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YWPS Newsletter

Greetings From the Principal

Hello everyone – this may be the very last time the news reaches you in this format, as we are now transitioning to Compass. Through Compass, news and events can be provided for parents as it happens. Another ‘new’ or ‘first’ for our school after a series of other news and firsts this term.

Return to School PlanOur plans for returning to school were sent out via konnective yesterday and through Compass today. We are excited about seeing our students, parents and colleagues back at school and have put in place adjustments to ensure we are all safe.

iPads, power cords, dice and school booksPlease send these back in a bag or in their folder to school with your P-2 child next week. Thank you to the parents who have told us about damage to their iPad. We will get in touch with you about how to repair / replace these devices.

Student WellbeingMost of our children are excited and looking forward to returning to school. We know that this may not be the case for some children, who may be feeling anxious and hesitant about stepping back into school.Learning Specialist, Jenny Kiely, has developed a support pack for parents and carers, with advice to help ease the move back to school.

Advice has also been developed by DET about the return to on-site schooling, to help answer questions from parents and carers:https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/Pages/coronavirus-advice-parents.aspx

Another helpful link to talking to children about returning to school – ‘what if my friends want to give me a hug?’https://www.abc.net.au/life/helping-kids-with-the-transition-back-to-school/12247052

Our P-2 teachers are reaching out to families with advice and support regarding our transition back to school. A social story will be emailed by your child’s teacher to you to assist with preparing your child for school next week.

Important Dates25th May • Pupil Free Day

26th May • Prep & Grade 1/2 students return to on-site schooling9th May • Grade 3/4 & Grade 5/6 students return to on-site schooling

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Thank you parents and carers for your incredible support for our children during the school closure period. It has been a time of new learning, challenges and real resilience for all of us as a school community. I know that it’s not over yet for families of Year 3- 6 students, but it will be a giant step back towards ‘normal’ when we greet our junior classes next Tuesday. Having our children back at school will feel like things are starting to get back to normal, and we can be hopeful and confident that our lives will begin to get back on track.

Warm regards and cartwheels,Karen

School Council UpdateIt’s certainly been a very busy few months for students, parents, teachers and support staff alike. Next week will see more change as many of us start the ‘going to school’ routine again, though one that will be different from before. While this may bring anticipation and excitement, there may also be uncertainty and anxiety. We remain mindful that we are all journeying through these changing times in different ways.

The School Council met on 12 May (via Webex), and held an Extraordinary meeting last week with a focus on the return to face to face teaching. Further details about this have since been circulated via Konnective.

On behalf of the School Council, we would like to thank the teachers and support staff for all their hard work, both pivoting to a new world (for YWPS) of remote learning and now moving back to face to face teaching again. We also recognise the hard work of students and parents, quickly adapting to new platforms, and acknowledge the challenges of moving rapidly to remote learning and new routines, whilst juggling many other pressures in their lives.

Despite the workloads, the teaching staff still found the time to produce a fantastic video for our school community, and one that brought smiles to many of our children. Our thanks go to all staff who made this happen - we also now know that Karen can do cartwheels!

With best wishesSchool Council President – Fleur Dow

Sinh from 5/6G has been making the most of isolation at home by getting

crafty. He's made this infinity gauntlet out of a rubber glove, cardboard, paint and sharpies. Pretty impressive stuff!

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With school resuming soon, after weeks of lockdown, many kids will be busting to see their friends and get out of

the house. But for some, the thought of returning to the classroom is enough to induce a bout of anxiety.  Anxiety

can show up in a lot of ways. Trouble concentrating. An upset stomach. Sleeplessness. Anxiety can be one of the

most debilitating challenges that students face in classrooms today. CoVid 19 and this summer’s bushfires have

created a feeling of uncertainty amongst our kids which we need to be mindful of and help them to navigate.

Kids who are worried and anxious aren’t doing it on purpose. The nervous system acts automatically, especially

when it comes to worry (which often stems from fight or flight reflexes). That’s why phrases like “just relax” or “calm

down” aren’t helpful. But with practice, kids can learn to slow down their anxious brains, and families and teachers

can learn to help them. Here are a few ways families can help  kids as they transition back to school.

LOOK AFTER THE BASICS.Nobody copes well when they are tired or hungry. Anxious children often forget to eat, don’t feel hungry, and don’t

get enough sleep. During this time, it is helpful to build in regular routines, so that life is more predictable for your

child. These routines can involve the morning and bedtime habits, as well as eating schedules.

ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO SHARE HIS OR HER FEARS.Ask your child what is making him or her worried. Tell your child that it is normal to have concerns. Before and

during the first few weeks of school, set up a regular time and place to talk. Some children feel most comfortable in

a private space with your undivided attention (such as right before bed, or during mealtime). 

AVOID GIVING REASSURANCE…INSTEAD, PROBLEM-SOLVE AND PLAN!Children often seek reassurance that bad things won’t happen in order to reduce their worry. Avoid assuring them

with “Don’t worry!” or “Everything will be fine!” Instead, encourage your child to think of ways to solve his or her

problem. For example, “If this problem happens, what could you do?” or “Let’s think of some ways you could handle

that situation.” This gives you the opportunity to help your child to cope with (and interpret) both real and imagined

scary situations. You will also be giving your child the tools he or she needs to cope with an unexpected situation

that might arise.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR OWN BEHAVIOUR It can be anxiety-provoking for parents to hand over the care and responsibility of their child to teachers. Children

take cues from their parents and carers, so the more confidence and comfort you can model, the more your child

will understand there is no reason to be afraid. Be supportive yet firm.  

PARENT TEACHER PARTNERSHIPParents and teachers working together as partners is the best way to help kids succeed at school and overcome

anxiety.  The teachers at YWPS are very aware that anxiety is likely to have an impact on the transition back to face-

to-face learning and they have strategies and plans in place to help.  Trust that your child’s mental health and

wellbeing is the highest priority for the staff and they will do everything in their power to ease this transition.

Transition Back To School

Helpful Resources: 

Black Dog Institute

Kids Help Line

Australian Psychology

Society

LifeLine

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A snap shot of students’ Italian Online Learning journey: Italian food: Leonardo Da Vinci’s flying machines: Ancient Roman mosaics:

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Play Video 1 / 4

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The kids of 1/2 Shannon have been loving Be Active balancing activities on Seesaw.

Here are a few highlights from this week.

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1/2 Visual Art

Found object colour wheel

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3/4 Christine3/4 Christine