Issue 2 Term 1 2021

I had the pleasure of attending the Year 8 camp at Victor Harbour. A key element of our Wellbeing for Learning at Kildare, the camp provides an important opportunity for students to build connections, especially with peers whom they might not normally socialise. It is also a time for students to reflect upon their character strengths and how they use them.

Working in groups with the Beyond Limits facilitators, students were challenged to step out of their respective comfort zones as they had to cooperate, sometimes under pressure, to solve problems. For some students, their fear of heights was tested; for others who like to be in control, they had to compromise. As an onlooker, it is heartening to witness our young people grow in character as they navigate challenges, often surprising themselves by achieving what they initially thought was impossible.

The camp experience prompted me to think about what it means to be mentally fit. As a society, we are very accepting of and ready to look after our physical health, but the same cannot be said for mental health. Yes, we have come a long way in raising awareness of the importance of promoting mental health; however, the stigma surrounding mental illness is still very prevalent, despite the best efforts of many mental health advocates. And our youth, on the whole, are still reluctant to seek help when struggling mentally. How, then, can we support mental fitness in our youth?

To be mentally fit means that we are able to overcome life’s obstacles and negative events in a healthy manner; we have strong relationships, and we focus on what we need to. We are flexible in our approach to challenges, avoiding rigid thinking, reminding ourselves that we are the ones who determine how we respond to challenges.

Returning to my experience on camp and its relationship to mental fitness, I am reminded that the following five areas are central to being mentally fit:

• regularly displaying gratitude: people who regularly articulate what they are grateful and thankful for, live happier lives;
• mindfulness: being totally aware of and in the present moment increases our focus and stills the mind, releasing ‘feel-good’ hormones;
• acknowledging character strengths: when we authentically affirm ourselves and others by identifying our respective strengths, we add to our positive emotions bank account; and
• meaning and purpose: making time to nurture our interests and passions, and setting goals helps us maintain balance when faced with stressors.

I encourage you and your family to reflect upon the above comments, upon your respective levels of mental fitness, and explore how you might support one another to promote your mental wellbeing.

Kind regards

Glenn Clifford
Director of Wellbeing

Each week brings opportunities that we can celebrate, and challenges that we may sometimes find difficult to overcome. Helping and supporting students to develop resilience can equip them with the tools to reduce the impact that challenging situations may bring.

When we help young people cultivate an approach to life that views challenges and obstacles as a critical part of success, we help them develop resilience, which is more than just coping. When you are resilient, you are more prepared to seek new ways to overcome challenges and achieve goals.

In Week 5 the Year 10 cohort participated in an interactive resilience workshop run by Urban Youth, focusing on how students can develop skills that allow them to increase knowledge of and identify stress, manage challenging situations, develop coping skills and encourage positive self-talk. Students were able to identify their strengths and the skills used in situations where they felt successful and identify how these can be transferred to situations they find challenging.

Resilience is a skill that can be developed and built on when we develop attitudes that focus on self-respect, social and organisational skills, and positive thinking habits. We cannot always avoid challenging times, but we can support adolescents to develop the skills to bounce forward when faced with adversity.

Students who are resilient display the following skills, all of which can be learnt and developed:

• Emotional awareness and the ability to regulate their own emotions and recognise others' emotions
• Control over their impulses
• Have optimistic and flexible thinking
• Display empathy to others
• Believe that they can be successful
• Are willing to seek help when needed

Resilience is like a muscle, the more we use and develop these skills, the better and stronger we will be. It is derived from the ways that we learn to think and act when we are faced with obstacles. Resilience enables us to emerge from challenging experiences with a positive sense of ourselves and our futures.

Students can continue to develop their skills of resilience by:

• Making connections with others who care about them
• Practising positive thinking when faced with challenging situations
• Developing realistic goals that they can move towards in small and regular steps
• Taking decisive actions rather than detaching from challenging situations
• Looking for opportunities for self-discovery and identify strengths used in situations of success
• Developing and nurturing a positive self-view
• Keeping things in perspective and maintain a hopeful outlook
• Taking care of themselves by engaging in activities that they enjoy and find relaxing

Resilience is essential for human thriving and is an ability necessary for the development of healthy, adaptable young people. When adolescents are resilient, they have the ability to adapt to difficult circumstances and continue to thrive and learn from challenging situations.

Emma Ward
Senior Years Coordinator

To provide an opportunity for students to connect with one another and help develop friendships, the Year 7 students headed off to Pt Malcolm for the day.

The first part of the day saw the students on the beach building sandcastles with the theme of Wonder.

We ventured up to the park for a hot chip lunch and afterwards students had fun playing in the park. 

Kim Thomas
Middle Years Coordinator

It has all been happening in the Middle Years this term. The Year 8 students travelled to Victor Harbor for their camps during Weeks 5 and 6. Our focus for the camp is building connections and it is a fantastic way for students to further strengthen existing friendships and to develop new ones with each other.

Students participated in a wide variety of activities all of which focused on team building. They spent time on the beach, and while the ‘Capture the Flag’ game became very competitive, it was amazing to see each team cheering and supporting their teammates.

Back at camp, students were able to step outside of their comfort zone on the Flying Kiwi, which was the favourite activity by far. They competed in water obstacles, an amazing race, a survivor challenge and another challenge where half of the group were blindfolded and had to rely on their team mates to help them complete the course.

The evenings were action packed as well. Our amazing Peer Support Leaders organised a variety of activities for the first night with lots of fun and laughter. It was so wonderful to see our Year 11 students in their leadership roles as Big Sisters. Their care and compassion was demonstrated throughout each of the camps and our Year 8 students were grateful they were there. On the second night we hosted a Quiz night which everyone enjoyed.

Many students commented that they were tired but had a great time!

Kim Thomas
Middle Years Coordinator

Throughout the past few weeks, Ms Fairweather’s Year 8 Art class have been learning about a drawing technique called continuous line – this technique requires students to draw with one continuous line or stroke using a drawing tool, without lifting it from the page.

Students began drawing portraits of their peers by applying continuous line. Students then had the challenge of applying this same technique using only a single length of wire.

Students use a portrait printed from the internet to help them recreate the contours of the face in wire. The wire sculptures are still a work in progress and students will paint the bases and embellish them with their choice of flowers and/or shells.  

Amy Fairweather
Art and DesignTeacher

As part of their entry event to their first PBL unit ‘Lifting our voices’, the Year 9 cohort engaged in a Zoom discussion with Bhavi Devchand, an Australian all-round cricketer and coach. 

Born in Zimbabwe into a family of Indian origin, Devchand has encountered a range of cultural experiences just to be able to play the game. Through the opportunity to play at a professional level, she has gained an insight into the difficulties of constantly pushing to achieve high performance and what it takes to create a successful, happy life, on and off the field. 

New learnings from this session will shape students' choices in what human rights issue they would like to explore and lift their voice to effect change. 

Alicia Whitton
PBL Teacher

Over the past few weeks the Year 7 students have been creating animal collages inspired by the quirky and iconic works of Australian Artist, Pete Cromer.

Students had to select their favourite Australian animal and recreate it using Cromer's style.

Students also had to create their own paper using various watercolour techniques, to help create contrast and interest in their works. 

Amy Fairweather
Art and Design Teacher