The Grammar Word - Ipswich Grammar School

Excellence - Leadership - Integrity - CommunityThe course focusses on developing boys’ positive relationships, emotions, health, andindividual engagement to school, character strengths, resilience and achievements. Scientificevidence is showing that students who develop in these areas have a higher chance to copewith stress, anxiety, disorders and depression symptoms. In Australia, one in four secondarystudents and one in seven primary school students display these issues (World HealthOrganisation, 2014; Carr-Gregg, 2014, National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing).What programs will be implemented: Since 2014 the Junior School has been focussing on the24 Character Strengths that Martin Seligman and other psychologists have identified. Some ofthese character strengths include leadership, humour, gratitude and perseverance. The JuniorSchool has undertaken projects in which boys showcase these character strengths in a verycreative way. The Middle School has its designated weekly Life Skills lesson where topics suchas resilience, positive relationships and positive male role models are examined. In the SeniorSchool discussions and curriculum links are currently underway to reflect how positive well-beingis displayed. There are also weekly positive education tips for students and teachers in the dailynotices for perusal and discussion.Caring for Sons Evening: Last week Dr Mark Taylor and I presented to a large contingent offamilies on Positive Education and the resources currently available on Parent Lounge to assistparents. The issues of why mental health is a growing dilemma in Australia, the school’s PositiveEducation Program and resilience strategies were discussed. Please take the opportunity to viewDr Taylor’s resources on My – Support Services.Date claimers: Please mark the following events in your diaries:• Wednesday, 18 February: Middle School Information Evening. Includes timetables, homeworkexpectations, use of computers, programs and camps. Year 7 families will have the opportunity toview the new Year 7 rooms.• Friday, 20 February: Parent Welcome Evening.• Wednesday, 25 February: Middle School Mums’ Afternoon Tea. Great opportunity to catch upwith other mums without the children.• Monday, 2 March: Middle School Induction Ceremony.Mr John ChalvatzisHead of Middle Schooljchalvatzis@ipswichgrammar.comJUNIOR SCHOOLFrom the Head of Junior School: On Friday night, the Parents and Friends’ Association will playhost to the Welcome to Parents Evening for 2015. This will be held in the Staff Common Roomcommencing at 6.30pm. This annual evening is a wonderful and relaxed opportunity to socialise,meet and mingle with other parents and staff from the school. Continuing and new parents areall encouraged to attend in order to form further bonds and contacts which can come in handythroughout the year.House Captains: The determination of House Captains is in full swing. Shortlisted candidateswill be announced shortly and will then perform speeches to their peers. All Year 6 students thenwill rate the character and behaviour of each shortlisted candidate (1-5) across eight behaviouralstatements as listed over the page.