Kids West - Spring 2023

SPRING 2023

Craigieburn mum

shares HG toll Hugh van Cuylenburg:

Imperfect dad Empty and lost

Dads seek support www.KidsWest.com.au

SPRING 2023 1

Our children receive the highest quality Kindergarten education and our parents benefit from the flexibility of Long Day Care.

We provide a Kindergarten program where children experience success, joy and celebration, by taking risks in their learning, accepting and embracing diversity and developing confidence in themselves.

Our service provides: • 3 Year Old Kindergarten - Government Funded • 4 Year Old Kindergarten - Government Funded • Bachelor Qualified Kindergarten Teachers • School Readiness Program • Kindergarten Excursions • Individual Learning Plans • Seasonal halal-certified menu endorsed by Nutrition Australia • Drop off / Pick up within a 12-hour window

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About Us

A season bursting with opportunities IT’S always a special feeling, spotting those first few spring blossoms bursting from bare tree branches.

It’s a glimmer of hope - that the year’s coldest, wettest days are behind us and summer is just a stone’s throw away.

Nature turns on the charm, sprouting ubiquitous buds and blooms across the suburbs and beyond. The outside world is just beckoning you to get up from the couch, drop the blanket, grab a hat and get outdoors!

Spring is the perfect time to stretch the legs after a long winter and check

out parks and playgrounds before the heat of summer sets in. There’s no better way to tire out the kids while nurturing both their bodies and imaginations.

For a while there, every playground we visited became a cafe. The ‘tanbark as food and money’ phase seems to be a rite of passage for children everywhere.

One of our children is deep in a swing stage currently, but thankfully she’s mastered swinging herself, so sometimes Mumma gets to take a seat and soak up the gentle sunshine and fresh air.

We’d love to hear your go-to park and playground games - we could all do with a little inspiration! Whether it’s an independent play scenario to set the kids up with, or a parent-friendly all-in game, we want to hear it.

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to share your tips or pick up an idea, and to find all our latest stories.

Kids West Today Unit 6/1-9 Thomsons Road, Keilor Park Phone: (03) 8318 5777

Gayle Williams gayle.williams@starweekly.com.au

Editorial Melissa Meehan melissa.meehan @starnewsgroup.com.au Phone: 5945 0666

IT’S YOUR LIFE

Craigieburn Central offers free fun for kids

Steve Biddulph: Where is it in your body?

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Kidsafe’s essential garage safety checklist

St Albans kinder grows

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New school is Good News

Group Advertising Sales Manager

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Mandy Clark mandy.clark

Farmhouse Kinder: Growing little Learners

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Swim in spring for a safer summer

Lalor North Secondary College: Providing positive pathways

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Independent retirement with Centennial Living

Little Flyers: Helping kids to fly high

Dad urges men to seek postnatal support

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‘He’s not very resilient, is he?’: Hugh van Cuylenburg talks parenting

Kids West Today will be published quarterly prior to each of the school holidays.

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CONTENTS

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Kids West Today magazine is a Star News Group publication.

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EDUCATION

Life with HG: Craigieburn mum’s battle to leave the bathroom

Sunbury Downs: Pathways for all students

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PAGE 14

Kids in the Kitchen: Probiotic coconut and strawberry panna cotta

Copperfield College: Empowering every student

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Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas.

All material is copyright to Star News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible.

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BOOKS

SPRING 2023

Family tragedy inspires teen novel PAGE 20 Dive into Mim’s world PAGE 21 Discover new children’s books PAGE 21

Homebirths to be introduced at Royal Women’s Hospital PAGE 9 Craigieburn mum

Dine, cheer, and party - all in the one venue

shares HG toll

PAGE 10

Imperfect dad

Hugh van Cuylenburg:

Empty and lost

Dads seek support www.KidsWest.com.au

SPRING 2023 1

Cover Molly, 3, is all smiles as she soaks up the spring sunshine surrounded by daisies.

Picture: Rob Carew

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instagram.com/kidswesttoday SPRING 2023 3

It’s Your Life

Where is it in your body?

We can help our kids with strong feelings by teaching them to notice their body sensations, and what they are trying to say, writes STEVE BIDDULPH

“Well, it feels pretty bad to be talked to in that way.”

lived and, when he found it, “what does the feeling want to say to you?”.

“I hate her! I don’t want to be her brother anymore.”

Our bodies hold unique and “right now” wisdom about our situation, known as “felt sense” and if we follow this it can often uncover hidden truths.

RAVI is eight years old; a sweetnatured boy who adores his older sister Satya.

OK. A pause. “Ravi, what do you think your throat is wanting to say to you?”

Despite the four years between them, they have always been the dearest companions.

He thinks for a bit. “Mum, remember when we went ice skating? And Satya held my hand and we skated around?”

But this morning, getting ready for school, there was a huge blow-up between the two of them.

“Yes, it was your birthday,” she replied.

Satya ended up yelling at the top of her lungs for Ravi to “stop bugging me!” and stormed off to catch her bus.

Ravi was distraught. He went to his room in tears.

His mum gave him a few minutes and then went in to see if she could comfort him. She worried that he would be late for school but knew that without some calming down, his day would not go very well.

She sat beside him on the bed.

“How are you going?” she asked gently. He didn’t answer.

“Satya was really loud and mean to you back then. It must have been a surprise?”

“Yes,” Ravi snuffled.

“And now it’s left you feeling awful?”

“She hates me!” he said.

“OK! Can I ask you Ravi, can you feel the bad feeling in your body?”

He replied, “Yes.” “Where does that bad feeling live right now?” his mum asked.

There is a pause. “It’s in my throat.”

“OK, just feel it there. What is it like?”

Ravi said, “It’s tight, my whole throat is tight.”

“Satya isn’t the same, Mum. She doesn’t want to play with me anymore.” He starts to cry.

“You’re really sad; you wish it was like it used to be with you two, when we first moved here.”

Ravi is sitting up now, leaning into his mum. “I had better get going to school!”

“Yes, I will help you get going…”

Often when children get upset, it’s hard to know what to do or say.

When I was a kid, parents used to say things like, “Quit crying or I’ll give you something to cry about!”

Even today, we still get it wrong - we try to distract children, or reason with them, or try and talk them out of feeling bad.

Ravi’s mum knew something extra that she could do. She asked Ravi whereabouts in his body the feeling

that’s not the whole of them.

Perhaps they can draw the bad feeling, choose a colour for it, and this helps to explore it, listen to it, and get it to a more peaceful place.

Ravi isn’t angry at his sister, really.

He is grieving that she is growing up and not his little friend like she was.

Life has sadness built in sometimes, and all we can do is be there for our kids as they suffer through that.

He came a long way in the three or four minutes they spent, and knows something new: that bugging his sister won’t turn back the clock, but they can still be friends in a growing way as she enters puberty and lives more in the world of her girlfriends.

Ravi’s mum might have a word with her to not forget her little brother and still have some times with him, but she won’t force her to stay a child.

She knows her daughter is growing up.

Listening to body feelings is often a wonderful help for kids with their difficult emotions.

It helps them realise that “there is something inside them” which is angry, or sad, or frightened, but

West’s kinders grow MORE kinder places are on the way for Melbourne’s growing western suburbs.

A $2 million redevelopment at Epalock Crescent Kindergarten in St Albans will deliver a new two-room kinder.

This will add 33 new licensed places across its three and four-year-old kinder programs.

Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Minister Ingrid Stitt announced the project in May. It was the latest in a $13.3 million partnership with the City of Brimbank, which will deliver six new and expanded kindergartens to add more than 440 funded kindergarten places.

“We’re giving local families in Melbourne’s growing western suburbs access to a great kinder close to home,” Ms Stitt said.

More kinder places are on the way.

4 SPRING 2023

“With hundreds of new and expanded kindergartens opening across the state, more Victorian families will have access to the high-quality kindergarten services they deserve.”

The existing Epalock Crescent Kindergarten will be demolished at the end of the year so building work can begin next year.

All children enrolled at the kinder will be offered places at nearby centres.

The new facility is scheduled to open in early 2025.

Since 2021, the State Government’s Building Blocks initiative has supported partnerships with 10 local councils, delivering 68 new and expanded kindergartens and creating more than 9250 new kinder places across the state.

Through the $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reform, the State Government is transforming early childhood education over the next decade.

There is $584 million earmarked to build and run 50 government-owned and operated childcare centres in the communities that need them most.

More than 30 locations have already been announced, including one in King’s Park. www.KidsWest.com.au

It’s Your Life

‘He’s not very resilient, is he?’

By Casey Neill HUGH van Cuylenburg has always wanted to be a dad.

“I never even questioned it,” the Resilience Project founder said.

“Now I feel very comfortable. If the kids have a meltdown in public, I don’t care.”

Elsie was two and a half when Penny suggested the family add a third child to the mix.

“It was always something I was definitely going to do.

“I remember saying to her, ‘Are you serious? We’re nearly out of the woods here’,” Hugh laughed.

“From a young age, I remember Mum telling me I’d be a really good dad.

“I could see light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in six years.

“I wanted to have that unconditional love for my own kids.”

“I thought, ‘I just don’t understand this’.”

Fast forward to today and the teacher, author and podcaster has three children with wife Penny Moodie - Benji, 6, Elsie, 3, and Patrick, 1.

He said he’d accepted the reality of parenting three children more often than not, but there were times he caught himself picturing an alternative reality with a little more freedom.

Hugh thought he had fatherhood in the bag before welcoming his first child.

After all, he’s known for championing resilience. Surely being a parent was a role he could weather?

“I felt very confident until the moment we brought him (Benji) home,” Hugh said.

“Last week I got asked last-minute to go to the footy in a corporate box,” he said.

“I couldn’t because I had the three kids with me. It wasn’t fair to Penny. I had to say no.

“I’ve been less able to do the work that I want to do,” he said.

“I was 36 when we had Benji. So since leaving school, basically, life was completely on my terms.

“I feel like every time a child came along I was able to put a bit less effort into it.”

“For the first time in a very long time, it absolutely wasn’t about me anymore.”

He likened combining work and parenthood to a scene in the movie Gladiator.

“People are very keen to put on a front that they’ve got everything sorted and life’s great,” he said.

“I have noticed that pressure among people I hang out with.

“I often think, ‘Surely you’re not flying through this, surely I’m not the only one struggling right now?’”

Early in his parenting journey, Hugh felt huge pressure to live up to his profile as the ‘Resilience Project guy’.

“Especially in public,” he said.

Volunteering in India in 2008, he was blown away by how happy everyone was despite living in poverty.

He learned the value of practicing gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness for a more fulfilling life, so devised a program to share in schools.

The Resilience Project today works with thousands of students, parents, workplaces, and sporting clubs.

Hugh recalled toddler-aged Benji having a meltdown outside a cafe, and a comment from a passer-by: “He’s not very resilient, is he?”

“I kind of laughed but it made me quite angry,” he said.

“From then on, I felt enormous pressure to have everything under control.”

That is until he spoke vulnerably about his parenting journey - and other aspects of his life - on his podcast.

Hugh launched The Imperfects in 2019 with his brother, Josh, and comedian Ryan Shelton.

They chat with well-known Australians and experts in various mental health fields about embracing imperfection.

“It’s very liberating,” he said.

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“I think I need to be a bit more firm with setting boundaries and sticking to them,” he said.

“Whatever makes them happy is my philosophy. I don’t have the right balance yet.”

Hugh is experiencing parenthood alongside Josh.

“I hope it finds its way into their life at a time they need it,” he said.

“I just know from the feedback we’re getting that it’s helping so many people.

“I’d love for it to help them one day, too.

“If my dad had done a podcast with his brother, I would be listening to it and I would just love that.”

“I never thought it would happen because I’m six years older than Josh. I always thought my kids would be much older.

Guests on The Imperfects have included respected educator and speaker Lael Stone and in-demand developmental paediatrican Billy Garvey.

“It just turned out that his first and our second were born five days apart.”

How does it feel to have parenting experts at his fingertips?

There are only 23 hours between Hugh’s third and Josh’s second. Their wives were put up in the same hotel to recover post-birth - very convenient for grandparent visits.

“It’s been great, it’s incredible and I feel very lucky,” Hugh said.

“It’s the dream for me,” he said.

Hugh loves the idea that the cousins might one day listen to the podcast.

“But not everything works. Every child is so different.

“You can give general advice but there’s no guarantee everything’s going to work for you.”

The Resilience Project is touring kids’ show 3 Happy Tricks around in Victoria this September school holidays.

“I’m trying to practice acceptance.”

“Until the reality of a screaming baby at 1am then 2am then 3am set in. The realisation that ‘this is it for the next however long’.

Spending time with other parents and children in his life hadn’t opened his eyes quite wide enough to see what he was in for.

he’s succeeding - possibly too much so.

That applies to his career, as well.

The high-energy Martin Heppell uses music, storytelling and laughs to provide primary school-aged children and their parents some practical strategies for being happier and more resilient.

Joaquin Phoenix’s character drives a knife into the back of Maximus, played by Russell Crowe.

Hugh van Cuylenburg with wife Penny Moodie and their children, Patrick, Elsie, and Benji.

Maximus fights on, concealing his pain.

“No one knows how exhausted I am,” Hugh said.

Benji and Elsie continue to be “terrible sleepers”, waking multiple times a night.

“It’s affected how much I can put into the Resilience Project,” he said.

“I’m very happy being vulnerable with how much I’m struggling.

Hugh was 36 when he became a dad. “For the first time in a very long time, it absolutely wasn’t about me anymore.”

“It connects you to the audience, rather than pretending you’re fine and giving a lacklustre performance.”

Hugh wrangles the older kids upstairs at night while Penny handles Patrick.

“I already know he’s just going to be so much more resilient than the other two because he’s already had to fend for himself so often,” he said.

“The amount of times I’ve forgotten where he is…”

He said the hardest part of parenting was seeing his kids struggle.

In his two books and a recent appearance on ABC’s Australian Story, Hugh has shared his sister Georgia’s struggle with an eating disorder and trauma from a man abusing her as a toddler.

“I think my background, with my sister being sick, I’ve always been very finely attuned to unhappiness in the household. I find that extremely difficult,” he said.

The best part of parenting?

“When they smile and laugh, that’s just my favourite thing,” he said.

“It’s just the greatest thing in the world.”

Heading into parenthood, Hugh wanted to be a really fun dad. He said

SPRING 2023 5

It’s Your Life

More dads seek support

By Casey Neill MATT Carter felt ‘empty and quite lost’ when he welcomed his first child.

“Dads have a really big weight on their shoulders and we don’t expect them to carry it alone.

“Even rocks crumble.”

“I never knew that having postpartum depression was something that men could go through,” he said.

Ms Borninkhof said dads experienced a significant adjustment to their sense of identity when a baby arrived.

