Message from Principal

Dear parents and caregivers

Welcome back to all our students and their families for the beginning of a new school term. Term 4 is always busy, yet exciting with a number of important school events leading up to the end of the school year.

At this stage of the year many of our students become a little less tolerant of the behaviours of others and conflicts emerge. Conflict is unfortunately a part of life that we deal with, no matter what age. I am sure we all have observed ‘unkind’ behaviours and as a parent I know that my own children could be downright mean to each other. Sometimes there is a misunderstanding of what is unkindness and what is bullying, and by defining the two correctly can help to teach our students resilience and how to cope with conflict.

Bullying is defined as “an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert)… Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying”. The key terms in the definition of bullying is ‘misuse of power’ and ‘repeated’. The key terms in the definition of what is not bullying is ‘between equals’ and while conflicts or mean and hurtful behaviour may upset a child tremendously, by labelling the mean behaviour ‘bullying’ we may be disempowering students.

It is important for our students to understand the difference between someone being insensitive or mean and what constitutes bullying behaviour because being able to successfully resolve and navigate these situations is a huge step in their emotional growth and maturity. If the situation is deemed to be simply mean or hurtful behaviour it is important not to over-play this through misleading terminology (ie bullying) and offer ways for the student to address and resolve this themselves. By defining the behaviour correctly we are encouraging our students to assess and respond in a way that with long term practice, creates resiliency and emotional maturity.

World Teacher’s Day in Australia

This year, World Teachers Day in Australia is being celebrated on Friday 27 October, in recognition of the contribution teachers make to education across the globe. Research states that the most important element that makes a difference to student outcomes is the teacher.

Wembley Primary School staff are simply the best! They work tirelessly to provide innovative teaching and learning programs for all our students. A huge thank you to the staff for being part of the Wembley Team.

To our families, I would like to say thanks to all of you who have contributed to our school in ways small, large and unimaginable! So many of you have supported our work in countless ways and contributed to the P&C to provide additional resources to do what we dream and know is good for children. Thanks for getting your children to school on time each day, for kind notes of encouragement that mean so much, for sending your children with lunches obviously packed with love, for making sure homework gets done… and handed in. Thank you for providing rich and engaging, well-rounded experiences for your children and knowing that education is about joy, wonder and fostering curiosity, along with the development of social skills so needed to succeed. For these, and a million other things, the Staff at Wembley are truly grateful.

Have a wonderful week.

Julie

Julie Woodhouse

Principal