As we reach the end of Semester One, it’s a wonderful time to reflect on what has been a busy, rewarding, and enjoyable term. It has been wonderful to see students thriving—whether that’s out on the ovals, playing handball, climbing on the playgrounds, engaging actively in their learning, transitioning to different classrooms, or living out our CARES values each day. There’s a real sense of joy and purpose across the school, and it’s clear that our students are making the most of their schooling experience.

This semester we’ve focused on embedding Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness within our classrooms and within our settings, such as the playground.

The weekly focus topics have included prompts such as:

What is your biggest achievement at school this week (Gratitude)?

Be kind to yourself today. Do something you love. What will you do? Write it down so you remember to stick to it. (Empathy)

Choose an object and explore it with a beginner’s mind. Pretend that you have never seen it before. What do you notice? How would you describe it? (Mindfulness)

The school holidays are an opportunity to put into practice the wellbeing component of the Resilience Project (TRP) lessons that have happened in all classrooms. As a parent, you have access to the Resilience Project @home resources, available on their website. There is also an app you can download that has a wellbeing journal and resources for students of all ages.

As we head into the school holidays, we wish all our families a safe and restful break—filled with time to connect with loved ones, enjoy the company of family and friends, and take moments to relax, reflect, and recharge. May this be a time of gratitude, mindfulness, and empathy as we pause and appreciate all that the first half of the year has brought.

Briohny Cuskelly
Head of School - Primary