Newsletter 17 May - Loreto Normanhurst Newsletter

Deputy Principal’s Message

As I sit to write about the events of the week in Ms Ugonotti’s absence on the Principal's Country Road Trip, I have the sun on my back. The sun on my back is one of my most favourite sensations in the world and it always has been. I notice that I seek it out whenever I can take the chance to do so. Sometimes it just beckons. And yet, it was only through my introduction to Ignatian spirituality that it made complete sense to me.When discerning the signs of the spirit within, it helps to simply notice if we are feeling content, or cranky, or generous, or mean, or open hearted, or jealous. St Ignatius found a way to describe these ‘stirrings’ of the spirit. Read more

Head of House – Ward

We have continued our work in the Pastoral Team this year on the difference between healthy and unhealthy friendships and our recent focus has been on group dynamics.Being part of a group at school is often what girls strive for, it feels good and it can feel safe. Finding your friendship niche is one of the big challenges facing many teenagers. We know that having good friends and feeling a belonging is key to feeling happy in school, while feeling excluded or socially isolated can be a major cause of stress for students. It’s no secret that teenagers fear feeling alone and, unfortunately, this means they can sometimes make poor choices in their friendships to avoid this. To some, they would rather have a bad friend than no friend at all.

Deans of Boarding

Throughout human history the need for sleep has been constant in the pursuit of good health and wellbeing. In recent times we have seen a renewed engagement in the importance of sleep, as our lifestyles continue to provide more alternatives to sleep than ever before.It is widely acknowledged that sufficient sleep is necessary for adolescents to stay alert in class, retain information, maintain a level mood and adopt a healthy attitude towards nutrition and exercise. Developing positive sleep patterns for secondary students can be challenging. The changes in hormones and circadian rhythm during puberty as well as hectic extra-curricular schedules, academic demands and technology habits can all be barriers to optimum sleep.