Traralgon Junior School

From the Head of Traralgon Junior School,
Ms Tracey King.

We have hit the halfway mark of Term 3 and online learning is settling into a routine.  We have some fun challenges underway and some special event days coming up later in the term to add in some excitement and diversity.  Congratulations to all of our students, families and teachers who are demonstrating resilience and determination during this time.

Last week our students in the ELC and those who were at school for onsite supervision assisted with planting five hundred trees in recognition of National Tree Day.  The new shelterbelt will provide shelter and habitat for birds to move freely through our school grounds.  Students enjoyed some glorious sunshine and worked hard to get all of the trees into the ground.  Many thanks to those involved and in particular to Mrs Maria Harkins for her organisation of this event.  Funding for National Tree Day activities was supported by Energy Australia.

With the second round of remote learning in place and although most Prep students were unable to celebrate their ‘100th Day of School’ at school, the Prep teachers made every effort to ensure the students could still have a fun day by providing them with some special activities.  Some of these activities included counting to 100 by 10s, 5s and 1s; fitness challenges such as 100 squats or star jumps; finding things around their home of 100 pieces such as buttons and Lego; eating sandwiches with hundreds and thousands; and of course, decorating the all-important ‘100 day crown’ and 100 day eyeglasses to wear.  In line with the tradition of the celebration, students chose to dress up as if they were 100 years old and had lots of fun presenting their outfits for their class to see.  Mrs Walton and Ms Fox prepared some very entertaining videos which were enjoyed by all.

I would like to remind parents to regularly access the Traralgon Junior School MyStPauls page for information and updates. School psychologist Shannon Arfaras has been posting regular wellbeing updates and providing some very useful information and advice for families.  Please read below for an insightful update.

Best wishes are sent to Mr Battista and his wife for the safe arrival of baby number three.  Mr Battista will be taking some leave and spending time enjoying the new addition to his family.

Many thanks to all of our families for being considerate and careful about COVID restrictions and guidelines.  All of our families, teachers and students are important and their health and wellbeing are a priority.  For our students who are completing online learning at school with supervision, the following guidelines continue to apply.
• Do not send your child to school if they are unwell.
• If unwell with cold or flu like symptoms, we kindly request you contact your local doctor to discuss if a COVID-19 test is required.  Our understanding from the latest Government updates is that if anyone has any of the symptoms (even if only mild) they should be tested.
• If your child or anyone in your immediate family has been tested for COVID-19 please do not send your child to school until test results have returned as negative.

The Junior School is open via phone or email if families require any assistance or have any questions.

Tracey King
Head of Traralgon Junior School

 

COPING WITH COVID: AN UPDATE FROM THE COUNSELLING TEAM

The return of restrictions and remote learning may have triggered a wide range of emotions within your family.  Here is some advice on how you can support your child’s wellbeing during the remote learning period.

At times like these, there is strength in community.  Keep in contact with your friends and family, and encourage your child to do the same.  Social distancing is especially difficult for children and adolescents who may be feeling cut-off and isolated from their peers.  This is one time that parents should actively encourage adolescents to use (age-appropriate) social media!  Alternatively, allow your child to make regular contact with their friends over platforms such as Zoom or Houseparty, through online games and via the telephone.

Try to implement a regular morning routine, just as you would if it were a regular school day.  Routine and structure help to create a sense of safety, security and predictability for children and adolescents.  Have your child wake up, eat breakfast, shower and get dressed at a set time each morning.  Getting dressed into their school sports uniform will help to prime their brains for learning.  Ensuring their TV and mobile phone is off during school hours may help to prevent distractions and create a sense of normalcy.  Encourage your child to take frequent mini-breaks (five minute break after every forty to fifty minutes of work) and a decent lunch break each day.

Promote healthy habits throughout the day.  Food and exercise have a substantial impact on mental wellbeing.  Make sure your child is eating regular, balanced meals and snacks.  Encourage them to get up and move throughout the day and make sure they are getting one hour of moderate-to-vigorous exercise on most days.  Help your child to achieve a balance between school work and down time by encouraging their participation in hobbies/activities of interest and relaxation.

Encourage your child to find the positives in each day.  When we make a point to identify these, our brain is more likely to focus on the positives instead of the negatives.  One way this can be achieved is through the creation of a dinner time conversation routine.  For example, each family can provide an answer to the following questions: “What was one good thing about your day?”, “What is one thing you are grateful for today?”, “What is one thing you are proud of today?” and “What is one thing you are looking forward to?” Alternatively, your child might like to create a gratitude journal where they can record the things they are grateful for each day.

Finally, encourage your child to speak up.  If your child responds with “fine”, “okay” or “good” when you ask how they are feeling, follow up with “How are you really feeling?”.  Doing so lets your child know that you are genuinely interested in how they are feeling.  If your child tells you about something that is annoying/upsetting them, listen and respond with empathy.  By validating their emotions, your child will feel understood and is more likely to open up to you in the future.  Hold off on providing premature advice and avoid saying “there are people that have it worse than you”, “that doesn’t sound too bad” or “I think you are over-reacting”.  These phrases are likely to cause your child to shut down and they may avoid speaking up in the future.

For periodic advice on how to support your child’s wellbeing, make sure you have a look at the Student Welfare Information page on MyStPauls.  For specific advice on how to support your child, speak to a member of the school counselling team. Shannon Arfaras is the School Psychologist at Warragul, Laurie Everaert is the School Psychologist at Traralgon and Brian Johnson is the School Counsellor at both campuses.  The school counselling team continues to be available to students for face-to-face counselling and seeking mental health support is a valid reason for leaving your home.  We have also expanded our service to include online appointments through Coviu – a telehealth platform that is compliant with the Australian standards for online security and encryption.  You and your child can also access support through Kids Helpline (Ph: 1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (Ph: 1300 22 4636), Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Line (Ph: 1800 512 348), Headspace (Ph: 1800 650 890) and Lifeline (Ph: 13 11 14).

