Wellbeing & Inclusion News

Berry St Education Model Professional Learning

On Monday of this week, our whole school staff attended the first of four (over two years) Professional Development days to begin the implementation of the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) here at Footscray West Primary School. The BSEM is based on classroom strategies informed by Berry Street's approaches to trauma-informed learning and the science of wellbeing. It has been designed by teachers and education leaders for use by all school staff. 

This is part of our whole school vision and approach to Student Wellbeing moving forward. This education model will help us to help our students by 

• understanding the impacts of trauma on child development and the ability to learn
• creating a supportive and trauma-informed positive education classroom
• bolstering student-teacher relationships
• instilling strengths-based practices across the school.

Teachers and all staff here at Footscray West are excited to begin using some of the strategies we are learning, to work with our students by creating safe learning classrooms with routines and expectations that are consistent every day. You will begin to see an introduction of some of the language and strategies used in BSEM in the next few weeks, including the use of brainbreaks and positive routines each day. Stay tuned for further updates as we develop Ready to Learn Plans to help with self regulation for our students as learners and members of our school community. We’d love you to come on the BSEM journey with us as many of the strategies we will share with you will be helpful in the home.