“When we brought baby home I felt really, really empty and quite lost.

“That throws up a whole range of emotions and feelings,” she said.

“The cries really, really cut through me like a knife.

“Culturally we set people up to think that it’s going to be an amazing golden time.

“That would lead to me just having really weird outbursts where I’d just start crying uncontrollably and wouldn’t really know what to do.”

Matt was diagnosed with postnatal depression seven weeks after welcoming his first child and referred to Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA).

“I didn’t know about PANDA until I was already deep in it,” he said.

“If I had of known about PANDA from the get go I may have been able to save myself some weeks where I could have enjoyed parenthood instead of feared it.

“I felt numb a lot and I felt like I was on autopilot a lot, but I also felt a lot of sadness.”

Matt urged other dads struggling with a new baby to talk to friends, family or health professionals.

“Reach out to anyone and everyone,” he said.

The number of new and expecting dads completing PANDA’s Mental Health Checklist more than doubled in the 12 months to December 2022.

One in 10 calls to the PANDA Helpline are made by men.

PANDA CEO Julie Borninkhof said one in 10 dads developed perinatal anxiety and/or depression symptoms during pregnancy or after a baby was born.

“We often set the men of our communities up to feel that they have to be strong and weather the storm,” she said.

“It’s really important to stop and experience what you’re going through.

More than 12,000 dads have enrolled since the service launched.

Anyone needing support during pregnancy or post childbirth can call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7.30pm.

For more information or to access PANDA’s Mental Health Checklist, visit panda.org.au.

“We really want dads to feel that that experience is valid and not to push it down and to reach out and have conversations.”

Matt Carter struggled with postnatal depression.

Signs dads might be struggling include disrupted sleep, being unable to eat or eating too much, or turning to drugs or alcohol.

“They’re also the same things that you’d expect to experience as a new parent,” Ms Borninkhof said.

“We also know for dads that they quite often have a tendency to overwork as a way of disengaging from the household and turning to a space where they feel a little bit more functional.

“If people aren’t sure what they are feeling is normal, or if they are seeing signs of mental health distress in loved ones, our website offers 24-hour access to our online mental health checklist.”

PANDA also works closely with free service SMS4dads.

Associate Professor Richard Fletcher, from University of Newcastle’s Fathers and Families Research Program, said SMS4dads came about “because fathers told us that the health system doesn’t provide services that speak directly to dads”.

The service sends brief text messages that support men in their role as fathers and increase awareness of their influence on baby’s brain development.

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“I wanted to hold her and I wanted to be nurturing and be a father, but I was so scared that I was going to hurt her in some way or going to break her.

“It also provides tips on working collaboratively with their partner and checks in on their wellbeing and offers professional support if needed,” Ass Prof Fletcher said.

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bed-ridden, recovering from the exhaustion of working and relying on my husband, Tim, to look after me and our son, Harrison.

It’s Your Life

Tim does all the cooking and the majority of the household chores and keeps Harrison entertained, all while trying to work himself.

My parents religiously visit us every Saturday to help clean, entertain Harrison, and cook batches of whatever meals I think I might be able to tolerate that week.

Without all of their support, I would not be able to turn up at work Monday to Friday.

For many HG sufferers, one of the most frustrating parts of the condition is the lack of awareness about hyperemesis.

Laura and Tim Michell and their son Harrison, 7.

Picture: Damjan Janevski

For the most part, people don’t understand just how debilitating the condition can be unless they have suffered from HG or watched a loved one go through it.

As a result, HG can be a very isolating condition.

The reality of HG

By Laura Michell IMAGINE having gastro-like symptoms for nine months, battling to keep down a glass of water and most foods.

Now imagine being pregnant at the same time, because that’s what it is like to suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).

Hyperemesis is a “potentially lifethreatening condition that may cause weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and debility due to severe nausea and/ or vomiting, and may cause long-term health issues for mother and baby(ies)”, according to The HER Foundation, a global charity advocating for better HG awareness and treatment.

It’s believed the condition affects between one and three percent of pregnancies and has a recurrence rate of about 80 percent.

I’ve been unfortunate enough to suffer from it in both my pregnancies.

In my first pregnancy, HG lasted until I gave birth to my son at 38 weeks, and it’s showing no signs of going away anytime soon in pregnancy number two.

So, what’s it like to actually suffer from HG? In my experience, nausea and vomiting are the worst parts of the condition. I take a cocktail of drugs three times a day to keep the nausea, vomiting, and acid reflux under control.

Without them, I would never be able to leave my bathroom.

Before I found the right mix of medications in this pregnancy, I would be nauseous 24/7 and everything I ate was just about guaranteed to come back up.

It’s a constant battle and I often need IV fluids to reverse my dehydration.

Once I found the right medications, I still had to lock myself in my bedroom at the other end of our house while food was being cooked and eaten until I was well into my second trimester.

When you are constantly nauseous and on the verge of dehydration, everyday tasks like taking care of your family, cleaning your house, or working become too much to handle.

The smell of chicken or red meat cooking would have me reaching for a bucket.

Even now, in my eighth month, I’m still overcome by waves of nausea when certain foods are being cooked.

Then there are food aversions.

While other pregnant women carefully follow eating guidelines, giving up soft cheese and sushi for nine months, I struggle to find foods that I can actually keep down.

I can’t eat meat, most vegetables, or anything sweet. Trying to work out what to eat each day is exhausting!

In the early days of this pregnancy, I survived on buttered toast and twominute noodles – hardly a nourishing diet - and some days even those ‘safe foods’ would fail me.

I also can’t keep a glass of water down, which ultimately makes hydration an ongoing battle.

This pregnancy, I’ve tried cordial, orange juice, apple juice, sparkling water, Powerade, and Coke - the saviour of many HG sufferers - in a desperate attempt to stay hydrated.

As you can imagine, all of these things combined make it difficult to go about your everyday life.

As a result, I have missed out on a lot this pregnancy. There has been less time to play with my son or take him on outings, less quality family time, and missed family functions, including a wedding and significant birthdays.

While missing out on all those moments hasn’t been ideal, these decisions have been necessary to keep me out of hospital and well enough to function on a basic level.

I’ve been able to work more this pregnancy than I did the first time around – largely thanks to my GP’s persistence in finding the right combination of medications - but that doesn’t mean that showing up to work each day has been any easier.

Working with HG, especially in weeks nine to 12 – referred to as ‘the death zone’ by sufferers because that is when symptoms are at their worst – can be almost impossible. It is very difficult to concentrate and give your job your all when all you want to do is throw up and sleep.

Showing up to work each day means I spend my evenings and weekends

Most people expect you to be overcome with joy that you are expecting, but the intense sickness that HG brings often means joy is the last thing you are feeling.

It can be very hard for people to grasp the extent of the condition and well-meaning friends and family will often tell me to ‘just try and drink some water’ or ‘just try and eat some meat’ without really understanding why I can’t do these things.

It is also widely misunderstood by medical professionals.

I’ve encountered plenty of doctors, pharmacists, and midwives across my two pregnancies who have tried to treat HG like regular morning sickness, reluctant to offer the medication and intervention I need to survive.

There is also a community of HG sufferers past and present who lend their support to one another on Hyperemesis Gravidarum Support Australia Facebook page, helping you feel like you are not going through this alone, while charity Hyperemesis Australia has a wealth of resources to help get you through.

These resources are invaluable and cover everything from the SOMANZ (Society of Obstetric Medicine Australia and New Zealand) guidelines on treating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum, to useful tips on staying hydrated, when to seek intervention, and even how to prepare for future HG pregnancies.

