Wellbeing and Inclusion at Toolamba Primary School

I wanted to introduce myself as the school’s Wellbeing and Inclusion Leader. My name is Dani Watt and before coming to Toolamba Primary School, I was most recently working as an education improvement leader supporting diverse learners and guiding schools in Goulburn with evidence based inclusive practices. I am passionate about advocating for all students, but particularly students with neurodiversity and learning difficulties, to fully participate, learn, develop and succeed in their schooling.

Our Wellbeing model aims to integrate the learning and wellbeing of all students within a positive and inclusive environment. Through building strong relationships, we aspire to empower students to be happy, healthy and resilient lifelong learners and strive to work with families to optimise students’ physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

The key objectives of our Wellbeing model are:

Building relationships with students through connection and engagement;
Promoting a culture of inclusion and belonging;
Developing collaborative partnerships with students, parents, staff and the community;
Providing evidence-based staff training to achieve positive wellbeing outcomes;
Implementing evidence-based proactive wellbeing frameworks and supports;
Utilising wellbeing data to inform decision making and directions for students and our school;
Ensuring a focus of staff wellbeing.

We have a variety of supports in place to provide a safe environment for students to learn about their health and wellbeing, develop their moral compass and build upon their student voice in relation to their own and other students’ wellbeing.

These include:

School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)

Through the SWPBS framework, we focus on explicitly teaching expected behaviours that are underpinned by our school values; being respectful, trustworthy, inclusive and kind. Through explicit teaching of our values, we set clear expectations for all students and clear processes to support a consistent response when students are making positive and/or negative choices.

Regular Wellbeing Check Ins

We have weekly formal check ins schoolwide to gather wellbeing data and monitor student wellbeing. This data allows teachers to track students’ attitudes to school and wellbeing and identify any patterns and concerns to support early intervention.

UR Strong Friendology

The UR Strong Friendology curriculum aligns with our School-wide positive behaviour framework and supports teachers with explicit teaching of social skills and strategies to support strong and healthy friendships at school. Students also learn strategies to navigate friendship fires and resolve conflict within this skill-based approach to building and maintaining healthy friendships.

Respectful Relationships

The Respectful Relationships program supports our school to promote and model respect, positive attitudes, and behaviours. The program promotes the explicit teaching of how to build healthy relationships, resilience, and confidence.

Prep and Year Six Buddy Program

Our Prep and Year Six student buddy programs support a smooth transition for children starting school. The Buddy programs promote social and support networks for children beginning Prep and promotes a sense of community and belonging in the school. For our Year Six students, the buddy program is an opportunity to give back to the school community and provides great leadership opportunities.

Positive Rewards

All classrooms have rewards systems and motivators to recognise students striving for excellence. We also have weekly awards at assembly and termly awards.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club runs at different times throughout the school year, typically on Wednesday mornings. It is an opportunity for students to share a breakfast with their peers and connect before starting the school day. Students can choose from a menu which supports eating a balanced meal to start the day and giving our body and brain the fuel it needs to learn.

Lunchtime Games

On designated days and times students, can elect to play games inside during breaks to promote different ways to connect with peers and learn some new games and skills. This caters to different students' interests and provides options for students at play times.

We look forward to your support in working in partnership with us to make Toolamba Primary School a place where everyone can be their best self, learning and succeeding in a safe and inclusive environment.

Warm regards,

Dani Watt

Wellbeing and Inclusion Leader

URSTRONG

These are some of my takeaways from the session.

Friendship Facts

No friendship, relationship, is perfect. (Sometimes we do get on each other’s nerves.)
Every friendship is different. If something is not working. Talk about (WWW)
- What works with the friendship?
- What doesn’t work?
- What is the plan?
Trust and respect are the two most important qualities.
Friendships change and that’s ok. It is ok for people to decide to make new friends.

The Friend-O-Meter is a way to identify how you are feeling about your friendships.

Surround yourselves with happy people, people who are in the green zone.
Never whisper in front of other people
Body language matters, be inclusive of other people.
When you gather to talk, a horse shoe shape is more inclusive than a circle.
A Friendship Fire is a misunderstanding between friends.
Being Mean on Purpose is different, it is deliberate.
Friendship Fires get bigger if you don’t talk it out.
It just has to be the two of you , you don’t need others to make the fire bigger.
Tell your friend how you feel. Use WWW
If someone is Mean on Purpose.
- Use a quick “comeback."
- If this doesn’t work, walk away
- If this doesn’t work, tell a grownup/teacher. They need to help you.
- We need to be kind to each other.

PAEDIATRIC REFERRALS

Over the past 3 years the school has been very fortunate to access the paediatric services at Mooroopna Early Years Centre. Outlined below are the guidelines related to accessing this support.

2024 PAEDIATRIC CLINIC- REFERRAL PROCESS- Non-Neighbourhood Schools

The child is identified by the school due to possible emotional/behavioural disorder; developmental disorder; mental health issue; knowledge of previous trauma.
The school discusses the paediatric referral with the parent/carer and if in agreement requests the parent organise a referral from a GP to the paediatrician. This referral must be obtained through a general practitioner. Please make sure to obtain yearly referrals and not indefinite referrals.
The referral is sent/emailed to the medical receptionist (on site at Mooroopna PS) and an appointment time is organised.
If the medical receptionist has not heard from the relevant school, she will make contact to ensure the school is aware of the referral and the administrative cost.
IMPORTANTLY schools are asked to ensure that a teacher or school wellbeing representative attends these appointments. In the event of the patient and family not arriving for the appointment the Paediatrician will still meet with the teacher/wellbeing representative to discuss the student. If a patient does not arrive for their appointment and there is also no school representative to see the Paediatrician, the school will be invoiced $100 for a missed appointment.
The child may be referred for further assessments/therapy as appropriate. The follow up appointments for review are arranged at this time.
Copies of correspondence, following each consultation, are forwarded by the paediatrician to the parent, referring general practitioner and therapists/allied health as appropriate.

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