Wellbeing @ Evans

SPIRIT WEEK

Evans High School celebrated Spirit Week in Week 5 to symbolise the conclusion of the 2023 academic year in the 3x3 HSC Model. All students began their new academic year starting from Week 6. Spirit Week aims to build student wellbeing through a variety of activities including excursions, workshops, performances and lessons. These activities are based on the five domains of student wellbeing; spiritual, emotional, social, physical and cognitive. The purpose of the activities was to promote positive emotions, positive relationships, positive purpose, positive accomplishment, positive engagement and positive health.

Staff versus student competitions in sport, spelling bees and trivia to build positive teacher-student relationships outside of the classroom.

Academic Activities through ART, STEM and Readiness to Learn Skills needed to Thrive at Evans High School.

Swim School: Year 9 and 10 students attended a 3-day swim school that focused on water safety.

The Unleashing Personal Potential Workshops:

The Stronger Connections workshop for Year 7 was about building personal and social skills to enhance the quantity and quality of our interpersonal interactions within their year group.
The PERMAH workshop for Year 8 outlined the 6 elements of wellbeing and discovering ways to enhance their own wellbeing.
The Leadership is Influence workshop for HSC 1 focused on everyday leadership qualities through example, service and action.

BACC Workshops:

Years 7 and 8 conducted an Anti Bullying Workshop and Art session.

HSC 1 undertook a workshop on dealing with stress and resilience, to develop coping mechanisms whilst studying for the HSC.

Brainstorm Productions- Wired was a live performance for Year 7 and 8 students that explored cyberbullying and mental health, and provided strategies for resilience, help-seeking and positive relationships.

Bungarribee Sustainability Walk and Mindfulness - Students in Years 7 and 8 went for a walk offsite to the Bungarribee Creek Sustainability site for a nature wellbeing lesson to connect to country and develop their appreciation of natural beauty in our local community.

Career and Transition Education (CATE) Award: HSC1 students completed the following lessons over the week:

Resume writing and School Recommendation Letter
Financial Literacy course teaches students how to use or get the most out of their money including saving and superannuation.
DigiSkills modules teach students digital skills for every career pathway to provide a competitive edge over others when applying for a job. The four modules were: Digital Demystified, The 4th Industrial Revolution, Transferable Skills, and Upgrading your Education.
Super Aware ran students through what is super, how it works and the impact it has on your retirement.
Teen Mental Health First Aid Certification- a course for students to learn how to provide mental health first aid to their peers if they are having a mental health crisis and build awareness around the signs of a mental health problem developing in themselves or their friends and how to access support early.
CPR and Anaphylaxis Training

MADDFEST performance showcased our student’s talents in the Music, Art, Dance and Drama domains.

Remembrance Day Ceremony led by student leaders to commemorate the anniversary of the Armistice that ended fighting with Germany in World War I and paused in silence to remember the sacrifices many have made so we can enjoy life today.

The Carnival concluded the week with rides, a DJ, an artificial tattoo artist, food trucks, the HSC 1 Dunk the Teacher fundraiser and more. This event was put on as a reward for the positive behaviour and effort students have put in throughout the academic 2023 school year.

Thank you to all the staff who put in an extraordinary effort to create amazing opportunities and lessons throughout the whole week. It is the Evans High School teachers' dedication and determination that continuously push our students to Strive to Thrive in all aspects of their lives.

R U OK? DAY launched an awareness campaign with information and a massive 800 cupcakes prepared by the TAS faculty and students. The day aims to promote checking in with a mate and talking about mental health problems as an avenue to seek help and support early. Thank you to Ms Bilgin and Ms Webster for highlighting the RUOK? Initiative in our Evans community. Thank you Ms Rani and Ms Aida for the monumental effort in preparing the cupcakes for the day.

2023 Vaccinations Rounds for Years 7 and 10 have been a success with all forms being transitioned online. Vaccination Rounds will resume next year. If students missed their vaccinations this year they can visit their GP or register for next year's round.

Grief Workshops ran this semester for a small group of students to develop awareness and strategies for managing grief. Sessions were run with the Student Support Officer Ms Bilgin on a weekly basis. If you would like more information on this initiative or would like to participate in one next year contact Ms Bilgin in the Wellbeing Office.

The Junior Top Blokes Mentoring Program is a 16-week mentoring program for male students selected in Years 9 and 10. This program uses a prevention and early intervention framework to provide an environment that fosters critical thinking so they can build self-efficacy and the skills to lead healthy and safe lives. The program's principles focus on strength-based, harm minimisation and peer-mentoring delivery methods, to engage boys at a formative stage in their lives. The Junior Top Blokes Mentoring Program adheres to all of the National Mentoring Benchmarks. All workshop content has been assessed by clinical psychologists and the program content is continually updated by educators in line with the latest research and current trends.

Thank you to Ms Bilgin, Ms Stevens and Ms Webster for their time dedicated to running this opportunity. Well done to the Year 9 and 10 students involved in the program. The mentors were impressed with your mature attitudes and participation each week.

Year 8 Teen Mental Health First Aid in the SEL: Social Emotional Learning Subject.

Teen Mental Health First Aid® (MHFA™) training gives teenagers the skills they need to recognise and help with mental health problems and crises in their friends, and to get the help of an adult quickly. Young people will often turn to each other when stressed or upset, and try to help each other, taking too much on.

This course teaches them not to try to take on these problems alone. The course touches on suicide. You may wish to discuss this with your child, if there is a risk they will find it distressing. Be aware that most young people feel empowered by understanding more about suicide even if it feels confronting initially.

This course has not been introduced because of any specific problems at the school. Mental health problems are very common in adolescents. If there has been a student suicide in the school, be aware this specific suicide will not be discussed, nor will any individual student.

Your child might want to talk about the course. The following can help you to have a conversation if this is needed.

Session 1 discusses mental health problems in general and understanding how common and disabling these are in young people. Students also learn about professionals who can help.

Session 2 talks about the Action Plan (‘Look, Ask, Listen, Help Your Friend’) for the first time. Students will see a film showing how it is used and you will start to explore how it might apply when a friend is in crisis or developing a problem.

Session 3 focuses on students practising their new skills and discussing how they can look after themselves. Your child will bring their manual home after session 3. There are resources for further information in the back and you may want to explore them together.

All students who have completed the three sessions will receive a certification that they have been trained in Teen Mental Health First Aid and can follow the below action plan.

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First Nations Connections

Solid Ground