Wellbeing & Positive Climate for Learning 

Wellbeing

It has been another busy and positive term for the Wellbeing Team, with a strong focus on connection, inclusion, belonging and supporting students to develop skills that promote positive wellbeing. Throughout the term, students have had opportunities to participate in a range of engaging activities and targeted programs designed to strengthen relationships, build confidence and support their social and emotional wellbeing. We are proud to share some of the highlights from this term below:

Wear it Purple Day

The Wellbeing Team was proud to celebrate Wear It Purple Day this term, creating a fun, inclusive and welcoming lunchtime experience for students across both our junior and senior cohorts. Students enjoyed a variety of activities, including a photo booth and craft activities, while a DJ helped create a lively and celebratory atmosphere. Wear It Purple merchandise and fairy bread added to the festivities, encouraging students to get involved and celebrate the day’s important message. Casey Youth were also invited to participate, engaging with students and supporting activities throughout lunchtime. Their presence provided students with an opportunity to connect with local youth workers in a relaxed and positive setting, strengthening connections between young people and community services. Overall, the celebration highlighted the importance of inclusion, diversity, belonging and wellbeing, while providing students with a positive opportunity to connect, socialise and celebrate together as a school community.

R U OK? Day

Our school celebrated R U OK? Day with an incredible amount of positive energy, connection and enthusiasm across the school. R U OK? Day is an important reminder that a simple question and a genuine conversation can make a real difference to someone who may be struggling. It encourages us to check in with the people around us, listen without judgement and let others know that they are not alone. Our Year 12 VM students did a fantastic job facilitating a range of fun and meaningful student-led activities at lunchtime, creating a welcoming space where students could come together, have fun and connect with one another. Activities included the R U Oak-Kay? Tree – Gratitude Tree, R U KARAOK? – Karaoke, Cards on the Table – Card Activity, Confess or Express – Kindness Stall, Affirmation Station – Positive Affirmations, and R U BINGO-K? – Bingo. The Agora was buzzing with laughter, music and positive interactions, and it was wonderful to see students embracing the activities and spreading kindness throughout the school. A huge thank you to our Year 12 VM students for bringing such fantastic energy to the day and helping promote the important message of checking in, connecting and asking R U OK?

Do it for Dolly Campaign 

Our Year 12 VM students recently hosted a Do It for Dolly Lunch, bringing students and staff together to spread kindness, raise awareness and stand up against bullying. The event provided a relaxed opportunity for our school community to connect, enjoy lunch together and show their support for creating a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for everyone.

A big thank you to our Year 12 VM students for organising the event and helping to promote the important message that kindness, empathy and looking out for one another can make a real difference. It was fantastic to see so many students get involved and support such an important cause.

MPower

MPower is an 8-week program run by Counsellor, Sarah Bentley, for female Year 7 Students, who identified difficulties navigating friendships. Over the term we worked on communication, identified stereotypes and cliques, developed new skills make friends and discussed our own struggles with friends as a group. The students have worked well with each other and Sarah and look forward to using all their new information as they continue through high school and their adult lives!

Men2B

Men2B was run this term for a small group of year 7's, facilitated by counsellors Alan Yin and Francis Fanchette. During the 8 sessions various topics were covered such as: Personal values, emotional regulation, self-care strategies and unpacking male stereotypes. Students engaged well in thoughtful and reflective conversation with Alan and Francis and we hope this promotes better conversation among themselves and their peers moving forward.

As we head into the school holidays, we also encourage families to continue checking in with young people and having open conversations about how they are feeling. If your child needs additional support during the holidays, please connect with a GP or local support service. Services such as Kids Helpline, Lifeline and Beyond Blue are also available during the holiday period. 

The Wellbeing Team wish you a restful break and we look forward to a positive term ahead. 

Celebrating Positive Behaviour at CESC

Our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) journey continues at Cranbourne East Secondary College, with students being recognised for the positive choices they make each day. Through our shared expectations of Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. We are building a school environment where students understand what is expected, feel supported and can focus on their learning.

We are excited to share that over 468,565 Positive Behaviour Points have been awarded so far this year! This represents thousands of moments where students have demonstrated our expectations and staff have taken the time to acknowledge their efforts.

Whether it is arriving prepared for class, engaging in learning, treating others with kindness or using shared spaces responsibly, these everyday actions contribute to a positive school community. Recognising these behaviours helps students understand that their choices matter and that their efforts are noticed.

Celebrating Our Merit Badge Achievements

Our Merit Badges recognise students who consistently demonstrate our school-wide expectations. We are proud to celebrate the following achievements this year:

• 655 Bronze Merit Badges—recognising the milestone of 1,000 Positive Behaviour Points.
• 31 Silver Merit Badges—recognising the milestone of 2,000 Positive Behaviour Points.
• 14 Gold Merit Badges—recognising the milestone of 3,500 Positive Behaviour Points.

Congratulations to all students who have achieved a Merit Badge! These milestones reflect the accumulation of positive choices over time. Students can wear their badges with pride as a reminder of their contribution to our college community. For those still working towards their next milestone, every positive choice is another step forward.

More Than Points and Rewards

While points, badges and opportunities to redeem points through the Vault provide ways to celebrate success, SWPBS is also about explicitly teaching and practising the behaviours that support learning and positive relationships.

Across the college, staff continue to reinforce consistent classroom routines, clearly communicate expectations and provide reminders and support when students need them. This includes helping students enter classrooms ready to learn, participate respectfully, take responsibility for their equipment and actions, and finish lessons in an orderly way.

When students need support to meet an expectation, our focus includes reteaching the expected behaviour and providing opportunities to practise and improve. Just as students develop academic skills over time, they also need guidance and encouragement to build positive learning habits.

Continuing to Strengthen Our Approach

Our staff are also continuing to learn and reflect on how we can make these practices more consistent across the school. Professional learning, classroom observations and SWPBS Learning Walks provide opportunities to share effective strategies and identify areas for further support. Staff feedback is helping us understand what is working well and where processes can be clearer and easier to use.

This ongoing work supports our goal of making expectations predictable and positive recognition meaningful for all students.

Working Together with Families

Families play an important role in reinforcing the connection between positive choices and success at school. You can support our SWPBS approach by asking your child what they have been recognised for, celebrating their progress towards a Merit Badge and discussing what being safe, respectful and responsible looks like in everyday situations.

Thank you to our students for their efforts, our staff for their ongoing encouragement and our families for their support. We look forward to celebrating more milestones as our students continue to grow as learners and members of the CESC community.