Positive Futures News

Our Positive Futures Program Kicks Off For 2025

The new school year at EDSC has begun with enthusiasm as students returned to their Positive Futures classes this week. This weekly wellbeing initiative is designed to create meaningful connections within our school community, fostering an environment where kindness flourishes and students can genuinely enjoy their time together. The program provides a dedicated space for students to develop trusted relationships with their teachers while staying connected to important school announcements and opportunities.

In our first session back, students participated in engaging "get to know you" activities, featuring creative conversation starters that encouraged both new connections and the rekindling of existing friendships. These mixed home group classes brought together students who may not typically interact, creating valuable opportunities for expanding social circles and building a more inclusive school community.

The practical side of returning to school was also addressed, with students receiving important updates about designated lunch areas and completing essential administrative tasks such as password resets. These housekeeping activities, while necessary, were balanced with our core focus on face-to-face social interaction, deliberately moving away from screen time to encourage genuine personal connections.

Positive Futures stands as a cornerstone of our school's commitment to student wellbeing, offering year-specific content without the pressure of formal assessment. Our teachers adapt the flexible curriculum to match their class's interests and needs, ensuring each session remains engaging and relevant. As we progress through the term, we look forward to watching these class communities grow stronger and seeing the positive impact of this dedicated time for connection and personal development.

What is the EDSC Positive Futures program?

Positive Education brings together the science of positive psychology with best-practice teaching.

The school’s journey with Positive Education began in 2012 with Positive Education focuses and values implemented across each year level and over time has evolved into the whole school approach launched in 2020. 

Our Positive Futures program has some very clear goals:

• We want to improve student quality of life and their engagement with others, including with their teachers
• We seek to develop students in a more holistic way, with a stronger focus on wellbeing

There are six tenets of Positive Psychology that are embedded into our model:

Positive Health – Positive Self

Developing knowledge, understanding and skills to promote health and well – being.

Positive Relationships

Nurturing positive relationships based on respect. 

Accomplishment

Generating hope and optimism through the accomplishment of personal and community goals

Positive Emotion

Building and experiencing positive emotion. 

Meaning

Believing in serving something greater than ourselves.

Positive Engagement

Developing critical thinkers by promoting challenge, curiosity and creativity. 

More resources and information can be found here:

https://www.eastdonsc.vic.edu.au/wellbeing-engagement-positive-futures

Georgina Hammond 

Positive Futures Coordinator