{"id":18242,"date":"2025-09-17T14:07:42","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T04:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/?post_type=article&p=18242"},"modified":"2025-09-18T13:16:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T03:16:58","slug":"assistant-head-of-primary-p-4-and-curriculum-leader-p-4-11","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/article\/assistant-head-of-primary-p-4-and-curriculum-leader-p-4-11\/","title":{"rendered":"Assistant Head of Primary P-4 and Curriculum Leader P-4"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pastoral Update<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

R U OK? Day at Del Monte<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last Thursday, the Del Monte campus was bright with yellow as students and staff came together to celebrate R U OK? Day. Children wore splashes of yellow, engaged in thoughtful classroom activities and attended a special assembly led by our student leaders from the Wellbeing Team. The day was a meaningful celebration of connection, kindness and care \u2013 highlighting the importance of looking out for one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

R U OK? Day is a national initiative in Australia that encourages people to check in with those around them by asking, ‘Are you OK?’ It\u2019s a simple but powerful question that can start conversations and offer support to someone who may be struggling. Held each September, the day promotes empathy, connection and emotional support \u2013 especially during times of stress or isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the assembly, the Wellbeing Team shared practical ways students can carry this message into their everyday lives. They encouraged children to notice when someone might be playing alone and to take action \u2014 whether by asking if they\u2019re okay, helping them find a friend or teacher, or inviting them to join a game. These small acts of kindness help build a culture of care and inclusion across the school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

R U OK? Day is part of our broader pastoral care program, which includes initiatives such as UR Strong\u2019s Friendology<\/em> program and the Zones of Regulation<\/em>. These programs are grounded in current research and support students in developing emotional literacy, respectful relationships and strategies to solve friendship challenges. Together, they help children build a shared language around wellbeing and foster a supportive school environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents play a vital role in reinforcing these values at home. By encouraging open and honest conversations, you help your child feel safe expressing their emotions. It\u2019s important to validate their feelings and reassure them that it\u2019s okay to feel sad, worried or confused. Reading stories that explore emotions and friendships can also be a gentle way to build understanding. Most importantly, being present and attentive during daily check-ins \u2013 whether at the dinner table, during bedtime routines or on the way to school \u2013 helps children feel heard, supported and connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National Child Protection Week<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last week, we recognised National Child Protection Week \u2013 an annual campaign that encourages all Australians, including families, schools and communities, to work together to keep children safe and supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s theme, Every Conversation Matters: Shifting Conversations to Actions<\/em>, reminds us that while talking about child safety is essential, real change happens when we take meaningful steps to create environments where children feel safe, valued and heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Does Child Protection Matter?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children thrive when they feel protected and supported. Safe environments help them build strong relationships, learn effectively and grow with confidence. Everyone \u2013 parents, teachers, carers and community members \u2013 has a role to play in preventing harm and promoting wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does This Look Like in Practice?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In classrooms, child protection means creating inclusive spaces where every child feels they belong. It involves teaching protective behaviours and emotional literacy, and embedding kindness, inclusion and respect into everyday routines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At home, it means having open conversations with children about feelings, boundaries and safety. It\u2019s about listening without judgment, encouraging children to speak up and modelling respectful relationships and positive problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, we can ensure that every child not only feels safe \u2013 but is safe. Let\u2019s continue to turn our care into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creation changemakers: peace with creation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a time when all of creation is calling for peace, I hope school communities around Australia will consider how they can be changemakers, starting with creating Gardens of Peace; sacred spaces to pray and act with creation. Let us turn our hearts and minds to the beauty of God’s gift and respond with hope and care.<\/em>
Bishop Timothy Harris<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the final two weeks of Term, Del Monte has proudly joined the Creation Changemakers <\/em>initiative \u2013 an inspiring campaign led by Caritas Australia\u2019s Catholic Earthcare program. This initiative encourages schools to take meaningful, faith-filled action for ecological and social justice during the Season of Creation<\/em>, a global celebration of prayer and care for our planet that runs from 1 September to 4 October each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Living Symbol of Hope<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s mission invites schools to cultivate a Garden of Peace<\/em> \u2013 a living symbol of hope and harmony inspired by the 2025 Season of Creation theme, Peace with Creation<\/em>. Whether it\u2019s a flourishing garden, a patch of lawn, or a quiet classroom corner, these sacred spaces offer students and staff a place to pray, reflect and grow together in community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowering Young Changemakers<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Creation Changemakers <\/em>program is deeply rooted in our Catholic call to care for creation, as expressed in Pope Francis\u2019 encyclical Laudato Si\u2019<\/em>. In this letter to all people, Pope Francis reminds us that the Earth is our common home \u2013 a sacred gift from God \u2013 and that caring for the environment is both a moral duty and a spiritual responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students are encouraged to see themselves as active participants in shaping a better world. It invites them to live out their faith through action, compassion and stewardship \u2013 becoming changemakers who care for creation with love and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, through prayer, learning and action, we are nurturing a generation of changemakers committed to ecological justice, compassion and hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Curriculum update<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Stay connected through learning moments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We encourage all families to visit the Learning Moments tile on your child\u2019s grade homepage<\/a> via Veritas Online. This space features regularly updated photos capturing student learning in action \u2013 offering a valuable window into classroom experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To view the photos, simply click on the Learning Moments<\/em> tile from your child\u2019s grade homepage<\/em>, then select the link to their class. These images can be a wonderful way to spark conversation at home, helping you ask specific questions about your child\u2019s day and what they\u2019ve been learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a simple but meaningful way to stay connected with your child\u2019s learning journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauren Petroni<\/strong>
Assistant Head of Primary P-4 and Curriculum Leader P-4<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pastoral Update R U OK? Day at Del Monte Last Thursday, the Del Monte campus was bright with yellow as students and staff came together to celebrate R U OK? Day. Children wore splashes of yellow, engaged in thoughtful classroom activities and attended a special assembly led by our student leaders from the Wellbeing Team. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":18518,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","article_category":[6],"article_tag":[],"class_list":["post-18242","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","article_category-primary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/18242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18242"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_category?post=18242"},{"taxonomy":"article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/ssc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_tag?post=18242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}