Wellbeing & Engagement 

New Staff in Term 4 for the Wellbeing Hub

We are very excited to be able to announce that our Wellbeing hub and availabilities will be bolstered in Term 4 with the recruitment of two new staff in this space. 

Mental Health Practitioner – Jessica Rose Bond      

We are delighted to have Rose Bond back in our school. Many of you will remember Rose as our provisional Psychologist over the last few years, she is now fully qualified as a Psychologist, and returns to our community as our Mental Health Practitioner. Rose will work two days a week, supporting students and wellbeing programs in her new role. 

Student Counsellor – Ashton Tuale

Ashton is a new member of our wellbeing team but comes with secondary school wellbeing experience. She has just returned from some time in the UK working for Youth Mental Health services. We are excited to welcome Ashton to our already dynamic team. Ashton will work three days a week. 

Wellbeing and Engagement Programs

Over the course of term 3 we have seen an explosion in the range of small group programs which are open to students across a variety of different year levels at WHSC. We are proud to have such a diverse range of Tier 2 interventions available for students. While most programs are open for student applications, some programs are targeted at particular cohort groups across the school who we determine to need extra supports and interventions. Encourage your child to listen carefully at upcoming Year Level assemblies in Term 4 to gain an understanding of what is available and the process for application!

Term 3 intervention programs

1. Blue Edge
2. Engage with Woodmans 
3. Mindful Art
4. Berry Street Girls with Attitude
5. Smith Family itrack

Parent Forums

I had the pleasure of hosting a variety of parents at WHSC for our first 2022 Parent Forum. Our focus for this forum was on communication and School-Wide Positive Behaviour. The parents who attended shared valuable information about their experience as a parent and community member and we received many fantastic ideas about how to communicate more effectively with our parents/carers/guardians. Some of these changes will roll out in Term 4! We hope you notice an improvement. 

School-Wide Positive Behaviour Review

At Woodmans Hill, we are a School-Wide Positive Behaviour school! You may have seen our Matrix or heard our staff reference merits when discussing your children. These are just two examples of structures within our school within the SWPB framework. We introduced this in 2018 at WHSC and have embedded this within our culture. In Term 3-4, however our community will be undertaking a review to update our SWPB framework and ensure that it fits our current context and community. 

For those parents who are unsure of what SWPB is and what is its purpose in schools, here is an outline from the Department of Education. 

• School-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) is a framework that brings together school communities to develop positive, safe, supportive learning cultures.

• SWPBS assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people.

• When SWPBS is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from:
  • increased respectful and positive behaviour
  • increased time focused on instruction
  • improved social-emotional wellbeing
  • positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
  • increased adoption of evidence-based instructional practices
  • a predictable learning environment with improved perceptions of safety and increased attendance.

As we develop components of SWPB 2.0, we will be seeking feedback from students and parents, because it’s important that all community members have a voice when it comes to such integral programs within the school. Keep your eyes on newsletters and compass posts in Term 4 in order to get your opportunity to have a say.