Student Wellbeing

Lights, Camera, Action!                                                   St Joseph’s Stars Take the Spotlight!

Big news, St Joseph’s community! This Friday, October 23rd, our school is playing host to a very special guest: Jetha Devapura, founder of the inspiring Let’s TALK Buddy Program, along with his professional filming team!  They are coming to shoot a featured podcast that will be broadcast to schools all across Australia—and the stars of the show are right here in our yard!

Last term, many students volunteered to be buddies in the 'Let's TALK Buddy Program in our playground each recess and lunchtime on a rostered basis.  Of these, seven outstanding students went above and beyond in their commitment to bring the Let’s TALK Buddy Program to life every single day.  Whether it was double-checking rosters every recess and lunch, gently prompting their peers, or eagerly stepping in to cover for absent friends, these dedicated buddies made sure no one was left out and were there to Let Everyone Talk Safely in our yard.  They were outstanding in their role of Telling (when someone needed support), Acknowledging (how they were feeling), Listening (to their concerns) and Keeping In Touch (so they knew they would always have someone to talk to when needed)  

• Henry Evans
• Vesper Hindle
• Tong Tong Zhu
• Isabella Willcock
• Zara Arnold
• Levi Morrison
• Zara Burton-Royce

These seven legends are currently hard at work studying their scripts, getting ready to showcase both St Joseph's and this incredible mental health and inclusion program to the entire nation.

We are so proud of your leadership, kindness, and dedication. Wish them the best of luck this Friday—we can’t wait to see you shine!

St Joseph's NEW Behaviour Support Flowchart

This year, our staff have collected behaviour data, reviewed student feedback, and researched best practices from leading educational institutions. In consultation with specialists in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), we have developed a clear, school-wide Behaviour Support Flowchart.

This framework establishes a consistent, transparent approach to behaviour support, fostering a strong partnership between staff, students, and families. It outlines minor and major behaviours alongside the specific strategies and responses each will warrant.

Our Educational Philosophy

At St Joseph's, we view behaviour as a form of communication that often reflects unmet needs. For the past few years, our teachers have been trained in the trauma-informed, positive education principles of the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM). This approach emphasizes:

• Unconditional Positive Regard: Maintaining unwavering care and respect for every student while understanding the underlying intent behind their actions.
• Proactive Support & Clear Boundaries: Prioritizing student wellbeing while reinforcing that major behaviours impacting safety, learning, or mutual respect carry consistent consequences.
• Reflection & Restoration: When major behaviours occur, students complete a Reflection Phase to consider their actions. Crucially, this is followed by a Repair Conversation with the teacher involved to restore trust and rebuild relationships.

Escalation Process - Minor and Major Behaviours

For minor behaviours, teachers focus on gentle redirection, reteaching expectations, and guiding students to use their personal 'Ready to Learn' Plan to self-regulate and re-engage with the class. However, if a minor behaviour is repeated multiple times (3+ instances) and continues to impact learning or safety, it is escalated to a major response. In these instances—as with any major behaviour—parents are promptly contacted and consulted, and leadership works alongside teaching staff to determine the most supportive outcome.

Above all, our guiding commitment is that every day is a new beginning—offering every student the opportunity to reset, learn and grow.

Feedback & Inquiries

We invite you to review our new Behaviour Support Framework. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to reach out to Mrs O'Shannassy or directly to myself at jennyt@sjsorrento.catholic.edu.au.

Kind regards,

Jenny Todd 

(Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader)