Wellbeing Partnerships and Safety

Featured in this article:

• Thank you and farewell
• A message from our College Captains
• Wellbeing and Positive Behaviour Support Staff Professional Learning Day
• Wellbeing for Learning - Winners of the Create a Wall Challenge
• Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support - Lifting uniform standards
• This edition's featured Houses are Champagnat and Jericho 
• Wellbeing - Special Report:  Vaping and e-cigarettes

Thank you and farewell

I write this Emmaus article for the final time with a big smile and a very full heart. This Friday will see my five years as a member of the Marist-Sion College community conclude. My husband and I prepare to welcome our fourth baby and I look to be more present in farm life and the lives of our children in their formative and precious years. 

To the students of our College both past and present, thank you for letting me into your world. Being your Deputy Principal has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. I have loved sharing in the incredible successes and countless joys you have experienced but too, it is those moments when you have felt overwhelmed, when you have felt anxious, unsure and at your most vulnerable, it is in those unscripted, honest conversations that you have shared your inner voice and allowed me to connect with you, to build trust with you and together, take those steps forward to help you be the best person you can be. It is in those moments that you have taught and inspired me. 

To our parents, guardians and carers, thank you. During the years working onsite and those two years of lockdowns and remote learning, we have needed to work in partnership. At times, we have not always seen eye to eye but what has never been in doubt, is that we our always working with the same intention of caring for your children and our students so that they can thrive and flourish as people.

To the Student Wellbeing Team and the Counselling and Wellbeing Services Team

Every student is known, valued and loved as an individual here at Marist-Sion College and our Heads of House are integral to this being lived out in our College every day for every student. The Heads of House work cooperatively with the College Executive Team and Senior Leaders and engender a high level of alignment with the College’s vision and mission. Promoting a spirit of mutual support and responsibility the Head of House has a broad responsibility for overseeing House specific programs, events and experiences to inspire and support our students experience of school and learning. I extend heartfelt gratitude to each Head of House, Acting Head of House who I have worked with since 2019 to present and to Mr Daniel Yamada and Mrs Stephanie Rogan. The dignity, care and support of our students and their families both visible and behind the scenes. Our students and staff are blessed to have you working for them and with them every day. 

Thank you Jo John,  Melanie Bradley, David Hobbs and Sally Pecoraro for your expertise, passion and unwavering dedication to our students and for your loving support of me. Together, we have navigated this important heart work. 

To the Executive Team and former Leadership Team

There is no doubt in my mind that I am a better leader and human being for having benefited from the wisdom and expertise of the members of these teams. I especially thank Mr Peter Houlahan, former College Principal, and Ms Lisa Harkin, College Principal, for your compassionate, sharply focused and faith filled leadership of our community. We have shared many laughs and sometimes tears as we have navigated the complexities of different situations never forgetting the dignity of the young people we are called to serve. 

To Mr Daniel Nisbet, your new Deputy Principal - Wellbeing Partnerships and Safety, I hand over this role with complete confidence in your commitment to our students, to their learning and their wellbeing. In the transition time we have shared together, your commitment to building positive relationships is so clearly evident and I know that you will continue to build on the solid foundations laid some fifty years ago. 

Thank you Marist-Sion College and farewell. 

A message from our College Captains

 Perspective - Sometimes a change of perspective is all it takes to see the light. 

At our final College Assembly for Term 1, Zizi and Bailey in their roles as College Captains amplified the character strength of Perspective. Please see below an excerpt from their College Captains Address and the celebration of the College Captains Awards for student putting in action our School Wide Expectations. 

Good morning everyone, I hope you are all well and feel a little excited as we near towards the end of the term

 

With only a little over a week to go before the Easter holidays, Bailey and myself would like to remind you how amazing you all have been at getting through those long days, hot days and days where you just want to be in bed. The struggles of life can sometimes bring us down but it's important to remain having a positive outlook on life and changing our perspective whenever we start to get in a negative headspace. 

 

To define perspective, it means a way of thinking about and understanding something. Perspective is what helps us bright light into someone else’s view and  allows us to properly empathise with one another, or in other words put yourself in their shoes. I personally feel as though that to be an understanding person, is to be able to use that skill of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and acting as if you were them. Weirdly enough, this can be used in many scenarios, for example feeling excited for your mates because they are, or perhaps recognising the importance of a situation that your friend might be dealing with. I know Mr Mazzolini has told some funny stories where I think wow that would’ve been strange situation for me to be in. However – the idea is to be able to appropriately recognise and adapt to the situation because of your understanding of the what other people are viewing.

Perspective can also be changed through viewing a certain situation in our life in a different way. For me personally I was very stressed about an upcoming SAC and trying to balance everything else but with a changed thought process and the help from a favourite teacher of mine I was able to create a new perspective, helping me feel a lot more calm. A change of perspective has the power to help us feel better about any situation. 

