms or money to school.
Unique image codes will be issued to all students on/after photo day so families can register online to view images when they become available in the webshop.
Registration is simple, just follow the 3 simple steps on your child’s personalised flyer once you receive it, and remember to add the codes for all your children attending this school.
Even if you registered last year, it’s important that you do again this year using your child’s 2021 image code to link their images for the current year with your contact details.
When images are ready to view and in the webshop, all parents who have registered will be notified by SMS and email.
Once registered, please wait for notification that 2021 images are online to view before making your purchase.
OSHC
Out of Hours School Care is now operating in the Green Room next to the Hall and includes before school care and after school care. The program is being run by Youth Leadership Victoria. The Before School program runs from 6:30 am until 8:35 am. The After-School Program runs from 3:20 pm until 6:30 pm. Access to the Green Room will be through the bottom gate.
Don Bosco teacher supervision of children hours are from 8:35 am to 3:40 pm. To avoid any confusion between OHSC supervision and Don Bosco supervision the front door to the school will not be open until 8:10 am. All children arriving before this time need to enroll in the OHSC program.
STUDENT ABSENCES
Parents are required to inform the school and provide an explanation of a student's absence. Parents are able to inform the school by using the SkoolBag app or phoning the school to record a message on the Student Absence line. Notification needs to occur by 9:15 on the day of absence.
STUDENT WELLBEING NEWS
Lisa Piasente – Student Wellbeing Leader
It has been wonderful to see the students back at school with an eagerness to learn new things and be with their friends. Transitioning back to the school environment has always been challenging for some students. Transitioning from Kindergarten to School or between Levels (Juniors to Middles, Middles to Seniors) also presents certain challenges to our students. The impact of 2020 and Remote Schooling will also have had an impact on these transitioning skills for some our students.
It is therefore, not unusual for some students to feel nervous or worried about going to school at the beginning of a new school year. Routines are different. Teachers are new. Friendship groups may have changed. There are many reasons a child may be anxious.
Teachers and staff are aware of the signs of anxiety in students and through their care and support they work with the child and family, if needed, to build and develop their resilience to be able to adapt to the changes a new school year brings, and particularly this one after the very tumultuous year we experienced in 2020.
Positive Start to the School Year
To start the year each classroom teacher is teaching a unit of work which focuses on the social and emotional capabilities. This unit of work is designed to build relationships within the classroom and help the students build skills needed to get along with others in the classroom and the playground. Along with the unit of work classroom teachers are encouraged to promote student voice through Circle Time sessions and Classroom Meetings. At Don Bosco, we also follow a whole school approach to student’s wellbeing based on the charism of St John Bosco – to be compassionate, to be inclusive, to be courageous and to be safe.
Anxiety in primary school-aged Children
This is taken from the Be You – Beyond Blue website. https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets/mental-health-issues-and-conditions/anxiety
Primary school years
As children’s thinking skills expand and become more abstract, they can develop fears of imaginary creatures and monsters. They may also worry about schoolwork, tests and their social relationships. As they grow older, they may have anxiety about family relationships or global issues such as war or famine.
The following behaviours might indicate a primary school-age child is experiencing higher levels of anxiety than average:
- Wanting things to be perfect.
- Reluctance to ask for help.
- Asking for reassurance excessively.
- Difficulty joining in.
- Requests to go to sick bay.
- Challenging behaviour.
Speak to your child’s teacher
If you are concerned about your child and feel they may be experiencing some anxiety, please contact your child’s teacher. Parent-Teacher interviews are coming up in the next couple of weeks and take this time to inform the teacher about any issues.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS
Lisa Piasente: Religious Education Leader
Sacramental Program
The Sacrament of Reconciliation
On Wednesday evening the Parish started the Sacramental program for 2021 with an Enrolment and Parent Only Workshop for parents of children wishing to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation this year. There will be another Enrolment evening next Wednesday 10th February at 6.45 for a 7.00 pm start. Parents who were unable to make it on the 3rd February can attend on the 10th February.
