Wellbeing & Positive Climate for Learning 

Wellbeing 

The Wellbeing Team has had a busy and productive term, providing individual student counselling, targeted small-group programs, cohort-wide wellbeing workshops and celebration days, as well as school-wide health promotion initiatives. Some highlights from the term are outlined below.

Celebrating IDAHOBIT Day at Our School

Our school community recently came together to celebrate IDAHOBIT Day (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia), promoting the important values of inclusion, respect, diversity and belonging.

The Wellbeing Team coordinated a range of activities throughout the day to raise awareness and encourage positive conversations about supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Students enjoyed rainbow pancakes at Breakfast Club, creating a welcoming and inclusive start to the day. At lunchtime, students participated in bracelet making and colouring activities, providing creative opportunities to engage with messages of acceptance and respect in a safe and supportive environment.

We were also pleased to welcome Casey Youth, who partnered with the school to facilitate a badge-making activity. This proved to be extremely popular, with many students enthusiastically participating and engaging in discussions about diversity, inclusion and belonging.

The day was a wonderful success, helping to increase awareness of IDAHOBIT Day while highlighting our school's commitment to creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all students. We thank Casey Youth for their valued contribution and all students and staff who participated in making the day such a positive and meaningful event.

Vaping Awareness Pop- Up 

Following an increase in vaping-related referrals and concerns raised through student wellbeing supports, the Secondary School Nurse and Wellbeing Team worked collaboratively to organise a whole-school Vaping Awareness Pop-Up at CESC. The initiative aimed to provide students with accessible, evidence-based information about vaping and create opportunities for informal conversations around health and wellbeing.

The pop-up was held in a high-traffic area of the school during both Junior and Senior lunchtime periods to maximise student engagement and visibility. Students were invited to explore displays, ask questions, complete quizzes, and learn about the short- and long-term health impacts of vaping. Informational pamphlets were also available for students to take away, allowing them to access reliable information and support services in their own time.

The initiative was well received by students and staff, with many commenting on the value of providing education on this important topic in a visible and approachable way. It was encouraging to see students engaging in discussions, seeking further information, and reflecting on the impact vaping can have on their health and wellbeing. Through the support of the Wellbeing Team, the pop-Up successfully increased awareness, promoted healthy decision-making, and reinforced the school’s commitment to student health and wellbeing.

Year 9 Wellbeing Day

Our Year 9 Wellbeing Day was a wonderful celebration of personal growth, connection and fun. Students participated in a range of activities designed to build resilience, practise self-care, strengthen teamwork, and develop empathy.

From inspiring guest speakers to engaging team challenges and wellbeing activities, there was something for everyone. The day was a great success, with students embracing the experience and sharing overwhelmingly positive feedback about the opportunities to learn, connect and have fun together.

Friendship Workshops

During the final weeks of term, the Year 7 cohort participated in friendship workshops facilitated by Year 7/8 Counsellor, Sarah. The workshops focused on the qualities of a good friend, recognising unhealthy friendships, and expressing gratitude to people who are important to us.

Students worked collaboratively in groups, participated in team games, and wrote letters to friends to thank them for their friendship. The workshops were delivered class by class, and the Year 7 cohort should be proud of their engagement and behaviour throughout the program.

Students described the workshops as engaging, helpful and fun, while others offered some very honest feedback, describing them as “cringe” or “mid”! Thank you to the Year 7 Year Level Team and cohort for their support and participation.

Respectful Relationships Workshop for Yr 12 VM students 

The Respectful Relationships team produced and delivered a session to the Year 12 VM Cohort titled 'Stepping out of the sandbox'.

This session was delivered through the lens of acknowledging your own skills and strengths then their application as they move into adulthood. The content covered things such as marketing your own skills in the job market and understanding how to navigate workplace dilemmas. Alongside this, concepts around Healthy Relationships were covered. Specifically, how to achieve and maintain a healthy relationship as well as how to support if they feel someone they know are in an unhealthy relationship.

Cranbourne East Secondary College is a Respectful Relationships School and is committed to family violence prevention and promoting gender equality. 

Art Therapy

Throughout this semester, Education Support staff Sarah and Catch have facilitated the CESC Art Therapy Program for selected students in Years 8–10. Activities have included clay sculpture, free painting, stamp carving, beading and cake decorating.

The program provides students with opportunities for emotional regulation, self-awareness, self-care and peer connection. Each year level group has been highly engaged, expressive and open throughout the program, helping to shape activities and build positive relationships.

Thank you to all students who participated this semester. We are excited to extend the program to Year 7 students in Semester 2, 2026.

Mentoring Program 

As part of our mentoring program, Cranbourne East Secondary College is proud to have Cultural Mentor Nafisa Soudagar supporting our female Muslim students. Nafisa plays a valuable role in helping students feel seen, understood and connected within their school environment.

By building positive relationships and offering culturally responsive support, Nafisa has already made a meaningful impact on the students she works with. We are excited to see the continued growth of this program and the positive difference it will make in supporting students to thrive both personally and academically.

Next term, we look forward to implementing additional small-group early intervention programs across the school. In Junior School, this will include the MPower and Men2Be programs. Middle School students will have access to a Conflict Management Program and the Rise and Lead Program, while Senior School students will participate in Exam Survival Workshops.

Farewell to Samuel Dzungayira

This term, the Wellbeing Team was sad to say goodbye to Samuel, who left CESC after five years of dedicated service. Samuel was much loved by students and was a strong advocate for young people and their families. He formed meaningful relationships across our school community and made significant contributions to our Community, Cultural and Connections space.

We thank Samuel for all he has contributed to CESC and wish him every success in his future endeavours.

Please see below for our current Wellbeing Team members:

A reminder that a range of support services can be accessed over the school holiday break. Please see the information below for available services and contact details:

The Wellbeing Team wish all students and families a relaxing, safe and positive break, and look forward to another busy and exciting term ahead supporting our school community.

School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Update – Semester 1

Throughout Semester 1, CESC has continued to strengthen its School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework, with a focus on creating a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment where all students can succeed.

A major focus this semester has been the consistent teaching and reinforcement of our school-wide expectations across all learning spaces. Staff have worked collaboratively to explicitly teach expected behaviours, provide regular reminders, and acknowledge students who demonstrate our values in the classroom, yard and wider school community. By clearly defining and teaching these expectations, we are helping students understand what positive behaviour looks like and how it contributes to a productive learning environment.

Students have continued to engage with our acknowledgement systems, earning recognition for demonstrating positive behaviours aligned with our school values. Celebrating student success remains an important part of our SWPBS framework and helps foster a culture where positive choices are encouraged and valued.

Throughout the semester, our SWPBS Team has also been reviewing behaviour data to identify trends, celebrate areas of success and determine where additional supports may be required. This data-driven approach allows us to make informed decisions and develop targeted strategies to support student engagement, wellbeing and learning outcomes.

Staff have participated in ongoing professional learning to further strengthen their understanding of positive behaviour support practices, including proactive classroom management strategies, restorative conversations and relationship-based approaches. These practices help ensure students are supported to learn from their behaviour, repair relationships when needed and continue to grow as learners.

One of the highlights of Semester 1 has been the continued development of consistent behaviour expectations across the school. Through the use of common language and shared practices, students experience greater consistency regardless of the classroom or learning environment they are in. This consistency provides clarity for students and supports a positive and predictable school culture.

As we move into Semester 2, we will continue refining our SWPBS practices, reviewing our systems and seeking feedback from students, staff and families. We thank our students, families and staff for their ongoing support and commitment to creating a positive school environment where everyone feels safe, respected and ready to learn.