We respectfully acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and learn, and pay respect to the First Nations Peoples and their elders, past, present and emerging.
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Dear Parents and Carers,
I find myself often chatting with parents and carers about how to support their child when they are stressed and anxious. Just like in adults, when a child is stressed, a fight-or-flight response kicks in, producing higher heart rate, breathing and blood pressure along with clinging, shaking, hiding, screaming, acting out, running away and sometimes nausea. Because a child has not yet learnt the adult coping skills, it’s extremely difficult – if not impossible – for children to think logically or control their behaviour until the fight-or-flight response has dissipated and that can take up to an hour. Below are some strategies we can teach children to use when they are feeling stressed and anxious.
Take deep breaths. Anxiety is often accompanied by rapid, shallow chest breathing. Inhaling for three seconds from the abdomen, holding it for three seconds and exhaling through pursed lips for three seconds can lower heart rate and induce relaxation.
Get active. Physically demanding tasks like wall push-ups, walking up the stairs or climbing a jungle gym can help calm and centre a child.
Make a plan. Taking specific actions can help children understand and tolerate stress.
Use rituals. These can be stability anchors that relieve stress if they’re rolled out before, during, or after, anxiety-producing events – for example, always taking a child out for ice cream after a doctor’s appointment.
Name it to tame it. Children can be asked to tell a story about what they’re worried or upset about and why.
Narrow the focus. Meditating, colouring or focusing on a specific feeling, activity, sight or conversation can produce relaxation.
Laugh. Humour can distract, reframe, relax muscles and release endorphins. Try playing a goofy game, watching a cartoon or telling family jokes.
Reflect. After dealing successfully with a fraught episode, walk the child through what worked: On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard was it? What is one thing that helped you get through it?
(Acknowledgement: “8 Simple Ways to Soothe an Anxious Child” by Erin Leyba in Psychology Today, May/June 2020)
God bless.
Rachel Smith
Principal
Principal’s Notes
RAT Distribution Changes
The ACT Government has announced that they are moving away from providing two tests per student and staff member each week. Tests will now be provided to students and staff on request. Should your child/children need a RAT test please do not hesitate to contact the front office.
Student Absence Explanation
As the class roll is a legal document, all student absences are required to be explained by the parent/carer. Please use the Compass App for this purpose. Even if you phone the school to let them know of your child’s absence, we still require a written explanation via the Compass Portal.
Three Way Conferences
The teachers and students have begun their preparations for our Three-Way Conferences next week. Our Three-Way Conferences can take place in person as long as the following occurs;
- We follow a COVID Safe plan,
- Masks are always worn by parents and staff,
- There is no congregation of parents and students from different cohorts queued up at entry and exit points, and
- That no parents and carers are able to hang around and chat/linger with other parents in the school grounds.
Please note that the Compass portal for three-way conferences will close tomorrow at 9:00am.
Winter Uniform
It is customary at St Clare of Assisi to transition into the winter school uniform at the beginning of Term 2. To help with your preparation for this transition please feel free to drop in and check out our Second-Hand Uniform Shop.
Term Two Starting Date – Wednesday 27th April
Monday 25th April is ANZAC Day and a public holiday. Tuesday 26th April is a pupil free day in all Catholic Primary Schools in Canberra. Teachers will be continuing their work with the Catalyst program that we began last year. All students will return to school on Wednesday 27th April.
The Annunciation
This Friday the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Annunciation. This feast is celebrated on March 25, nine months before Christmas, celebrating the day the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and asked her to be the Mother of Jesus.
Mary was an ordinary girl from a simple town. Yet, God chose her from all time, and set her apart to be the mother of His Son. She was preserved from the stain of original sin from the very moment of her conception. This is the doctrine of The Immaculate Conception. Mary was never without Grace, but she was still human. She is not some far off woman who is not acquainted with what it is like to be human. Mary understands, loves, and cares for each one of us in a very special way. She is truly the best of mothers.
There is so much we can learn from Mary through the Annunciation. Through her yes, Mary teaches us what our response to God should be. Being Full of Grace did not diminish Mary’s ability to say no. She could have said no to the Angel, but she freely chose to say yes. Mary is known as “the New Eve,” because she chose to say yes, while Eve turned away from God’s plan.
When the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he said “Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.” The words of the Angel Gabriel are so special, they are part of the prayer; the Hail Mary.
Confirmation
Confirmation enrolments are open for Catholic students in Year 6. This weekend is the first of two weekends of Commitment masses for families to attend at Holy Family Church Gowrie. Please refer to the Compass Confirmation Information message for details.
Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards this week.
| Kinder | Otto C, Ella F, Billy M, Nikalia M, |
| Year 1 | Emily C, Quinn M |
| Year 2 | Nelson L, Annabelle S |
| Year 3 | Maddie M, Emma T |
| Year 4 | Emma A, Oscar B, Mitch D, Keith L, Ally T, Noah U |
| Year 5 | Hayden S |
| Year 6 | Stephanie G, Will G, Nathan J, Chloe S, Isaac U, |
Dear Parents,
This year our school has signed up to participate in the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge. Every child is asked to read 30 books from now until Friday 19th of August. There are a number of options that can be recorded as a book read. They include:
- A book you read to your children
- Poems
- Novels
- Non-fiction books
- Picture books
- Home readers, and
- E-books
This is a great initiative to encourage children to read as well as the school earning vouchers to buy more books!
Every child has been given a sheet to record the books they read over the course of the Challenge. Once completed, please return them to your classroom teacher.
Kind regards
Katherine Austin
Teacher Librarian
