Wellbeing 

A Thriving Year in Learning, Support and Wellbeing at Elderslie High School

Learning Support

It has been an exciting year at Elderslie High School for students in Years 7–12, with the inclusion of a variety of new initiatives that support student wellbeing, learning, and personal development. Our passionate and enthusiastic team of Student Learning Support Officers (SLSOs), Learning and Support Teachers (LaSTs), and Student Support Officers (SSOs) have worked together to ensure every student has access to the tools and encouragement they need to thrive.

We’re proud to offer our students a daily Breakfast Club, supported by generous donations from Woolworths, Eat Up, and Food Bank. A huge thank you goes to our hardworking Student Support Officers, who have gone above and beyond to secure these donations and coordinate the program each week. Our committed SLSOs are also actively involved in delivering Breakfast Club each morning, welcoming students, serving food, and helping create a positive, inclusive environment.

Our Breakfast Club program:

· Milk Monday

· Grab and Go, Tuesday and Thursday

· Cereal Wednesday

· Toastie Friday

These sessions offer students not just a healthy start to the day, but also a relaxed, welcoming space to interact socially with peers and build positive connections with staff.

Our wellbeing offerings have grown as well, with:

· Mindful Monday (recess)

· Tranquil Tuesday (lunch)

· Wellbeing Wednesday (recess)

These self-regulation programs, delivered by our dedicated SLSOs, offer students calm and quiet spaces where they can listen to gentle music, do some colouring or artwork, and take a moment to reset. These sessions help students manage emotions, recharge their focus, and build social-emotional skills in a safe and supportive setting.

For academic support, Homework Club runs every Thursday, offering one-on-one support from our skilled SLSO team. Students can receive personalised help, develop stronger study habits, and build confidence in their learning.

There have also been valuable health and wellbeing opportunities this year, including vaccinations for Years 7 and 10. Looking ahead to next semester, we’re excited to offer free dental and optical checks for all students aged 12–17—ensuring students are healthy and ready to engage fully in their education.

Student leadership has also been front and centre, with students in Years 7–10 trained as readers and writers, giving them the opportunity to take on responsibility while supporting assessment adjustments for their peers.

Our dedicated LaSTs have been delivering targeted literacy intervention groups, with a focus on decoding skills and comprehension strategies to support students in building their reading ability and confidence in the classroom. These small group sessions offer a safe space for learning and growth.

Additionally, our Head Teacher Wellbeing has been working closely with a passionate team of SLSOs—many in their final year of teacher training—to run handwriting groups, providing explicit instruction in fine motor and writing skills for students who need extra support.

Wellbeing

Our Wellbeing Team has coordinated meaningful, engaging programs that support student mental health, emotional wellbeing, and personal development across Years 7–12. There has been a strong focus on early intervention and preventative education, the team has facilitated both targeted small group programs and whole-year group sessions, all designed to build resilience, promote healthy decision-making, and foster a connected school community:

Targeted Interventions, Semester 1

· PCYC – Year 8

· What’s Going On – Year 7 and 10

Whole Year group presentations Semester 1:

· Year 7 – Anti-Bullying Presentation

· Year 8 – SMASHED Drug and Alcohol Prevention Presentation

· Year 9 – Talk To Me Bro Presentation

· Year 10 – Resilience Presentation

· Years 10–12 – Street to Stage: Homelessness Awareness Presentation

Throughout the year, our SSOs, Chaplain, Girls Supervisor and Year Advisors have played a vital role, not only helping to organise and supervise these sessions but also providing ongoing student support through wellbeing check-ins. Together, our Wellbeing Team is building a school culture where students feel empowered, supported, and connected. These programs have created safe spaces for students to reflect, grow, and develop the skills they need for life both inside and beyond the classroom. We are so proud of the impact these initiatives have had and look forward to continuing this important work into the next semester.

Christina Needham

Head Teacher Learning, Support and Wellbeing