Wellbeing

K-12 WELLBEING 

Our House Leaders came together for an inspiring workshop led by dedicated teachers at our College, focused on the essentials of leadership and what it takes to be an effective student leader.

Through engaging activities, thoughtful discussions and valuable insights from staff, our student leaders learned practical ways to foster a positive and supportive school community. They explored the key qualities of a great leader, the importance of listening and teamwork and how to lead by example in everything they do.

We’re excited to see how these young leaders will use their newfound skills to make a meaningful difference within their Houses and beyond. Here's to building a brighter, more connected community together!

Peer Companions Training

This week, our newly selected Peer Companions underwent comprehensive training to prepare for their vital role in supporting our Year 5 students in 2025. The program, designed to equip these students with the skills and knowledge to mentor their younger peers, emphasised the importance of leadership, empathy, and effective communication.

During the training session, the Peer Companions learned strategies for providing emotional and social support to Year 5 students as they transition into new responsibilities and challenges. They engaged in a variety of hands-on activities, role-playing scenarios, and discussions, which highlighted the importance of being approachable, fostering inclusivity, and creating a safe space for younger students to express themselves.

A significant focus was placed on the art of leading group activities, encouraging collaboration, and promoting positive relationships. The Peer Companions were introduced to practical tools for conflict resolution, active listening, and group facilitation. These skills will help them guide their peers in managing challenges and building resilience throughout the year.

The training also highlighted the role of Peer Companions in strengthening our school’s sense of community. By providing a bridge between younger and older students, these mentors not only support Year 5 students but also contribute to fostering a culture of kindness and mutual respect across the school.

We are confident that our new Peer Companions are well-prepared to embrace this leadership opportunity. Their dedication and enthusiasm during the training sessions have been inspiring, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have in 2025.

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Final Peer Companions for the Year

Our Peer Companions recently concluded their program with a final session centered on resilience and moving forward. This session focused on how they can apply the skills and insights they’ve gained throughout the program in meaningful ways moving forward.

As part of the session, each participant created a personalised cube reflecting key aspects of their growth. The cube showcased who they are, their strengths, a specific skill they can rely on in challenging situations, and the people they can turn to for support. This tangible reminder of their resilience will remain with them in their classrooms, serving as both an inspiration and a tool to reinforce their inner strength.

A heartfelt thank you goes to all the Peer Companion leaders this year. Your willingness to approach each session with openness and preparation has been truly commendable. The dedication and growth you’ve demonstrated promise a bright future as leaders in the years to come.

Introducing Our New Buddy Bench: A Place to Build Friendships

We are thrilled to announce the addition of a Buddy Bench to our school’s Foundation area, a simple yet impactful initiative designed to foster inclusion, kindness, and friendship among our students. The Buddy Bench serves as a dedicated space where students can connect with one another, making playtime and social interactions more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.

How the Buddy Bench WorksThe Buddy Bench is a safe and welcoming spot where a student can sit if they are feeling lonely, unsure about joining a game, or simply looking for someone to talk to. Sitting on the bench signals to others that they are seeking companionship or support. Fellow students are encouraged to approach, invite them to join their activity, or have a friendly chat.

This concept promotes empathy and encourages children to be proactive in looking out for their peers, ensuring no one feels left out during breaks or playtime. Teachers and staff have also educated students on the purpose of the bench, empowering them to use it in a positive and respectful way.

The Benefits of the Buddy BenchThe Buddy Bench contributes to a nurturing and inclusive school environment by:

Encouraging Friendship, Promoting Empathy, Building Confidence and Fostering Inclusion:

We are excited to see how the Buddy Bench will enrich our school community and help create stronger bonds among our students. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that we all have a role in making our school a place where everyone belongs.

Let’s encourage our students to embrace this new addition and continue to foster a culture of kindness and inclusivity!

Celebrating St. Luke's Feast Day and Welcoming Our New House Leaders

On the most special day of the year for our school community, St. Luke’s Feast Day, we gathered as one to celebrate, reflect, and welcome our newly inducted House Leaders. The entire school community joined together for a memorable day that highlighted not only our shared values and faith but also our commitment to fostering leadership and unity among our students.

