August 2020

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

Welcome

Welcome to the August 2020 edition of Parent Talk. This newsletter is the place to find out all the latest about CCSP activities and developments with our advocacy program and to read about items of interest to parents and carers of children and young people in Catholic schools. We encourage you to share our newsletters with your school community and we welcome feedback and suggestions for future articles of interest. If you would like to share any thoughts with us, please contact Clare Dunstan, our newly appointed media and communications officer. clare.dunstan@ccsp.catholic.edu.au

Drought, Bushfires, Floods, a Global Pandemic ….

In 2020, each of us and our families have been affected in some way by events outside our control.

We have all experienced disruptions and disappointments and may be anxious about the need to continually adapt to the “new normal”. It can be challenging to remain positive and calm if we are facing financial hardship and uncertainty about the future.

It can be difficult to support the wellbeing of your family while also looking after your own health and wellbeing. The Catholic Bishops of Australia are encouraging faith communities, governments and individuals to make mental health a priority. In the lead up to Social Justice Sunday on 30 August, the Catholic Bishops of Australia have released the statement, To Live Life to the Full: Mental health in Australia today.

It is unlikely the drought, bushfires, floods or COVID-19 pandemic will be the last crisis we will face in our lifetime. In this edition of Parent Talk we have included links to resources that may assist you to support your own and your family’s mental and physical health.

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Please feel free to share this edition of Parent Talk in school newsletters or via email through the following link:

TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL – Social Justice Sunday 30 August 2020

The statement, To Live Life to the Full: Mental health in Australia today, encourages faith communities, governments and individuals to make mental health a priority.

Bishop Terry Brady, Bishop Delegate for Social Justice, Mission and Service, has called on all Catholics to take up the message and challenges of the Statement.

“This is a timely message in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is affecting many members of our parishes, schools and communities,” Bishop Brady said.

“The personal feelings of anxiety and despair we all share at this time provide an opportunity to become more aware and active in fostering the mental health of all. Understanding mental health will help us to be aware of those who most need our support.”

The statement encourages parishes and local communities to be places of welcome and inclusion, overcoming the barriers and stigma often faced by people experiencing mental ill-health. It demands the commitment of governments and policy-makers to prevent so many people falling through the cracks of the mental health system.

It also calls for the nation’s commitment to address those policies that exacerbate the already precarious circumstances of First Australians and refugees and asylum-seekers.

“Our society tends to push away or draw away from those who confront us with our frailties and limitations. This is not the way of Jesus,” Bishop Brady said.

“Let us follow him in drawing near to those who are experiencing mental ill-health and acknowledge that they are members of the Body of Christ – ‘they’ are part of ‘us’. Only then can we say ‘we are all in this together’. Only then can we ‘live life to the full’.”

In addition to the written statement, which is free to download, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s Office for Social Justice has also produced an audio recording of the statement.

Prayer cards are available to download and liturgical resources will be available for parishes to mark Social Justice Sunday on 30 August.

“I commend this Statement to every parish, school and Church network and invite you to promote it as widely as possible,” Bishop Brady said.

The 2020-2021 Social Justice Statement, To Live Life to the Full: Mental health in Australia today, can be downloaded from the Office for Social Justice

Taking care of yourself and your family

Support for you and your children – understanding their perspective

Looking at the world from the perspective of a child or young adult during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic may be frightening, challenging or disappointing. Many children cannot visit their grandparents and family holidays have been placed on hold. Further, the format of many co-curricular activities such Sport, Music, Drama and Debating has changed. The latest issue of Spotlight published by The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership for school leaders emphasises the need for open communication and supporting the wellbeing of the community while looking after yourself. The article suggests that leaders (and this includes parents and carers), should communicate with transparency and engage in constant updating. Simply stated, we should avoid withholding bad news and update our children with facts from credible sources. The best source of information for what is happening in the life of your school is the school itself. Your local school and/or Diocesan Office are the first point of contact for school and co-curricular information.

In addition to information provided by your school or local Diocesan office, there are many helpful resources available to assist you to start or continue a discussion with your child and check that both of you are feeling OK. We have compiled here some links that that you may find useful. The information is available in reading, listening or watching formats, so you can select the format that best suits you and your children.

