Newsletter

• Ensure your daughter has a quiet, well-lit, distraction-free (no phone or TV) place to study.
• You may also need to be flexible with chores and family commitments on some days so your daughter can complete her study. Sometimes your daughter may need to say no to certain events depending on SACs and exams.
• Let her know it’s okay to say no to that extra shift at work when she has a SAC or exam the next day. Reassure her that saying no is okay.
• Check in with her to ensure her study schedule is balanced and accounts for all deadlines, and that she completes it.
• You can also check that she takes proper breaks to let her brain recharge.

• Remind your daughter to turn off phones, TV & video games before bedtime. Ideally, teenagers should get the same amount of sleep every day (about 8 hours), including weekends (avoid late sleep-ins)
• Encouraging your daughters to live a healthy and active lifestyle during this time is important.
• Support a healthy, nutritious diet. Energy from a nutritious breakfast can increase attention span, concentration & memory, and help your daughter make healthier food choices throughout the day.
• Make space to recharge. Recharging is another important aspect of the study-life balance. Just like our phones, our brains need to recharge to function at its best. Recharging may involve reading a good novel, going for a walk, or socialising with others.

• Regularly asking how your daughter’s day is going will show that you are willing to listen when she needs.
• You might disagree with some of her ideas, but at this age they need room to experiment and make mistakes. They need you to show empathy and to validate their emotions. See yourself as her anchor or lighthouse, someone she can return to no matter what.
• Reach out: Encourage your daughter to ask for help from teachers when it's needed. If she’s struggling emotionally, remind her that she can reach out to teachers and also our College Psychologist, Eden Foster confidentially. Remind her that you are always available to speak with her.

This last cycle has brought our students to a ‘turning point’: the conclusion of VCE Unit 1 !

The cohort now has to sit their examinations. Beyond the score, this is rather an opportunity to practise revision and stress management skills, in preparation for next year’s final exams. There are many resources available on our LMS, as well as endless teacher guidance, to support our students through this period. I would like to take a moment to congratulate all students for their growth this semester, so please acknowledge their efforts and achievements.

Last week was Reconciliation Week. For Nourish, we heard from Leila Gurruwiwi from MACS, allowing us to reflect on the struggle for Aboriginals to obtain rights as equals.

Finally, I would like to congratulate our VCAL students Indi Kosowski & Olivia Nelson who are getting work experience at school, assisting teachers in different jobs, thereby learning different responsibilities.

Alizée Bourgault, Year 11 Leader