As hard as an HG pregnancy can be, I know the months of suffering and sacrifice will all be worth it when the baby is born and my son meets his longed-for sibling.

Until then, I’ll just be taking it one day at a time.

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Visit inclusion.ymca.org.au or call 1300 699 622 12624261-JC35-23

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SPRING 2023 7

It’s Your Life

Probiotic coconut and strawberry panna cotta it’s decedent enough for dessert and nourishing enough for breakfast too.

in the kitchen with Lucy Stewart THIS creamy probiotic coconut panna cotta is fresh, light and super easy to make, utilising some of this seasons sweet strawberries. Rich in gut healing compounds, probiotics and healthy fats,

I love cooking with coconut milk because it’s naturally sweet and high in healthy fats. These fats provide a quick source of energy for kids bodies and brains and also have potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antiinflammatory properties. Coconut kefir is a delicious, tangy drink that contains a much-higher and broader range of probiotics than yoghurt, but this recipe works well with either.

Gelatin is what makes our panna cotta jiggle. It’s great for healing the gut, supporting healthy joints, bones and skin and promoting restful sleep

too. In order to receive all the health benefits, it’s important to choose a good quality gelatin from a health food store as the chemically-treated packs of gelatine powders at the supermarket don’t offer the same health advantages.

Strawberries top the Environmental Working Group’s list of produce that contain pesticide residue, so to reduce this, wash your strawberries by adding 1 tsp of baking soda to 4 cups of water and soak for 5-minutess.

Then, rinse with cold running water and pat dry.

Picture: Lucy Stewart Kids Nutrition

Ingredients: ■ 250ml canned coconut milk ■ 250ml coconut kefir (or yoghurt) ■ 250g strawberries ■ 2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup ■ 1 tsp vanilla extract ■ 3 tsp gelatin Instructions: 1. Lightly grease 6 ramekins with a little bit of coconut oil 2. To a small bowl add gelatin and 1 Tbsp water, mix and leave to “bloom” 3. Blitz strawberries in a blender until smooth then press the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds, reserving the liquid 4. In a small saucepan, gently warm coconut milk over low heat 5. Add vanilla, honey and bloomed gelatin stirring to combine then turn off heat 6. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature – this is important as heat will damage the probiotics - then add the coconut kefir and strawberry liquid and whisk to combine 7. Pour mixture into ramekins and place in the fridge for 2-4 hours or until set 8. Once set they can be served as is or turned out. To remove from ramekins, dunk in hot water for a few seconds, then run a sharp knife just around the edge to loosen it from the sides. Place a plate over the top and holding the ramekin and plate together invert the ramekin and the panna cotta should plop out on to the plate – it may need a little jiggle of encouragement.

9. Serve with extra sliced strawberries.

■ Serves: 6 ■ Prep time: 10 minutes ■ Cool time: 2+ hours

Well Fed Kitchen is a range of healthy snacks for kids that you can make at home.

Created by Nutritionist and mum, Lucy Stewart, they’re made with only real wholefood and plant-based ingredients – no additives, nothing artificial, and without nuts, dairy, soy and wheat.

Well Fed Kitchen provides an easy snack alternative to the sugar-laden, healthy pro- cessed options, guaranteed to fill kids tummies, satisfy their hunger, provide a steady release of energy and some essential growing nutrients too. www.wellfedkitchen.com.au @wellfedkitchen_snacks 12562706-MS36-22

8 SPRING 2023

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It’s Your Life

Homebirth program expanding In Australia, less than three per cent of all babies are delivered at home.

Picture: Chapter and Song Photography

By Melissa Meehan

my previous birth experiences and what I did and didn’t want within my birth space.

A publicly-funded homebirth program is set to be introduced at Victoria’s leading women’s hospital.

“I feel that is really important leading into the experience of birth and is therefore so important to have a midwife who knows you well and can support you to achieve your birth vision.”

While the initiative is only in the planning stages, a Victorian government spokesman confirmed it was expanding its public homebirth program to include three additional hospitals, including the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne.

National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro said homebirths were uncommon in Australia with less than three per cent of all babies delivered at home.

The program already runs at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Sunshine and has previously been available at Casey Hospital in Berwick.

“It’s so important that women have choice in the care they access,” the government spokesman told AAP. Currently, as many as 80 women give birth through the public program in Victoria each year.

One mum said homebirthing opened a space for women to be in touch with the innate body-driven process of birth.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) said it supported the expansion of the program.

such births would be available to more women.

“The home birth program is a positive step forward for women and their babies,” a RANZCOG spokesperson said.

“Where it is appropriate and safe, having the choice of a planned home birth program provides women with shared decision making, which is an important factor in pregnancy care.”

After having three homebirths herself, Farrah Panozza, 29, celebrated news that

She welcomed a daughter into the world last week in Bellingen, NSW, unassisted, as her midwife did not make it in time.

Ms Panozza had previously given birth at her homes in Selby and Belgrave in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges.

“Giving birth in hospital was never an option for me,” she told AAP. “I feel that homebirthing opens more of a space for women and both parents to be in touch with that organic, innate

body-driven process.”

Ms Panozza said the relationship with her midwife was an important part of her homebirthing experience.

She said the midwives were her biggest source of education and spent time getting to know her and partner Joseph, and later their children.

“It allowed me to be left to it (focusing on the birth), because we’d already discussed what I consented to, or if I didn’t want to be touched,” she said.

“Because we’d already discussed what my intentions for the birth were, as well as

In the US homebirths are also uncommon, accounting for 1.26 per cent of all births, according to a report released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

“At the moment there is no hard evidence to recommend one place of delivery over another for low-risk screened patients,” Associate Professor Pecoraro said.

But he said it was important that hospitals undertaking homebirthing programs stuck to a strict criteria and fully informed patients of both the pros and cons.

He said it was also important to be aware of the availability of ambulances, and ramping at Emergency Departments if something did go wrong.

The Y Leisure City Sport and wellness for the whole family!

41-53 Miller St, Epping VIC 3076 leisurecity.ymca.org.au / 9401 2222 www.KidsWest.com.au

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Gymnastics, Swimming Lessons, Tennis, Junior Sports, Adult Competition Sports, Health Club, Group Fitness, Reformer Pilates, Birthday Parties, Child's Play centre and more.

SPRING 2023 9

It’s Your Life

Enjoy the lot at The Meadows NEVER been to the Melbourne Greyhounds at The Meadows?

The venue team says it’s about time you did yourself a favour and surprised the family (including yourself) with a great experience!

Located on the mature treelined Northcorp Boulevard, in the heart of the Northcorp Industry Park Broadmeadows, it’s a fascinating Melbourne hideaway.

The first time you watch a greyhound race at the Melbourne Greyhounds you will immediately be astonished by how fast greyhounds chase (and how great The Meadows venue presents).

Children especially love it!

Greyhounds are absolute speedsters, whose sheer pace excites even the most difficult to surprise. It’s why so many love the dogs and return to see them time and time again.

For those who may feel racing is not enough entertainment, there are plenty of food and beverage options to keep everyone satisfied. All manner of delicious fares, from wholesome inexpensive meals to reinvented bistro classics are served.

On feature Group 1 race meetings, the dining offer extends to include food vans, pop-up cafes, and themed bars.

Check out themeadows.org.au to

Greyhounds are absolute speedsters.

learn when these feature meetings are scheduled or follow ‘The Meadows Dogs’ on Facebook.

