1. education
2. school

NEWSLETTER
22nd April, 2015—Issue 5 Issue 5
PH 5996 0144 FAX 5996 0401
950 STH GIPPSLAND HWY CRANBOURNE
www.lyndhurst.vic.edu.au
[email protected]
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Dear Parents/Carers,
“Empowering students for learning and life”
Open Night
‘Open Night’ takes place this evening. This is an opportunity for Parents/Carers of Primary School aged
students to attain an insight into our programs and to find out about all the opportunities that a Lyndhurst
education provides.
Please note that if you have relatives/neighbours/friends with Grade 4, 5 or 6 students that we conduct tours of
our College during the school day – appointments for tours can be made through our office staff. This is a
valuable way to see life at Lyndhurst in action and I highly recommend this to prospective parents.
We are also looking for prospective enrolments in our new ACE program. This is an exciting initiative to
enhance the learning opportunities of high achieving students.
Of course, our own parents/carers are also very welcome to attend the evening.
Compass
Please note that as a parent you can now contact staff via email through the compass system. Sometimes email
can be a good way to get in contact with staff who are often teaching when you try to ring via the office. If
you are having any issues accessing Compass then please make contact with Maree Hancock at the College
and she will be able to assist you in the process.
Trade Skills Centre
Design work on our automotive facility, as part of the Cranbourne Region Educational and Engagement
Model (CREEM) Trade Skills Centre, has commenced. This will be an exciting redevelopment of our
automotive facility and I look forward to sharing some planning information with you in the near future.
On site supervision – a reminder
Please note that on a normal school day students should not arrive prior to 8:30a.m. which is the time that
general supervision of students takes place. Senior students attending period zero on Tuesday and Thursday
are exempted from this expectation. Similarly general supervision concludes at 3:24p.m. each afternoon, so
students are expected to have departed the site by this time unless of course they are being directly
supervised by a staff member.
Warren Wills
Principal
Dear Parents and Carers
We would like to welcome you as members of the LSC community. To those who have
joined us this year, the members of your College council hope you are settling in well and
enjoying your new surroundings.
I would especially like to call on any parents and carers who might be interested in joining us
as members of the council to contact us via the College front office staff. Our office staff
would be only too willing to put you into contact with a member of the Council if you have
any questions about the governance of the college.
Unlike Primary schools the College council only holds eight meetings a year (our elections
are held at our March meeting, if there are vacancies these can be filled at anytime) at which
we meet to help with the forward planning and administration of the college. These meetings
are preceded by an informal meal where members can catch up with various staff members
who are on the council and discuss matters of interest in the education sector.
This is an easy and enjoyable way for parents and community members to help aid this long
established college with its aim of improving the best possible educational outcome for our
students.
Why not come to one of our meetings, join us for a light meal prior to the meeting and meet
the Council members. Then watch your College Council in action.
For further information or to arrange to sit in on a meeting please contact the College on
5996 0144 or email [email protected]
Amanda Morris
College Council President
16th April 2015
WINTER UNIFORM 2015
Given the unpredictable nature of the weather in the first few weeks of Term 2, students may wear either the
Summer or Winter uniform, depending on the forecast for the day.
However, please be advised that it is expected that all Lyndhurst Secondary College students must wear the
Winter uniform as of Monday 4th May.
As the season changes and the weather becomes increasingly cooler, we would like to remind students,
parents/carers that hoodies may not be worn at school under any circumstances. Any parent/carer seeking an
exemption (for any length of time is not automatically granted) to the College uniform and dress code must
submit it in writing to the Principal. Any exemption request is at the discretion of the Principal and will be in
compliance with obligations under human rights and anti-discrimination legislation.
We would also like to take the opportunity to thank our families for their ongoing support with regard to the
implementation of the new Uniform and Dress Code Policy and Procedures. We have a strong commitment to
promoting a positive image of the school within our local community and it is pleasing to see our students
taking greater pride in their appearance, which assists us in our efforts.
Details of the ‘Student
www.lyndhurst.vic.edu.au.
Uniform
&
Dress
Code
Policy
and
Procedures’
are
available
AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Approximately 75,000 students from all around Australia entered the competition, which is organised by the
Australian Geography Teachers' Association and the Royal Geography Society of Queensland.
Students who excel in the Australian competition have the chance to represent Australia in the International
Geography Olympiad.
Thirteen students from Lyndhurst Secondary School took part in the 21st annual Australian Geography
