Wellbeing News 

Year 8 Dog Therapy Program

The Wellbeing Team were luckily enough to secure funding from the DET to run this program across Terms 2 & 3.  

This term, our Year 8 students took part in a 40-minute therapy dog session with Juliet and her dog, Fern, from Canine Comprehension. 

The program was designed to support each form group’s unique needs and included a mix of fun and meaningful activities like: 

• Mindfulness exercises and themed puzzles 
• Role-playing how to safely meet and pat a dog 
• Trick training with Fern using voice commands and hand gestures 
• Games to identify dog emotions using visual cards 
• Group discussions around emotional wellbeing and teamwork 

It was a great opportunity for students to unwind, connect and learn new skills in a relaxed, supportive space. 

I had a great experience with Fern and Juliet. They showed me the stuff they do together and the stuff they teach people at schools. All the tricks they showed me were cool and fun and I learnt a few tricks along the way. 

Jarvis M 8A 

Breakfast Club  

At Patterson River Secondary College, we believe that a great day starts with a great breakfast! 

Our Breakfast Club Program runs three mornings a week, providing students with a warm, welcoming space, where they can have a healthy and positive start to their day. 

Breakfast Club Details: 

• Tuesday's, Wednesday's & Friday's 
• 8am - 8:40am 
• Community Room 

The Breakfast Club is open to all students and completely free of charge. It offers a variety of nutritious and filling breakfast options, including: 

• Cereals 
• Toast & Toasties 
• Snacks, such as fruit, fruit cups and milk 

Come along, grab a bite and make your morning a little brighter! 

IDAHOBIT Day  

On May 20th, Patterson River Secondary College celebrated IDAHOBIT Day - the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia. IDAHOBIT day acknowledges progress in reducing discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people and to highlight ongoing challenges they face. At Patterson River Secondary College we recognised this important day with activities led by the Wellbeing team, Patterson River Secondary College RESPECT Action Group and Kingston Youth Services.  

Our RESPECT action group joined a weekly staff briefing to quiz teachers and education support staff on key terms and information which help foster an inclusive environment within our school community. The RESPECT and the Wellbeing team together, held a morning tea to celebrate the diversity of our students and recognise staff members who continuously show their support for our rainbow community. 

We also had Kingston Youth facilitate lunchtime activities further promoting the meaning of IDAHOBIT day and the importance of maintaining a respectful and inclusive community. Thank you to everyone who participated in Patterson River Secondary College IDAHOBIT day events!! 

Kingston Youth Services – Year 7 Connection Lunchtime Program  

Each Tuesday lunchtime we are lucky enough to have two Youth Workers from Kingston Youth Services attend our school to run a Year 7 Connections Program during lunchtime in the Year 7 centre. This is a great opportunity for Year 7 students to connect with peers and make new friends from other classes. The Youth Workers will often run fun competitions or games for students to get involved with or will support important awareness events run by the school such as Reconciliation week and IDAHOBIT day. 

Thanks to Ho and Spencer from Kingston Youth for their continued fun, enthusiasm and support of this program! We welcome any Year 7 student interested to join Kingston next term on Tuesday lunchtime in the Year 7 centre.