Dear Parents and Carers,

Over the last few years there has been a lot of media coverage about mental health and how people are experiencing a ‘slump’ now due to the ongoing presence of covid-19 cases. As much as we try to shield our children from what is happening in the world, they are very aware of what is going on and it may be affecting their mental health. This is why resilience is important for children’s mental health. Children with greater resilience are better able to manage stress, which is a common response to difficult events. If kids are stressed for long periods of time, stress hormones (particularly cortisol) can build up in their brain and interfere with their ability to learn and pay attention in school. Using healthy coping skills to deal with stress can help your child to pay attention, use higher level thinking skills and learn new facts and ideas.

So Where Does Resilience Come From?

Resilience is shaped partly by the individual characteristics we are born with (our genes, temperament and personality) and partly by the environment we grow up in — our family, community and the broader society. While there are some things we can’t change, such as our biological makeup, there are many things we can change. 

Resilience involves behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned over time. Latest research has found that there are five areas that offer the best chance for building resilience in children.  

As a parent, carer, or significant adult, you can help to develop essential skills, habits and attitudes for building resilience at home by helping your child to:

• build good relationships with others including adults and peers,
• build their independence,
• learn to identify, express and manage their emotions,
• build their confidence by taking on personal challenges.

There are some simple things you can do to build your child’s resilience in these areas and a quick Google search will provide many different resources for you to check out. Beyond Blue’s funded The Children’s Resilience Research Project has many wonderful resources on building resilience which are worth looking at.

https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/healthy-homes/building-resilience

Next week is Sabbath Week. It is typically Week 7 each term and is a week to pause, rest and be present to each day. The Sabbath is a traditionally Jewish custom where one day in seven was devoted to rest and worship. Many other cultures have similar cultural observances.

At St Clare of Assisi the Sabbath Week is specifically timed when energy levels begin to dip during the term giving us a small pause before completing the final weeks of the term. We do not send homework during that week, so as to provide families with a little respite from very busy home routines. We always encourage reading as a pleasurable activity, so we provide readers for our younger students, not referring to this as homework.

Thank you for your ongoing care and partnership in your child’s learning. 

God bless.

Rachel Smith

Principal

Principal’s Notes

Late Arrivals

We ask that all students arriving at school after 9am be signed in at the Front Office by a parent or appropriate caregiver. Thank you for your support with this.

COVID Update

The restrictions regarding parents in the school remains in place. Catholic Education provide regular updates and the school will advise when there are changes.

Term 3 Pupil Free Days

As communicated by Ross Fox, Director of Catholic Education, there will be two pupil free days in ACT Primary Schools in Term 3. The date for the second scheduled Pupil Free Day is Friday 9^th September, 2022. OSHC will be providing care for those families if needed on that day.

Leaving St Clare of Assisi

Don’t forget to let us know if you are planning to leave St Clare of Assisi at the end of the year. (Year 6 exempt of course!) Please use the link below.  We will soon commence the process of planning enrolments and class numbers for next year. 

https://stclareconder.schoolzineplus.com/form/10

Eucharist Retreat Day

Next Tuesday our Year 5 students will participate in their Eucharist Retreat Day. On this day the students will learn about and reflect upon the blessed sacrament as they prepare to celebrate their First Eucharist in September.

May God continue to bless each family in our SCA community. You are in our prayers every day when we join together as a whole school and in each class to pray. The following prayer is for parents and carers, all of whom have the privilege and joy of nurturing their families.

Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards at the 8.45am Friday Morning assembly.

K, 1, 2 - Delilah C and Teddy W

3, 4 - Tyler W and Jade M

5, 6 - Evie H and Flynn S

Thank you to everyone who supported this year's Book Fair.  We have raised lots of money that will be used to buy books and resources for classrooms and the Library.

Katherine Austin

Librarian

Book Club will close Thursday 25th August

On Friday of Week 5, I had the privilege of taking the Year 6 Smarties netball team to the netball finals gala day held at Lyneham Netball Centre.  The Smarties played in the Southside Gala Day last term and made it through to the finals day. 

The girls played teams from all over Canberra which was a great experience for them.  The Smarties played great netball all day combining passing and moving down the court to create some really good passages of play.  The girls had some fabulous defensive moments, with intercepts and turn overs.  Shooting was another highlight, with the girls using their skills to move around the goal circle.  The girls showed off their skills and worked well as a team.  They supported one another and showed the true sportsmanship we have at SCA.

Special thanks to Lucy Johnson and Mel Judd - the girls are so lucky to have you. Thank you also to the parents and grandparents who came to support the team - we really appreciate it. 

Well done Smarties on a terrific day of netball!

Katherine Austin

Player of the Week 

Speckles – Chloe

Smarties – Brooke

Smiggles – Aaliyah and Malana

Squiggles – Zaria and Lily

Swifts – the whole team

Skittles – Maddy and Lacey

Sparkles – Ania

Smurfs – Sara

Sunshines – Rose

Stars – Maddi M and Mia

Sparkles Match Report

This week Sparkles came up against a tall and fast Rebels team, and really had to show their netball smarts to get the win. The girls used their growing skills with structure and strategy to find great space, with Ania and Mariella showing strong drives to circle edge, and Jasmine and Elissa having excellent movement in the circle. Isla, Ava and Scarlet picked up lots of deflections and intercepts in defence, and all down the court we had huge improvements in our timing and offers. Well done Sparkles - I'm super proud of how far you've come this year.