Above all, remember to be kind to yourselves and reach out to your support networks if you are struggling.

Shannon Arfaras
sarfaras@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au
School Psychologist – Warragul

 

WHAT’S ON

AUGUST
Week 7
‘Kidlet mash up’ challenge
28 August  Library collection day

SEPTEMBER
Week 9
9 September
  ‘Jump off day’
Parent Student Teacher Interviews via Zoom
10 September  Parent Student Teacher Interviews via Zoom
11 September  Footy Day
Library collection day

 Week 10
‘Get jiggy with it’ dance competition finishes
18 September  End of Term 3, 2:30 pm finish

 

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Get ready, the Dobsons annual ‘Buy Early & Save‘ sale is about to begin!  Save on selected uniform items when you shop with Dobsons from 1 September to 31 October 2020.  Beat the back to school rush and save on a range of selected items, including:
• Blazers
• Pullovers
• Summer Dresses
• Summer Shirts
• Bags
• Sportswear
With a pain free returns policy, now is the time to plan ahead.  Whether your child finds a few extra centimetres over the holiday break or not as many as you would have thought, Dobsons has you covered with a quick and simple returns policy*.
Once Dobsons stores re-open they would love to welcome you instore but until then they look forward to servicing your uniform needs online.
*Terms and Conditions apply.  Sale available online and instore once store services resume.

Purchase uniforms from the Dobsons website here, Dobsons School Uniforms Online

 

LIBRARY NEWS

Need something new to read?
Print books are available to borrow from the Library via ‘Click & Collect’.  All available books (those not already on loan or at other campuses) can be reserved.

Use Oliver, our online catalogue to browse and find the books you want and log in to reserve.

OR send an email request to ssomalley@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

OR try a Mystery Pack – email the library with some preferences and we will handpick a selection just for you.

Requests must be received before 3:30 pm Thursday 27 August.
Collect from outside the library on Friday 28 August between 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
We encourage you to return any completed books at this time.

Do not forget that ebooks and audiobooks are available 24-7 through Wheelers ePlatform.

Scholastic Book Club
Book Club may look a little different this term but you will still have access to the same great quality and carefully selected books at a great price.  To view the catalogue and place your order please follow this link, https://scholastic.com.au/media/5667/bc-620

Please place your orders before Friday 4 September and we will notify you once your order is ready to be collected from the school.

 

Traralgon Secondary School

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School, Mr Brad McCabe. Dear Parents/Guardians, Coding Program This week I wanted to take the opportunity to remind families …

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Traralgon Secondary School

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School,
Mr Brad McCabe.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Coding Program
This week I wanted to take the opportunity to remind families of a very special program at St Paul’s called ‘CS in Schools’ or otherwise known as our coding program.  St Paul’s joined RMIT University’s CS in Schools program to develop teacher digital technology skills amongst our students.  CS in Schools offers a unique model that pairs an industry professional with secondary teachers and brings an industry professional into the classroom.  Throughout the year, all Year 7 classes undertook coding lessons for a double period a week for a term.  During this time, they learnt the basics of coding and wrote their own code with continuous feedback and support.  Co-founder and CEO Professor Hugh Williams is a former Google executive and was featured in The Australian newspaper earlier this year.  The other co-founders are Selina Williams and Kristy Kendall.  Selina has a background in computing and Kristy is the Principal of Toorak College and a former Head of Campus at Haileybury.  At the Traralgon Secondary School, Mr Chris Ambrozy and Ms Jennifer Witney have been involved in the program this year with the Year 7 students and support from the recently retired Mr Stephen Klemke who has a background in IT and coding.  In 2021 the Year 8 students will continue to build on the pre-existing knowledge that was learnt in 2020 and the new Year 7 students will commence in the program.  CS in Schools is just one of many special programs and learning opportunities that is offered at St Paul’s.

PSTIs
Semester 2 Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) will be held via Zoom meetings on Tuesday 25 August from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm and Wednesday 2 September from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm for Years 7 to 10.  St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School uses an online booking system for our PSTIs.  To access the booking system please go to https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au You will be required to enter a School Code which is 3seu8.

On-site Supervision
As you would be aware the Premier’s most recent message is that all students from Prep to Year 12 return to remote learning from Wednesday 5 August.  Children whose parents cannot work from home, as well as vulnerable students or children with diagnosed disabilities may attend on-site supervision.  This will be offered for children from Prep through to Year 12.

This on-campus supervision will enable parents to continue their vital work during this crisis but should only be accessed if there is no other option for the care of your child/ren at home.  As you can imagine it is very difficult for schools to do justice to both online and on-site learning at the same time.

For these specific families, where there is absolutely no alternative, we are offering the supervision of online learning at the School (Warragul or Traralgon Campus).  Students will be supervised in completing their online learning tasks by a skeleton staff on rotation.  Physical distancing provisions will be made for the safety of our teachers and students and masks must be worn by all students from Years 7 to 12.  We will again make sure that the children have frequent breaks throughout the day and will aim to make each day a positive one for them.

It is vital that children who are showing any signs of a cold, flu or fever DO NOT attend school for supervision.  Similarly, children being tested for COVID-19, in a home where a family member is being tested for COVID-19, children who have been in direct/unprotected contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 or where a family member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, are not to attend school for supervision.

If you have no other supervision alternatives, please contact tgonadmin@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au so that they can make arrangements for the supervision of your child/ren.

