Pastoral and Wellbeing

Year 5 Interaction Day

On Friday 10 March the year 5 students participated in a Year 5 Interaction Day. The purpose of this day was to provide students with the opportunity to continue to form new friendships, develop teamwork skills and to collaborate with others. Students took part in a variety of activities throughout the day. 

We started our day identifying our unique and special qualities by creating a personal ‘treasure box’ which the students used at the end of the day to write special notes to each other and qualities they admired throughout the day. The students also took part in a Sports team-building session. Games such as the three-legged, or even six-legged race were held, followed by some obstacle course activities where we need to work in partnership or groups to succeed. 

The afternoon session contained a drama workshop where students were placed into groups and asked to complete a variety of drama tasks. Students then participated in a lego-building listening exercise, identifying how important it is to give the right information and listen carefully to each other. At the end of the day, the students were asked in teams to develop a strategy the team were going to use to build a cup structure without using their hands, only through the use of the resources and materials they were given. It was great to see the different ways each team went about finding a solution and succeeding by building the cup towers. At the end of the day, we reflected on the new connections which were made and identified ways we will continue to strengthen the new friendships made and still find other daily opportunities to reach out to others. 

Year 5 Interaction Day student reflections:

I loved Interaction Day! This made me step out of my comfort zone and make some amazing new friends.

It was great to meet some new people and realise I have things in common with them.

I had an amazing day. It was so good to be able to meet new people and take part in a variety of fun activities.

I enjoyed making some new friends and hope we can have many more interaction days. Thank you teachers.

Gioia House Caritas – Project Compassion fundraising

Thank you to all the students who have been giving generously and assisting with our Project Compassion – Caritas fundraising. Our Bake sale was a huge success and we give thanks to the students who brought in some cakes and treats to sell, those who gave up their lunchtime to sell the cakes to the students, as well as the students who bought the cakes and gave generously.

This week will be the last week for our Caritas Egg Guessing Competition and Easter Raffle tickets will be sold. We will be announcing the winner and drawing out the raffle at our Gioia House assembly next week. Please continue to find ways during this Lenten season to think of others, pray together and give generously. Our small acts of kindness and generosity can have a huge impact on other people and their community.

Harmony Week

Last week we celebrated Harmony Week. The students took part in a variety of activities and events throughout the week to celebrate being part of a multicultural society. Harmony Week is a time when we focus on our Australian values to respect and include everyone and develop a sense of belonging for all people, regardless of cultural or linguistic backgrounds. The students researched different countries, their customs, traditional food and cultural dress and learnt how to say hello in a few different languages. We also celebrated different cultures during Assembly Time, where students shared their different cultures through dance and music. Bethan Welsh in Year 6 delighted the school with her amazing skill at Irish dancing. During lunchtime, cultural music was playing and there were a number of students who took part in traditional dancing, where everyone joined in the celebration of multiculturalism.

Speak Up competition

Congratulations to all the students who participated in Speak Up co-curricular this term. The students were actively involved each session and continued to work towards their personal public speaking goals. On Friday 24 March, 12 students attended the Speak Up Inter-school competition at St Ignatius College Riverview. The Gioia House students presented their well-prepared speeches with confidence. Congratulations to Emilia Srdanovic for being the overall winner at the Speak Up competition. Well done to all the students for their outstanding effort during Speak Up this term.

Rock and Water

The students have been taking part in our Action Girl Pastoral Program: Rock and Water. Throughout the past couple of sessions, students have been learning how to ‘ground themselves’ through their bodies, mentally and breathing techniques. 

During the most recent session the students have an understanding that “Having a mental rock attitude means you go your own way. You close off from the opinions of others. In a positive sense, a rock attitude strengthens your sense of having an unshakeable point of view which can be a powerful weapon against peer pressure. Mentally, the weak spot of the rock attitude is that closing off from feelings and ideas of others may easily lead to closing off from your own feelings. So if you have to be a rock on the outside, still try to be like water in your inner world. This means you still try to reflect on your own thoughts, feelings and emotions. This self-reflection is possible when you are centred and grounded.” The Year 5 students have responded well to the Rock and Water program this term and have impressed us with identifying times in life when we would need to use some of the techniques we discussed during our Action Girl Pastoral – Rock and Water program.

With one week of school left for this term, I would like to wish everyone a blessed Easter and an enjoyable holiday break.

Marisa Maks
Assistant Head of Gioia House