Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

Thank you for your strong support of the Mindfull Aus parent session on Tuesday, it was great that so many of you were able to join us to hear Matt’s presentation on “A child’s life should be good, not easy.” We got to hear valuable strategies to support our children with resilience, managing difficulties, building positive relationships and how to build connections with our children. 

The presentation focused on the six key emotions of:

We appreciate your support of this initiative and on your behalf thank Deb Fox for bringing this program to our school. 

WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

At St Thomas, we believe that a strong partnership between parents and teachers is key to fostering a supportive learning environment for our students. Positive interactions between parents and teachers can significantly enhance a child's educational experience and overall well-being. 

Some ways we can work together to build these connections include:

• Open Communication: Regular and open communication helps build trust and understanding. Whether it's through Class Dojo, phone calls, or parent-teacher meetings, staying in touch ensures that both parties are working together to support the student's progress and needs. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if anything comes up that you feel they need to know.
• Active Participation: Parents are encouraged to participate in school activities, volunteer opportunities, and classroom events. This involvement not only shows students that their education is valued but also builds the connectedness to the school community.
• Positive Reinforcement: Celebrating successes and acknowledging efforts, both big and small, can boost a student's confidence and motivation. Teachers and parents can work together to recognise and reward achievements, this helps to foster a positive attitude towards learning.
• Constructive Feedback: Providing constructive feedback in a respectful and supportive manner helps students understand areas for improvement without feeling discouraged. By communicating together parents and teachers can share insights and strategies to help students grow and succeed.

Tips for Parents:

• Be Proactive: Don't wait for issues to arise before reaching out to your child's teacher. Regular check-ins can help address potential concerns early on.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with school newsletters, announcements, and your child's assignments. Being informed allows you to support your child's learning more effectively.
• Be Supportive at Home: By showing an interest in what is happening at school, your child will feel supported and it will increase communication about what they are learning and the school experience.
• Attend School Events: Make an effort to attend parent-teacher conferences, school plays, and other events. Your presence shows your child and their teacher that you value their education.

By working together, parents and teachers can create a nurturing and effective school experience. Let's continue to build these positive relationships and support our children in reaching their full potential.

STARTING LATE AND FINISHING EARLY

We have noticed that there are a number of students arriving at school late and finishing early. 

We understand that for some students coming to school is hard - please speak to your child’s teacher or a member of the learning adjustment team if your child is displaying school refusal or “school can’t“ so that a support plan can be discussed. 

We also understand that medical appointments such as doctors or offsite therapist appointments cannot be avoided during the school day but we ask that NON URGENT appointments be scheduled outside school hours. 

There are several reasons why arriving late and leaving early are not okay:

• Arriving Late - The start of the day is a chance to get settled, complete the before school classroom routine and connect with their teacher and friends before the day officially begins. The children are more settled, they know what is expected of them for the day and they haven’t missed important information about what might be happening in their day. 

• Leaving early - Learning is occurring right up until the end of the day; whether it is completing set work or playing a game with their class, there is always a learning intention behind it and a reason why it is important. Reasons such as getting a haircut, avoiding traffic, wet weather are not acceptable reasons for your child to leave early. 

• Frequent absences - these not only impact your child’s learning, they also influence their ability to form connections with their peers. By having continual absences they may also find it hard to return, creating anxiety as they need to reconnect with their friends and teacher, relearn the routines of the classroom and establish themselves back into the games on the yard during break times.