Principal's Message

Wellness Week

As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition, Trinity College has at its very centre, a genuine concern for the safety and welfare of every student. While delivering specific curriculum pathways and providing a wide variety of opportunities and experiences for our boys is the means by which we assist in their formation, their ongoing health and wellbeing is of particular importance. The respective formation programs, pastoral support structures, health and fitness curriculum, and the number and quality of dedicated support staff such as Heads of Year, Psychologists, PCG Teachers and Education Assistants are all evidence of such care within our school. The great success of The Resilience Project within our College, and the recent introduction of the ‘Wellio’ wellbeing program, has added even more in this important area. At a time when aspects of children’s physical and mental health is becoming increasingly topical within our wider society, it is most encouraging to see the efforts of our staff and student leaders to focus on student wellbeing as part of our upcoming ‘Wellness Week’ (week 7: September 1-5). 

While we look forward to an enjoyable week, we are very keen to deliver important messages about general wellness and student wellbeing matters. While many definitions of wellbeing exist, it is generally considered that student wellbeing is ‘a sustainable state of positive mood and attitude, resilience, and satisfaction with one’s self, others and experiences at school’. It is widely acknowledged that student wellbeing directly affects most aspects of a student’s functioning, sense of connectedness and their ability to learn at school. While wellbeing levels can fluctuate and are very much contextual, the ability to self-monitor such levels is vitally important, as is understanding that positive choices around diet, fitness, sleep and mental care can make a significant difference. Access to sound advice and health professionals in these areas is readily available and boys will be encouraged and directed to seek such advice as deemed appropriate, particularly as part of next week.

Throughout our Wellness Week focus, our College will present a particular focus on mental wellbeing. Our boys will have the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of activities and hear from a variety of speakers on topics such as developing a healthy self-esteem, stress management and anxiety, managing emotions, cyber safety, resilience and mindfulness. Wellness Week will follow a daily wellness theme and promises something of interest for every student. Importantly, our boys will be immersed in important health and welfare information sessions and have access to resources that focus on their personal wellbeing. The program for the week has been sent to all families and can be found below. It will provide specific developmentally appropriate presentations regarding mental health and general wellbeing to respective Year cohorts. I encourage parents to speak to their sons about being involved in the many activities available. Further to this, it could present an opportunity to speak more generally about wellbeing issues.

At a time when we continue to be faced with worrying statistics about children’s health, it is important that a school such as Trinity College continues to work in collaboration with families and community groups to support our boys’ mental health and wellbeing. Only last week, our boys in the Imperium Dance group, delivered a powerful message related to the Blue Tree Project as part of the Wakikirri National Story-Dance Festival. Their Performance entitled ‘Echoes Beneath The Surface - Mind over Matter’ was outstanding and the message within was even greater.

I look forward to a fun and informative Wellness Week and congratulate and thank the many staff and students who have been so enthusiastic, hard-working and considered in bringing the program together. As always, we seek to form good young men who are resilient and aware of their own wellbeing.

Live Jesus in our hearts.

Mr Darren O’Neill 

Principal