Brad McCabe
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

 

COPING WITH COVID: AN UPDATE FROM THE COUNSELLING TEAM

The return of restrictions and remote learning may have triggered a wide range of emotions within your family.  Here is some advice on how you can support your child’s wellbeing during the remote learning period.

At times like these, there is strength in community.  Keep in contact with your friends and family, and encourage your child to do the same.  Social distancing is especially difficult for children and adolescents who may be feeling cut-off and isolated from their peers.  This is one time that parents should actively encourage adolescents to use (age-appropriate) social media!  Alternatively, allow your child to make regular contact with their friends over platforms such as Zoom or Houseparty, through online games and via the telephone.

Try to implement a regular morning routine, just as you would if it were a regular school day.  Routine and structure help to create a sense of safety, security and predictability for children and adolescents.  Have your child wake up, eat breakfast, shower and get dressed at a set time each morning.  Getting dressed into their school sports uniform will help to prime their brains for learning.  Ensuring their TV and mobile phone is off during school hours may help to prevent distractions and create a sense of normalcy.  Encourage your child to take frequent mini-breaks (five minute break after every forty to fifty minutes of work) and a decent lunch break each day.

Promote healthy habits throughout the day.  Food and exercise have a substantial impact on mental wellbeing.  Make sure your child is eating regular, balanced meals and snacks.  Encourage them to get up and move throughout the day and make sure they are getting one hour of moderate-to-vigorous exercise on most days.  Help your child to achieve a balance between school work and down time by encouraging their participation in hobbies/activities of interest and relaxation.

Encourage your child to find the positives in each day.  When we make a point to identify these, our brain is more likely to focus on the positives instead of the negatives.  One way this can be achieved is through the creation of a dinner time conversation routine.  For example, each family can provide an answer to the following questions: “What was one good thing about your day?”, “What is one thing you are grateful for today?”, “What is one thing you are proud of today?” and “What is one thing you are looking forward to?” Alternatively, your child might like to create a gratitude journal where they can record the things they are grateful for each day.

Finally, encourage your child to speak up.  If your child responds with “fine”, “okay” or “good” when you ask how they are feeling, follow up with “How are you really feeling?”.  Doing so lets your child know that you are genuinely interested in how they are feeling.  If your child tells you about something that is annoying/upsetting them, listen and respond with empathy.  By validating their emotions, your child will feel understood and is more likely to open up to you in the future.  Hold off on providing premature advice and avoid saying “there are people that have it worse than you”, “that doesn’t sound too bad” or “I think you are over-reacting”.  These phrases are likely to cause your child to shut down and they may avoid speaking up in the future.

For periodic advice on how to support your child’s wellbeing, make sure you have a look at the Student Welfare Information page on MyStPauls.  For specific advice on how to support your child, speak to a member of the school counselling team. Shannon Arfaras is the School Psychologist at Warragul, Laurie Everaert is the School Psychologist at Traralgon and Brian Johnson is the School Counsellor at both campuses.  The school counselling team continues to be available to students for face-to-face counselling and seeking mental health support is a valid reason for leaving your home.  We have also expanded our service to include online appointments through Coviu – a telehealth platform that is compliant with the Australian standards for online security and encryption.  You and your child can also access support through Kids Helpline (Ph: 1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (Ph: 1300 22 4636), Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Line (Ph: 1800 512 348), Headspace (Ph: 1800 650 890) and Lifeline (Ph: 13 11 14).

Above all, remember to be kind to yourselves and reach out to your support networks if you are struggling.

Shannon Arfaras
sarfaras@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au
School Psychologist – Warragul

 

WHAT’S ON

AUGUST
25 August  Parent Student Teacher Interviews, 4:00 pm

SEPTEMBER
2 September  Parent Student Teacher Interviews, 4:00 pm
18 September  End of Term 3, 2:30 pm finish

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Get ready, the Dobsons annual ‘Buy Early & Save‘ sale is about to begin!  Save on selected uniform items when you shop with Dobsons from 1 September to 31 October 2020.  Beat the back to school rush and save on a range of selected items, including:
• Blazers
• Pullovers
• Summer Dresses
• Summer Shirts
• Bags
• Sportswear
With a pain free returns policy, now is the time to plan ahead.  Whether your child finds a few extra centimetres over the holiday break or not as many as you would have thought, Dobsons has you covered with a quick and simple returns policy*.
Once Dobsons stores re-open they would love to welcome you instore but until then they look forward to servicing your uniform needs online.
*Terms and Conditions apply.  Sale available online and instore once store services resume.

Purchase uniforms from the Dobsons website here, Dobsons School Uniforms Online

 

SPORT NEWS

The Traralgon Secondary School recently held its Years 9 and 10 Cross Country trials.  The course was very muddy with plenty of rain in the lead up to the day.  Students completed the course during their pastoral block with females running a three kilometre course and males a five kilometre course.  By students participating in the Cross Country they earn house points towards their house total.  The winning house on the day was Lalor with forty-two points.

Throughout the second round of online learning, both campuses are bringing regular challenge competitions to the home learning space of students!  The PE staff encourage all students to participate and upload their video onto the MyStPauls Sport Page to be in the running to win a $25 sports shop voucher.
This week’s challenge: Challenge 8 – Can you beat Liam?  How many times can you hit the drink bottle from five metres out in one minute?

Sandra Timmer-Arends
Head of Sport, Traralgon

 

CHAPLAINCY

Although we find ourselves in interesting circumstances, the heart of chaplaincy remains the same.  We endeavour to provide a space for students to explore God, the things of Jesus Christ and understand the spiritual side of life.  Chapel has been running since the last lockdown in a modified format and is currently run every week with a pre-recorded Chapel that runs through the Pastoral Block.  This term we are looking at topics that will help students through this time, realising that some students are thriving, while others are just surviving.  Feel free to contact me at any time if you would like me to send you a link to our Chapel Services, would like more information about chaplaincy or you are just up for a chat about life.