Competition on 24th March, 2015.
at
SPORT REPORT
On Monday 20th April Mr Brannan and Mr Rumble took 23
year 9 and 10 students to participate in the NRL 9’s U16
South East competition.
It was a great day had by all and the students gave 100% in
all games.
The girls had a tough competition and with no substitutes put
in an amazing effort of two draws, and two losses .
The boys had a fantastic day with Adnan Haidari scoring five
tries throughout the day.
The boys put in a huge effort, coming second overall, with a close final against Hallam. Unfortunately Hallam
just won 24 – 16, however our boys played an amazing game and should be very proud of their efforts.
A big thank you to Mr Brannan and Mr Rumble for giving up their time to take the students out on the day. A
huge thank you to relatives who came down and watched and helped coach on the day, and a massive thank
you to all the students who played.
Well done, let’s get ready for term three comp!
Kym Lenc
Sports Co-Ordinator.
Boys
Boys Team
Team
Girls
Girls Team
Team
Ivor
Cook
Ivor Cook
Leta
Leta Ioasa
Ioasa
Adnan
Adnan Haidari
Haidari
Joy
Joy Kapao
Kapao
Benny
Benny Kairua
Kairua
Brijana
Brijana Meredith
Meredith
CJ
CJ Layfield
Layfield
Talea
Talea Pouao
Pouao
Maselino
Maselino Logotuli
Logotuli Peteru
Peteru
Roneeca
Roneeca Pulefale
Pulefale
Ben
Ben Parai
Parai
Stevie
Stevie Rangiawha
Rangiawha
Royyden
Royyden Rungarunga
Rungarunga
Michaela
Michaela Rozairo
Rozairo
Filipo
Filipo Sefulu
Sefulu
Seta
Seta Tiu-Uluielatatuvale
Tiu-Uluielatatuvale
John
John Taumaoe
Taumaoe
Losa
Losa Uini
Uini
Warren
Warren Tupai
Tupai Faui
Faui
Ben
Ben Uelehipa
Uelehipa
Josh
Josh Uini
Uini
Austin
Austin Ula
Ula
Alessandro
Alessandro Vaveosamoa
Vaveosamoa
Dear Parents/Carers,
I have been investigating information to share with colleagues and parents/carers about the topic of emotional
intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to be able to monitor and understand your own; and, other
people’s emotions. It is also about being able to discriminate between different types of emotions and the
ability to develop skills to appropriately use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour.
During the term, a series of articles will be published through our newsletter that will hopefully be of some
interest and assistance to you and your family. For your information, phrases that are underlined are frequently
linked to other information on the topic located on the website the information has been sourced from. The
website that all of the articles have been sourced from can be found at: http://raisingchildren.net.au The first
instalment this week focuses on the teenage brain, and how to encourage its healthy development. This
information might explain some behaviours you might be experiencing at home.
Regards
Frances Fenech
Curriculum/Pathways and Transitions
YOUR TEENAGER’S DEVELOPING BRAIN
Teenage brain development: the basics
Children’s brains have a massive growth spurt when they’re very young. By the time they’re six, their brains
are already about 90-95% of adult size. But the brain still needs a lot of remodelling before it can function as an
adult brain.
This brain remodelling happens intensively during adolescence, continuing into your child’s mid-20s. Some
brain changes happen before puberty, and some continue long after. Brain change depends on age, experience
and hormonal changes in puberty. So even though all teenagers’ brains develop in roughly the same way at the
same time, there are differences among individual teenagers. For example, if your child started puberty early,
this might mean that some of your child’s brain changes started early too.
Inside the teenage brain
Adolescence is a time of significant growth and development inside the teenage brain. The main change is that
unused connections in the thinking and processing part of your child’s brain (called the grey matter) are
‘pruned’ away. At the same time, other connections are strengthened. This is the brain’s way of becoming more
efficient, based on the ‘use it or lose it’ principle.
This pruning process begins in the back of the brain. The front part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, is
remodelled last. The prefrontal cortex is the decision-making part of the brain, responsible for your child’s
ability to plan and think about the consequences of actions, solve problems and control impulses. Changes in
this part continue into early adulthood.
Because the prefrontal cortex is still developing, teenagers might rely on a part of the brain called the
amygdala to make decisions and solve problems more than adults do. The amygdala is associated with
emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behaviour.
The back-to-front development of the brain explains why your child’s thinking and behaviour sometimes seem
quite mature, and illogical, impulsive or emotional at other times. Teenagers are working with brains that are
still under construction.
Building a healthy teenage brain
The combination of your child’s unique brain and environment influences the way your child acts, thinks and
feels. For example, your child’s preferred activities and skills might become ‘hard-wired’ in the brain.
How teenagers spend their time is crucial to brain development. So it’s worth thinking about the range of
activities and experiences your child is into – music, sports, study, languages, video games. How are these
shaping the sort of brain your child takes into adulthood?
You are an important part of your child’s environment. You mean a lot to your child. How you guide and
influence them will be important in helping your child to build a healthy brain.
You can do this by:

