Hello BHPS Families, and welcome to 2026!
We are delighted to continue being part of the Mental Health in Primary Schools Initiative this year, a program that supports schools to help children feel safe, settled, and ready to learn. The initiative brings together expertise from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne University, and the Victorian Department of Education, and aims to give teachers and school communities even better tools to support your child’s wellbeing.
I am continuing in my role as Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader at BHPS for a second year. Many of you know me as a teacher here for the past 15 years, and I’m also a proud mum to two energetic boys, Fletcher and Remy! In this role, I work with our teachers and families to support students’ mental health by using our whole-school approach, the Berry Street Educational Model (BSEM), and by connecting families with helpful services when needed. My goal is to notice and respond to wellbeing needs early so every student has the best chance to thrive.
Alongside the Berry Street Educational Model, we will continue to deliver Respectful Relationships lessons. Respectful Relationships is a school-wide approach that helps children learn how to treat others with kindness, respect and fairness. It supports positive attitudes and behaviours so that students can build healthy friendships, understand and manage feelings, and feel confident and safe at school. It is part of the Victorian Curriculum and is taught across all year levels in ways that are age-appropriate for students.
This year we will also introduce a program called Friendology to our students in Years 3-6. Friendology is a skills-based friendship program (from URSTRONG) that teaches children simple language, tools and strategies to build and maintain healthy friendships at school and in life. It helps students understand what to expect from friendships, how to express their feelings, how to solve problems and how to manage normal disagreements in a respectful way. The program gives all children a shared framework for making friends, handling conflict kindly and understanding that friendships can change over time, supporting their social and emotional development in an age-appropriate way.
Year 1 and 2 students will learn all about the Zones of Regulation. The Zones of Regulation helps students understand and talk about their feelings and energy levels by sorting them into four colour-coded “zones.” Each zone represents a different emotional state, like calm and ready to learn (green), or feeling upset or overwhelmed (yellow or red), and helps children recognise how they’re feeling in the moment. Students are then taught simple strategies they can use to manage their emotions and behaviour so they can feel more in control and able to participate positively at school and in daily life.
Once Prep students have settled into the routines of school life, they will learn about interoception. Interoception is our brain’s ability to notice and understand what’s happening inside our body, like noticing when we’re hungry, thirsty, tired, or when our heart is beating fast, and linking those physical signals with how we’re feeling. It’s an important skill that helps children recognise their body’s needs and manage emotions more effectively as they grow and learn.
Throughout the year I’ll be sharing practical ideas, helpful information, and resources right here in the newsletter to keep you informed and supported. I want everyone in our community to feel confident about promoting positive mental health at home and at school. If you ever have any questions or would like to talk further, please feel free to reach out.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader
Sarah Weichert
Sarah.weichert@education.vic.gov.au