Glen Treble
Traralgon Chaplain

 

 

SCIENCE WEEK FROM HOME

Due to a return to online learning, science experiments need be completed in a home environment; as a result, Science Week involved a project.  The students had to design a Satellite that could monitor the ocean levels and explain why this is happening.  Unfortunately, I will not have any designs to show for this week.  However, I do have a couple of photographs of one of the Year 7 student’s set up for an experiment called ‘Crash test dummies’.

Ms Annette Young
Science Teacher

 

MAV ONLINE MATHS CAMP

Mathematical Association of Victoria, in 2020, will again host the successful Mathematics camp.  However, due to COVID-19, the 2020 camp will be conducted virtually.

The camp is aimed at Year 10 students who live in regional Victoria and who have been deemed to be of high potential and ability in the area of Mathematics.

The Virtual Mathematics Camp will be run during the second week of the Term 3 school holidays:
Monday 28 September to Friday 2 October
Places are available for 24 students.

The aim of the program is to provide an opportunity for students to gather, in a virtual environment, with like-minded peers and explore hands-on, industry related problems.

MAV will be partnering with four mathematical industries that will provide mentoring for students to solve a contemporary real-life problem.  In addition, secondary teachers will also provide ongoing support.  It will be an engaging, practical and hands-on look at how mathematics is used to solve problems in a variety of industry fields.

MAV will provide:
♦ Access to an online communication forum
♦ All programmed activities, including:
· Access to presentations from industry representatives
· Access to mentors who will work with students, including Mathematicians from the tertiary sector
· Social opportunities to engage and collaborate with each other.

To access details and an application form visit:  https://www.mav.vic.edu.au/Student-activities/Maths-camp-for-2020-regional-Year-10-Students

For further information contact Helen Haralambous, hharalambous@mav.vic.edu.au

 

LIBRARY NEWS

Need something new to read?
Print books are available to borrow from the Library via ‘Click & Collect’.  All available books (those not already on loan or at other campuses) can be reserved.

Use Oliver, our online catalogue to browse and find the books you want and log in to reserve.

OR send an email request to ssomalley@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

OR try a Mystery Pack – email the library with some preferences and we will handpick a selection just for you.

Requests must be received before 3:30 pm Thursday 27 August.
Collect from outside the library on Friday 28 August between 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
We encourage you to return any completed books at this time.

Do not forget that ebooks and audiobooks are available 24-7 through Wheelers ePlatform.

Warragul Secondary School

From the Head of Warragul Secondary School, Ms Laura Butterworth. A message from our School Captains:  Remote Learning, Round 2 It is hard and that …

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Warragul Secondary School

From the Head of Warragul Secondary School,
Ms Laura Butterworth.

A message from our School Captains:  Remote Learning, Round 2

It is hard and that deserves to be acknowledged.  There is no way to deny the challenges that we are currently facing.  And whilst it is true that “we are all in the same boat”, the COVID-19 crisis impacts different parts of everybody’s lives and as a result everyone is forced to grapple with this adversity in their own way.

Students and staff returning to remote learning may feel that it no longer holds the sense of new opportunities it once did.  We are fortunate however, that even though it is now harder to work together or motivate each other, the resilience and camaraderie shown by our school and community has ensured that we are not feeling left behind.

As Year 12 students in our final year, school is where we most want to be.  We would prefer to be alongside the incredible cohort of classmates that we have come to form genuine bonds with and with our teachers and the staff whose faithful guidance we rely on.  This team environment we have formed is what we miss most and whilst it feels like we have lost so many opportunities as a group of Year 12s, the bonds we share allow our year level to tackle the ups, downs and curveballs that are defining our Year 12 year.

Recently, this magnificent community support shone through when we needed it the most, right as we packed up all our books and belongings in our final days before the second round of remote learning.  We walked into school as we would any normal day and were delighted to find the Year 12 Common Room and locker bay decorated like a winter wonderland for Christmas in July!  This simple gesture from Chapel Captains, Jesse Peck and Sophie Kovac, as well as a team of fellow students, brought a much-needed smile to so many faces in the midst of the hard-hitting news of the re-introduction of lockdown restrictions and online learning.

We hope that 2020 is not defined by the undoubted hardships we are all facing but instead, is defined by the strength and resilience we are able to bring and share within ourselves and our community.  We would love to hear any stories from anyone you know who has demonstrated great fortitude during these times.  And we will ALWAYS be available to talk or give advice so please do not hesitate to reach out.

Yours sincerely
James Gourley and Rachel Jennings
Your School Captains for 2020

jgourley20@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au / rjennings20@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTI)
Thank you to all of our families that joined us for PSTI on Tuesday evening.  It was lovely to reconnect and once again share in your child’s learning journey with you.  The response to the night has been very positive and we appreciate the feedback that has been offered.  The Zoom platform certainly made the evening run smoothly and was very convenient during this time of restricted movement.

The next evening will be held on Wednesday 26 August from 4:00 pm and 8:30 pm.  To access the booking system please go to https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au  You will be required to enter a School Code which is bngn4.  Bookings close at 3:00 pm on Tuesday 25 August 2020.

Thank you to the Stayner’s who took a photo of themselves in action on Tuesday night during their interview with Ms Bronwyn Pearson.
Mrs Michala Chapman, Mr Phillip Coombs and Mr Peter Willems enjoying their opportunity to speak with their families on Tuesday evening.

