From the Principal

1 4 February 2022 VOLUME 36, NUMBER 01 From the Principal I would like to welcome all families to the start of 2022, especially those new to the school. It has been a relatively smooth start, given the continued disruption we face with COVID-19. As the year unfolds I, unfortunately, think that this disruption will continue. My hope is that the extent of disruption reduces as the year continues. By now all students should have received their Rapid Antigen Tests and I would ask parents to ensure that children are using them as directed. We are expecting further deliveries during the coming week for the second half of the Government's five week trial period. I have been enormously impressed with the way that students have embraced the new time for reading at the school. The classes that I have and others have been in have used the time wisely and I am impressed with the range of things students are reading.

2 The research evidence shows a link between time spent on reading and obtaining a general knowledge of the world and academic success. I would again urge you to take a keen interest in what your children are doing in the Program - Students, Teachers All Reading. It is part of a broader reading and writing focus for the coming year. Mr Andrew A. Neal PrincipalCurrent BMG Families Important Reminder Prep Reception, Prep and Year 7 2023 Enrolment Applications Please be aware that enrolment applications for the following entry levels have now closed. Prep Reception and Prep 2023 Year 7 2023 If any current families, have a child that is not registered for either Prep Reception, Prep or Year 7 2023 entry, please contact the School Registrar as a matter of urgency Mrs Shona Hiscock - School Registrar COVID-19 Update Testing and Reporting Rapid Antigen Testing All Government provided Rapid Antigen Tests have now been distributed to students.

3 I would ask you to follow up with your children if your have not sighted them yet. Information about how to do a test, including a how-to video translated into 33 languages, is available online. We would ask that parents test on the following days to enable us to deal with the administration of the test results. Years 7 to 12 Test Tuesday and Thursday Years Prep to 6 Test Monday and Wednesday Reporting a Positive Case In the event that your child is required to isolate, either as a confirmed COVID-19 positive or as a household contact, we request that you notify the school via with the following information: Student Full Name Date of Birth Form/Class Campus Last Date of Attendance Symptoms eg. None, Symptomatic, Asymptomatic, Unknown Test Date: Test Type eg. PCR or RAT Symptoms Onset Date: Exposed/Infected Outside of School If your child is absent from school due to COVID, their teachers will provide lesson materials via Schoolbox in the event that they are well enough to complete some learning at home.

4 Your child s tutor group teacher will also be in contact to check-in and to see if any other support is required. We anticipate that most students will not miss more than a week of school due to COVID however recognise that in some unique circumstances the isolation period may be longer than this. If it looks like your child will be isolating for more than a week due to COVID, please contact the relevant Head of Sub-School so that we can ensure appropriate support of their learning from home. Rapid Antigen Testing After a COVID-19 infection Students who return to school after their seven day isolation with a COVID-19 infection do not need to do Rapid Antigen Testing for a 30 day period. Mrs Michelle Graham Executive Assistant to the Principal The Podium Achieving Optimal Academic Performance I would like to welcome everybody back to the start of the academic year. I hope that everyone has taken the opportunity to have a restful break and is reinvigorated for the New Year.

5 Over the break, I read some interesting research regarding brain health and the links with optimal performance over time. Neurologists Dr Dean and Ayesha Sherzai are highly credentialed directors of The Brain and Alzeheimers Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Medical Centre, USA, where they study all things brain health, with a particular focus on lifestyle interventions to prevent cognitive decline. To optimise our learning we certainly need to take care of our brains because ultimately that is the tool that we are going to use to do the work . The Podium They have researched and discovered that to optimise brain health and sidestep the decline and diseases that happen over time, a simple diet of lifestyle changes have shown to promote amazing results. The Sherzais have found that by focusing on nourishing the brain, keeping it stimulated and continuously improving its plasticity (the flexibility of our brains to make neural connections) by varying the following methods, we can amplify our mental state, increase productivity, accomplish remarkable tasks and begin each day feeling refreshed and inspired.