If your preferred style is listening,

Coronacast is a podcast that answers your questions about coronavirus. The podcast breaks down the latest news and research to help you understand how the world is living through a pandemic.

Listen for free on ABC listen app, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

There is a series of podcasts created by the Office for Social Justice titled The Revolution of Tenderness. Episode 4 discusses Young People and Mental Health – To Live Life to the Full.

If you prefer reading

Your teen, study stress and coronavirus.

You and your teen are likely navigating a new learning environment, due to coronavirus (COVID-19). This collection will help you support your teen and manage study stress effectively.

Your pre-teen
The Australian Childhood Foundation has produced a simple social story you can use to explain COVID-19 to your children.

As mentioned above, the latest issue of Spotlight written by The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership emphasises the need for open communication and leaders in schools working collaboratively to support the wellbeing of their own school community while maintaining their own health and wellbeing. As leaders within our own families, this applies to us too, as parents and carers. If we are going to be effective in helping our children and young people navigate this unfamiliar terrain, we need to ensure that we look after ourselves.

The Australian Government Department of Health website hosts a COVID-19 Multilingual Resource Library. The library provides information in 18 languages

These organisations are ready to assist you and your family.

Lifeline on 13 11 14
Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
Your GP
Mental Health – The Mental Health Line is a 24- hour telephone service operating seven days a week across NSW

For our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, you might find useful information at:

For information specific to the Australian Capital Territory, go to the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service (AHS):

And in New South Wales, the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales (AH&MRC):

HSC and student wellbeing

Stayhealthy HSC is a social media partnership between NESA and mental health organisation ReachOut to support students on their journey to this year’s HSC.

There are many practical tips for staying active, connected and in charge of wellbeing, with a focus on managing exam stress.

COVID-19 updates and latest HEALTH GUIDELINES

To assist you with accurate information and the latest guidelines we have included some links to government pages.

Latest health guidelines visit

Updates about latest locations of cases

Restrictions for NSW/ACT residents are regularly reviewed and updated by the government.

Here are some helpful links for the latest information

Supporting parents with children’s learning

The Early Years Foundations for Learning

Catholic Schools NSW has developed an excellent set of tools that can support the acquisition of early literacy and numeracy skills. The resources support early years learning though “everyday” activities.

The Year 1 Phonics check

In Year 1 your child’s teacher is able to use the quick and easy Phonics Check to understand the phonics knowledge of their Year 1 students. The Check shows how well your child can 'decode' written words by listening to how they sound out the letter and letter groups and how they blend these sounds together from left to right to make words.

The Phonics Check helps your child's teacher and the school to confirm whether your child is making their expected progress in reading. Teachers and schools can then use this information to inform their teaching program.

Phonics Check for Families

Below is a link to a Phonics Check for Families that you can do at home with your child. There is a guide to how your child might pronounce the words.

ABC ME have increased educational content

It can be difficult to keep children engaged at home. The ABC has expanded its free education content to support students learning at home due to COVID-19 restrictions. From 10am to midday, ABC ME will feature curriculum-aligned educational programs for primary and secondary students, including BTN, ScienceXplosion, Ecomaths, This Place, Citizen Code, Back In Time For Dinner: Education Shorts and the upcoming new series of Teenage Boss with inspiring maths teacher Eddie Woo, from 31 August.

From midday to 3pm, ABC ME will present programs with ties to Maths, Science, History and Health & Personal Development, such as Are you Tougher than Your Ancestors, Science Max, Barney’s Barrier Reef, Odd Squad and Horrible Histories.

The ABC’s expanded education schedule also features mini lessons presented by Australian schoolteachers, on specific learning areas from the English, Maths and Science curriculum. The 10-minute lessons are co-designed with teachers and produced with the support of Australian schools, Victoria’s Department of Education and Training and the NSW Department of Education.

Financial support for connecting to nbn

nbn have established a relief fund to help internet providers to connect families with children to support their education and continuous learning.

