Wellbeing News

Wellbeing Team

Term 2 Review

What a long and busy term we have had in Wellbeing during Term 2. Not only does the Wellbeing team provide 1:1 assistance for students requiring extra support, but we also offer targeted interventions in the form of programs and groups as well as whole school wellbeing events. It’s important at Patterson River Secondary College that all our students have access to wellbeing initiatives because mental health and wellbeing is something we all have and need to maintain throughout our lives.

This term we have hosted 2 successful whole school wellbeing events across the College this term, IDAHOBIT Day and International Yoga Day

IDAHOBIT Day

Our College’s RESPECT group celebrated IDAHOBIT day on Thursday 16th of May to include VM students at the College. IDAHOBIT is the anniversary of May 17th, 1990, when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases. IDAHOBIT was updated in 2018 standing for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex discrimination and Transphobia.

35% of LGBTIQ Australians have experienced verbal abuse in the past 12 months. The most prominent place that young people experience queer discrimination is at school.

While equality milestones have been reached and we get to celebrate the diversity that is our community today, we need to stand with those that still need our support! This year for IDAHOBIT we celebrated with the Rainbow Shoelace Project which was started by 12-year-old Abbie from Broken Hill. We gave out packets of rainbow beads to students and staff to add to their shoelaces. We were also supported in this event by Frankston Youth who ran a badge making lunchtime activity. Our RESPECT Action Group is run by Student Wellbeing Officer Beth Hagg and is run each Thursday lunchtime in the Community Room, new members are always welcome.

International Yoga Day

Recently, we also celebrated International Yoga Day. Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. Today it is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity.

The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga. Yoga helps in maintaining physical wellbeing, emotional balance and our ability to cope with stress. Yoga activities such as physical poses, breathing practices and meditation helps modify and regulate our responses to stress.

At lunch we held Yoga games which were a hit with all participants. Students and staff gathered in STEM to challenge their balance and coordination as they were taken through a number of yoga poses. Students and staff learned about the warrior poses, chair pose, standing half-moon and others. The aim of the game was to be the last one standing, holding the balance pose. With immense enthusiasm, students gave it their all and prizes were awarded to the winners. The second game, “Simon says” yoga proved to be more challenging in the beginning, but soon the students were unbeatable!

It was great to see so many students trying out yoga for the first time!

Lunch Time Programs

Some of the other programs that Wellbeing have run during Term 2 and that have been popular, especially with the colder weather have included:

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club is run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday morning, in the Community Room from 8am-8:35am. We supply cereals, toast, cheese toasties, fruit cups and milk. Breakfast Club is for everyone and it’s been so great witnessing more of our students accessing this program throughout Semester 1.

Fun Fridays

Fun Fridays is run on Fridays at lunchtime, for our Year 7 students and is held in our Year 7 centre. Fun Fridays helps our Year 7 students build and strengthen their relationship to themselves and their friends by engaging in different games and activities. Some of the activities we have run this term have been; Mother’s Day card making, Board Games, Trivia, Scavenger Hunt and Mindful Colouring.

Mosaics with Yvonne and Jess

Yvonne and Jess are leading a lunchtime program designed for a select group of Year 10 students. This creative initiative involves the students working together to design and create a beautiful mosaic which will be proudly displayed at the school, serving as a lasting testament to the students' hard work. The theme of the mosaic is “I matter, you matter, we all matter”, emphasizing the importance of each individual and the community as a whole.

GIRL PWR

GIRL PWR is a Year 8 program developed and facilitated by Student Wellbeing Officer, Jess Taranto. This initiative is dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment for girls, where they can engage in a variety of activities and discussions aimed at building self-esteem, fostering positive relationships, and enhancing overall wellbeing. Families can enquire via email if they have a child that may like to participate in this program for Term 3 and 4.

Soup Club

Soup Club is run by our Mental Health Practitioner, Hannah and Secondary School nurse, June on Tuesday lunchtimes during Term 2 and 3. Soups on offer are usually chicken noodle, pumpkin or beef & vegetable. Students can come into the Community Room and receive a cup of soup. Students are then expected to rinse their cup before they leave. We have had a steady number of students throughout the term enjoying their Tuesday soup.

Mindful Mondays

Mindful Mondays has been running for students wishing to learn how to incorporate mindfulness into their day to day life. Ms Lamb ran this lunchtime activity during the second half of lunch in M5. This activity will continue to run in Term 3 for students wishing to participate.

Quiet Fridays lunchtime

Ms Lamb also opens up the Year 8 Breakout space to offer a quiet space for students to sit in the warmth for some quiet time. All students are welcome to come and spend a quiet lunch with Ms Lamb on Fridays.

Peer Support

At Patterson River Secondary College we are very proud of our Peer Support Program which has run for over 25 years. It is a very important link for Year 7 students in their transition from Primary School to Secondary School life. But, it also offers our Year 10 students the chance to improve their leadership, self-esteem, self-confidence and communication skills. Year 10 students were trained as Peer Support Leaders early this term and visited four Year 7 Learning About Me lessons to facilitate engaging activities with students. This year we have aligned the Peer Support Program with the 6 Ways of Wellbeing and our school values to ensure students have access to well-rounded activities that will increase their sense of belonging and personal wellbeing.

We look forward to engaging and supporting all students throughout Term 3. We will continue running lots more events and programs throughout Term 3 for students to get involved in.