An important message to Year 7 Families from Baw Baw Shire Immunisation Services
Due to school closures, we have decided to run an out of school session for your Year 7 students who were due to receive their vaccinations in August through the school program.

We have included the link for the booking system  https://www.trybooking.com/BLBQI 

The venue and date are listed below:
West Gippsland Arts Centre
Thursday 3rd September, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Parents can attend this session for their child to receive the vaccination they were due to receive at school.  Alternatively, they can still attend any of our regular Council sessions which are on the Baw Baw Shire website.

MyStPauls Correspondence Page
You will have noticed in recent months we have started including links to letters in our email correspondence rather than attachments.  We were finding that the attached documents were often sending our emails into parent spam folders.  To fix this we created a page on MyStPauls called Correspondence and we save all letters and associated documents to this page.  You can access this directly on MyStPauls by using the sidebar and clicking on the Secondary – Year Level Information tab, then choose your child’s year level and then click on the Correspondence tile.
You are also very welcome to call through to the Secondary Office if you need assistance as well.

Ms Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

 

COPING WITH COVID: AN UPDATE FROM THE COUNSELLING TEAM

The return of restrictions and remote learning may have triggered a wide range of emotions within your family.  Here is some advice on how you can support your child’s wellbeing during the remote learning period.

At times like these, there is strength in community.  Keep in contact with your friends and family, and encourage your child to do the same.  Social distancing is especially difficult for children and adolescents who may be feeling cut-off and isolated from their peers.  This is one time that parents should actively encourage adolescents to use (age-appropriate) social media!  Alternatively, allow your child to make regular contact with their friends over platforms such as Zoom or Houseparty, through online games and via the telephone.

Try to implement a regular morning routine, just as you would if it were a regular school day.  Routine and structure help to create a sense of safety, security and predictability for children and adolescents.  Have your child wake up, eat breakfast, shower and get dressed at a set time each morning.  Getting dressed into their school sports uniform will help to prime their brains for learning.  Ensuring their TV and mobile phone is off during school hours may help to prevent distractions and create a sense of normalcy.  Encourage your child to take frequent mini-breaks (five minute break after every forty to fifty minutes of work) and a decent lunch break each day.

Promote healthy habits throughout the day.  Food and exercise have a substantial impact on mental wellbeing.  Make sure your child is eating regular, balanced meals and snacks.  Encourage them to get up and move throughout the day and make sure they are getting one hour of moderate-to-vigorous exercise on most days.  Help your child to achieve a balance between school work and down time by encouraging their participation in hobbies/activities of interest and relaxation.

Encourage your child to find the positives in each day.  When we make a point to identify these, our brain is more likely to focus on the positives instead of the negatives.  One way this can be achieved is through the creation of a dinner time conversation routine.  For example, each family can provide an answer to the following questions: “What was one good thing about your day?”, “What is one thing you are grateful for today?”, “What is one thing you are proud of today?” and “What is one thing you are looking forward to?” Alternatively, your child might like to create a gratitude journal where they can record the things they are grateful for each day.

Finally, encourage you child to speak up.  If your child responds with “fine”, “okay” or “good” when you ask how they are feeling, follow up with “How are you really feeling?”.  Doing so lets your child know that you are genuinely interested in how they are feeling.  If your child tells you about something that is annoying/upsetting them, listen and respond with empathy.  By validating their emotions, your child will feel understood and is more likely to open up to you in the future.  Hold off on providing premature advice and avoid saying “there are people that have it worse than you”, “that doesn’t sound too bad” or “I think you are over-reacting”.  These phrases are likely to cause your child to shut down and they may avoid speaking up in the future.

For periodic advice on how to support your child’s wellbeing, make sure you have a look at the Student Welfare Information page on MyStPauls.  For specific advice on how to support your child, speak to a member of the school counselling team. Shannon Arfaras is the School Psychologist at Warragul, Laurie Everaert is the School Psychologist at Traralgon and Brian Johnson is the School Counsellor at both campuses.  The school counselling team continues to be available to students for face-to-face counselling and seeking mental health support is a valid reason for leaving your home.  We have also expanded our service to include online appointments through Coviu – a telehealth platform that is compliant with the Australian standards for online security and encryption.  You and your child can also access support through Kids Helpline (Ph: 1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (Ph: 1300 22 4636), Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Line (Ph: 1800 512 348), Headspace (Ph: 1800 650 890) and Lifeline (Ph: 13 11 14).

Above all, remember to be kind to yourselves and reach out to your support networks if you are struggling.

Shannon Arfaras
sarfaras@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au
School Psychologist – Warragul

 

WHAT’S ON

AUGUST
17 to 23 August  Science Week
25 August  Online Maths Help, Years 7 to 9, lunchtime, (please register with your Maths teacher beforehand if you are attending so you can be given access)
Online Maths Help, Years 10 to 12, after school, (please register with your Maths teacher beforehand if you are attending so you can be given access)
26 August  Virtual Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTI), Years 7 to 11, Session 2
Remote ‘Tournament of Minds’ meeting, 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm
27 August  Remote ‘Tournament of Minds’ meeting, 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm
28 August  SRC Meeting, lunchtime

SEPTEMBER
1 September  Online Maths Help, Years 7 to 9, lunchtime, (please register with your Maths teacher beforehand if you are attending so you can be given access)
Online Maths Help, Years 10 to 12, after school, (please register with your Maths teacher beforehand if you are attending so you can be given access)
2 September  Remote ‘Tournament of Minds’ meeting, 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm
3 September  Remote ‘Tournament of Minds’ meeting, 3:45 pm to 5:00 pm
Year 10 – Study Calm

Art Club
Runs throughout the week.  To access the Art Club page, https://my.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/homepage/10926
•  Students can comment in the social stream to join or email cpowell@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au
•  Archipaul’d Portrait Competition: All Warragul Secondary School students can vote for their favourite to win the People’s Choice award.