Saturday 26 August is the next big feature race meeting. A range of free children’s activities and carnival-style food will be served to complement the racing.

It’s a great opportunity for first-time visitors.

Those seeking seated dining can reserve a table on a Saturday race night in the City View Bistro.

Located in the Temlee Dining Room, the bistro offers a thrilling and unique

way to take in world-class greyhound racing action over dinner.

It’s been aptly named, thanks to its amazing Melbourne city skyline views at dusk.

The bistro has quickly built a reputation as a hidden gem thanks to its unique location, and after recently shifting its menu up a gear and refocussing its offerings to familyfriendly value.

If this sounds like a fun outing, visit www.themeadows.org.au or call 9355 5222 for assistance on planning your trip to the track.

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10 SPRING 2023

www.KidsWest.com.au

It’s Your Life

Centre’s free fun for kids SCHOOL holidays are just around the corner, and there’s loads of free fun to be had at Craigieburn Central.

From Tuesday 19 to Sunday 24 September, zoo animals will take over the centre.

Kids can visit the main activation space in the Big W quadrant to enjoy fun activities, including a craft village with jungle-themed activities; and embark on guided safari adventures to enjoy up-close animal encounters with lifelike animatronics.

Safari tours depart every half hour between 11am and 2pm. No bookings are required.

The popular Friends of Craigie program features visits from popular children’s characters for meet and greets on the first Sunday of every month.

Bookings are essential. Visit the ‘What’s On’ page on the Craigieburn Central website to secure your free tickets.

Following the school holidays will see the return of free weekly kids craft for preschool-aged children.

Kids can express their creativity with seasonally themed crafts every Tuesday outside Big W from 10am to 1pm.

The centre’s more than 160 stores include Kmart, Big W, Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, TK Maxx, and a wide range of fashion, food, entertainment, and so much more. Add in ample parking spaces, and there is something for everyone at Craigieburn Central.

For more information about the huge range of events and offers at Central, visit www.craigieburncentral.com.au.

Craigieburn Central is located at 340 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn.

Join in on the adventure these school holidays.

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September will bring the delightfullyflawed Kevin and Stuart from Minions and Dr Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat will

visit in October.

www.KidsWest.com.au

SPRING 2023 11

It’s Your Life

Garage safety checklist FAMILIES are being urged to take a 15-minute safety test to prevent injuries around the driveway and garage.

securely stowed and disconnected from power.

Any loose sports gear should be packed away.

Kidsafe and garage door opener and accessories brand Merlin are leading the initiative.

Down low The floor should be clean and clear, with no trip hazards such as cracks or missing chunks in the garage floor.

“Accidents at home can happen in a flash – especially when young kids or four-legged family

Access ways should be free of obstructions, such as bikes and scooters.

members are involved,” Merlin ANZ managing director Grant Emanuel said.

DIY Garage Safety Tests After checking up high, to the side and down low, there are also three crucial safety tests to

“Taking the 15-minute test could save a life or prevent serious injury to a loved one.”

Kidsafe spokesperson Christine Erskine said from power tools and ladders to chemicals and cars, the garage had many potential dangers.

ensure the garage door opener is in good working order.

Check the manual release cord on automatic garage door openers, and the automatic safety reverse.

“Checking in and around the garage for risks should be a high priority for all families,” she said.

Up high Check that garage lighting is working and the area is well lit.

There should be a smoke alarm with a working battery in the garage, and shelves should be anchored securely to the wall - freestanding garage shelves can cause accidents or injuries if

Kidsafe recommends a garage safety check.

children try to climb them.

To the side The garage door button should be mounted at least 1.5m high, out of reach for children.

Garage door remotes with coin/

button batteries should be childresistant, with the back secured with a screw so the remote cannot release the battery.

Ladders should be stored and fixed horizontally, and power tools should be

Driveway and garage-related accidents resulted in 3871 and 3068 hospitalisations respectively in Australia between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

These figures showed an 11 per cent increase in driveway accidents, and 10 per cent rise in garage incidents in 12 months.

Swim in spring for a safer summer AS the winter chill begins to fade and springtime emerges, it’s natural for parents and guardians to turn their thoughts toward the impending summer season.

Among the various summer activities that kids look forward to, swimming is undoubtedly one of the most popular.

While the allure of sunny days and splashing in the water is enchanting, it’s vital to remember that access to water also increases the risk of drowning.

To ensure our children’s safety and enjoyment during summer, investing in swimming lessons during the winter/ spring months is of paramount importance.

The significance of regular practice and preparation cannot be underestimated in mitigating the risks associated with water-related activities.

Water and drowning risk Water is a captivating element, beckoning children and adults alike to its refreshing embrace. However, it can also pose a grave danger, especially to young ones who may not fully comprehend the risks involved.

According to the World Health Organisation, drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional death in children worldwide, particularly for those aged between 1 and 14 years old.

This startling statistic emphasises the 12 SPRING 2023

urgent need for water safety education and swimming proficiency from an early age.

Swimming lessons: a lifesaving Investment Enrolling children in swimming lessons during the winter/spring months is more than just a seasonal activity; it is an investment in their safety and wellbeing. The advantages of such lessons are: Fundamental skills - Early exposure to swimming imparts essential water survival skills, such as floating, treading water, and efficient strokes, which are crucial in emergencies; Survival skills - Equipping children with the ability to swim and tread water significantly reduces the risk of drowning incidents, especially in cases of accidental water submersion. At Paul Sadler Swimland, regular lessons include deep water survival skill practice during every lesson; Muscle memory - Regular swimming lessons during the winter/spring help reinforce muscle memory, making it easier for kids to retain and improve their skills when summer arrives;

respect and appreciate the potential hazards of water bodies.

So, as winter yields to spring and the allure of summer draws near, our focus on water safety should be consistent.

By recognising the inherent risks associated with water and the importance of swimming proficiency, we can take proactive steps to be safer this summer.

Access to water increases the risk of drowning.

Investing in swimming lessons during the winter/spring months is an indispensable decision that not only reduces the risk of drowning but also nurtures physical fitness, water awareness, and social development.

Together, let us prepare our children to make a splash safely and joyfully in the upcoming summer season.

Enhanced physical fitness Swimming is an excellent form of exercise that improves cardiovascular health, strength, and flexibility, promoting overall physical well-being;

Paul Sadler Swimland has locations across Victoria and specialises in teaching survival skills at every level, with classes for swimmers aged from 4 months old to adult.

Respect for water - Proper education about water safety and swimming etiquette encourages children to

Access a FREE 15-minute assessment.

Book classes now at paulsadlerswimland.com. www.KidsWest.com.au

It’s Your Life

Independent retirement with Centennial Living CENTENNIAL Living is a company that prides itself on generating a relaxed, friendly atmosphere in its villages, where residents feel welcome and have a sense of belonging to a community.

The benefits of social connection and friendship, stimulating activities in a range of amenities, a safe environment, and the feeling of support being there when needed, has made Centennial’s villages happy places in which to live.

Centennial Living Keilor offers two levels of accommodation – independent living and serviced apartments.

While maintenance and gardening is provided in the village, people who choose independent living reside in their own home and have the freedom to take care of meals, cleaning, laundry, and other household tasks how they wish.

When people need more help, serviced apartments can be a good choice. Daily meals are served in the dining room or delivered to the apartment and weekly cleaning and heavy laundry is provided for serviced apartment residents. Other in-home care services can also be arranged to suit individual requirements.

