Expect Respect 

Dear Parents and Carers,

Although Expect Respect is embedded within our whole school values and expectations, each year we teach a series of lessons to ensure that students are very clear about the expectations at Mackellar around respect, as well as how to respond if they feel that they are not treated with respect.  The lessons are revisited regularly throughout each term.

Our grade 6 student leaders relaunched the Expect Respect program last week at assembly before visiting classrooms to teach the first of a series of lessons. Over the coming weeks, students across all year levels will be learning about the social responsibilities that Expect Respect encapsulates. This program is based on the Bully Stoppers Routine from the Department of Education, in line with our School Wide Positive Behaviour Strategies (SWPBS) framework.  Students learn specific social responsibilities and communication skills that are designed to empower them to call out disrespectful behaviour by using assertive language and physical stance, seeking help and speaking to a teacher.  

Further proactive and preventative anti-bullying strategies that are important to creating a respectful and positive school culture include:

• The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships curriculum where students learn about positive, respectful relationships
• Acceptable Use Agreement for safety and appropriate behaviour when using technology (sent home to be shared with parents in Term 1)
• Teaching and learning of our school values, with specific lessons about how to be respectful in multiple indoor and outdoor settings
• Visual displays relating directly to the Expect Respect social responsibilities that students learn about (across all classrooms and specialist areas)
• Online webinars for students in relation to respectful behaviour and online safety
• Specific lessons provided by eSafety Commissioner
• Incursions for middle to upper grades from the Policing Unit (an incursion this week for grades 4 to 6) around online safety, including bullying and what to do if students feel unsafe
• Days of significance that promote equality and respecting others, such as: Safer Internet Day and Harmony Day
• Students are acknowledged for positive, respectful behaviour through our Buzz Award system
• Student agency is highly important in the way of empowering students to use their voice, express their ideas and opinions, and believe that they are leaders of themselves.  Students are taught how to seek protection if they need it, and also how to be an upstander and offer support to others (including helping others to speak to a teacher if they feel disrespected or unsafe).

Mackellar's Bullying Prevention Policy is located on our website under the Child Safe Standards, along with multiple related policies

 https://mackellarps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bullying-Prevention-Policy-1.pdf 

If you would like to know more about the Expect Respect program please feel free to reach out and speak to Simon McGlade, Kylie Kennedy or Joanne Wood.