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Highvale Secondary College Newsletter
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Healthy Minds @ Highvale

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Shannon McCARTHY

School Psychologist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Highvale Community, 

 

As 2025 draws to a close, the Wellbeing Team would like to wish all students and families a safe, restful, and rejuvenating holiday break. We thank you for your ongoing partnership in supporting the wellbeing of our young people.

 

Wellbeing at Highvale in 2025

Throughout 2025, the Wellbeing Team has worked across multiple layers of the school community to support student wellbeing. We have achieved this through individual and group work with students, parents, and staff.

 

Some highlights from this year include:

  • Students accessed the Wellbeing space over 450 times across the year

  • Nearly all Highvale staff have now completed Youth Mental Health First Aid training, strengthening our capacity to notice, respond to, and support students experiencing mental health concerns

  • Launch of the Healthy Minds at Highvale parent newsletter

  • Delivery of our first Tuning in to Teens group parenting program, with very positive feedback from families

  • Introduction of group skills building programs for junior school students, focusing on communication, problem-solving, emotional awareness, and emotion regulation skills

  • Establishment of Breakfast Club, providing students with consistent access to food and connection, including:

    • 88 loaves of bread and over 1,000 toasted sandwiches

    • 264 fruit cups

    • Approximately 280 kg of fresh fruit, including apples, oranges, pears, and bananas

    • Additional items such as soup, rice, and popcorn

  • Year 9 consent education and drug and alcohol harm-minimisation workshops

  • School-wide Wellbeing Days, including R U OK? Day, Mental Health Awareness activities, and IDAHOBIT

 

We would like to give a special shout out to this year’s Wellbeing Captains – Cassandra H., Natasha S., and Shaana P. – for their incredible contributions to student wellbeing at Highvale.

 

We are so proud of the collective efforts and commitment of our school community to supporting student wellbeing.

 

Support Over the Holiday Period

As we head into the holiday break, we would like to share a range of mental health supports available to students and families.

 

HSC Mental Health Contacts Poster.pdf

 

In an emergency or if there is immediate risk to yourself or someone you know:

Please call 000 or attend your nearest hospital emergency department.

 

For urgent or non-urgent mental health assessment, advice, or referrals:

  • Monash Health Psychiatric Triage Service: 1300 369 012

  • Eastern Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT): 1300 721 927

 

For non-urgent mental health support:

 

Websites for parents and carers:

 

We encourage families to save these resources and reach out to them if support is needed over the break. We look forward to working together again in 2026.

 

Take care, 

Molly, Sean, Shannon, and Victoria

The Highvale Secondary College Wellbeing Team