From the Student Support Team

Please see the following resources for parents with regard to emotional regulation and parent support services available on the Sunshine Coast.

Our team meets once per week to discuss supports in place for students across the school and new referrals to the team from teachers and parents. We are a broad multi-disciplinary team with extensive knowledge and experience. We work with teachers to provide advice on supporting students with a diverse range of needs, advice for parents and, with permission, share information with external agencies and support services such as private therapists.

Our school's Student Support Team includes -

• Support Teachers (P-2) and (Years 3 - 6), Mrs Louise Hobson and Mrs Kaitlyn Goodall
• Head of Special Education - Mrs Linda Bogle/Mrs Kaitlyn Goodall
• SWD Teachers - Mrs Lynne Weston
• Deputy Principals and Principal
• Guidance Officer - Mrs Toni McMackin
• Guidance Officer Wellbeing - Mrs Shelley Miller
• Student Support Officer - Mr Oliver Wardle
• School Chaplain - Chappy Sam

What can we do to support emotional regulation?

Because emotional regulation follows a developmental hierarchy from external regulation (someone else regulating their body to help the child) to self-regulation, it is often helpful to consider where on this journey a child’s skills fall.  Yes, these skills have developmental milestones, however, that doesn’t mean that everyone meets those milestones at the same time.  We don’t expect a child to run before they walk so we can’t expect a child to self-regulate if they can’t regulate with assistance. 

EXTRINSIC REGULATION

During extrinsic regulation, a child relies on an adult to regulate for them.  This is done by the adult regulating their own body. The child doesn’t do anything else and isn’t expected to do anything else. Extrinsic regulation is so often overlooked.

What this looks like for calming: The adult engages in regulating strategies without *any* demands on the child. This means that the adult is taking nice, deep, breaths. The adult is modelling slow movement, talking in a calm tone, and using a slower rate of speech. Extrinsic regulation can be incredibly powerful and oh so helpful for when a child just isn’t able to actively *do* anything in the moment.

MUTUAL ENGAGEMENT

Mutual regulation occurs when an adult and child engage in regulation strategies together.  The strategies being used have already been discussed, practiced, and mutually decided upon and are familiar to the child.

What this looks like for calm: taking five deep belly breaths together, visiting the cozy corner together, exploring sensory bottles etc.  The key is that the adult is doing the activities with the child – serving as a model for how to do the exercises and also adding in some extrinsic support for regulation.  It’s not uncommon for adults to start at the extrinsic regulation level and as the child begins to regulate (from the regulation being provided by the adult), the child then joins the adult in using the strategies.

Support for parents and caregivers - resources and programs from our Regional Office for parent reference.

Enrolment applications are being accepted now for 2025. Parents are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible in 2024 in order to begin our enrolment and transition process.

1. Once applications have been received, parents will be invited to attend a group enrolment meeting, after which enrolment can be formalised.
2. During the enrolment meeting, we discuss important reminders about preparing children and families for their first year of school, address important aspects of our school policies to be aware of, and provide time for parents for any questions or concerns that might need to be discussed. We also discuss our school process for accepting 'out of catchment' enrolments. For families who are engaged with, or seeking engagement with NDIS support, we schedule individual enrolment meetings with our Support Team.
3. Families are then invited to join our Orientation Sessions, usually held throughout November and October, with our Prep teachers in the Prep classrooms. This is an excellent opportunity for all new students to familiarise themselves more with their new school, and start meeting new friends.

Enrolment packs are available on our school website, or drop in to our office to collect a pack.

Parents together with Kindy children are invited to come and observe our Prep classes in action. This session provides opportunities for parents to talk with School Leaders and our Prep teachers about our school and Prep expectations, and to walk through and see our various classrooms.

2024 Prep 'Open Classrooms'

Thursday 16th May (9 - 10:30am)

Tuesday 6th August (9 - 10:30am)

Throughout the year, our Prep Team (including our P-2 Support Teacher, our Special Education Team, and myself), maintain communication with many of our local Kindies - from Eumundi, Cooroy, Pomona, Yandina, Tewantin, Noosaville and Peregian. This will help engage local families in the enrolment process as soon as possible and help keep families informed of key activities they are welcome to join us for.

Families are also warmly invited every Thursday morning (9:00 - 10:30am) to our Seedlings Playgroup for children 0-5 years. A great opportunity again for families to familiarise with our school and meet new and future friends. We have a wide variety of activities, games and toys for families to stay and play with. This year, Playgroup is being held in Prep (classroom closest to the hall).

Toys at school

Staff have noticed an increasing number of toys being brought to school by children (particularly at the moment the popular and colourful plastic 'dragons'). We do have a little flexibility with the 'rule' about bringing toys, but it is important that children have negotiated with their class teachers, who are best placed to help determine whether bringing the toy has a positive impact or not. As a general guide, we would encourage parents to reinforce that toys are not brought to school. Children were reminded on Parade this week, and we ask parents to note the following guide from our Parent Handbook -

BRINGING OF TOYS & OTHER PERSONAL BELONGINGS TO SCHOOL

Toys may be brought to school by negotiation with the Class Teacher only (toys should be given to the teacher or be returned to the child’s bag immediately and remain the responsibility of the child). The school does not take any responsibility for the loss or damage of toys brought to school.

Skateboards and scooters, are permitted to be brought to school by students, but must be brought to the office on arrival for storage until home time. They should not be ridden in the school grounds.

From time to time we also find it necessary to place a temporary ban on items of lesser value which have become ‘trendy’ for children to collect (such as trading cards). This is done when these items cause problems among children.