Marian College Newsletter - English

Student Wellbeing

R U OKAY Day

Last week was a significant week in many ways at Marian. 

It has become very obvious to all of us that the time that we have spent in remote learning has continued to be extended and as such we have needed to focus not just on everyone’s learning but also their wellbeing.

 

With this in mind, last Thursday 9 September was the National RU OKAY Day but we made the decision to make it RU OKAY Week – with messages of support from the Student Representative Council and the Counselling Department every day.

 

Our Counselling department sent messages of support covering the following key aspects of our wellbeing:

  • Motivation
  • Help Lines – where to seek support if you need it
  • Mindfulness/Meditation – ways to recentre
  • Sleep – such a key aspect of our wellbeing

These messages were supported by key advice from members of our Student Representative Council about the ways we can care for ourselves.

 

This was emphasised by 3 competitions for the School Community to participate in:

  1. R U Okay Photo Challenge – Wear something YELLOW and have a message about Wellbeing
  2. TIK TOK Challenge – How do you care for your mental health?
  3. Wellbeing Challenge – Check in with a PEER or FRIEND – how are you making sure they are OKAY?

We will give a prize for each Year Level in each Category for the best entry and we look forward to revealing the winners in the next edition of the Marian.

 

The key message about RU Okay Day is that while it is important to highlight such a significant day on our calendar, it is probably more important to remind all of us that we should be checking in on our family and friends every day to see that they are OKAY.

 

Wellbeing Packages to support our Community

With the focus on Wellbeing, Mr Pisani and the School Leadership team made the decision to send to all of our Year 12’s a Care Pack that included items that may support them over the next little while.

 

Items included a KIT KAT to make sure that they take a break, a packet of tissues for the rollercoaster that we have all been on and will continue to be on. 

 

An affirmation jar was also in the package to remind our girls to remain positive.

Also included was a journal to ensure that they have an opportunity to record the journey ahead.

 

Each of the packages were delivered at the end of last week.

 

We thank the elves that put them all together – Robyn Brian and Mary Cutajar and Ms Bernadette Casey who co-ordinated and sourced all of the items to go in the packages.

They did an amazing job and if the pack brought a smile to our girls faces when they were delivered then they did their job.

 

For our Year 7-11 students we have not forgotten them either.

At the end of the week, again co-ordinated by Ms Casey, we sent a message, some affirmations and small gift that our students will be able to redeem when we return to school.

 

It was important for us to remind all of our students that we know the last period of time has been challenging but that it will pass. We need to remain positive and focus on the time when we will be back together. For most of us, it cannot come quick enough.

 

End of Term Assembly

In keeping with these very different times, we will have an end of term Virtual Assembly on Friday 17 September. The Student Leadership Team have been busy putting together the assembly and filming their individual parts over the last couple of days.

 

It will focus on our Catholic heritage and the year of WONDER, on R U OKAY day and wellbeing messages from both our Student Leadership team and our House Captains. It will also feature some messages about the importance of Sustainability at this time.

It will conclude with a message of hope from both our Lamp Bearers and Mr Pisani, our Principal.

 

In these challenging times, we need to offer our student some level of normality and most importantly, HOPE that this will pass and we will return to some sort of normal sooner rather than later.

 

We must all remain HOPEFUL; just as the SUN rises every day and offers us HOPE, we must continue to remain HOPEFUL about the road ahead.

 

Stay Safe.

 

Have a relaxing holiday as we prepare for Term 4.

 

Kerrie Williams 

Assistant to the Principal - Student Wellbeing