Student Wellbeing

Who ARE our Year 6 Leaders? 

Student Profile :     One of two SCHOOL CAPTAINS - LACHLAN HENKE

How old are you?  12 years old

Do you have pets?  Yes, a Burmese Mountain Dog.

What was the last book you read?  ‘Always’ by Morris Gleitzman 

What are your favourite foods? Spaghetti Bolognaise, lasagna and pizza.

Do you have any brothers or sisters? Yes, one brother.

How do you spend your free time?  Writing stories or talking to my friends.

What is something you do well?  I’m good at spelling and reading.

Which sports do you like?  I love volleyball and netball.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to work with NASA.

What is something that you are afraid of?  Spiders!!

What subjects do you like best? Writing and FBI

What are you looking forward to most in Year 6? I’m looking forward to graduation and leadership responsibilities.

What a wonderful young leader we have here in Lachie!

We look forward to introducing you to some of our other Year 6 Leaders in future editions of our newsletter.

The Importance of Student Leadership Opportunities

At St Joseph's our Year 6 students are involved in a multitude of ways to exercise their leadership qualities, through formal roles such as School Captains, Sustainability Leaders, DRI Ambassadors, Student Action Council representatives and House Captains. However, frequent opportunities to organise student-led lunchtime competitions, lead assemblies, attend ceremonies and events and perform tasks of responsibility within the school are also offered and are equally beneficial for promoting student agency, participation and empowerment. 

We know that "when students feel acknowledged that their community genuinely understands their values, hopes and dreams, their sense of belonging is strengthened and they are more open to collaboration, sharing information and participating in decision-making." Research shows us that "wellbeing is strongest when learners are engaged within a community (and that) young people’s wellbeing is enhanced when their hearts and minds are engaged. Engaged learners have a positive sense of identity, connection with their peers and community. They are invested in learning in and beyond the classroom." (MACS: Horizons of Hope, 2017, p. 5)

Students involved in leadership activities to promote student voice, agency and empowerment to have a say in decisions that affect them and their learning "enables them to flourish and grow in confidence as curious, optimistic and inspired knowledge-builders, problemsolvers, conceptual thinkers and self-motivated learners." (MACS: Horizons of Hope, 2017, p. 5)

Hart's Ladder of Participation shows the various levels of leadership and participation achievable for young people in schools (1992) with the highest degrees of participating in their education in the 7th and 8th levels or rungs. 

Student-Led Lunchtime Netball Competition : Term 2 Weeks 5-9

One way our Year 6 Leaders are currently involved in leadership and participation is in their organisation of a Student-Led Netball Lunchtime Competition due to commence this week for all interested Year 3-6 students.  Year 6's devise even teams, organise a workable fixture, set up equipment each day, announce who is to play each lunchtime over the PA system, umpire each of the games, give out Spirit Awards for good sportsmanship, calculate the points and ladders and oversee the general running of the competition. 

Kind Regards,

Jenny Todd 

(Student Wellbeing Leader)