Engagement, Wellbeing and Inclusion
As we wrap up another busy and vibrant term, we want to take a moment to reflect on the amazing work happening across our college in the space of wellbeing and inclusion. At the heart of all we do is our commitment to supporting every individual student – emotionally, socially, and academically – to feel safe, valued, and connected.
This term, we farewell our much-loved Mental Health Practitioner, Emily Tester, who has been a steady and supportive presence for so many in our community. We thank Emily for her warmth, expertise, and the compassion she brought to her role. While we are sad to say goodbye, we are also incredibly excited to welcome Renee Dowling into the role. Renee brings over 25 years of experience working in education and wellbeing, both in schools and across department roles. Her passion and insight will be a huge asset to our college and a wonderful addition to our dynamic wellbeing team.
We continue to celebrate student voice and inclusion, and IDAHOBIT Day was a shining example of our values in action. Staff and students came together to mark the day with pride, reinforcing our commitment to creating a safe and inclusive school for all. The energy, creativity, and respect shown by our school community was truly inspiring.
Across both campuses, Breakfast Club continues to thrive, running two mornings a week to give students a warm and welcoming start to their day. At the Senior Campus, things heated up with the launch of the first 5 vs 5 basketball competition, expertly coordinated by Kiah and Dani. With fierce competition and loads of fun, the finalists are yet to be determined and we look forward to the grand finale next term.
Meanwhile, the much-anticipated Staff vs Students Volleyball matches have returned! At Junior Campus, students have been sharpening their skills during break times, all in hopes of toppling the mighty staff team. These games will take place in the final week of term – Thursday and Friday – and promise to be a fantastic celebration of friendly competition and school spirit.
Supporting our students in calmer ways, Sona has launched a new initiative in our wellbeing hubs: a "chillout space" offered once a week at each campus. These sessions provide a low-sensory environment for students to recharge, connect, and find a moment of calm.
In Week 6, it was the staff’s turn to focus on their wellbeing with our very own Staff Wellbeing Week. With the theme of "practising what we preach," the week featured fun and restorative activities, including a brownie bar, creative afterschool sessions, and a special visit from therapy dog Ella, kindly hosted by Garang Wilam Primary School. A big thank you to the dedicated staff who gave their time and energy to support their colleagues.
As we head into the school holidays, we hope all our students, families and staff stay safe and well. If you need support during the break, here are some helpful services:
- Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800
- 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732
- headspace Werribee – (03) 8001 2366
- Lifeline – 13 11 14
- Parentline – 13 22 89
In positive behaviour support, our SWPBS team has been busy finalising our draft School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Matrix. With guidance from our coach, Sapna Sachdeva, staff participated in two full-day workshops diving into our school’s positive behaviour approach and refining systems that help students thrive.
Our Transitions Team has been equally busy, warmly welcoming new students every week to our school community this term. Fiona, Kiah and Jodie are entering the crazy time of term 3, sorting through and entering enrolment requests for 2026! Exciting but busy times.
Finally, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Inclusion Team for their tireless work supporting students with additional needs. This semester, Julija and Siobhan have coordinated an incredible 14 profile meetings – each one a valuable opportunity for school, students, and families to collaborate on individualised learning support. Thank you to all the families and staff involved in these processes and we can only do this if we work together. We also welcomed five new Education and Inclusion Support Workers, who have jumped into working with students 1:1 and in small groups.
Just this week the inclusion team have been working on developing and growing their skills to support teachers and young people in their classes.
Thank you to all staff, students, and families for your continued partnership and positivity.
We look forward to seeing you in Term 3!