encouraging positive behaviour

promoting good thinking skills

helping your child get lots of sleep.
Encouraging positive behaviour
While your child’s brain is developing, your child might:

take more risks or choose high-risk activities

express more and stronger emotions

make impulsive decisions.
Here are some tips for encouraging good behaviour and strengthening positive brain connections:

Let your child take some healthy risks. New and different experiences help your child develop
an independent identity, explore grown-up behaviours, and move towards independence.

Help your child find new creative and expressive outlets for her feelings. She might be
expressing and trying to control new emotions. Many teenagers find that sport or music, writing
and other art forms – either as a participant or a spectator – are good outlets.

Talk through decisions step by step with your child. Ask about possible courses of action your
child might choose, and talk through potential consequences. Encourage your child to weigh up
the positive consequences or rewards against the negative ones.
Use family routines to give your child’s life some structure. These might be based around school and family
timetables.

Provide boundaries, and opportunities for negotiating those boundaries. Young people need
guidance and limit-setting from their parents and other adults.

Offer frequent praise and positive rewards for desired behaviours. This reinforces pathways in
your child’s brain.

Be a positive role model. Your behaviour will show your child the behaviour you expect.
Stay connected with your child. You’ll probably want to keep an eye on your child’s activities and friends.
Being open and approachable can help you with this.
Talk to your child about his developing brain. Understanding this important period of growth might help
teenagers process their feelings. It might also make taking care of their brains more interesting.
Teenagers are often passionate about their interests, especially ones that give them opportunities to socialise.
You can help your child develop skills and confidence by supporting their interests, activities and hobbies.






Promoting thinking skills
Brain growth and development during these years mean that your child will start to:
think more logically
think about things more abstractly – things are no longer so black or white
pick up more on other people’s emotional cues
solve more complex problems in a logical way, and see problems from different perspectives
get a better perspective on the future.
You can support the development of your child’s thinking with the following strategies:
Encourage empathy. Talk about feelings – yours, your child’s and other people’s. Highlight the fact that other
people have different perspectives and circumstances. Reinforce that many people can be affected by one
action.
Emphasise the immediate and long-term consequences of actions. The part of the brain responsible for future thinking (the prefrontal cortex) is still developing. If you talk about how your child’s actions influence
both the present and the future, you can help the healthy development of your child’s prefrontal cortex.
Try to match your language level to the level of your child’s understanding. For important information,
you can check understanding by asking children to tell you in their own words what they’ve just heard.
Prompt your child to develop decision-making and problem-solving skills. Try role-modelling and suggesting a process that involves defining the problem, listing the options, and considering the outcome that
leads to the best solution for all involved.
Getting lots of sleep
During the teenage years, your child’s sleep patterns will change. This is because the brain produces
melatonin at a different time of the day. This makes your child feel tired and ready for bed later in the evening.
It can keep your child awake into the night and make it difficult to get up the next morning.
Sleep is essential to healthy brain development. Try the following tips:




