Week 6 - Over The Hump

 Good afternoon parents,

Welcome to the we are over the hump week...we have a fantastic week planned in 4DEL which is super exciting before we all roll into a long weekend having Friday off!

Last week, I enjoyed completing my 4th and 5th days of my Leading Wellbeing Course with the amazing Laura Allison. Deb Perich and Shannon Stevens...3 amazing professionals who are right up in there with what is good in the Wellbeing world.

These last couple of days focused around Change and the need for it when there is an opportunity to be better, how to meet the needs of my colleagues and students under the Status Certainty Autonomy Relatedness and Fairness model. When these needs are met, we feel happy and comfortable and in turn, have a positive sense of wellbeing and capacity to cope with change.

We also spent time look at Coping and Habits within the SEARCH framework and ensuring that I am working to develop these for myself and showing them to the students so they can also learn.

I loved this aspect which was the WOOP Plan...yes, wooped of course! This is one that I will be sharing with the students coming into Term to help them work on setting goals for themselves around their own wellbeing and learning but also, (which I really loved!) kindness and listening goals!!! How good!

• W - Wish - What small goal can you set during this term?
• O - Outcome - if your goal is realised how will you feel?
• O - Obstacle - what obstacles might prevent the goal?
• P - Plan - think of a plan to help you tackle the obstacles

Whilst I was away, a little cat did come to play. We received a very important letter from Ms Sylvia Northam, the Director of Class Pets Inc who asked us to take care of two little loves by the name of Bluey and Caramel...

An excerpt from her letter is below...

I know that some of you would very much like to convince your teacher to let you have a class pet, I thought that perhaps until you can, you could look after these little cuties.

There are a few conditions though which I hope that you will accept:

• You will need to choose a name for each pet – perhaps you can all write a suggestion on a piece of paper and then have a vote??

• They like to sit at the workspace of hardworking students and like to move around each day offering encouragement and support to those hardworking kids. Its okay if they come to the floor with them for lessons as long as they aren’t a distraction for anyone!

• They like to be carefully tucked up in their basket at the end of the day so they can rest and recharge their hearts to continue loving and supporting their classmates.

• They would very much like to have their basket live next to the Gratitude Jar as this kind of kindness recharges and encourages them.

• They don’t like to be touched by anyone other than the people that have been chosen for the day as it breaks the connection that they have to that person.

• They don’t like to be treated roughly, they are very sensitive little love machines and need lots and lots of care.

If you think that you can meet these conditions, this would be an excellent way to show Mrs Delane how responsible and respectful you can be.

So far, they have been an excellent addition to our class and I am very grateful! They are loving up the kids and providing quite the carrot!

Here they are in action during one of our Religion activities in which we had to look at different ways we like to learn...watching, doing, listening and reading were some of the options!

REMINDERS - WEEK 6 

Personal Toys/Cards etc - Just a reminder that we are asking that students don't bring in any footy or Pokemon cards or the like as they are being swapped and traded faster than the stock exchange can keep up and swappers remorse is real! We also had a student in Year 5 have his set go missing and understandably he is devo. So, just to make sure...none of the above are to come to school.

Also, personal raffles/items being made to be sold are also a no go. I love that the students want to use their creativity in these ways but they are becoming quite the distraction and are not ending well!

Incorrect Uniform - As previously mentioned we are having a whole school focus around wearing the correct uniform on the correct days. Please note that if life happens, as it does and your child has wet school shoes and needs to wear sneakers or their jumper is wet so you have made a decision to go sports that you write them a note to give to me just to explain things. 

There is no judgement on my behalf but I appreciate the heads up if things have gone sideways in the uniform department. This means I can then target the conversation appropriately around what they can do to help make sure the uniform train leaves the station!

This means grey socks worn for the boys on their formal days and plain white - nothing labelled (Santa Cruz/Billabong/Mrs Delane is a legend) ones whilst popular aren't acceptable. 

See Saw Invites - If you are still missing yours and haven't connected, please do so...check your junk mail as it is a See Saw site generated email, not one that comes from me and most people seem to be finding them in the junk!

Open Classroom - I am so excited to announce that this Wednesday 25th August that OLC will be hosting their Open Classroom evening...you are warmly invited to come into 4DEL to check out what we have been up to.

It will run from 4.30 - 5.30pm in the evening and is an opportunity for you and your child to spend some time discussing what they have been up to.

Please note, that whilst I am super excited to have you come in, this is not an opportunity for one on one conversation with me about your child and their work.

If from this time, you would like to make a time to meet, please let me know and we can work out a time that suits!

Meelup/Geographe Free Dress Day - Congrats to all students in these factions, they received the highest number of tokens for the first half of the term and get to wear free dress on Wednesday 25th August.

OLC Athletics Carnival - Is on this Thursday 26th August, it will be weather dependent but we would love to see you there if you can make it! 

Please make sure that your child is wearing their faction shirt for this day. The children are welcome to wear coloured zinc and hair spray and bring a teddy to help cheer of course!

Pupil Free Day - Friday 27th August - Just a reminder to enjoy the long weekend!

Homework - a reminder that homework will be due in on Thursday this week, please remind your child that they can leave their laptop at home on Thursday.

Enjoy the short week and I hope that I will see you at on of our events this week.

Caitlin