From the Principal
Dear Parents and Carers
As we journey through 2025 on the path of peace, it’s important to reflect on how we can foster peace in our own lives and, most importantly, in the lives of our children. The recent decision to keep school owned iPads at school, aims to support students' well-being by reducing screen time and promoting mindfulness and green time.
A parent recently recommended The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, which explores the rise of anxiety and depression among young people. Haidt connects these issues to technological and societal changes, emphasising the impact of social media, overprotective parenting, cultural shifts, academic pressure and declining social support. He highlights how excessive screen time fosters social comparison and loneliness, while helicopter parenting reduces resilience. Haidt advocates for fostering resilience, reducing overprotectiveness and encouraging young people to engage in face-to-face interactions to combat these challenges and help reverse the trend of rising anxiety.
Fortunately, our learning community values research-backed approaches to well-being. By setting healthy boundaries around technology use, fostering resilience, and encouraging real-world connections, we can support our children in developing stronger, healthier minds.
Please note and save the date for Monday 11th August 6.30-8pm for a parent information session on Strengthening children and teens against anxiety held here at school with Karen Young. Click Here for a link to her Hey Sigmund website with helpful resources for you as a parent or carer. Teachers will also be participating in Professional Learning on this day Strengthening Against Anxiety in Schools.
Enjoy these photos below of 3 JR enjoying some reading time in our peaceful gardens. A great contributor to peaceful minds.
International Women's Day Kylie Moore-Gilbert: Many thanks to our school leaders Innes Pasque and Nina Butters for joining me in this wonderful event at St Ignatius. The profound message from Kylie, who displays such strength and bravery, was the importance of connection and support from others, whatever is going on in your life, we all need others and connection to get through adversity and any life struggles.
Youth Pilgrimage: Well done to our Year 6 leaders who joined 200 Catholic Primary school leaders in a pigrimage of hope last Wednesday. A wonderful day celebrating our Catholic Identity, Indigenous spirituality , history of Catholic Education in Geelong, a Mass at St Mary's Basilica and call to action via the Geelong Mum's social justice group.
Family Maths Night: Our Family Maths night was a huge success with 52 families participating. Thank you to the following families for participating: Grant, Allen, Sheridan, La Terra, Currie, Collins, Hachem, Miller, Rollins, Darburn, Brown, Sinnott, Roberts, Piec, Reynolds, Panozzo, Skora, Richards, Butters, Dárcy, Swain, McLeish, Harry, Kerr, Pasque, Evans, Connolly, Franks, McKay, Hackwill, Keane, Finnigan, Donnelly, Packwood, McDonald, Abbott, Francis, Carr, Sherlock, Micallef, Leigh, McKerracher, Bucek, Stephens, Quinn, O'Neill, Connoley, Lacy, Salter, Ho, Carter, McDonald, McCalman, Richards, Tweddle, Mills, Rippon, Mackay, Toscano, Tuicolo, Watson, Montgomery, Gopani, Muldoon, Shopov, Patena, Jennings, Broughton, Dalton, Bonacci.
Many thanks to our Mathematics Leaders Pat Kennedy and Melissa Garvey for leading this night and all the staff in attendance. We encourage all families to further embrace the home learning by incorporating THESE fun games into your home. We also trust all is going well with our student's reading, some word work in juniors and tables Year 3-6.
Communication during the day: We've had a number of parents emailing teachers directly to ask them to pass on messages to their child about, who to go home with etc, which we don't see during teaching time.
This is a reminder call the office when or if you need a messages passed on to your child during the day. Teachers will often not see these emails during teaching time.
Whole School Athletics – Monday, 31st March
A reminder that on Monday, 31st March, our school community will come together for our Whole School Athletics at Landy Field. This is always a fantastic day filled with participation, encouragement, and school spirit!
We sincerely appreciate all parents who have volunteered to assist on the day. If you haven’t yet signed up via Operoo and would like to help, please contact Sam Scott at sscott@staroceangrove.
For junior parent helpers, thank you to those who have already put their names down to volunteer. As we can only accommodate three parent helpers at a time, your child’s classroom teacher will reach out to you if your assistance is required.
For all other parents and those who do not need to assist on the day, we warmly invite you to come along and cheer from outside the designated areas. Please note that only official class helpers wearing a vest may be inside the coned-off sections. This is important for student safety and ensures teachers can effectively supervise the events without additional crowding.
We look forward to a fantastic day of participation, encouragement, and school spirit! And for those who need a caffeine boost, a coffee van will be on-site!
Holy Week Activities: On the last day in place of assembly, our Year 1-6 students will be walking the path of the Stations of the Cross and celebrating Holy week. Parents and Carers welcome. Please read Hub News for more detail.
Anzac Day March: On Friday 25 April we invite students from Year Prep-Year 6 to attend the march wearing full school uniform. We will also lay a wreath as in previous years. Please meet at the Coles supermarket on the main street by 9.30 am.
Wishing you a peaceful fortnight ahead before heading into a well deseved break.
Kerryn