At the session the Parish Sacramental Coordinator, Vimi Pinto, will outline the process to ensure children are prepared and ready to take part in their First Reconciliation. Children are required to attend workshops and Masses in their preparation for the Sacrament. If you have any questions please call the parish on 9704 7935.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
Next week on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th of February, students from Year 6 2020 will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. They prepared for the Sacrament throughout 2020 but due to COVID restrictions they were unable to celebrate the sacrament. Please pray for them as they take this important step in their faith journey.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Amen
School Prayer Services and Masses
During 2020, we were unable to celebrate Masses and Prayer services together due to COVID social distancing restrictions. This year we are hoping that we will once again be able to celebrate Mass with the parish in the church on Wednesdays at 9.15 am. However, there are still restrictions in place and it is problematic to attend Mass with the parish at the moment. For this reason, we are celebrating Ash Wednesday Mass in the Hall on Wednesday 17th February at 9.15 am. One of the priests will be in attendance while the other is celebrating the parish Mass. The school Mass can only be attended by students and staff. Parents wishing to attend will need to book in to the parish service – please go to the bookings online, on the parish website - https://olhc.org.au/
Beginning of the Year Prayer Service
This Friday we have an assembly at 2.45 pm. During this time the school students and staff will spend time thanking God for the gifts of each other and the school year ahead. We were unable to celebrate with a Mass this year so a focussed prayer service has been planned. Once again, we are unable to invite parents to this event and look forward to the time when we can once again worship as a whole school community with staff, students, parents and friends.
From the Principal
Dear Families,
A very warm welcome back to the start of the school year. I trust you have had a restful holiday and a positive start to 2021. I’d particularly like to welcome those new to our school this year and I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a long and rewarding partnership. This year we have 30 new Foundation students along with 15 new children into other grades. I am confident you will find Don Bosco School community to be welcoming and friendly.
Thank you to all parents for your understanding and co-operation with the ‘COVID normal’ procedures that have been put in place for the start of the school year. We have been directed, once again, to discourage parents from entering the school grounds and to ensure our drop-off and pick-up procedures reduce the risks of possible transmissions. We encourage Foundation & Junior students to use the church carpark, where possible, Middle students to use the front gate, and Senior students to use the side gate. These arrangements are working very effectively at Pick-up time.
The Pick-Up Zone for cars will start at 3:20, the normal finish time for students. Parents using the Pick-Up Zone are reminded not to park in the Zone before 3:20 as this can cause traffic congestion on the Highway.
Displaying a large name tag on their left-hand sun visor for the staff to read enables the Pick-Up Zone to work efficiently for everyone.
PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
Parent / Teacher interviews have been organised for Tuesday 16th February. These meetings are greatly valued by the teachers in helping to establish positive relations between home and school. A child’s learning and experience at school is greatly enhanced when there is good communication and mutual understanding between parents and the child’s teacher. Lessons learnt from Remote Schooling also highlighted the importance of ongoing communication between home and school.
Interviews will be conducted on one day and will include some after hour times for our working families. The school will finish at 3:20 pm so that the interviews will start at 3:40 pm and with the last interview being held at 8:00 pm.
Details for booking online will be sent home.
As Interviews are only for 10 minutes, parents are able to attend the school and visit the classroom, entering via the external door. Face-masks and social distancing requirements will be in place during the meeting.
If you are unable to attend on Tuesday 16th February please contact your child’s teacher and arrange for another mutually convenient time.
CAPTAINS
Congratulations to the following student leadership roles for 2021:
School Captains: Daniella M, Stella G, Kayden G & James M
Community Captains: Methmi K & Senuka D
Arts Captains: Mia-Chiara D & Dylan T
Blue House Captains: Sienna D & Brandon I
Gold House Captains: Stashia M & Jude B
Green House Captains: Thalia V & William P
Red House Captains: Thalia T & Andrew M
