ISSUE 01 January 2011

This issue Latest News On the horizon Workshops in focus Student empowerment Community partnerships MindMatters in schools Classroom Ideas Other wellbeing news & resources State News Eastern States Floods Our sincere sympathy goes out to everyone affected by the Eastern states floods Principals Australia  stands ready to  join other education-based organisations around Australia in providing support  to those affected by the Eastern states floods. This will be through existing programs such as MindMatters; and as part of nationally coordinated support where needed.  As Principals and staff are currently returning from leave to prepare for the school year, they are potentially impacted upon in a variety of ways:   1. As community leaders - many will have a role beyond their usual work, eg schools as shelters, as a focal point for community meetings and planning. 2. As individuals - Loss of staff/students/friends/family. 3. As managers - restoring damage to facilities, and mitigating the risk that these events will           impact adversely on their school communities and school year about to start. Past experience suggests that MindMatters staff may be contacted for advice and support during such times. As usual we will direct requests for support to relevant agencies and organisations. The events will also impact upon planned MindMatters work in terms of readiness of schools to engage with professional learning and even the availability of venues in some areas.   MindMatters is mindful that Qld and NSW  Health and Education sectors are doing the immediate short term work. They have their own responses in place and we do not wish to interfere with or duplicate those processes. Principals Australia as an organisation is: Encouraging  school leaders and other personnel to seek more information from the education departments, offices and associations; Linking to relevant state based organisations for support on the MM website - the following link http://www.mindmatters.edu.au/about/responding_to_natural_disasters.html Contacting state Principal associations Monitoring needs of individual principals, schools and regions Supporting the SchoolAid national appeal day on Feb 17 as part of a national, unified approach.   Offering support to DoHA as part of their national response in considering expansion of relevant programs to deal with inevitable mental health needs. Establishing  a link  for schools and teachers to access for support in working with children returning to school with "stories", experiences, personal tragedies and others seeking to respond as was case in Vic Bushfires. The breadth of this tragedy will mean that the usual agencies may not be able to cope with the demand. Offering counselling support to our own staff who are in any way personally affected by the events. PA's support for principals and schools (as well as our own staff) will clearly be important in weeks and months ahead.  Please let us know if there is anything we need to be thinking about/doing in meantime. Our long-standing partner, SchoolAid, has launched an appeal for the Floods disaster.  Visit the SchoolAid website to register for the National Floods Relief Appeal Day on 17 February, and find out further information on directing your fundraising through SchoolAid's appeal.         Where does personal wellbeing appear in your list of priorites for 2011? Happy New Year, and welcome to Term one, 2011. Warm wishes for the year ahead. Research shows that our own personal level of wellbeing is central to our response to all other aspects of life. Considering our beliefs in relation to mental health and wellbeing enables us to examine our reactions under stress. Thinking our values through may enable us to consciously build our resilience, and increase our personal wellbeing. The MindMatters website features a domain dedicated to 'The Thriving Self'.  The Thriving Self domain contains a collection of resources to assist our investigation into beliefs and values about our own mental health and wellbeing. This section is an effective starting point in exploring mental health and wellbeing. There are links to the other domains - in particular, the Professional domain, and the Interpersonal Domain. To begin to investigate and explore your idea of personal wellbeing, and achieve that personal wellbeing resolution, kick-start the process click here     Supporting Anangu Leadership of MindMatters Over the past seven years MindMatters and Anangu Education services have been adapting and delivering MindMatters resources and training to schools across the Anangu Pitantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands). In 2004 the Iwantja community invited MindMatters to deliver a 2-day professional development workshop. Resulting in a number of senior community women taking the lead to further integrate cultural and wellbeing activities within the school and promotion of MindMatters to other interested communities as well as presenting at local and national events. In 2006 work began on developing a series of MindMatters based workshop sessions known as Wirura Kulira Palyani Wankaru Nyinantjaku A better way of thinking and acting for keeping safe.These workshop sessions are primarily designed to train Anangu Education Workers and Teachers in the delivery of Keeping Safe wellbeing and child protection curriculum. To date four workshops have been developed focusing on understanding health, social health, emotional health and mental health. A fifth workshop focusing on change loss and grief will start development in February 2011.In addition to the workshops a series of accompanying language resources have been developed including story books, posters, activity sheets, scenarios, behaviour and feelings cards. Enquiry questions and community processes underpinning the successful partnership between MindMatters and the APY Lands can be found in the documents Supporting Anangu Leadership of MindMatters and Supporting Anangu Teaching and Learning of MindMatters. For more information please contact Vanessa Houltby, MindMatters National Youth and Community Project Officer on 08 8245 98393 or vanessa.houltby@pa.edu.au    Makinti Minutjukur, Director Pitantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara Education Council Sandra Ken, Anangu Support Coordinator Katrina Tjitayi, School Improvement Coordinator    Youth Empowerment Process Progress Report    Has been updated!    