Both styles of accommodation are fitted with emergency call systems.

While the seven Centennial villages in Victoria vary in some aspects, recreational facilities include indoor heated swimming pools, barbecue areas, a community centre and lounge, hobby garden, games room, arts and crafts, gym, bowling green, indoor bowls, men’s shed, aqua aerobics, and a hair and beauty salon.

Pets are also welcome.

The resort-style living is ideal for people who want to downsize from the family home and have a lifestyle that offers social connection and absolute independence.

Inez, who asked to have her surname omitted from publication, has been living in the Keilor village for eight years. She really enjoys village life, and said the activities were very popular at Keilor but with no pressure to participate.

“You’ve always got support. You’ve always got someone here,” Inez said.

“You can do as much or as little as you want.

There’s so much offering at the village, you’ve just got to tap into it and most people do.”

Like all Centennial Living villages, the Keilor village is close to shops, amenities, and recreation in the wider community. It is particularly close to health care – there’s a medical consultation suite near the entrance of the village.

For more information, visit www. centennialliving. com.au.

Inez has resided at Centennial Living’s Keilor village for eight years and absolutely loves it.

Holiday Style Living Every Day KEILOR RETIREMENT VILLAGE has a busy weekly social calendar with a wide range of activities to choose from. There’s something for everyone!

THE VILLAGE FACILITIES ARE EXPANSIVE INCLUDING: men’s shed, aqua aerobics, meeting rooms, gala events.

Or for those who prefer more peace and quiet enjoy the library and beautiful relaxing garden surroundings. There’s also a nurse working onsite for the wellbeing of residents and every unit has an emergency call system installed.

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Bowling green, community centre and lounge, billiards table, BBQ, outdoor entertaining area, dining room, hair and beauty salon, library, shop/kiosk, swimming pool and spa, village bus, shopping trips and day trips, workshop, hobby garden, arts and crafts , medical consultation suite, games groups, dance floor, seniors gym, petanque piste, a full sized bowling greens,

www.centennialliving.com.au | 1300 098 000 www.KidsWest.com.au

SPRING 2023 13

Education

The school’s auxiliary captains with the college captains.

Pathways for all students SUNBURY Downs College is a vibrant Year 7 to 12 coeducational secondary college, offering a rich educational experience in an environment that encourages excellent outcomes for all students.

Sunbury Downs College has a comprehensive educational program including English, mathematics, science, humanities, health and physical education, arts, technology and languages (Italian).

The college offers a wide range of programs catering for all students, with a strong emphasis on developing individual wellbeing and positive interpersonal relationships.

The college also offers a range of VCE subjects, including Vocational Education and Training (VET) together with a structured VCE Vocational Major program in Years 11 and 12, catering for students with an interest in applied learning.

Students belong to one of two ‘mini schools’ - Middle Years (7-9) and Later Years (10-12) - with year-level coordinators working with homegroup and classroom teachers.

Sunbury Downs College offers an Accelerated Curriculum and Enrichment (ACE) program, extending students through a challenging

curriculum including early commencement of VCE. The ACE program is a select entry course with enrolment from feeder primary schools for students in Years 7 to 9.

The college offers a wide range of inclusive activities and programs which cater to all students, including debating, maths club, band and choir.

There are year level and specialised camps and excursions that compliment the teaching and learning program.

It offers instrumental music and presents a highly acclaimed musical production, enabling students to excel in an environment that fosters participation, responsibility and

teamwork outside the classroom.

Students are allocated to one of four houses (Aitken, Evans, Jackson, Mitchell) on enrolment, with an interschool sporting program offering students the opportunity to represent the school at the local level.

The college values of Respect, Resilience, Ambition and Community are embedded within the school’s teaching and learning practices.

These core values support a culture of participation and excellence based on developing positive relationships and personal growth by all community members.

Sunbury Downs College ‘Confidence to Achieve’ • VCE results consistently at or above state average • A safe, inclusive and secure learning environment • Supporting student’s wellbeing by understanding the needs of each child

• Recently modernised & upgraded facilities • Accelerated Curriculum & Enrichment (ACE) program • Students are known and cared for as individuals

Our work is underpinned by our College values:

Respect | Resilience | Ambition | Community A co-educational school with dedicated teachers who implement innovative ideas to stimulate learning Contact 9744 0500 or sunbury.downs.sc@education.vic.gov.au

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14 SPRING 2023

148-174 Mitchells Lane, Sunbury VIC 3429 www.KidsWest.com.au

Education

Empowering every student COPPERFIELD College’s mission is to ‘empower every student to aspire and achieve’ - the key word being ‘every’.

certificate was modelled on Copperfield’s successful vocational educational programs.

Copperfield College also has a two-year scholarship program for students starting Year 7.

The college team lives its values of Collaboration, Inclusiveness and Growth, and embrace all learners into the Copperfield family, knowing that every student can learn, every student can progress and create opportunities for themselves and others.

Although Copperfield is a large school, because it’s on three campuses, students get the benefit of being with a smaller cohort, so they are seen, known, and know each other.

There are three areas - Academic Excellence, Performing Arts and Leadership/ Community scholarships.

The school community’s diversity is also a strength, with families coming from many different countries.

The college does this by investing in people to provide wrap-around support for each child.

There are home group teachers, team leaders, campus leaders, campus principals, wellbeing staff, expert literacy, numeracy and EAL teachers, pathways staff and staff who support for extracurricular activities and, of course, expert classroom teachers.

Student survey data reflects the school’s success, with data being in the top quartile of the state for teacherstudent relations, safety, not experiencing bullying, motivation and interest and high expectations.

This is also reflected in the college’s median ATAR of 28, which is above state average.

The large school offers a huge range of course options. In fact, senior students have the choice of 37 VCE subjects and 33 VET options.

The new VCE Vocational Major (VM)

Copperfield’s community liaison staff work closely with our families, providing translations and information sessions in community languages.

Students who demonstrate excellence in their field are encouraged to apply as this is a wonderful opportunity for students to be supported in playing to their strengths.

Inaddition to financial support,

This brings a richness and vibrancy to the college as the school body lives its values every day.

The Year 7 transition program has proved very popular with students who endorse it strongly.

successful students also receive a school recommended device.

Information is available on the school website.

Copperfield College has a motto: ‘one family, three homes’.

The school prides itself on its positive retention rates. Once students become part of the Copperfield family, teachers nurture them until they realise their potential and leave us as wellrounded, caring citizens with a positive life pathway.

Copperfield College invests in people to provide wrap-around support for each child.

It begins during their primary school years with the opportunity to attend college events, participate in peer tutoring and meeting teachers.

The beginning of their first year includes a transition program where they get to know the school and its systems and process and participate in a fun-filled day of inter-home group competition.

12606695-JC23-23

“Empowering every student to aspire and achieve” Book a tour of our College by visiting our website www.copperfieldcollege.vic.edu.au Junior School - Year 7-10 Kings Park Junior Campus Kambalda Circuit Kings Park 3021 Phone: 9365 4111 | Fax: 9365 4999

Copperfield College Sydenham Campus Community Hub, Sydenham 3037 Phone: 9361 3888 | Fax: 9361 3899

Senior School Years 11 - 12: VCE, VCE (VM) & VET Delahey Senior Campus | College Administration Goldsmith Avenue Delahey 3037 Phone: 9307 5555 | Fax: 9307 5444

Email: copperfield.co@education.vic.gov.au | Website: copperfieldcollege.vic.edu.au I acknowledge the traditional Aboriginal owners of this land, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations, and pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. www.KidsWest.com.au

SPRING 2023 15

Education

New school is Good News GOOD News Lutheran College is growing with its community.

