Leader of Learning - Pastoral Academic Care and Wellbeing 2

Schools are busy places…

Schools are a microcosm of the world beyond the school gate. They are a place for young people to learn and practise the necessary skills for a meaningful life within the greater community. Schools are not just about learning the curriculum, but are also places to learn how to communicate, how to work as part of a team. A place to practise conforming, but also a safe place to test some boundaries at times. It is a place to learn key social skills, to learn how to lead, but also how to let others lead. Schools provide real opportunity for growth and development of the whole person. Schools are also a key part of the wider community. 

Last week, during Catholic Schools Week we witnessed the significant role our school plays within our diocese. What a great celebration it was! Next week our junior students will be engaging in a series of workshops presented by RealTalk. This is a Diocesan initiative that is now in its third year. RealTalk is a Catholic faith based company with a true focus on using a personal approach to educate, equip and empower young people with the skills necessary to navigate the complex world in which we live. The goal of RealTalk is to provide skills and understanding on how to manage social media, respect and consent but also on how to respect and love oneself. Our Year 7 and 8 students will be engaged in the STRONGER program, with a focus on self esteem and cyber awareness. Our Year 9 cohort will be exploring the issues of respect for self and others through their Brave and Beautiful program, and Year 10 will be focusing on respect and consent. There will be a parent session for those interested in hearing from Paul Ninnes on June 16. This will be one of four parent workshops, via ZOOM, to be conducted for all parents across our Catholic schools. The first session is centred on how to support young people learning to navigate the cyber world. Watch Compass for more details about this.

Our junior students are also beginning to prepare for Student Led Conferencing which is scheduled for the beginning of Term 3. This is a time where our students lead a conversation with their parents and their PAC teachers about their learning. It is a time of reflection on successes from Semester One, to celebrate achievements of learning and goal setting for the coming semester. All PAC teachers are invested in supporting students to lead the conversation, identifying the work samples (2 samples) and practising how to manage a meeting. This is also a chance for families to come into the school, meet the PAC teachers and show their child that they are truly part of the learning community here. More information will be distributed over the coming weeks.

So, yes, schools are busy places where we are constantly learning new skills that will prove to be essential as our young people move out into the world. It is a real privilege to be part of this process.

Mellissa Bell

Leader of Learning - Pastoral Academic Care & Wellbeing