Sports Department
Each week the Sports Department runs an ISO Challenge.  This can be accessed on the Sport Page of MyStPauls.

Online Ensemble Rehearsals
The following ensembles are currently running online.  Please check with the ensemble director if you are unsure of the day/time of rehearsals.
•  Flute Ensemble
•  Jazz Improvisation
•  St Paul’s Voices
•  Community Strings
•  Concert Jazz Ensemble

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Get ready, the Dobsons annual ‘Buy Early & Save‘ sale is about to begin!  Save on selected uniform items when you shop with Dobsons from 1 September to 31 October 2020.  Beat the back to school rush and save on a range of selected items, including:
• Blazers
• Pullovers
• Summer Dresses
• Summer Shirts
• Bags
• Sportswear
With a pain free returns policy, now is the time to plan ahead.  Whether your child finds a few extra centimetres over the holiday break or not as many as you would have thought, Dobsons has you covered with a quick and simple returns policy*.
Once Dobsons stores re-open they would love to welcome you instore but until then they look forward to servicing your uniform needs online.
*Terms and Conditions apply.  Sale available online and instore once store services resume.

Purchase uniforms from the Dobsons website here, Dobsons School Uniforms Online

 

LIBRARY NEWS

Is your reading stack in need of a refresh?  Print books are available from the Warragul Secondary School Library via ‘Click and Collect’.

What to do:
Click and Collect using your Oliver account.
All available books (those not already on loan or at other campuses) can be reserved.  For Oliver account set up instructions, click here.

Use Oliver, our online catalogue to find the books you want.  Log in to Oliver to reserve OR send us an email request.

Want a mystery pack?  Email the library with some preferences and we will put together some hand picked books for you ready to collect.

To collect books:
The library will email students when books are ready.
Pick up days are Monday and Thursday each week.
Restrictions permitting, come to the school roundabout and call reception 5623 5833.
Library staff will bring the books out to your car.
We will have a return bin with us if you wish to drop off finished loans.
Do not forget that ebooks and audiobooks are available 24-7 through Wheelers ePlatform.

* All print books on loan have been renewed. Now due October 6 2020 (start of Term 4).

 

ARCHIPAUL’D PORTRAIT COMPETITION

Congratulations to the students who entered our annual Archipaul’d Portrait Competition.   The Art Faculty are immensely proud of the wonderful artworks submitted; we are especially impressed with the individual approach taken by all of the students, it is terrific to see a range of art forms and approaches to the topic.
To view entries in this year’s Archipaul’d Portrait Competition – go online now to view the amazing work and vote for your favourite!  Head to the Art Club page on MyStPauls or click here, https://my.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/homepage/10926

We will announce the winners in the upcoming week!

 

ONLINE MATHS HELP

Years 10 to 12, Tuesdays at 3:30 pm
Years 7 to 9, Tuesdays at Lunchtime
Please speak to your Maths teacher for more information or to participate.

 

SPORT NEWS

ISO Prac Challenges
During a time of isolation and online learning, we will be bringing regular prac challenge competitions to your home learning space!  Each challenge will present an opportunity to compete against our Sport Trainees.  At the end of each challenge period, the competition panel (trainees and Head of Sports) will announce the winner and a prize ($25 sports shop voucher) will be waiting for you at Reception!
ISO Prac Challenge 6 – Can you beat Liam?  How long can you juggle three balls for?
Congratulations to William Brewer from Year 8 who is the St Paul’s Warragul Campus winner of the ISO Prac Challenge 6.
It was a close competition, William juggled for two minutes and twenty seconds, two seconds longer than Austin Williamson from Year 11.   Well done boys!

ISO Prac Challenge 7 – Can you beat Saskia?  How many claps can you do whilst throwing a tennis ball in the air?
Congratulations to Jordan Shields from Year 7 and Ashton Wanigavitharana from Year 8 who are the St Paul’s Warragul Campus winners.  It was another close competition – both Jordan and Ashton clapped eighteen times whilst the tennis ball was in the air, beating Mia McCrohan from Year 10 by three claps!  Jordan and Ashton will receive a $25 sports shop voucher for their efforts.

Each Monday during online learning a new challenge will be posted on the MyStPauls Sport Page.

From the Chaplain

‘MATER ATRIUM NECESSITAS’ The pacing around the house, staring repeatedly into the pantry or fridge, sighing every few minutes, picking up random objects and fiddling …

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‘MATER ATRIUM NECESSITAS’

The pacing around the house, staring repeatedly into the pantry or fridge, sighing every few minutes, picking up random objects and fiddling with them… it can only mean one thing.  The teenager is bored (and probably hungry but that goes without saying).  I suspect this sort of scene is being played out in households all over Victoria right now as we find ourselves once again restricted to our homes day and night thanks to another round of COVID-19 induced lockdown.  But necessity, as the saying goes, is the mother of invention and there is nothing like weeks and months of restrictions to bring out some creative solutions from people.  There have been opera singers putting on performances from their balconies for the neighbours, chalk drawings, teddy bears and all manner of ‘care packages’ displayed on nature strips for the benefit of anyone out for their permitted exercise jaunt and of course more communication technology solutions than you could poke a USB stick at!  It seems that there are two common mindsets when faced with the monotony of lockdown.  One is to allow our creativity to flourish as we find new ways of doing things and connecting with people.  The other is to languish in the mind-numbing tedium of trying to swipe and scroll boredom away.  Research suggests that there are actually different types or levels of boredom and not all of them lead to positive outcomes.  At one end of the scale we have Apathetic Boredom, described as having low arousal and a lack of positive or negative feelings – in other words, a feeling of helplessness or depression.  I am sure you have felt this yourself or seen it in your child at times and you know how frustrating it can be.  At the other end of the scale we have what is referred to as Reactant Boredom which is associated with high levels of arousal and negative emotions.  This is the pacing and fidgety teen prowling the house with a dissatisfied look on their face.  My experience is that this type of boredom inevitably ends either in a burst of creative activity or a defeated collapse on the bed.

