Student Wellbeing

St Joseph's SWAT - School Wellbeing Action Team

We would like to introduce you to another way we aim to facilitate and improve Student Wellbeing at st Joseph's through a school community problem-solving approach. Our SWAT Team, first established in Term 3 of 2023 and based on the book, Leading Improvement in School Community Wellbeing by Dr Donna Cross and Dr Leanne Lester aims to work to improve wellbeing across St Joseph's School from a school community perspective.

As outlined by Cross and Lester, schools need more than one 'wellbeing champion' working alone. Through our school newsletter, we invited St Joseph's parents, students and staff to form this wellbeing team led by myself as Sudent Wellbeing Leader. The main aim of our team is to ensure wellbeing is systematically, equitably and sustainably delivered across the school, by providing a voice from the various stakeholders of our school community.

Meet the SWAT Team:

Students: Taki Fikiris, Raine Fitzgerald, Billie Jewell and Clarke Monaghan-Tosch

Parents : Seija O'Brien, Leah Willcock, Liv L'Huillier and Sarah Nibbs (recently joined)

Staff : Jenny Todd (Student Wellbeing Leader), Julie Finn (1/2 Classroom Teacher), Jane Byrne (Sustainability & Visual Arts Teacher) and Sarah Pancic (Learning Support Officer)

Our initial meeting addressed the Team Protocols that we would need to operate by:

Team Protocols - Positivity, Confidentiality and Privacy.pptx (2).pdf

We have worked as a committed multiskilled team, with time dedicated to this role every 5-6 weeks. By keeping well informed by school-level data and observations and feedback gained from genuinely engaging with the school community, we have aimed to drive wellbeing-related decision-making and action. The role of our SWAT group focuses on driving a school culture that encourages positive relationships to optimise student learning with a proactive focus on wellbeing.

Agendas are sent out in advance to all members and minutes are taken at each meeting. Sometimes we spend time learning and further educating ourselves on wellbeing-related matters.

As well as discussing many suggestions for enhanced wellbeing and of various initiatives already in placewithin our school community, we spend part of the session using a TREE TOOL for Action and Change to nut out strategies for action, improvement and positive change.

Here are a couple of the issues discussed during some of our SWAT Meetings:

In doing so, we identify issues or problems, look at the possible causes of this issue, suggest possible strategies that could be adopted or implemented and the possible outcomes that we would hope these strategies may give rise to. These are just a few of the practices and initiatives that have come out of the SWAT recommendations (see the leaves and branches).

If you or your child is interested in joining our SWAT (School Wellbeing Action Team) please email me on jennyt@sjsorrento.catholic.edu.au or speak to one of our current members (see list above).