Scotts Head Public School Newsletter

Hello, Giinagay, Hai

Student Leadership Opportunities

A key feature of Scotts Head Public School’s success is the active involvement of students in the life of our school.  The school offers a diverse range of leadership opportunities for all students.  They include joining leadership teams and participating in leadership programs such as School Captain, House Captain, School Representative Council (SRC), Sports Monitors, Green Team, Mural Team, ICT Leaders, Learned Leaders, School Choir, School Band and most recently Kidz Newz Inc.

Our school-based 'Young Leaders' Program focuses on the skills, values and attitudes needed for effective student leadership. This program aims to maximise students' leadership potential and effectiveness by focusing on the following leadership habits of the mind:

1. Speak Up

2. Step Up

3. Have a Go

4. Think Team

5. Show the Way

Through their participation students learn about:

• Public speaking
• 'What makes' a good leader
• Organisational and team skills
• Encouraging and problem solving

Our student leaders are our role models and are expected:

• To act with care, courtesy and reliability
• Be capable of doing the job
• Be positive and enthusiastic
• Show empathy towards others and act as you were good friends
• Use manners and basic good grace when dealing with other students and adults
• To treat others fairly, honesty and keep their dignity in tact
• Display self-discipline
• Show self-control of their feelings and actions

Students are given support on how to become a student leader and build the following attributes:

• Our school values of Honesty, Teamwork, Responsibility and Respect
• To be friendly and act like a good friend
• To work well with others
• To build resilience

Peer Leaders are our core leadership group made up of every student in Year 6.

House Captains are sports leaders assist to organise their team, sports equipment and build positive team spirit, attitudes and focus. We have two house captains and two vice captains for each house. House Captains are voted on in early Term 1.

School Representative Council (SRC) Our school has a vibrant and enthusiastic SRC made up of 2 elected representatives from each year and interested Year 6’s.  See the photo below of our SRC.

They meet regularly to discuss issues of importance to the children of our school including fund raising for social service. Children in our SRC learn about how meetings are conducted, discussing issues and the process of voting to make a collective decision. Members of our SRC wear a badge which informs everyone of the important role they hold in our school.

School Captains are school leaders and are our role models.  Voting is held during Term 3 to allow all students an opportunity to see how they display leadership qualities.

The Green team are the environmental leaders.  They volunteer their time and work under the guidance of our Sustainable Schools Coordinators, Mrs B and Bu Bettina.  They are involved in the following tasks/projects:

• Taking care of the chickens
• Propagating plants from around the school
• Developing the garden areas in our school grounds
• Creating a compost system for our garden beds and recycling using a worm farm
• Being environmental ‘experts’ and assisting class teachers in knowledge and the bush tucker track
• Being responsible for classroom recycling program.

The Mural team comes under the guidance of Pak Adam and Bu Bella.

They assist in painting murals around the school along with interested community members and professional artists.

The school choir and school band are under the guidance of Pak Chris, Bu Rebecca and Cory.  They are responsible for performing at important school events such as Presentation Night.

The latest leadership opportunity is the establishment of the Kidz Newz website under the guidance of Mrs C. It is our student website - made by kids for kids and parents to share what is happening!

I am sure you will agree there are numerous activities here at school for students to get involved with and to develop leadership qualities.

Thanks, yaarri yaraang, terima kasih.

Bu Gillian
Gillian Stuart - Principal

Through the online platform of Zoom and Interrelate presenters, all Year 5 boys in Year 4/5, under the guidance of Bu Gillian, have the opportunity to experience an award winning six week anger management course. This course will help them deal with the most misunderstood human emotion, anger.

The Session themes are:

• The Many Faces of Anger
• The 4T’s Anger Cycle
• Healthy Expressions of Anger
• Getting Through the Guilt of Anger
• Relaxation, Exercise and Diet

“Do not teach your children never to be angry, 

teach them how to be angry”

Lyman Abbott

'Mindfulness' means paying attention to the present moment. Practising mindfulness can help kids cope with everyday life and deal with tough times. 

At Scotts Head Public School, we practice mindfulness in the classroom through the Smiling Mind Education Program.  It is mindfulness-based program that supports the development of positive mental health and wellbeing. Each day the whole school will stop from 11.50 to 12.00md to experience mindfulness.

The program has been designed for primary and secondary aged children and has been successfully implemented in a wide variety of government and non-government schools with positive results.

Practising mindfulness can assist with:

• managing stress
• developing emotional resilience
• enhancing creativity
• enhancing decision making and problem solving, and
• a sense of calm, clarity and contentment.

Mindfulness at home

Research has shown that involving the whole community (teachers, parents and students) is the most effective way to gain the long-lasting benefits of mindfulness.

You can also use the Smiling Mind mindfulness program at home for free. Click here to down the free app.

Handy articles and resources:

https://www.mindful.org/five-steps-to-mindfulness/

https://www.headspace.com/meditation/meditation-for-beginners

https://www.developgoodhabits.com/how-to-practice-mindfulness/

https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-children-kids-activities/