Nunawading Christian College Newsletter, March 18 2020

The Australian Medical Association has recently warned about the increase in demand for specialist health services for mental health as well as an increase in youth suicide as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is vital that we prioritise mental health among our young people and work together to create safe environments.

At NCC our belief is that we educate and cater for the whole child: the physical, the spiritual, the academic and the mental. It is important that we work together with parents for the wellbeing of our students.

Our Primary Welfare Officer, Melinda Adams writes “I want to emphasise the need for teachers and parents to prioritise wellbeing- coping, engagement (not necessarily doing the work and answering questions), happiness, social opportunities, connecting to others, having opportunities to share, having fun, using talents and having time to spend with their families and relax. I think it is important that wellbeing is considered as a first priority rather than as an additional task to be completed only after class work is done.”

As a commitment to mental health, NCC is undertaking the following measures.

Primary

Running a series of parent mental health training sessions. The first one on Managing Anxiety was held last week by our Welfare Officers. More are in the planning stage.
Planning is under way for some wellbeing fun days in the primary school during lockdowns.
Prep – Year 3 are looking at a social wellbeing program called “The Lock Down Club” and how to cope during this time. The Lock Down Clubs are small groups that some teachers are naming as their wellbeing chats.
There is a wellbeing chat at the end of each school day – some are whole class chats and some are in small groups.
Our Chaplains are checking in with families and students at risk.
Google Form check-ins are also still happening every morning in the Primary School. Our teachers monitor these and then follow up items with the Welfare Officer or Chaplain as necessary.
We have added in some other activities that will help in the wellbeing space.

Secondary

Running a series of parent mental health training sessions. The first one on Managing Anxiety for Secondary will be held tonight by our Welfare Officers.
We will be implementing a few ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ which will be screen free family time. Putting in breaks is an important part of mental health.
Year Level Mentors are calling homes to check on students.
Chaplains are also checking in with families and students at risk.
Focus groups will be held with students to check on their wellbeing.

There is a wide range of suggestions and resources recommended in the Off-Site Learning Guide sent to all parents. I encourage you to access these resources and to get in touch with our Wellbeing Team if your child is struggling during this lockdown. While sport is not running, it is also important that you encourage your children to exercise outside and away from a screen.

– Mrs Meggan James, Nunawading Christian College Principal

ENERGY DRINKS

Advertising aimed at teens and young adults has seen a move away from drinking water.

Energy drinks could best be described as soft drinks with added caffeine and high concentrations of sugar. The caffeine is responsible for the increase in alertness and vitality that people may feel. Typically this caffeine comes from guarana which is a plant extract high in caffeine and thought of as being natural. It is no more natural than caffeine obtained from the coffee bean as they both come from plants.

Nutritionists recommend we steer clear of products that contain guarana as our bodies do not need caffeine. It is an addictive substance that is quite harmful to certain groups of people including children and pregnant or lactating women.

The level of caffeine in energy drinks is generally around 80mg per 250ml can, which is about twice the level found in a 375ml can of cola soft drink.

While caffeine in moderation is currently considered acceptable for adults, caffeine for children may result in health problems such as anxiety and disturbed sleep patterns.

Studies have shown that caffeine enhances the performance of elite athletes but not the performance of average athletes. The high sugar content in energy drinks also hinders the absorption of water, so this makes them unsuitable for prolonged physical activity.

SPORTS DRINKS

Sports drinks are designed for elite athletes. Despite the advertising, for most of us they are just another soft drink that contains extra salt and sugar that we often don’t need.

During exercise we lose water when we sweat, so we do need to hydrate. Sugars and salts in sports drinks can optimise the speed with which water moves from one’s gut into the bloodstream to hydrate you, however plain water is absorbed almost as quickly and so therefore is suitable for moderate exercise.

The body stores carbohydrate as a fuel in the muscles and in the liver and releases sugars into the bloodstream for immediate energy. After prolonged exercise these are depleted and blood sugar levels drop resulting in fatigue. Fast running or cycling for an hour or jogging for over two hours could see such a result. The electrolytes (salts) in sports drinks are mainly ordinary salt: sodium chlorides or potassium chlorides. Sodium helps regulate the body’s fluid balance and muscle contractions. However, most people in our society get more salt in their regular diet than is required, so consuming sports drinks is not required.