This offer is available only for family households that were not connected to the nbn™ network before 1 March 2020. You can contact the participating phone and internet provider of your choice and they will help determine if you are eligible for financial assistance. This Education Assistance Package continues to 30 September 2020.

For more details go to the link below:

Your school community is invited to apply for the 2020 Roger O’Sullivan Memorial Award

The Roger O'Sullivan Award is named in honour of Roger O’Sullivan who was the first Executive Officer of the CCSP.

Roger made an extraordinary contribution to Catholic education in NSW and nationally throughout his career. He was particularly passionate about parent voice and advocacy and was instrumental in building the solid foundations of the CCSP.

The annual Roger O'Sullivan Memorial Award for Family, School and Community Partnerships for Learning is for a school community that can show exemplary practice in family-school partnerships that has led to enhanced student outcomes.

In 2019, the community of Mary Help of Christians Primary School, Sawtell, was the recipient of the award for their “Family Art Nights” initiative.

The school initiated its “Family Art Nights” with a goal of building community by connecting school families with each other, bringing them together by using art and food as a platform for conversation. Held in the winter months, the school found that these nights highlighted the value of family and the importance of spending time together, as well as being an avenue for parents to spend one-on-one time with their child. When the Nights were first introduced, the school was overwhelmed by the response from its families, with one of the very pleasing features being the participation of many fathers.

In 2018, the Award recipient was the community of St Philomena's Primary School, Bathurst for "The St Philomena's Student Engagement Project"

Based on the philosophy that student engagement is the gateway to learning, in 2018 St Philomena’s developed a whole-school approach to improving student engagement. The impact of the project was significant in creating a more settled environment for students, with the majority of parents reporting that they had noticed an improvement in their child’s engagement in their learning.

Other recipients have included St Bernard’s Primary School Batehaven for 'The Outdoor Tinkering Studio and Markerspace' and St Raphael’s Catholic School Cowra for the 'St Raphael’s Productive Food Garden'.

Prospective applicants are advised that the initiative does not need to be one that commenced this year – it may be an ongoing initiative that pre-dates 2020. This is particularly relevant considering the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the heart of this award are family, school and community partnerships in which the family and community are authentically engaged. This increased level of engagement is something we have seen achieve a greater focus this year, and, although it has largely been driven by the necessity of learning from home, it is something we want to see continue in the months and years ahead.

The 2020 Award recipient will receive $4,000, a trophy and publicity for the school.

Applications close on Friday 25 September 2020.

For more details about the award and eligibility to apply please click on the link below

Growing Up Digital Australia: Invitation for parents and grandparents to have your say!

Do you wonder how digital media and technologies that they live with might affect children’s wellbeing, health and learning?

The Gonski Institute of Education at the University of NSW is working on a ground-breaking research project called Growing Up Digital Australia. The international research project is in partnership with Harvard Medical School, the University of Alberta and Alberta Teachers Association seeks to understand the health, wellbeing and learning impacts of growing up in a digital world on our young people. A number of Australian organisations are supporting this project, including Departments of Education, parent organisations and teacher associations. This longitudinal study will reframe issues surrounding children’s consumption of media and digital technologies moving into evidence-based solutions for parents, educators and young people to live healthier, safer and happier lives here in Australia.

The Growing Up Digital project Phase 1 saw the Gonski Institute work with almost 2,000 educators from around the country and find out what is happening in classrooms through the eyes of teachers and principals. Now with this Phase 2 survey, it is your turn as parents and grandparents to have your say.

Are you a parent, carer or grandparent of children aged 5 to 17?

We invite you to share your views

Schoolzine

Schoolzine is proud to be a digital partner and supporter of Council of Catholic School Parents.

Schoolzine has been an industry leader in digital school communications for 14 years. They are dedicated to customer service, product development and understanding the school landscape that keeps them at the top of the industry. Schoolzine’s Parent Engagement Platform consists of 3 packages, an eNewsletter, Mobile App and Website offering. Purchased separately or together, they guarantee each package will make engaging with parents easy and even enjoyable for a school of any size. Schoolzine addresses the need for media-rich, interactive content that engages parents.