 

Last week, a few of the captains, Zizi and I, went and visited Lavalla Catholic College in Traralgon, where we joined a seminar with Marist Brother Tony Leon. This gave us proficient skills in how to be a better student leader, and a better person in regard to perspective. This was a good lesson on communication because it helped us further build the skills to be the right person for those who we encounter that need someone to talk to. We would like to emphasize the idea that we are more than open to talking, to hear your creative ideas or unique conversations as it helps us connect with you more.

 

We would like to acknowledge those students who have actively been engaging in their studies and participating in school events. It is really nice to see those of you who go about your schooling whilst making it fun for yourself and others. For those of you who are completing or have completed Naplan, well done! And for the VCE students completing their first Sacs for year 11 and 12 we would like to encourage everyone to keep pushing throughout the year and wish everyone good luck!

 

To conclude our address today, we will end with our College Captain’s Award who will be presented to Gregory (Year 7 Jericho) and Brianna (Year 8 Lourdes). Gregory demonstrated excellence within our college by not only being a generous student, but going the extra step to go out of his way by assisting a teacher through carrying a trolley full of books down several stairs, which definitely doesn’t sound like a one person job. Brianna on the other hand has demonstrated excellence within class and has shown a high-standard of learning which we encourage her peers and students to take up. Can you please make your way up to the stage to receive your awards."

Wellbeing and Positive Behaviour Support Staff Professional Learning Day - Monday 15 April

On Monday, staff gathered for the first day of Term 2 to focus on Expert Teacher Practice in Wellbeing. The aim of  today’s presentations was to strengthen our understanding of trauma-informed practice and the Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support. Embracing this approach allows us to cultivate a school culture where positive behaviours are not just encouraged, but celebrated and nurtured.

Wellbeing for Learning - Winners of the Create a Wall Challenge

In Term 1, Tutor Groups were set with the challenge to create visual display in their classrooms that celebrated their Tutor Group peers and promoted the character strengths and values they aspire to. This formed part of our Wellbeing Focus 'We Connect'. Items for inclusion were Student First Names/Birthdays, House Motto/Tutor Group Motto, three Character Strengths important to the Tutor Group and three Values the Tutor Group Group would like to promote. With all Houses represented in the final entries, the top three places were awarded to:

3rd Place - Sion 2 with Mrs Lilford

2nd Place - Sion 1 with Mrs Liebelt

1st Place - Lourdes 6 with Mr Patterson

Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support - Lifting uniform standards

Our College community has great pride in the community that we are. We know this because our parents and guardians entrust us with the learning and care of their child during the school day and because our staff choose to work at Marist-Sion College. Such pride is reflected in many ways, one being outward facing in how we present ourselves. As we commenced Term 2, our  Heads of House via House Assemblies, Tutors and teaching staff have been clear in their work with students to support this improvement. Further information is available to students and families in the College Student Planner and the College Website.

The College uniform is an important feature of our identity at Marist-Sion College. Our College uniform strengthens the spirit of the community, adds to student safety and group security, and is well-recognised and highly regarded within the community. Indeed, the good standing of the College is significantly influenced by the way students wear the uniform and present themselves. Hence, we anticipate that and expect our students will wear their uniform with pride.

Students are expected to present themselves well and to wear the uniform, including footwear, correctly. This applies during school hours, while travelling to and from school, and when students are engaged in school activities out of school hours. On excursions, unless otherwise stated, full College uniform is required.

Tutor Teachers and Heads of House will challenge our students to maintain or lift their standards with the College uniform. The Student Uniform Policy takes precedence over a student’s individual preference in matters of uniform. Excess jewellery will be confiscated. Students who do not comply with the College expectations in relation to their uniform will be issued with a consequence which may include:

• Asking students to return home until they have complied with the Student Uniform Policy;
• A lunchtime or afterschool reconnection;
• A parent/guardian and student meeting.

Mentoring the correct wearing of the uniform is the joint responsibility of students, parents/guardians and members of staff. Parents and guardians can support the College by attending to the little things like engaging in informal conversations about uniform and taking pride in personal appearance so please discuss this with your child. We value the positive relationships which are an intrinsic hallmark of life at Marist-Sion College.

This edition's featured Houses are Champagnat and Jericho

This week we celebrate Champagnat House led by Mrs Courtney Buttigieg (Head of House) alongside Riley and Holly as House Captains. Jericho House is led by Miss Natasha Gay-Wilson (Head of House), Sheridan and Brooke. Please continue to read through this edition of Emmaus to see the vibrancy of our Houses in action. 

Mrs Janelle Burgees

Deputy Principal: Wellbeing Partnerships and Safety