See click here for the latest, comprehensive report.       MindMatters 'Community Partnerships' workshops have been receiving positive feedback. For more information about the 'Community Partnerships' workshops go to: www.mindmatters.edu.au/whole_school_approach/community_partnerships/community_partnerships_workshops.html Of note, the majority of participants have stated that the workshops have given them valuable insight into the workings of MindMatters along with a good deal of cultural knowledge and resources to take back to work with them.  Click for more info Rural and remote workshops held in Yirrkala and Dubbo  The Community Partnerships Officer and the NT State Project Officer Karina Stevenson co-presented the MindMatters 'Communities do Matter' workshop in the remote Indigenous community, Yirrkala. The workshop was held in a small community building with representatives from the community and local agencies. During the planning session, the participants agreed on plans to be more inclusive at their next community meeting, as they had identified that not all the community members were being represented. The MindMatters 'Community Agencies' workshop was run for the first time in Dubbo at the end of November, by the Community Partnerships Officer Aaron Ken and the NSW State Project Officer Maryanne Vorreiter. The one day workshop was designed specifically for agencies that wanted to work better within their community and local schools. The workshop provided opportunities for agencies to network and many of the participant's feedback reflected this. The activities during the day allowed each agency a chance to share the services they provided and also a chance to see how each agency compliments each other and identify possible future partnerships.    Yule Brook College - Western Australia Yule Brook College is a caring and supportive Years 8-10 public middle-school learning community in Maddington, a south-eastern suburb of Perth.  A small school, YBC has 193 students: 40% Indigenous; 65% boys, 35% girls.  YBC encourages students and staff to achieve their potential through the approach of ?one student at a time'.  Our students become responsible and contributing community members through a strong focus on the principles of Big Picture schooling, which encompass: small by design and the power of one-on-one in advisory groups personalised learning that pursues passions families and community - grow a culture learning through internships and authentic assessment - make it real keeping an eye on the big picture through eliciting greatness and building capacity in everyone.  How was MindMatters introduced into the school: Several staff undertook a Level One Introductory Workshop in 2006. In 2007, a core team, using the Level Two Planning Workshop explored a whole-school approach to the process of cooperative learning. In 2007, the school became involved in Dare to Lead. MindMatters planning tools, strategies and activities are widely used in the school. These have been the basis for the formation of Skills For Everyday Life (SELF), to focus on wellness, wellbeing, communication and relationships. How is MindMatters used within the school: MindMatters planning tools, strategies and activities are widely used in the school. These have been the basis for the formation of Skills For Everyday Life (SELF), to focus on wellness, wellbeing, communication and relationships. Big Picture goals and processes:  Click for more info   One student at a time' motto. Students undertake projects based on their interests and passions. Tasks are enhanced by opportunities to learn through community-based internships with mentors. Every student chooses an interest, develops a thesis, does a project, undertakes an internship and conducts an exhibition. Students display their work and learning each term to a panel including parents, mentors, advisors and fellow students. This group provides feedback to the students about their work and reflects on their progress. Students get in, make a commitment and work it through. Strong student and parent ownership. 95% of parents attend exhibitions. Students' maturity is demonstrated. Year level advisory groups: 4-5 staff per year level. Group stays together with the same advisor during their enrolment throughout YBC. 14-15 students per advisor/teacher allows them to get to know each other well. Strong transition program for Years 7-8. Work on Big Picture projects. Skills for Everyday Life (SELF) strong pastoral care groups vertical grouping once a day relationship building Indigenous garden and cultural centre community circle and meeting place Noongar food garden Teachers cover relief lessons and get paid Leadership - facilitate change, give people time and ownership Clontarf Football Academy (Aboriginal students explore topics such as: personal health, diet, nutrition drugs, alcohol and safe sex education goal setting games, camps linked to attendance, behaviour, wearing school uniform Yorgaz  basketball focus not compulsory 2 periods per week Cadets (Emergency Services) outdoors focus 2 hours a week, 1 hour within school and 1 hour after school camps What are the outcomes (for students, staff and parents/community): Yule Brook College has gone from survival to academic achievement:  NAPLAN data - 45% increase in numeracy, 35% increase in literacy. Whilst these results are very encouraging, it will be important to see if improvements in numeracy and literacy are sustained in the next few years. decrease in suspensions. improved communication lines - staff, parents. change in staff approaches (Big Picture). out-of-class withdrawals have disappeared. parents' attendance at meetings improved dramatically number of teachers on yard duty increased from six to four Norm Hyde Award 2008 (Innovation in Pastoral Care). Dare to Lead Award 2008 (Milton Thorne Award for an Outstanding School-Based Initiative for Aboriginal Students). school attendance figures up. number and severity of anecdotal incidents down.    