Wellbeing at Homestead

How can we help?

Our Wellbeing Team are here to help but sometimes it's hard to know who the right person is to go to. Here's a quick guide to the team:

Beth - Our Student Counsellor

• Students can refer to Beth via the Google form linked on the Star Menu on Compass. Students can also pop into Beth's office or send her an email. 
• Our parents can refer their student to Beth via the form that is linked on the HSSC website
• A consent form is not required to be signed for Beth to see a student. 
• Beth can help your student work on things like mental health concerns, study stress, relationship issues, managing difficult situations and much more.  She will tailor coping strategies and wellness plans to suit there needs. 
• Beth's appointments are scheduled
• Beth can work with teachers and external providers to creative a supportive environment for your student. 

• Beth can make referrals to services external to our school.

   

  Beth's email address is: Bethany.Collier3@education.vic.gov.au

   

Emma - Our Mental Health Practitioner (MHP)/Psychologist

• Students cannot self refer to Emma. Please contact the Student Engagement or Wellbeing Team if you would like your student to connect with Emma.
• Emma is appointment based only.
• A consent form is required to be signed to see Emma.
• Emma can work with your student on mental health prevention and promotion, family issues, relationship issues etc 
• Emma can work with teachers and external providers to support your student. 

• Emma can make referrals to services external to our school.

   

  Emma is contactable at: Emma.Howarth@education.vic.gov.au

   

   

Lauren - Our Wellbeing Leading Teacher

• Lauren works to support both the academics and wellbeing of our students.
• Lauren coordinates the wellbeing curriculum based programs at HSSC including eg the RRRRs, being a Safe School, Fit2Drive, etc
• Lauren can work with your external providers to support our students.
• Lauren leads our proactive wellbeing including our positive green note culture, the House Culture, and our awards/scholarships/grants program. 

• Lauren is contactable at: Lauren.Romanczukiewicz@education.vic.gov.au

   

Katie - Our Inclusion Leader

• Katie supports our Students With Additional Needs (SWANS)
• Katie coordinates the Disability Inclusion program in our school.
• Katie coordinates our Education Support staff who work with students in classrooms.
• Katie can work with your external providers to support our students.

• Katie is contactable at: Katie.Jaz@education.vic.gov.au

   

After reading all of this, if your still not sure please contact Reception on 7379 9600 and our friendly staff will direct your call to the appropriate person.  Alternatively, check out the Wellbeing page on the College website. 

Year 12 Exams – Stress Management and Study Tips

It is that time of the year where all formalised learning has completed for the Year 12s, trial exams have been undertaken, and they begin to prepare for their final exams. This can sometimes feel overwhelming with the finish line so close, but with good support systems and solid strategies, students can manage it successfully.

During the Term 3 holidays we encourage students to continue with their preparations for their upcoming VCAA exams, but to also be kind to themselves and ensure there is a good balance of study and self-care to maintain their health and wellbeing, and assist with positive academic performance.

Things parents and students can do to help:

• Plan and stay flexibleCreating a study plan with clear goals can make study time feel more structured and balanced. Make sure the plan includes regular breaks, time for socialising, and rest. Remember, things don’t always go to plan—so allow extra time for tasks that take longer than expected.
• Look after your WellbeingExams are important, but mental health comes first. Negative thoughts like “I’ll never get this” or comparing yourself to others can make stress worse. Try to reframe challenges as opportunities to improve. Keeping healthy routines—like exercise, eating well, and getting enough sleep—helps boost focus and energy.
• Use support networksStudying with friends or peers can help with motivation and understanding tricky topics. Don’t be afraid to reach out for extra help if you need it—Year 12 teachers are happy to book in sessions during the lead up to exams for extra revision. If you are feeling overwhelmed or that your wellbeing is not in a positive space you can reach out to the Wellbeing Team or support services like Headspace.
• Most importantly, keep perspectiveIt’s normal to feel pressure, but exam results don’t define your worth. Every student’s journey looks different, and effort, persistence, and wellbeing matter just as much as grades.

On exam dayTry to keep to your normal routine. Eat well, breathe deeply, and take a moment to centre yourself before the exam starts. Small steps to stay calm can make a big difference!

Local library information for independent study

Term 3 in Wellbeing 

This term we have celebrated many important days as a school community. We have had support from the great team of Youth workers at Wyndham Youth Services who join us on a Tuesday lunchtime for the Youth Connect program. 

The term kicked off with celebrating NAIDOC week, with some native food tastings and cookie baking. 

We have celebrated Wear it Purple Day with some table tennis, chalk drawing, bracelet making and other fun activities.

We have come together to create some kind messages for Bullying No Way week. 

Study Tips from our students 

Finding the right study method can take some time and is different for every person. You may need to try some different methods before you find what works for you.

Here are some suggestions from our Year 12 Leaders, Lucinda, Jyothsna and Shreevidya. 

• Study Space The space you study in is one of the most important factors to successful studying. Find a space you feel comfortable, put your phone away to limit distractions and ensure the space is clutter free. 

• OrganisationKnowing what’s ahead and planning accordingly is an important part of life. Creating a study timetable will help you find the time to study for exams and help you get to school on time. Always think about:- how you will get to your exam (e.g. do you need to check public transport schedules?)- date and time of the exam- what items you need to take into the exam (stationary, leave your phone in your locker)

• Scribble strategyThis is a technique used while listening and learning. Scribbling with your non-dominant hand can help keep the brain focused and remember content. Have a piece of paper next to you while studying and scribble with your non-dominant hand. 

• Flash cards Flash cards are a quick and easy way to break down key terms and concepts, and are a good way to use active recall. You can include visuals or make electronic flash cards using Quizlet to keep forever (useful for your VCE units 1-4). 

• Mindmaps and Blurting Mindmaps: a graphic organiser that helps visualise relationships between concepts and ideas. They help to see how one concept links or leads to another idea. Blurting: Put down all of the information you know about a topic or idea onto a page (usually closed book) and refer back to see what needs improvement. You can also do this method by making a pretend cheat sheet. 

• Feynman Method Study groups are a great opportunity if the group stays on task. The Feynman method involves teaching your ideas to someone as if they were a 5 year old child, this means simplifying your content enough to make it easy for you to remember and recall.  Someone in your group may pick something they are not familiar with and you can teach it to them. 

• Body doublingThis involves two people working together on one with the same or different work. The purpose is to hold each other accountable for focus. 

• Pomodoro Method To ensure that you’re not burning out due to continuous hours of learning, take breaks frequently. The best ratio is 25 minutes of deep work to a 5 minute break. Every 2 cycles, include a 10 minute break. When deep into your work, place your phone in another room to reduce distractions. 

• Practice Questions Practice answering short answer and extended response questions - this can be from SACs, questions answered in class, summary questions from your textbook or past exam questions. Ask your teacher to mark your work (you can utilise period 0, homework club and times you don’t have a scheduled exam)

• Study timetable tips- Work in half hour blocks, taking a break between sessions- Choose 1 subject to work on each school night, 2 - 3 subjects closer to the exams- Set goals on what you want to achieve for each subject in each study block- Organise your timetable planning the subjects you will study- In each study block spend time ‘learning’ and sometimes ‘practising’- Recognise which study strategies are most effective for your learning style- Usually these would be made around 2 weeks in advance, but handy to practise for end of year exams and next year.

            We would like to wish our Year 12 students and families all the very best for their 

            upcoming exams and the final chapter of their schooling journey!

Some additional supporting resources:

Study Skills handout

Dealing with exam stress guide