As we reach the end of a productive term, many of the Junior School girls seem tired. This is not surprising given their engagement in learning and their enthusiastic involvement in other activities throughout the term: the Year 6 Canberra excursion, Junior School Swimming Carnival and Fun Run, Saturday sport, Music ensembles and choirs, and many other cocurricular and extracurricular offerings.

The upcoming holidays are ideal for the girls to relax and continue the healthy sleep patterns they need to sustain them during the term. Junior School girls need nine to eleven hours of sleep per night for optimal resilience, performance, and health. Sleep contributes to their academic progress as their brains process, and it helps them consolidate and store information.

The following suggestions may help the girls continue with healthy sleep routines, even during their holidays.

• Have a set bedtime.
• Delay buying a mobile phone until your child is older as evening technology use reduces sleep quality.
• Switch off devices one hour before bedtime. The blue light affects melatonin and the device’s activity level interferes with sleep.
• Keep bedrooms free of devices.

I am sure the girls will return from the break rested, relaxed and ready for Term 2. On behalf of the staff, thank you for your support this term.