Cybersafety resources for the classroom and parents    Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is supporting International Safer Internet Day, which is being held on the 8th of February 2011. The theme 'It's more than a game, it's your life' is being used by the ACMA to promote safer and more responsible use by children and teens when using social networking sites. In particular, we are highlighting the importance of protecting privacy and digital reputation as well as the need for good online etiquette.   In preparation for the event, ACMA has gone live with a series of free resources and tips for schools, libraries, parents and young people. Schools will find these teaching materials a useful way to start the year on a positive note about appropriate online behaviour.   They can be found on the Cybersmart website:   Safer Internet Day Landing page:  http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/SID%202011.aspx  Click for more info Teaching materials including lesson plans that examine social networking and online etiquette; resources to order and school-based activities running over the course of the week: http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Schools/Teacher%20resources/SID%202011%20Teaching%20resources.aspx   Safer Internet Day Forum: The forum is open to year 7 - 10 students and will be focussing on privacy, digital reputation and online behaviour. I will provide more detailed information over the following weeks on how schools can register.  http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Teens/Have%20your%20say.aspx   and the new Cybersmart interactive parent resource:  http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Parents/Guide%20to%20online%20safety/Guide%20to%20online%20safety.aspx     The Mental Health Promotion Online Network The Mental Health Promotion on-line network (MHpro), brings together people who deliver, research, or evaluate mental health promotion. MHpro provides an interactive opportunity to share information and ideas, coordinate activity, and promote upcoming events.  Using MHpro you can: have on-line discussions on particular topics promote your event or training opportunities on the 'events calendar' update colleagues on your latest news, research or program Register to join the network  by following the link on the mental health promotion website www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealthpromotion  Leadership Excellence Boston, K., Kennedy, K., Wenn, M., & Hughes, P. Excellence in school leadership: An issues paper.Australian College of Educators. http://www.austcolled.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2217&Itemid=568 This paper summarises a seminar of principals' associations and interest groups where participants exchanged information about current developments and initiatives in school leadership, explored a number of challenges and emerging issues, and formulated a set of strategies for further development. Issues discussed included the following:  Click for more info Current developments in school leadership Training and development Accreditation and review Professionalism and accountability Challenges Recruitment Fragmentation Change Definition Strategies Constructing a conceptual framework that will incorporate the theory and practice of continuous learning and improvement Adopting a national coordinated approach Securing appropriate resourcing Discussion questions are provided to stimulate further debate.     Australian Capital Territory  New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia  Tasmania Victoria Western Australia

MindMatters is researching on-line forms of professional development delivery. The first two to be developed on-line will be Leadership for Mental Health & Measuring Our Data. If you have an opinion about what works best for you in self-paced learning by distance, send your comments to tracy.zilm@pa.edu.au   Staff Matters There are three ways to undertake Staff Matters professional development. MindMatters offers a Focus Module entitled Staff Matters. Details can be found on the Professional Development Calendar. This module examines the significant impact that staff mental health and wellbeing has in the life of the whole school and the use of the MindMatters initiative. The Staff Matters Wellbeing at Work model will be used to explore a range of resources and strategies to maintain staff mental health and wellbeing. The workshop examines personal mental health and wellbeing, interpersonal relationships for individuals and the workplace and the professional aspects of people's work that relate to mental health and wellbeing. School personnel will discover how they can survey and check on their progress in maintaining mental health and wellbeing. Schools can also get started on activities in the Staff Matters section of the MindMatters website as part of a structured in-school professional development session. Schools can host a Staff Matters in-school Focus Module for the whole staff by contacting the MindMatters Project Officer in their state or territory. The MindMatters Professional Development Calendar provides details of free MindMatters professional development activities. For further information, contact the MindMatters State Project Officers in your state or territory.         An idea for wellbeing in the maths classroom As a class discuss "What is wellbeing?"  Brainstorm all that contributes to positive wellbeing eg food,shelter, clothing, friends, family, music, sport, pets etc Students draw a map of an island to scale.   With the view that they will be living on this island, students place all of the items they will need to contribute to their wellbeing.