We often talk about the idea that humans are made in the image of God and this concept has two significant ramifications for how we are being impacted by our current situation.  Firstly, God is by nature a relational being which means that we, in turn, are relational creatures.  We need connection with others.  Even the most introverted amongst us still desires human interaction and when our interactions are limited for an extended period of time, we start to struggle.  Secondly, God is by nature a creative being and we, in turn, are creative creatures.  We are hard-wired to re-imagine and innovate, to look for alternative ways of doing things.  Creativity is built into us to help us not just survive but to thrive.  In recent articles I have talked about joy and gratitude as important tools to help us face challenges and just as we need to cultivate these attitudes, so too do we need to cultivate creativity in ourselves and our children.  Boredom is not something to be feared or even avoided.  Boredom can be the thing that drives us to unleash the creative part of us that in turn reflects the wonder of a creative God.  So next time your moody child paces restlessly through the house, do not try to rescue them from their boredom or tell them what they should do.  Instead, watch and wait and just maybe you will see that wonderful transition as a creative thought takes hold and they suddenly come alive with energy.

May you know the joy of letting your creativity transform your lockdown into a time of new discovery with your children.

Reverend Daniel Lowe
Senior Chaplain

 

From the Principal

School Fees: No Increase for 2021 The School Board has been carefully considering the economic impact of COVID-19 on our school community and has decided …

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School Fees: No Increase for 2021
The School Board has been carefully considering the economic impact of COVID-19 on our school community and has decided that tuition fees will not be increased for 2021.  We appreciate that these are challenging times, and we hope that our early advice of 2021 fees will help our families with forward planning.

Financial Flexibility for Affected Families: Please Contact the School
We are here to provide flexibility for those families who need it.  If you are experiencing financial difficulties due to the current situation, please email Mr Peter Lees, Finance Officer, at plees@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au who will then contact you for a confidential discussion.  Please stay safe and well during this time and continue to communicate directly with the School as needed to update us on how we can best support your family.

School Expansion Feasibility Study: Traralgon and Drouin
As you are probably aware, the School is currently investigating the feasibility of establishing both a VCE offering at Traralgon and a possible ELC/Junior School in Drouin.  As part of that process, all families living in or east of Moe should have received an invitation to complete a survey, as have families who live in, west or south of Drouin.

If you have not already completed your survey, I encourage you to take this opportunity to provide your views.  For those families who live outside the regions mentioned above, or for those families who may live and work across both regions, I invite you to participate in the relevant survey/s by clicking on the link/s below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TraralgonVCE
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DrouinCampus

It is not an easy task to make decisions about potential future developments during a period of such difficulty and uncertainty in the world, but I believe that it is important to continue to plan for the future.  We will be thorough in our research and prudent in our evaluation before any decisions are made.  I look forward to being able to communicate the outcomes of the feasibility study with the school community later in the year.

Cameron Herbert
Principal

Warragul Junior School

From the Head of Warragul Junior School, Mr Rowan van Raay. As we conclude Week 6 of this term, I would like to acknowledge and …

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Warragul Junior School

From the Head of Warragul Junior School,
Mr Rowan van Raay.

As we conclude Week 6 of this term, I would like to acknowledge and thank the wonderful support our Junior School community continues to give each other during these challenging times.

Our staff across the Junior School continue to work extremely hard to maintain a high level of learning and pastoral opportunities regardless of whether the children are completing their remote learning at home or here on campus.  I am grateful to the teachers, Education Support and Admin staff who are here on campus each day to assist our students.

A few reminders for everyone:
•  Please make sure you (or your child) continue to acknowledge their attendance on the Social Stream each day.  Staff have been asked to check-in with families if a student is not present online.
•  Students should be in their school sports uniform during their ‘learning time’ each day and whilst on Teams meetings.
•  Families should be mindful of conversations that are taking place in the background while their child/ren are involved in a Teams meeting.
•  For any technical or MyStPauls issues, please direct them to itsupport@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au for assistance.
•  Keep an eye out for our virtual events each week.  These are a wonderful way for our students and families to stay connected.

Please continue to reach out to us should you require any support throughout this remote learning period.  We are here to assist any way we can and are only too happy to support our families.

I will continue to keep families updated, so please keep checking the Warragul Junior School Campus page on MyStPauls regularly for these updates.

Parent/Teacher Interviews
Families should have received information regarding our upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews via Zoom scheduled for next Wednesday 26 August (2:00 pm to 6:00 pm) and Thursday 27 August (2:00 pm to 6:30 pm).
Included in the email was our Zoom Parent Guide for PTIs.  This guide includes instruction for use on a laptop or desktop computer as well as for mobile phone access.  If you have not used Zoom before then please allow time to download the program on to your device of choice prior to the interviews commencing.
We will be using our usual online booking system for PTIs.  To access the booking system go to: http://www.schoolinterviews.com.au  – you will be required to enter a School Code, which is yq5md

Once you have made your bookings, please print out the ‘Interview Timetable’ generated by the system.  To assist families who have any difficulties booking online, I ask that you contact the Junior School office where the booking can be made for you.  Bookings remain open and but will close progressively at 2:00 pm on the day prior (unless they are filled first) to allow staff time to email you a link to your Zoom meeting with them.  Each teacher that you have booked an interview with will email you by 4:00 pm on the day prior to your scheduled interview time, so please keep a look out for these emails.  Please follow the instructions in the ‘Zoom Parent Guide for PTI’ which will show you how to access each interview.

