On Wednesday, we held Twilight Tours for our Year 6 families. This event exists to link our families in Upper Primary with the High School staff, and introduce them to some of the key High School facilities. Beginning our connections over a sausage sizzle followed by an informative tour through the High School, we introduced families to key faculty co-ordinators and Middle School teachers.

It was a delight to listen to current Year 8 student, Dylan, share his insights into navigating the transition to Middle School. Dylan advised students to arrive with time to spare in the mornings to avoid feeling rushed in the locker bay, and set up each day with a smooth start. Dylan also identified that it took the first half of Term 1 to adjust and become familiar with Middle School. It is particularly helpful to remember that adjusting to new environments takes time and energy. Once new routines and familiarity occur, energy is freed up for strengthening friendships and enhancing learning.

Time for Middle School

Our Year 7s recently participated in a time management workshop on Wednesday 17th March. This annual initiative occurs to support our students in developing their awareness of how they use their time, and to identify areas in which they can make changes. We include Year 9 Health and Wellbeing students in this process as peer coaches. They share their own strategies for managing time, with a focus on tools to balance learning, rest (including sleep), hobbies, and family time. We then partner with our Year 7 families to assist their young person’s continued refinement of time management and balance in their lives, recognising that these skills take repeated effort and adjustment to mature.

Important Tools

In national surveys, most adolescents list coping with stress, school or study problems, and mental health, as their top three concerns. Both the Twilight Tours and Time Management Seminar are examples of initiatives we undertake to support students and their families. We want to provide our students with the tools to actively cope with the pressures of starting Middle School, to manage the demands of learning, and to recognise their need for good quality rest.

We have appreciated the support from our Cedar families and the enthusiastic engagement from students during these activities. The appreciation that students have shown for these learning opportunities has been evident, and we look forward to continuing in this spirit throughout the year.