Volume 26 Issue 29 20 Oct 2017 30 Tishri 5778

From the Primary School

Emma Clemens – Deputy Head of Primary

Parent Wellbeing Conference

On Monday we hosted the Primary School Wellbeing Conference. In previous years we have had a series of parent information evenings during Term 3. This year we are trialling a new structure where we are hosting three parent conferences. At the end of Term 3, we had the K-12 Curriculum Conference, then in Term 4 we have the Primary and High School Wellbeing Conferences. The new approach of conference style enables us to have a number of speakers present on the same evening so that parents can hear from different experts and delve into a range of topics in the one night. On Monday we had two presenters. Below is a summary of their presentations and links to additional resources.

Michele Chevalley Hedge: Healthy body and brain in your child – It’s all in their food

Michele is a qualified nutritionist, international author and founder of ‘A Healthy View’. Michele has appeared on Sunrise, 2UE and has published hundreds of articles though MINDFOOD, Vogue, Prevention and Good Health. Below is some of the eye-opening research and key tips Michele gave during her presentation.

  • Across the world obesity rates are soaring. One out of four people are overweight, obese or have Type 2 Diabetes. Obesity and being overweight can lead to a range of other health concerns including infertility, cholesterol difficulties, poor energy, digestion issues and a multitude of diseases. In addition, being overweight due to poor food choices can link to brain burnout such as brain fog, poor memory and cognitive dysfunction.
  • What we eat has a significant impact on so many aspects of our body and its functioning. Some of these include hair, teeth, sleep, skin, heart, thyroid, physical shape, memory, mood and self esteem.
  • There are so many diets available on the market so it can be difficult to know what to follow. However, the best guiding principles are to eat real whole food, and to try to eat slow-burning, fresh, seasonal and organic foods (where possible). We should eat a combination of good fats, quality protein and smart carbohydrates. Good fats help our brain function, balance hormone levels and turn off sugar cravings. Quality protein assists with immunity, healthy nails, stops hunger and balances blood sugar. Smart carbohydrates are slow burning and give fuel for the brain and body.
  • Many carbohydrates have very high sugar levels. The World Health Organisation recommends that we eat no more than 6-9 teaspoons of sugar a day. But many children eat about 40 teaspoons of sugar a day.
  • Sugar can cause a range of health concerns. Some of these include gut issues, suppressed immune system, exhaustion, hyperactivity, concentration difficulties, acne, inflammation, changed hormones, raised cholesterol and Diabetes.
  • We should focus on eating slow-burning food as these release energy slower. These foods help you feel full for longer and therefore eat less. Some examples include quality protein and fats, whole grain pasta and breads, fruit smoothies with yoghurt, almonds, seeds, fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils, chickpeas, hummus and grain crackers.

Michele has three tips for assessing the sugar levels and recommends you share these with your child:

  1. Read the label: Look at the ingredients. If you recognise the names of the ingredients and there aren’t too many chemicals and additives, then this is a good start.
  2. Look at the serving size. If the serving size is very small, then this may be a good sign that there is a lot of sugar.
  3. Look at the sugar: Multiply the grams of sugar by the serving size per package or the number of servings you are about to eat. Then divide by 4. This gives you a rough estimate of the amount of sugar in teaspoons. For children dividing by 4, encourage them to halve and halve again.

If you would like a copy of Michele’s presentation please email her at michele@ahealthyview.com. In the subject of the email write Emanuel Wellbeing Presentation. Click here to register for 50% off A Healthy View Low Sugar Lifestyle program with A Healthy View and enter the code: school50%off.

Kristy Goodwin: Healthy Digital Habits

Dr Kristy Goodwin is one of Australia’s leading digital parenting experts. She’s the author of ‘Raising Your Child in a Digital World’, speaker and researcher. Kristy is regularly called upon by the media to translate the latest research about kids and screens into practical and relevant information for worried parents and professionals. Below is some of the most current research and recommendations that Kristy presented about healthy digital habits for families.