If you are meeting multiple teachers, it might be a good idea to spread your interviews out a little to allow some setting up time in between.

If you experience any difficulties accessing the program or any of your scheduled interviews then please call one of the following mobile phone numbers:
•  0429 407 594
•  0455 020 484
These are school phone numbers which will direct you to a member of our IT Team who will assist you with your issue.
The Junior School office will also be open should you need to contact us on 5622 6131.

Stay safe everyone.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

 

COPING WITH COVID: AN UPDATE FROM THE COUNSELLING TEAM

The return of restrictions and remote learning may have triggered a wide range of emotions within your family.  Here is some advice on how you can support your child’s wellbeing during the remote learning period.

At times like these, there is strength in community.  Keep in contact with your friends and family, and encourage your child to do the same.  Social distancing is especially difficult for children and adolescents who may be feeling cut-off and isolated from their peers.  This is one time that parents should actively encourage adolescents to use (age-appropriate) social media!  Alternatively, allow your child to make regular contact with their friends over platforms such as Zoom or Houseparty, through online games and via the telephone.

Try to implement a regular morning routine, just as you would if it were a regular school day.  Routine and structure help to create a sense of safety, security and predictability for children and adolescents.  Have your child wake up, eat breakfast, shower and get dressed at a set time each morning.  Getting dressed into their school sports uniform will help to prime their brains for learning.  Ensuring their TV and mobile phone is off during school hours may help to prevent distractions and create a sense of normalcy.  Encourage your child to take frequent mini-breaks (five minute break after every forty to fifty minutes of work) and a decent lunch break each day.

Promote healthy habits throughout the day.  Food and exercise have a substantial impact on mental wellbeing.  Make sure your child is eating regular, balanced meals and snacks.  Encourage them to get up and move throughout the day and make sure they are getting one hour of moderate-to-vigorous exercise on most days.  Help your child to achieve a balance between school work and down time by encouraging their participation in hobbies/activities of interest and relaxation.

Encourage your child to find the positives in each day.  When we make a point to identify these, our brain is more likely to focus on the positives instead of the negatives.  One way this can be achieved is through the creation of a dinner time conversation routine.  For example, each family can provide an answer to the following questions: “What was one good thing about your day?”, “What is one thing you are grateful for today?”, “What is one thing you are proud of today?” and “What is one thing you are looking forward to?” Alternatively, your child might like to create a gratitude journal where they can record the things they are grateful for each day.

Finally, encourage your child to speak up.  If your child responds with “fine”, “okay” or “good” when you ask how they are feeling, follow up with “How are you really feeling?”.  Doing so lets your child know that you are genuinely interested in how they are feeling.  If your child tells you about something that is annoying/upsetting them, listen and respond with empathy.  By validating their emotions, your child will feel understood and is more likely to open up to you in the future.  Hold off on providing premature advice and avoid saying “there are people that have it worse than you”, “that doesn’t sound too bad” or “I think you are over-reacting”.  These phrases are likely to cause your child to shut down and they may avoid speaking up in the future.

For periodic advice on how to support your child’s wellbeing, make sure you have a look at the Student Welfare Information page on MyStPauls.  For specific advice on how to support your child, speak to a member of the school counselling team. Shannon Arfaras is the School Psychologist at Warragul, Laurie Everaert is the School Psychologist at Traralgon and Brian Johnson is the School Counsellor at both campuses.  The school counselling team continues to be available to students for face-to-face counselling and seeking mental health support is a valid reason for leaving your home.  We have also expanded our service to include online appointments through Coviu – a telehealth platform that is compliant with the Australian standards for online security and encryption.  You and your child can also access support through Kids Helpline (Ph: 1800 55 1800), Beyond Blue (Ph: 1300 22 4636), Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Line (Ph: 1800 512 348), Headspace (Ph: 1800 650 890) and Lifeline (Ph: 13 11 14).

Above all, remember to be kind to yourselves and reach out to your support networks if you are struggling.

Shannon Arfaras
sarfaras@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au
School Psychologist – Warragul

 

WHAT’S ON

AUGUST
21 August  Virtual serial readings by Mr Barkla, 7:00 pm (links on all parent/class/campus pages)
22 and 23 August  Virtual Disco (links on all parent/class/campus pages)
24 to 28 August  Virtual serial readings by Mr Barkla, 7:00 pm (links on all parent/class/campus pages)
26 August  StoryTime, 7:00 pm (links on all parent/class/campus pages)
26 and 27 August  Parent Teacher Interviews via Zoom
29 and 30 August  Drawing Challenge (links on all parent/class/campus pages)

COMING UP:
Trivia Challenge
1,000 Cranes Challenge

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Get ready, the Dobsons annual ‘Buy Early & Save‘ sale is about to begin!  Save on selected uniform items when you shop with Dobsons from 1 September to 31 October 2020.  Beat the back to school rush and save on a range of selected items, including:
• Blazers
• Pullovers
• Summer Dresses
• Summer Shirts
• Bags
• Sportswear
With a pain free returns policy, now is the time to plan ahead.  Whether your child finds a few extra centimetres over the holiday break or not as many as you would have thought, Dobsons has you covered with a quick and simple returns policy*.
Once Dobsons stores re-open they would love to welcome you instore but until then they look forward to servicing your uniform needs online.
*Terms and Conditions apply.  Sale available online and instore once store services resume.

Purchase uniforms from the Dobsons website here, Dobsons School Uniforms Online