Due to strong and sustained demand for places at all year levels, Good News Lutheran College has opened the new Mambourin campus.

Fiona McAuliffe, Good News

Lutheran College principal, said the new campus started this year with strong enrolments and interest for the coming years.

News education, grounded in faith, purpose and our values of grace, integrity, courage and respect,” she said.

“The Mambourin campus will enable more students from Melbourne’s fast-growing west to experience a Good

This is the start of an exciting journey for Good News Lutheran College and the wider Wyndham Vale community

The Good News Lutheran College Mambourin campus will open in 2025, but the college started delivering classes to Prep and Year 1 students at its Tarneit campus this year.

The Mambourin campus will introduce year-level classes on a phased basis and will eventually cater for Prep to Year 12. This strategy is based on projected demand for student places in the region, as well as management of waiting lists.

Applications for enrolment are being accepted for places in Prep to Year 2 in 2024.

A new Good News campus is on its way.

These students will be taught by dedicated staff at the Good News Lutheran College Tarneit campus while the Mambourin campus is being constructed.

The Good News vision includes building a close-knit, supportive learning environment for Mambourin students.

The new campus is located in the Mambourin Estate, on the corner of Plane Avenue and Barrabool Boulevard, Mambourin.

Call 8742 9000 or visit www.goodnews.vic.edu.au for more information.

Mambourin Campus Apply Now Enrol for Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 for 2024 (based at Tarneit Campus).

Apply Now

Accepting enrolments for Prep to Year 6 at Mambourin Campus opening in 2025.

8742 9000 580 Tarneit Road, Tarneit VIC www.goodnews.vic.edu.au 12628379-JC35-23

16 SPRING 2023

www.KidsWest.com.au

Education

Growing little learners FARMHOUSE Kinder is for families in the Wyndham City Shire, conveniently situated in Tarneit. Christian values and Reggio Emilia-inspired learning guide every aspect of the kinder’s mission to help grow little learners.

Farmhouse Kinder offers fully-funded kindergarten programs for three and four year-old children, with two 7.5-hour sessions per week per child. The kinder team are firm believers in the importance of a play-based learning approach, and are passionate about nurturing life-long learning and fostering meaningful friendships.

“We believe that every child deserves to be heard, supported, and appreciated,” a spokesperson said.

“Our team of farmers (educators) work with families to create a nurturing environment.

“We cater for each child’s unique needs and interests while allowing them to grow and learn at their own pace.”

Farmhouse Kinder is operated with the support of Lutheran Education Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania (LEVNT) and, promotes values of kindness, empathy, understanding, forgiveness, acceptance, and respect.

These values guide staff interactions

with the children, their families, and each other.

“Our goal is to build a strong and inclusive community where everyone belongs,” the spokesperson said.

“We take pride in the warm and welcoming environment where children learn, thrive, and have fun.

“Farmhouse Kinder believes in the holistic growth of children, nurturing their intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual development.

“Our faith-based approach helps children develop compassion, kindness, and respect for others, while personalised attention and open communication create a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for every child.”

Limited places are available across the two 3-year-old and three 4-year-old funded kindergarten programs.

Visit farmhousekinder.appcity.com.au for more information.

Farmhouse Kinder believes in the holistic growth of children.

Opening 2024 in Tarneit Offering 3 and 4 year old Kinder

Apply Now!

Growing Little Learners

www.KidsWest.com.au

580 Tarneit Road, Tarneit Vic 3029

12626549-AP35-23

SPRING 2023 17

Education

Positive pathways IMAGINE the finest possible education for your child…

Lalor North Secondary College has no ordinary learning environment. A stimulating, intimate, and inclusive setting, committed to small student teacher-ratios, we are passionate about academic rigour, positive student outcomes, and a confident self-image for every young person.

Our educators are highly experienced professionals, dedicated to excellence and continuous improvement for their students and for themselves.

Therefore, positive student engagement, careful guidance, and genuine, authentic human relationships in learning is our priority.

Our young people come to us as children and we wave them off as young adults who continue to create their future.

We take this awesome privilege very seriously indeed.

Our families are our partners and we join with you closely throughout your child’s learning experience. We provide

With continued infrastructure enhancement at the college and in our local area, and our proximity to the wonderful natural heritage of Darebin Creek, we are blessed with surely one of the most beautiful campuses in Melbourne.

emotional growth and opportunity for our young people.

It would give me great pleasure to meet with you and your children to share the wonderful educational environment that is Lalor North Secondary College.

Timothy Cottrell, Principal

We offer very substantial student scholarships in every area of achievement, and these are designed to maximise academic, social, and

Lalor North is no ordinary learning environment.

great care, reassurance, and close communication every step of the way.

Every Year 12 student (bar none) discovers a highly positive pathway - be it academic or vocational - and we congratulate them all, for they are our future. These fine people will always be members of our proud community.

Last year’s dux received an ATAR above 95 and more students received an ATAR over 80 and over 90.

Our students also have the opportunity for early university entry during Year 12.

Secondary education is an adventure that should flow seamlessly from the primary years, providing excitement, growth, and joy into adolescence and beyond.

At Lalor North Secondary College - we value our community and provide an innovative learning experience for each of our students.

Our new Logo - “The leaf represents a nurturing cupped hand. Our Darebin Creek being the life and learning of a students’ journey.”

Principal Timothy Cottrell

Safe, peaceful and friendly atmosphere Personalized learning growth across the curriculum Small class sizes Extensive scholarship program

Ph: 03 9401 3888 lalor.north.sc@education.vic.gov.au 18 SPRING 2023

Rich LOTE / Language program Inclusive leadership approach Real-world career development program Broad VCE / VM offerings in senior years www.KidsWest.com.au

12606548-RR23-23

114 Childs Road EPPING VIC 3076

Education

Helping kids to fly high LITTLE Flyers is an initiative of The Eltham College Foundation and has been inspired by Eltham College’s acclaimed Early Learning Centre.

The centre’s daily menu is halalcertified, and the children celebrate a diverse calendar of special days and events.

For more than 40 years, Eltham College has been a leader in educating children from kindergarten to Year 12 and introduced child care in 2002.

The infant program offers each child one-on-one and group activities, gentle play, and safe exploration.

‘Flying’ represents the freedom to learn, safe risk-taking, striving for excellence, and developing selfconfidence and self-worth.

Caroline Springs Little Flyers is only a short walk from the local primary school.

Bilingual educators provide a nurturing environment and draw on world-renowned learning approaches - such as Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Steiner - where every child is unique and every day brings an opportunity to ask questions and explore answers.

Little Flyers’ indoor-outdoor program allows children to move freely within each learning environment, acknowledging their right to belong.

Little Flyers helps children to develop fine and gross motor skills.

Caroline Springs Little Flyers children visit Arcare Burnside Seniors once a month.

It’s stimulating to the development of young minds without being overwhelming, focusing on the development of both fine and gross motor skills.

When caring for toddlers, the team helps facilitate constant learning and exploration together with positive emotional guidance, helping them to understand the boundaries of their independence.

Qualified teachers in the 3-year-old kinder program help children to develop autonomy and an openness to learning, encourage respectfulness, and nurture social development skills.

The 4-year-old kindergarten program is aimed at preparing young people for school.

Qualified teachers help them to understand and deal with their emotions, to be able to initiate friendships, and develop self-confidence and self-esteem.

