Issue 8, 21st May 2021
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From the Acting Principal
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Congratulations
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Religious Education News
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Positive Behaviour Support
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Aiming High Awards
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Pastoral Care and Wellbeing
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Parents and Friends
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Mother’s Day Stall
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Cross Country
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Swimming
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Author - Natalie Stone
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Move Well Eat Well
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Marist Regional College Information Session
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Autism Australia
As you know, last week our Parent-Teacher Meetings took place, with Prep and Year 1 meetings taking place this week. It has been wonderful to witness the collaborative and productive conversations happening between teachers and parents. One of the most important indicators of student success is the relationship between school and families. Children benefit significantly when teachers and parents celebrate their successes together and jointly tackle any issues. Parent-Teacher meetings are also one of the few times during the year that some parents are able to make it into the school, due to the busyness of their day to day lives. It was lovely to meet some parents who I have not had the opportunity to meet previously. Thank you so much for the positive partnerships that make SPC such a great place for our children to be each and every day!
Gaming - From Entertainment to Addiction
Gaming addiction has officially been recognised by the World Health Organisation as a mental health condition. This article from raisingsmartkids.com provides guidance on what it is and what steps parents can take to protect children from developing the condition.
There is nothing wrong with your child playing and enjoying an online game or video console, but like most things when it comes to the online world it’s a matter of proportion.
While enjoying games is normal, they are designed (many by behavioural scientists) to be engaging, and to keep players wanting to play. The problem arises when children and teenagers start to neglect other areas of their lives in order to play video games, or when the only way they can relax is by playing video games.
Why a child can be addicted to video games
Game creators work hard to hook players to their games. Games become “addictive” because it triggers the brain’s reward system, and shapes a child’s behavior.
The social element makes gaming even more compulsive, and hard to quit. Social gaming satisfies the human need for being in charge, and feeling connected with others. Some online gamers even feel that they are “duty bound” to go online because others rely on them.
In many other games, the gamer works hard towards achieving a goal and quitting the game prematurely would waste everything the gamer has worked for.
Symptoms and effects of video game addiction
Here are some of the bad effects of video game addiction:
- Obsessive behavior – Always preoccupied with getting back to the game and displaying irritable, restless and aggressive behavior when not playing.
- Lack of sleep – Kids who play excessively do so up to the wee hours of the morning. This results in sleep deprivation, which is more harmful to minds that are still developing. When they have school the next day, it affects their attention and learning. Their lack of sleep also causes them to have headaches and feel fatigued throughout the day.
- Lack of physical exercise – Also kids who play excessively exercise less, if at all. This results in other health problems, as well as losing the opportunity to develop the brain, since exercise is good for the brain.
- Social isolation – Excessive playing takes time away from kids to interact with family members and friends. Being isolated most of the time deprives a child from developing social skills that he or she could learn from hanging out with friends. Although online games are mostly social, the skills kids can learn from it are very limited because they are not face-to-face interactions.
- Lack of interest in reading and other hobbies that have educational benefit – When children play excessively, they are less interested in other hobbies that make them develop intellectually such as reading a variety of books and engaging in creative activities or other skills they would need in the future.
- Irritability, depression and annoyance when unable to play – Being deprived of playing time for some kids makes them act up and get emotional about not being able to play.
How to Break Your Child’s Video Game Addiction
In moderation, video games can have a lot of benefits. However, when video game playing is excessive to the point that it brings about the bad effects above, parents should seriously consider limiting their kids’ gaming time.
Here are some tips to break your child’s video game addiction:
- Determine a reasonable time for your child to play in moderation – A good time would be one hour on a school day, and 2 – 3 hours maximum on weekends.
- Set specific rules for gaming time limit and be firm about it – Make it clear to your child specifically how much time you are allowing him or her to play (one hour, two hours, only until 7 pm), and make sure that you strictly enforce it. Giving leniency every once in a while can become a slippery slope, and your child will not take the rule seriously anymore.
- Create consequences for not following your rule – You can ban your child for gaming for a week if he or she exceeds your time limit.
- Make game time a reward – Make your child’s gaming time contingent to actually fulfilling or failing a goal or direction. For example, you can allow your child to play on school days if chores are done and homework is completed.
- Track your child’s game time – Games, especially the great ones, are designed to be immersive, and your child can easily lose track of time playing them. Most games also entice your child to keep moving up levels, or to keep trying until he succeeds in a level, and this could make him so engaged that what seems like an hour of play is actually already 3 hours. Logging your child’s game time can also make him or her aware of how much time is spent playing games.
- Use tools to set limits for his game time – Use tools such as a kitchen timer to limit playing time. If that fails, buy a timer that automatically turns off the computer after a given amount of time.
- Put your child’s gaming console or computer where you can see it – this will make them aware that you are monitoring gaming hours and you can see if they are playing excessively.
On Thursday, 20th May, our Grade 3 and 4 students had the wonderful opportunity of having Peter Mitchell (aka Mitch) work with them on being the Spirit of Jesus. Mitch has the students focus on how they can connect the Gospel values and how Jesus lived, with how they live their everyday lives. He helps us remember that it’s how we serve others, how we Greet, Treat and Speak to people. It’s the little things we do and say everyday, that helps make someone’s day.
Mitch converses with the children, he offers insight into how we can take time in our day to find peace, and with our students, Mitch describes it as going to your heart room, reflecting on how Jesus is connecting with them. Some people might call this Mindfulness. Please ask your Grade 3 or 4 child how they are the Spirit of Jesus, how they know when they have Jesus in their hearts :)
Mrs Andrea Jaffray Morf
Deputy Principal
Linking our Gospel values to how we present at school is very important to us at St. Peter Chanel. We strive to see and encourage the best in our students.
