Student Wellbeing

Student Wellbeing

At the start of each school year, we make sure our staff are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to support the health and wellbeing of every student. This year, our whole staff participated in two Professional Learning Days focused on some essential areas that directly impact student safety and engagement, including First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis training, as well as a deep dive into Berry Street Day 3: Stamina and Engagement. These professional learning experiences not only build a safe school community but also contribute to our overarching goal of fostering a thriving learning environment.

On Tuesday, completed our First Aid Level 2, CPR update, asthma, and anaphylaxis training to ensure staff are fully prepared to manage medical emergencies. By staying up-to-date with the latest procedures, we confidently know that our team is equipped to quickly respond to incidents, helping to ensure community safety at all times at our school.

On Wednesday, staff completed the Berry Street Education Model training, ‘Day 3:Stamina and Engagement’. Our learning centered on helping students develop the stamina to persist through challenges and engage fully in their learning. By focusing on strategies to promote resilience, we ensure that students can remain focused and motivated, even during moments of difficulty. It’s not just about teaching content, but about creating a learning environment where students feel empowered to push through challenges, knowing they have the emotional strength to succeed.

Finally, on Thursday and Friday we were thrilled to welcome back small groups of students for half-day Assessment and Wellbeing sessions. These sessions allow staff the opportunity to establish positive relationships with students; calmly reorient students to their new learning environments; and establish early learning goals for each student based on their current learning needs. All students were enthusiastically engaged in the sessions, with teachers reporting great positivity as students reconnected with their peers. 

Next week, we will continue our focus on a positive and supportive start to our year with SWELL Day on Friday, following our whole school beginning of year Mass. At OLHC, we pride ourselves on ensuring that every child is known, and that staff and students build positive relationships with all students, not only those in their class. SWELL Day is an opportunity for all teachers to get to know all children at OLHC and for children to build connections with children from other year levels as they participate in a variety of activities in mixed ages groups throughout the day.

With such a solid start, we are poised to support every student on their learning journey, ensuring they feel supported, challenged, and most importantly, ready to thrive. We are looking forward to a year of growth, engagement, and success at Our Lady Help of Christians!

Norah Jacombs

Deputy Principal (Wellbeing, Learning Diversity)