DIRECTOR OF STUDENTS

YEAR 7 COMMUNITY DAY

On Friday 13 February Year 7 students participated in the Year 7 Community Day of fun and engaging activities at the Mildura Sporting Precinct.

The purpose of the day was to build camaraderie amongst the Year 7 cohort and allow students the opportunity to connect with their peers and staff. At the beginning of the day, students enjoyed some ice-breaker games and a dance-off competition, followed by some games in core groups. A highlight of the day was the tug-o-war competition and Zorb Balls fun between Houses in the afternoon. The House spirit was fierce and a fitting warm-up for the Swimming Carnival. 

I commend our students for their excellent behaviour on the day and the level of respect shown towards their peers and teachers. Management at the Sporting Precinct commented on how polite and respectful our students conducted themselves. Well done! It was a very enjoyable day for everyone.

Special thanks to our staff involved on the day and the Year 9 Peer Support Leaders who showed outstanding leadership in supporting our Year 7 students.

YEAR 9 PEER SUPPORT LEADERS 2025

In November 2025, students in Year 8 had the opportunity to nominate themselves to participate in Peer Support Leadership training to become a Year 9 Peer Support Leader in 2026. Successful students participated in a training day late last year to build skills and knowledge on what it takes to be a Peer Support Leader at St Joseph’s College. The aim of the program is to support Year 7 students as they begin secondary school. 

Peer Support Leaders were involved in the Year 7 Community Day last week and demonstrated excellent leadership. In Term 1, Peer Support Leaders will also run short wellbeing sessions with Year 7 core groups in Wellio classes on creating a sense of belonging, building resilience, and fostering connection within our college. I look forward to working closely with our Peer Support Leaders to build their leadership capacity.

 WELLIO –  EPC PROGRAM

Our Extended Pastoral Care program runs each Thursday during Period 4. During this time, we have Masses, Assemblies, year level presentations and Homeroom activities. In 2024 we also introduced Wellio, an online wellbeing platform that helps students improve overall wellbeing. 

Student wellbeing can be influenced by various challenges, and addressing these challenges is crucial for creating a positive and supportive learning environment. In Term 1, students will participate in Wellio sessions in their Homerooms, as well as sessions in their core groups or year levels. Topics are carefully considered by our Wellbeing Team, who identify areas of concern with a proactive approach to supporting student wellbeing. 

More information about Wellio can be found on their website.

Mrs Jodie Birnie

Director of Students