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www.KidsWest.com.au

SPRING 2023 19

Books

Book to build resilience

By Casey Neill SUZY Zail’s young adult novel Inkflower is a work of fiction.

“I just started bawling,” she said.

“It was the first time I’d really properly let myself.

“But it’s the truest thing I’ve ever written,” she said.

“Lisa is younger, angrier, and more unsure of herself than I was ... but she’s me.”

Readers immediately learn that Emil has motor neurone disease and six months to live.

Suzy wrote down her father’s life story when he became ill and let down his walls.

He gathers his family, including 16-year-old daughter Lisa, to reveal the truth about his past.

“It was a beautiful project we could do together,” she said.

“Like Lisa’s dad, my father was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and given six months to live,” Suzy said.

“Like Lisa’s dad, mine sat us down and told us his story.

“The challenge was revisiting the feelings my dad’s death stirred in me 20 years ago.

“This book was my chance to dig deeper and truly grieve.”

Inkflower is about a Holocaust survivor who buried the horror of his teen years to build a new life in Australia.

“My dad, when he came out of the war, he didn’t just survive - he thrived,” Suzy said.

“Everything was possibility and hope.

“He never spoke about what he went through. He put walls up.

“I grew up doing the same thing.

“Even when he died, I just took his lead and put the walls up.”

The Brighton author tore them down to imagine how a teen would have lived her experience.

20 SPRING 2023

Inkflower features the tales he shared with her, along with details from a video memoir he made for the Melbourne Holocaust Museum.

“Telling it to a stranger, it was different to him telling us,” Suzy said of discovering the tape.

“He was still protecting his kids. He was cushioning us.

“He spoke about being hungry, not starving. He told us about death, not murder.

“He didn’t want to be the one to introduce us to hate.”

Suzy contrasts his story with chapters told by Lisa, set in the 1980s.

Her schoolmates and boyfriend don’t know that she’s Jewish or that her father is dying.

“When my father was sick I took a good three or four weeks to tell my best friend,” Suzy said.

Lisa at first listens to her father’s story because she’s forced to, “Later because she wants to understand who she is and where she comes from.”

“Maybe, in Inkflower, I’ve created something healing; something kids can

take forward into their lives when they encounter someone who’s sick or someone in the schoolyard who’s being bullied.

“A book that lets them hold onto hope and build resilience.”

Suzy’s three children are now aged in their twenties.

“They were all toddlers and young children when my father was sick,” she said.

“They didn’t have all these ideas in their mind about what it means to be sick.

“He was just their grandpa.”

She fondly remembers her dad giving them rides around the garden in his wheelchair, and them helping to feed him.

“I think it was an incredible lesson for them, too,” she said.

“To be patient, to listen, and to just love him for what he could give them.

“He lived his illness so beautifully and bravely.

“It can be a time of learning and growth and connection.

“It can be a beautiful, rewarding experience.”

Suzy started her working life as a lawyer. Recording her father’s story changed her path.

“After I’d written about my father’s tragic, brave life in The Tattooed Flower, I couldn’t go back to being a lawyer,” she said.

She quit her job, wrote for local papers and magazines, went back to university, and wrote several more books.

Author Suzy Zail.

www.KidsWest.com.au

Books

Diving into Mim’s world of disguise

By Melissa Meehan MEET Mim is the perfect bed time book to read with your kids after a long day.

It’s got some beautiful pictures, it’s informative and it’s not too long.

The images immerse young readers in the wonders under water, taking them on a deep dive under the waves for a cheeky guessing game and sharing the wonders of little-known mimic octopus.

A master of disguise, the mimic

octopus can change colour, shape and skin texture in all kinds of amazing ways.

Sandra Severgnini shows how the mimic octopus deters predators by shapeshifting into creatures that are known to be poisonous, such as the spiked lionfish and the banded sea snake.

It can even imitate jellyfish and sea stars.Sandra, a talented author and illustrator, is well-known and loved for her books that bring children closer to nature.

Her 2022 release Grub was named a Notable Book by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, while Tree Beings, written by Raymond Huber and Illustrated by Sandra, won the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature Award.

This book is for everyone from inquisitive little people who love nature

to adults who can still be fascinated.

Budding marine biologists will delight in the wealth of accurate detail presented in the illustrations.

Adult and child readers alike will be left with a new appreciation for the life in our precious yet threatened marine environments.

Children’s books...

If I Was a Horse Sophie Blackall From two-time Caldecott Medallist Sophie Blackall, a joyful picture book that captures, with exuberant illustrations, the astonishing spectacle of a child imagining life as a horse.

Gallop along with two-time Caldecott Medallist Sophie Blackall through this riotous day in the life of a child who imagines their life as a horse.

Sophie’s delightful text and resonant illustrations that feature a giant horse in familiar settings offer a visual feast, a grand dose of joy and a celebration of the real power of imagination to help us navigate the world.

Lothian Childrens Books $24.99

Gnome Alone at Christmas

Bluey: Where’s Bluey?

At Christmas

Nick Pine

Cheese and crackers, it’s Christmas! The countdown is on, but can you find Bluey and Bingo? There’s lots of hidden surprises too, so join the festive fun in this search-and-find book.

A perfect stocking filler for readers aged 5+!

Fans of The Christmasaurus will love this funny and festive story about a magical, mischievous gnome that’s ideal for sharing aloud or reading independently.

Noah can’t believe his eyes - or his luck - when a magical gnome called Tommy turns up on the 24th of December.

He’s sure it’s going to be AWESOME! But Tommy’s spells keep going WRONG...

Hachette $14.99

A gorgeous Christmasthemed search-and-find book for kids of all ages.

Bluey is an award-winning preschool show about Bluey, a blue heeler pup, and her family. Airing on ABC KIDS, the show has amassed legions of dedicated fans and hugely popular ranges of books, toys, clothes, games and more.

Puffin $16.99

Just Because Matthew McConaughey Renee Kurilla Filled with his trademark humour and wisdom, Academy Award–winning actor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Matthew McConaughey has crafted a soulful and irreverent collection of life lessons that empowers readers, big and small, to celebrate how we are all full of possibility.

Why? Just because.

Puffin $24.99

Not Here to Make You Comfortable 50 Women Who Stand Up, Speak Out, Inspire Change A collection celebrating boldness, bravery and brilliance.

Here are fifty times a woman did something brave.

Something disruptive.

Something exceptional.

We saw them. And we were inspired to be more confident and maybe a little bold.

It’s time to stop saying yes all the time.

It’s time to stop apologising all the time.

It’s time to stop avoiding conflict all the time.

It’s time to be true to our emotions, whatever they are Puffin $22.99

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SPRING 2023 21

Our Educational Toys & Learning Resources

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DINING OUT WE ARE MARTINI+CO. We are your neighbourhood kitchen & bar and we’ve got just what you’re looking for.

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Revolutionising modern Australian cuisine we bring you farm fresh and local produce day and night. We offer decadent Seafood Platters and gourmet pizzas.

Our enviable drinks list is impressive even to the most well rounded palette.

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THE BROOK FISH AND CHIPS

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• Pies • Salad Rolls • Sausage Rolls • Cakes • Sandwiches • Hot and Cold Drinks • Pasties • Party Food • Eat Outside or Take Away

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9749 6224

OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK HOURS:

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Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 12 noon – 8pm Closed Tuesday Friday and Saturday 12 noon – 8.30pm Sunday 12 noon – 7.30pm 12628965-SM35-23

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