6 They developed a simple acronym that we can all act upon that will improve our brain health and optimal learning performance. neuro 1. N = Nutrition Develop good nutritional habits. Fuelling your brain is one of the most critical components of brain health. Eating healthy, nutritionally rich food is a simple but effective way to enhance your cognitive abilities and protect brain cells. Limiting sugar, fast foods and fat enriched foods will make a huge difference to your brain health. Try the Mediterranean Method. Sit down at a table for at least two lunches or dinners per week. Take time to enjoy the meal. Eat with friends and family. Focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains 2. E = Exercise. Engage in regular exercise. You ve likely heard this one before but sticking to a regular routine of aerobic exercise incorporating strength training, dance, yoga or organised sport all have proven benefits for coordination, balance and other cognitive functions 3.

7 U = Unwind Unwind and de-stress. This may involve meditation, massage, mindfulness, listening to music or moments in nature. Just a short amount of time spent in your backyard or local park can have a drastic impact on your brain by helping to reduce activity in your subgenual prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain responsible for depression). Spending time in nature also has positive effects on short term attention and memory. Loose the mobile phone. Make time to relax. It may sound too simple but giving your brain the time it needs to decompress and do nothing but wander is crucial in helping your problem-solving skills. Take some time to daydream and your creativity will soar while your brain develops new neural connections. 4. R = Restorative Sleep Research suggests that there are enormous benefits to getting a solid seven to eight hours of sleep per night, beyond just helping you feel more rested and alert. Sleep boosts your ability to learn, concentrate and retain information longer throughout your day.

8 But make sure you are off light emitting devices at least 30 minutes before you intend to sleep. Your brain needs time to get ready to disengage and optimise sleeping patterns. 5. O = Optimise cognitive Activity Engage in expansive thinking and innovative problem solving. Continuously test the brain, test your thinking and read everyday. Stay organized. Recent research suggests that the simple act of organizing your desk and keeping your space clutter-free can have huge benefits to boosting your brain power. According to Dr Sherzai, Focusing your efforts on one or two of these tips is a great way to start building the habit of enhancing your brain health, maximizing your mental output and expanding your mind every day. Choose a couple that you can take away from this list and implement today and you ll be doing something good for your brain that will have a positive, lasting impact throughout your life Mr Andrew Perks - Assistant Principal : Optimal Performance Learning ICAS 2021 Results Please be advised that the school has not received the 2021 ICAS certificates for distribution.

9 The ICAS Assessments were conducted later than usual in 2021 due to COVID and this has impacted the results process. An individual code (TAP-ID and PIN) on the back of each student certificate is required for parents to access results online. In the meantime, as we are unable to specify when the certificates will be received and, in turn, posted to families, you may wish to contact ICAS Customer Service on 1800 931 775 to obtain the relevant TAP-ID and PIN and log on to access results. To access your child s ICAS results online: 1. Visit ICAS website homepage 2. At the top of the homepage, select Portals and click Results Portal. 3. Click on Sign in under Student Results tab half way down the page. 4. At the Student Result Login, enter the 10-digit TAP-ID followed by the 4-digit PIN and then click Login. We thank parents for their patience and understanding at this time. Mr Kevin Richardson - Senior Deputy Principal Sports Uniform In adhering to government advice in relation to COVID-19 practice in schools, the school has made the decision for all year levels to wear sports uniforms to school on days when they have practical PE and Sport classes.

10 This will limit the use of change rooms around the school. Students in Years 9 to 12 PE classes and PE electives will have a day nominated by their subject teacher as the day they are to wear their sports uniforms. Some students have multiple PE electives; however, they should not be wearing their sports uniform to school all week. Mr Bryce Durham - Director of Sport Education/Head of , Health and Outdoor Woodlea News Welcome to our new and returning students to the Woodlea campus for 2022. We hope that all families had a restful summer break and were able to enjoy a special time with family and friends. It has been wonderful to see smiling faces each morning and afternoon as the students begin to settle into their new routines. Our Woodlea students have already begun to demonstrate their passion and enthusiasm for learning and we cannot wait to see the amazing work produced throughout the year. There will be many exciting opportunities for our students throughout 2022, so please keep informed by subscribing to the weekly BMG eNews and regularly checking the myBMG Parent Portal and Schoolbox for updates.