The day began with a beautiful liturgy held in honour of St. Luke, who inspires us with his legacy of compassion, healing, and service. The liturgy was a moment of peace and reverence, drawing us together as a school family. In this spirit of togetherness and reflection, we took the opportunity to formally induct our House Leaders—students who have shown exceptional dedication, kindness, and readiness to serve. Surrounded by their peers and teachers, these young leaders stepped forward to accept their new roles with a deep sense of responsibility and pride.

Many of our parents were fortunate to join us for this special ceremony. Their presence added to the warmth of the occasion, reinforcing the strong bond between our school and families. Parents, students, and staff alike felt the significance of this day as we celebrated our shared values and commitment to fostering future leaders..

St. Luke’s Feast Day served as a reminder of our school’s mission and the importance of cultivating leaders who will guide with empathy and respect. As we welcome our new leaders, we look forward to the positive impact they will have in upholding the values we cherish so deeply.

Digital Reputation

Social media has become such an integral part of a teenager’s life that it can cause anxiety and lower their self-esteem. Modern teens are learning to do most of their communication whilst looking at a screen instead of another person. They are missing out on very critical social skills.

And dependant on what they are communicating online, it can affect their digital reputation. Friendships, relationships and even future job prospects are all at risk. As a parent, It is very important that you are aware of what picture they are painting of themselves online.

Once information makes its way online it can be difficult to remove. Images and words can be misinterpreted and altered as they are easily and quickly shared around. Privacy settings on social media sites need to be managed in order to protect your child’s digital reputation.

Access our School TV resources to provide you with a guide on how you can manage your childs digital use and assist them with their own management

https://stlukesmarsdenpark.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/social-media-and-digital-reputation

“For You” Feeds Dont Care About Kids Wellbeing

Trying to keep up with online trends affecting kids and teens can be tricky.  The online world is vast and full of communities that create and interpret trends differently. Plus, algorithms serve up different content to different people, depending on a variety of factors. 

In an effort to see the content a lot of young people see, I've followed many of the top mainstream creators on TikTok (like MrBeast, Charli D'Amelio, Khaby Lame, and many more). But based on who I'm following, my For You page is baffling: There are tons of upsetting police body-cam posts, for example. Lots of political opinions. Adults discussing mature topics while holding microphones, presumably recording podcasts. In other words, a lot of what's served up via algorithm doesn't seem to line up with who I'm following.

We know that the content we engage with—whether we click, comment, like, etc.—encourages an algorithm to give us more of that content. Sometimes, just pausing our scroll to watch a video triggers a flood of similar stuff. We have some control over that aspect (and it can even put us in a filter bubble echo chamber). But that's not the whole story.

Though social media companies aren't open about exactly how their algorithms work, we have some intel from former employees, anecdotal evidence, and what we can deduce. Basic demographics like age, gender, and region seem to affect results. But the AI behind algorithms also makes inferences—kind of like how large language models make guesses about language—and may serve up stuff that you don't want to see but someone else in your demographic does. 

I signed up for TikTok using my actual age. And according to its privacy policy, TikTok collects your email address, phone number, device information, browsing history, photo metadata, and more. So my For You page is influenced by who I'm following, but the algorithm is probably also factoring in the other data it's collected about me and making guesses about what will keep my attention. I'm not sure what pieces of my data cause my feed to have tons of police raid footage , but it's not the content I want to see. 

It happens to kids and teens, too: Despite their best efforts to craft their feeds, they may end up seeing stuff they really don't want to. Or, just as worrisome, they might see content they weren't interested in and it leads them down a rabbit hole of adult, inaccurate, and/or otherwise harmful content. We're somehow stuck between hyper-personalized content that keeps us scrolling and an algorithm's best guess, which could be the worst thing for us.

So how can we help kids navigate these systems that weren't developed with their well-being in mind?

• AI literacy: First and foremost, teaching kids about algorithms gives them insight into why they're seeing what they see, which may reduce idle scrolling and help them control the elements they can.
• Media literacy: Beyond AI itself, we can give kids the bigger picture behind tech companies' motivations, the harmful content they might see, and the ways they might change things in the future. Having discussions at home and at school using media can be a great starting point.
• Personal well-being: Since tech companies often neglect to look after our well-being, we need to help kids safeguard their own by practicing healthy habits, aligning tech use with their values, and cultivating critical off-screen skills for media balance.