Our focus for everyone at St. Peter Chanel for this and next week, is: Using online Resources and Equipment Responsibly.
The children named for last week’s PBS focus and Aiming High Awards, were outstanding with their attitude of: Have a Go!
Through our Positive Behaviour Support, we continue to plant the seeds for faith and learning, nurture the growth and celebrate the harvest.
Congratulations to the following students who received Aiming High Awards at our last assembly.
Kinder - Henry & Reef
Prep - Millah & Rory
Grade 1 - Milla & Bronte
Grade 2 - Georgina & Chayse C
Grade 3 - Jordana & Ajai
Grade 4 - Aihden & Kye
Grade 5 - Lewis & Jewel
Grade 6 - John & Alex
Some hold it together at school, only to lose it at home. Others stress out in the classroom. It’s not unusual for kids to behave differently in different settings. For instance, you’d expect a child to act one way at a friend’s birthday party and another at her grandparents’ house. But the behaviour of some kids — especially those with issues such as anxiety, learning disabilities, ADHD and autism — can vary much more markedly, especially when they’re at home versus school. This discrepancy can leave parents puzzled, if not upset, and worried that they’re doing something wrong.
Why do some kids do better at school?
Some children may do a good job meeting expectations at school, but it’s such a struggle for them it will take its toll at home. Children with anxiety, ADHD, autism and learning disabilities may be using a lot of their resources to follow directions or cope in the classroom. Once these children get home it’s challenging for them to conjure up the same amount of resources to manage, but instead need to release the built up tension.
Many children benefit from the consistency, structure, predictability and routine that come with their school environment. This often cannot be mirrored at home because that’s not how life works. At school, rewards and consequences are likely to occur in a consistent way that may be more challenging for parents to set up at home.
Another key reason kids do better at school: They feel safe to be “their worst selves” at home, secure in the knowledge that their parents will still love and support them.
Why do some kids do better at home?
For most kids, academic and social demands at school are above and beyond what they typically face at home. That may trigger problem behaviours in some, their families never see at home. Kids with challenges like ADHD and anxiety often have a very low frustration tolerance; so we might see acting out because asking them to be patient and persistent can be incredibly challenging.
Most children would experience self-directed behaviour at home, such as free play or Legos. When they get to school, not being allowed to do those things, or having to wait for activities they may have free access to at home, can be very challenging for them. This can also lead to disruptive behaviour.
How to help kids..
A major suggestion is to collaborate and have open communication between home and school as much as possible. If there are strategies or techniques that the child is really benefiting from at home or in school, can they be shared and adapted to support that child in both environments?
For children whose problem behaviour comes out at home, it is recommended that they get a chance to decompress when they transition after school: It’s absolutely okay to have less stringent demands during that period of time for your child if they need a break. That said, it’s important for them to understand that the rules of the household still need to be followed.
Note also how well-nourished and rested your child is after school. By giving them a snack and having them rest allows time to regroup and recover from their struggles of all day trying to keep it together.
Ms Donna Porteus
Chaplain
On Friday, 4th June the Parents and Friends will be holding a disco for all students in the Josephite Centre. The disco will run from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Parents are able to order Savs in bread and party pies via the Qkr! app, from Tuesday 25th, for tea for their children. We ask can these be ordered early to allow time for ordering and catering please. These will not be available to purchase on the night. Snacks and drinks will be available on the night for students to purchase.
Congratulations to Jack Britton, who won the cake raffle at our last assembly.
Thank you again to families for your ongoing support for our fundraising efforts, we raised $1,091.43 this will go towards the Grade 5/6 Camp.
Our annual Cross Country will be held at school next Wednesday, 26th May. Below is a timetable for the day but please note this is just a guide. Students have been practicing the course in PE lessons with Mr Britton.
Following the cross country at 2pm, our Parents and Friends have organised a Colour Fun Run where coloured powder will be thrown at students. This is an optional event and students do not have to participate. Those who would like to participate need to bring some old clothes to change into as the chalk may stain. Students who do not have old clothes will not be able to participate.
As per the letter home on Monday, in Term 3 as part of the Health and Physical Education Curriculum, swimming lessons will occur for all students at SWIRL (Smithton Swimming Pool) every Wednesday. Permission needs to be given for your child to participate. This can be done via the Compass App.
Swimming will not affect Canteen, lunch orders can be ordered as normal.
As part of the Premier’s Reading Challenge our students were lucky enough to have local published author, Natalie Stone visit today. Some students were able to hear how Natalie put her ideas into a story and got them published. Natalie took the time to read one of her books to our students, then they had the chance to ask her some questions.
AutismTasmania conducts free workshops for parents and family carers of children on the autism spectrum, or those who have autistic characteristics.
Early Days workshops are for parents and other family members of children aged 0-6 who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis or are going through the assessment and diagnosis process. Parents / family members who are wanting to find out more about autism to help decide whether they should seek assessment for their child are also welcome to attend.
The next Early Days workshop in Burnie is scheduled for Wednesday May 26th.
The topic for this workshop is Developing my child’s eating skills. Participants will:
- Learn why eating skills can be difficult for a child on the autism spectrum
- Learn strategies that may help with mealtime routines and fussy eaters
Registration is essential. Families can contact me directly, or they can register via this link https://www.trybooking.com/BRDWF or via the link in the attached flyer.