Welcome back to face to face learning! It was so nice to welcome back our students and staff this week. Seeing our students' smiling faces on the playground and the positive interactions students were having with their teachers and peers is testament to St John’s school spirit.    

Tips to support students as we return to school:

• Be kind to yourself. Give yourself the same advice that you’d give to a good friend.

• Give yourself time to adjust back into routine. Be realistic in your thinking about how long it might take.
• Be realistic and flexible. Talk with your teachers about your work, both the strengths and the challenges. Your teachers are there to help you. 
• Get organised the night before. Get your school uniform and shoes ready. Pack your school bag the day before, including a face mask and hand sanitiser. If you don’t have hand sanitiser or a mask don’t stress, your school can give this to you. 
• Check your timetable to know what lessons you’ll be having and prepare the equipment you might need. 
• Try to reconnect with a friend before the first day back and arrange a time and place to meet on your return.

• There may be changes to school-based activities like assemblies, sport and excursions to encourage physical distancing and help keep people safe.
• If you feel unsafe, or are worried about safety, talk to a trusted adult in the school about your feelings.

Don’t forget your physical health:

• Eating a healthy balance of food throughout the day and drinking water will help to improve your mood, help you concentrate, boost your energy level and support your general health. This includes eating breakfast.
• Stay active. Returning to school may make you physically and mentally tired for a while. Try to spend some time doing something physical at the end of the day to give yourself a break, get the blood flowing and boost your mood. This could be a walk, bike-riding, dancing, yoga, surfing or any exercise you enjoy! 
• Make sure you get enough sleep to give your brain a rest and allow you to recharge. Get back into the routine of sleeping 8-10 hours so you can wake up in the morning in time for school. Uninterrupted sleep is best, so put your phone on silent or even better, in another room. 

Our students should be commended for their achievements during remote learning. I am truly excited about what we can achieve as a school community for the rest of Term 4.