“True happiness comes from the way you choose to live your life, especially when it’s hard”.

Last week I spoke with the junior school about academic health and wellbeing. Reflecting upon the example of Eddie Jaku, I challenged students to consider how these words may apply to their lives. Author of ‘The Happiness Man in the World’ Jaku survived the horrors of the Holocaust. He lost everything - his family, his home, and his freedom - but through it all, he learned that no matter how difficult life can become, we can make a conscious choice every day to give our energy to good. Despite his life being shaped by trauma, Jaku chose to focus on the things he could control: his attitude, his actions, and the choices he made. He said: "I survived because I never gave up on hope, on kindness, and on learning."

As our students at Corpus Christi try to navigate the ups and downs of school life their attitude is one of the most powerful tools they have when it comes to academic health and wellbeing. Students get to choose how to respond to the challenges they face - whether it's a subject they find difficult, a tough assessment task, or getting through an entire class without making excuses as to why they won’t give their best!

A reminder about policies and expectations in the following areas (as outlined in our student handbook):

Refocus Time 

The objectives of refocus time should be to promote self-awareness, help-seeking, encourage problem-solving, emotional regulation, and to increase positive relationships. It should be a time to actively use regulation strategies to re-engage in learning.

Issuing of Refocus Time

• A student and their parent/s will meet with the School to formulate a School Support Plan. This plan will identify access to Refocus Time and the regulation strategies the student will be using during this time.
• In most instances, Students accessing Refocus Time would be engaged with the School Counsellor or external support in order to develop and monitor their social and emotional needs.
• A student will have a flag on Compass indicating they have access to Refocus Time.

Refocus Time Procedures

• Student will show their Learning Advisor (LA) their ‘Refocus Time Card’.
• Student will be accompanied to the Front Office or the Refocus Room (located next to Diverse Learning Needs (DLN) space) by a peer selected by the LA.
• Front Office or Refocus Room (DLN) Staff will enter a ‘Chronicle meeting entry’ ‘Re-focus time’ on Compass, adding the relevant LA (class they have just left) and House Leader to the notification chain.
• The accompanying student will return to class and advise the LA of the student's arrival at the Front Office or Refocus Room. Should this student report a non-arrival, the LA will immediately contact the Front Office.

During Refocus Time

• Student will be provided with up to 20 minutes to employ their regulation strategies. 
• Student will return to class if they can regulate after 20 minutes.

Should a student remain dysregulated after 20 minutes the nominated support person (as per their School Support Plan), relevant House Leader, or Leadership Team Staff are to be notified for further intervention. 

Reminder regarding school pick up

We ask students and parents for their support of our school community and the impact of school pick-up on our local businesses.

Cooperation is requested from parents by not parking in private parking areas associated with local businesses. These parking spaces are reserved for the customers of these businesses and come at a rental cost to these business owners. 

We also ask for parental cooperation in reminding your child/ren that they are to travel to the train station or your waiting vehicle via the pedestrian pathway adjacent to the railway line. This path has been intentionally created to keep people at a safe distance away from busy Industrial Road.

A staff member also supervises students to use the crossing that leads to direct access to this pathway. Parents are encouraged to park in the train station car park which can be safely accessed via this pathway. 

Thank you for your continued partnership in building a positive school community.