  • Children average 32 hours per week of screen time at home. This is not only 32 hours spent on digital devices, but it is a 32-hour opportunity cost for other activities. Boys are predominantly gaming and girls are predominantly on social media. Both boys and girls also spend many hours watching YouTube videos.
  • The current Australian Department of Health guidelines recommend 1-2 hours of screen time per day. However, these guidelines are currently under review as they are unrealistic. The American Academy of Paediatrics have removed an hour limit for children 6 years and above. The focus is not on the number of hours, but what is happening during screen time. It is important to ask whether screen time is active or passive, leisure or educational, whether it has a physical impact (vision and hearing) and if it influences sleep.
  • Children are so attached to their devices because it gives them a sense of connection and belonging, they feel competent and have a sense of control. This is why parents observe techno-tantrums where their children have a significant melt down when a device is taken away from them.
  • Cognitively prime your child for when their screen time will end, for example ‘after the next add break’ or ‘when you reach Level 7 of the game’ or ‘once you’ve sent three more messages’. The child should then turn the device off themselves, so they have a sense of control. A positive transition activity such as jumping on the trampoline or having afternoon tea can also assist with stopping screen time.
  • There are many implications for a child’s physical health if they have excessive screen time. Some impacts include decline in focus and attention, delayed and impaired physical skills (fine and gross motor), lack of impulse control and increased aggression. To compensate the sedentary state of screen time consider how to increase scheduled or incidental exercise for your child.
  • Screen time also impacts on amount and quality of sleep. Blue light emission impacts melatonin levels, which delays the onset of sleep. Also if the activity on a device is very active, such as group messaging or a game, it can put children into a hyperactive state. It is important to keep digital devices out of bedrooms and limit screen time one hour before bedtime. On iOS devices you can use the night shift function in the display settings to limit the blue light. Baxter Blue non-prescription glasses can also assist with absorbing blue light.
  • It is very important to have internet filtering at home. Family Zone is a great product that travels with the child wherever they go, regardless of what wireless network they are using. It helps to track and manage screen time. You can also set restrictions for different times of the day, such as blocking social media during homework time.
  • Vision and hearing are two key health concerns that are also associated with increased screen time. Use the 20-20-20-20 rule when children are using screens. Every 20 minutes your child is on a screen they must take a 20 second break to look 20 feet away and blink 20 times. For hearing, encourage your child to wear noise cancelling headphones rather than earbuds and limit headphone use to 1 hour per day. In the device settings, limit the maximum volume and headphones should be out of ears when crossing the road.
  • Children should also be aware of the digital DNA associated with all their online posts. This is taught at school in Upper Primary as part of our Digital Citizenship Program. In addition, monitor your child’s use of social media. It’s very important to know what digital playground your child is playing in.
  • Consider how you and your family can engage in more outdoor and unstructured play. It’s okay for children to say that they are bored. Opportunities for creativity and daydreaming are important for neurological development.

If you would like a copy of Kristy’s presentation or free eBook for parents click here.

Fred Hollows Humanity Award

Congratulations to Coby New who will be attending the Fred Hollows Humanity Award ceremony next Monday at Parliament House. Coby was selected for this award based on his ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ project about Fred Hollows and his ‘Boots for All’ initiative. Coby collected second hand soccer boots from Emanuel students which he then took to Jilkminggan School. What a wonderful achievement, well done Coby!

National History Challenge

Congratulations to Alice Milner who is the recipient of the NSW state award in the National History Challenge. Alice prepared a museum exhibit which showcased research about a family member who was a soldier in the Australian Army and sadly died in Afghanistan. It is an incredible accomplishment and Alice has the honour to represent Emanuel at the award ceremony on Thursday.

National Tennis Tournament

We wish Jesse Gothelf all the best for his participation in the National Tennis Tournament this week. Jesse has been selected for the NSW team to compete at the national level. So far this week the team has won against Victoria and the Northern Territory. It is an incredible honour to compete at such a high level competition.

Write For Fun Competition

This week we received the exciting news that Aden Kanevsky, Sophie Masnick, Alice Milner, and Willow Gelin have been selected as finalists for the Write for Fun Competition. These students entered a piece of creative writing based on their own choice of genre and theme. We eagerly await the finalist results which we will receive on 25 October.

Mathletics Awards

Congratulations to Aidan Sheps, Tobias Topolinsky and Zack Gerber who were awarded Mathletics certificates for outstanding performance in Mathletics this year. This is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates great commitment and expertise in Mathematics. 

Northern Territory Trip

This week Year 6 students have travelled to the Northern Territory for our second trip to Jilkminggan School. The students have had an excellent time in Litchfield National Park, Katherine and Mataranka. They have also spent time in Jilkminggan School, furthering the special connection that exists between Emanuel and Jilkminggan. We look forward to their safe return on Monday night. Thank you to Tany Milner and Holly Dillon for all their incredible organisation and planning for the trip. Thank you also to Tany Milner and Adam Ezekiel for accompanying the students and parents on the trip.

BBQ Day

When: Monday 23 October

Why: Raising money for WIZO

Cost: $3.50 for sausage sizzle

Uniform: Plain clothes day

Booking: On the day, students need to bring a sealed envelope with the correct money inside (no change will be given). On the front, please write the child’s name and the order. The options are listed below:

Canteen: The canteen will be closed and it is requested that students do not bring dairy to school.

  1. Sausage sizzle $3.50
  2. Gluten free sausage sizzle $3.50
  3. Vegetarian sausage sizzle $3.50

Calendar Links

Next Week’s Calendar Link

2017 Calendar Link

 Term 3-4 K-2 Assembly Items

  • 20 October (Week 2): Music Assembly
  • 3 November (Week 4): 1T Mrs Silver’s class
  • 17 November (Week 6): KE Ms Grieve’s class
  • 1 December (Week 8): Year 1 Hebrew