Ensure your child has a comfortable, quiet sleep environment.
Encourage ‘winding down’ before bed – away from TVs, mobiles and computers.
Reinforce a regular sleeping routine. Your child should aim to go to bed and wake up at regular
times each day.
Encourage your child to get an adequate amount of sleep each night. While the ideal amount of
sleep varies from person to person, the average amount of sleep that teenagers need is around
nine hours.
Risk-taking behaviour
The teenage brain is built to seek out new experiences, risks and sensations – it’s all part of refining those brain
connections.
Also, teenagers don’t always have a lot of self-control or good judgment and are more prone to risk-taking
behaviour. This is because the self-monitoring, problem-solving and decision-making part of the brain – the
prefrontal cortex – develops last. Hormones are also thought to contribute to impulsive and risky behaviour in
teens.
Teenagers need to take risks to grow and develop. You can support your child in choosing healthy risks –
such as sports and travel – instead of negative ones like smoking and stealing. All risk-taking involves the
possibility of failure. Your child will need your support to get over any setbacks.
Stress and the teenage brain
With so many changes happening to your child’s brain, it’s especially important that your child is protected and
nurtured. The incidence of poor mental health increases during the teenage years. It’s thought this could be
related to the fact that the developing brain is more vulnerable to stress factors than the adult brain.
Teenage stresses can include drugs, alcohol and high-risk behaviour, as well as things like starting a new
school, peer pressure, or major life events like moving house or the death of a loved one.
But don’t wrap your child in cotton wool! Too much parental attention might alienate your child.
Staying connected and involved in your child’s life can help you to learn more about how your child is coping
with stress. It can also help you keep an open relationship with your child and ensure that your child sees you as
someone to talk to – even about embarrassing or uncomfortable topics.
It’s thought that children are more likely to be open to parental guidance and monitoring during their teenage
years if they’ve grown up in a supportive and nurturing home environment.
Every teenage child is unique, and teenagers respond to stress in different and unique ways. You know
your child best, so it’s OK to trust your instinct on how to support your child if he’s going through a
stressful time. It’s also OK to ask for help from friends, family members or professionals such as your
GP.
Getting help
Every child experiences changes at a different rate. If you’re concerned about your child’s rate of development
or you have concerns about your child’s changing body, thinking or behaviour, you could start by talking to a
school counsellor or your GP. If you’re really worried, you could look for a counsellor or psychologist. You
don’t need a referral, but you might prefer to have your GP recommend someone.
Other parents can also be a great source of support. Try talking with other parents at your child’s
school. You can also connect using our pre-teens forum or our early teens forum.
Sourced from the Raising Children website, Australia's trusted parenting website. For more parenting
information, visit www.raisingchildren.net.au.
IMPORTANT DATES – TERM 2, 2015
APRIL
Thursday 23/Friday 24th
Yr 12 OED Wilsons Prom. camp
Thursday 23rd
SMR Golf
Monday 27th
Senior /Inter Gala Sport—Girls AFL & Boys Netball
MAY
Friday 1st
Yr 11 & 12 Top Arts Excursion to NGV
Tuesday 5th
Yr 10 & 11 Excursion Australian Synchrotron
Wednesday 6th
Yr 9 Science Excursion
Wednesday 6th
Yr 11 & 12 Top Designs Excursion
Thursday 14th
Senior Sport
Friday 15th
Yr 11 Magistrates Court Excursion
ASTHMA ACTION PLANS—
URGENT REMINDER
There are a number of ASTHMA ACTION
PLANS outstanding.
UNIFORMS BY DESIGN
Uniforms and Second-hand Book Shop on
behalf of
Lyndhurst Secondary College
It is Government regulation that any child
HOURS OF OPERATION
diagnosed with Asthma (regardless of how
Monday 8.30am — 11.30am
mild or how often an attack occurs) must
Wednesday 12.30 —
have an AAP held at the school the child
4.00pm
attends.
Please complete & return for your child as
soon as possible.
Contact the First Aid room on 5996 0144 if
you require further information.
EARLY LEAVERS PROTOCOL ABSENCE HOTLINE Our office staff endeavour to provide a service that is efficient, personal and friendly. 9517 3958
The demands on our office staff can be extraordinary at peak (24 hour line )
mes. For this reason we wish the inform parents of the following protocol: STUDENTS WILL ONLY BE COLLECTED FROM The hotline is only available for students
in years 7, 8 & 9. Senior students (Years
CLASS EARLY IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY If students need to leave school early for any reason, they must 10, 11 & 12) are to be directed to their
bring a note in their Student Planner with the me they are to team leaders with a note or medical
certificate explaining their absence.
leave and signed by a parent. They show the note to their teacher to leave class, then come to Please ensure all notes contain the date,
the General Office to sign out and wait quietly un l they are student’s full name and home group.
collected by their parents.
Please Note : The Community News is a service L.S.C. provides for the local community. The College
cannot and does not endorse what is presented in these advertisements. The College strongly urges readers to
use due diligence to establish the quality of the product or service using this newsletter for publicity.