Thank you

Expressing gratitude and thanks is important to our wellbeing. Practising gratitude on a regular basis helps us appreciate the people and things they do or the value of something. When we appreciate the value of someone, we’re less likely to take them for granted.  I continue each week to be grateful for everyone in our school community. Recently a parent described our school as:  “a small school with a big heart”   

I am grateful for:

• our talented and skilled staff who constantly look for ways to engage our students in learning. 
• our parents and families who have adapted so willingly to support learning at home, under very challenging circumstances.
• our students for preserving, developing resilience and trying their best.

Parent Wellbeing Workshop

Thank you to Rebecca Short Clinical Psychologist who conducted the first parent wellbeing session last Monday. One parent who attended said, 

“I feel like I have just had a warm hug! The session created a feeling of care and acknowledgement of people's efforts which I think was appreciated.”

We still have a few places left for our next session.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A FREE1-HOUR WORKSHOP FOR ST CATHERINE’S PARENTS

CARING FOR THEM, CARING FOR YOU: PARENT WELLBEING DURING COVID-19

WEDNESDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 2020

7-8PM

Only 3 places left!

RSVP essential via stcathsparentsandfriends@gmail.com

Resilience and Mental Health

https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets/social-and-emotional-learning/resilience-and-mental-health

The Be You website has some great information for both parents and educators.

A child or young person who is resilient might: 

• be optimistic
• use positive self-talk for encouragement
• have a positive sense of self
• identify and express their feelings and thoughts
• not hide away from strong feelings
• have helpful, age-appropriate strategies to manage their emotions when upset
• rearrange their plans to work around an unexpected situation
• have a sense of agency or responsibility
• keep on trying if something doesn’t work out and use their judgment about when to stop
• hold a sense of purpose or hope for the future
• actively ask for help if they need it
• feel a sense of attachment to family, their learning community and to learning.

See attached flyer on Resilience and Mental Health

Father’s Day

Enrolments/Marketing

Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM)is currently working with me to support increasing our enrolment numbers and marketing our school.  Some members of the school board and staff will form a working group that will support developing strategies and actions to promote our school. Research from the National Catholic Education Commission indicates that word of mouth is the main influencer for prospective parents. In fact 92% of parents trust the recommendation of friends and family when it comes to choosing a school. If you know of family or friends with a child starting school next year, please let them know we still have places available. I am happy to meet virtually with any families that are considering enrolment and would like to know more about our school.

At our last school board meeting, Catholic Education Melbourne staff presented demographic information, outlined the Enrolment Maximisation Framework process and the support offered to our school over the next 3 years.

I would like to thank Darren Forner and Abbey Walters for coming forward as the parent members and Brittany Wrigley and Maree Hills will be staff representatives of the working party. The EMF working party will meet for our first meeting next term and will meet regularly each term next year. The role of the working party will be to support the school to:

• Set goals and objectives
• Identify key stakeholder priorities and key messages
• Develop engagement and communication tools
• Collect and analyse feedback

The working party will report back to the Advisory School Board each term.

We have a welcoming and friendly school, with highly skilled staff and a supportive parent community. Our school is a little hidden gem in Moorabbin and all we need to do is get the word out there.

Please like and share our new facebook page :

https://www.facebook.com/St-Catherines-Moorabbin-105586587915883

Program Support Group Meetings ( PSG)

PSG meetings will take place in the week beginning 5 October. These meetings take place each term for parents with students receiving additional learning support. Parents will be contacted by Carmel Donlon via email to set up a meeting time.