Wellbeing Matters
In this newsletter we will give you an update on our events and activities from the first half of Term 2, and we’ll talk about how students and families can manage stress during the upcoming exams.
IDAHOBIT Celebrations
Every May 17th, people across the world recognise the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia, or IDAHOBIT for short. It’s a day to celebrate the global effort over many decades to combat the discrimination experienced by LGBTQIA+ communities, and to look at the things everyone can do to foster greater understanding and acceptance.
The MGSC Wellbeing team marked this day by partnering with Kingston Youth Services and headspace to promote this understanding and acceptance within our school. Our student leaders helped us prepare the Wellbeing space and invite everyone in at lunchtime to enjoy fairy bread and lollipops and to make badges. The atmosphere was full of excitement as students and teachers alike got together celebrate. We’d like to thank everyone who helped make this special day possible.
Year 8 Stress Management Workshops
We’re very privileged to be able to work with headspace Bentleigh to provide workshops developed by the nation’s leaders in youth mental health right here at MGSC. During Week 5, this took the form of Stress Management workshops run for all of our Year 8s. These workshops provided a great opportunity for students to understand what mental health is and how it can change, where stress comes from and how it impacts all of us, and figure out what strategies and supports they can lean on in their everyday lives. Students got to engage directly with members of the headspace team and learn about their service, and the steps they can take if they want to reach out to them, regardless of how their mental health is tracking.
Keep your eyes peeled for other workshops being run throughout the year for other cohorts to help support their wellbeing!
Understanding and Managing Exam Stress
The latter half of Term 2 is the start of midyear exams for many of our students. Whether they’ve done exams throughout their schooling or are doing them for the first time, exam stress is something that impacts all students and their families.
Exam stress can come from and be impacted by a number of factors such as:
- Fear of failing or not doing well
- High expectations placed on ourselves (sometimes unrealistically so)
- Feeling underprepared
- Health or psychological factors like eating, sleeping, and mental health
- Changes or pressures from outside of studies (family, friends, other commitments)
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when exams are on the horizon, especially if you’ve already got a lot going on. You might feel more stressed, worried, or on edge than usual, or maybe you feel sick or sore. No matter how you’re feeling, there are things you and your family can do to help make the exam period more manageable:
- Think about your hopes and goals for your exam results – are they achievable for you right now, or something to work towards in the future?
- Make a study timetable that you feel like can actually stick to. If it’s not working, make a new one!
- Make sure you have a space where you can study without being distracted
- Don’t forget to eat well, sleep well, exercise regularly, and take breaks
- If things don’t go the way you planned, think about who you can talk to to help you feel better
The Wellbeing team and your subschool are here to support you if you’re struggling with exam stress.
Kingston Youth Awards
Help celebrate Kingston's young leaders! A message from Kingston Youth.
Do you know a young person or youth group doing amazing things in our community? Now’s the time to give them the recognition they deserve!
Nominations are OPEN for the Kingston Youth Awards 2026!
We’re celebrating the achievements, leadership, creativity, and resilience of young people aged 12–25 who live, work or study in the City of Kingston. Whether it’s someone making a difference at school, leading a community project, excelling in the arts or sport or simply being an everyday legend – we want to hear about them!
Nominations close 4pm Friday 12 June – don’t miss out on shining a light on Kingston’s incredible young people. Let’s celebrate the next generation of local legends. Nominate now and help us share their inspiring stories!
If you have any questions or need support with the nomination process, feel free to reach out to the Youth Services team at 1300 369 436 or youth.services@kingston.vic.gov.au
Wellbeing team