Wellbeing Partnerships and Safety

Featured in this article:

• Introducing our 2024 Heads of House
• Wellbeing - Family Spirit, Compassion and Love - Year 7 Welcome Evening
• Wellbeing - Connectedness - Inter-House Swimming Carnival
• Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support - High expectations wearing our College uniform with pride
• Sunsmart – New College Cap available
• Wellbeing - How to support your young person at the start of the new school year
• Resources curated for our College community - Safer Internet Day, SchoolTV

Introducing our 2024 Heads of House

At Marist-Sion College, we are committed to each student feeling known, valued and loved. The House System is an integral part of this experience for students with our Heads of House championing this for the students entrusted to their direct care. 

The Heads of House work professionally and cooperatively with the College Executive Team and Senior Leaders to engender a high level of alignment with the College’s vision and mission. Promoting a spirit of mutual support and responsibility the Head of House has a broad responsibility for overseeing House specific programs, events and experiences to inspire and support our students experience of school and learning.

Along with all school leaders, the Heads of House actively supports the College’s work in faith and mission and undertakes professional learning related to these areas.

Champagnat House:

Mrs Courtney Buttigieg

Email:  cbuttigieg@mscw.vic.edu.au

Jericho House:

Miss Natasha Gay-Wilson

Email:  ngaywilson@mscw.vic.edu.au

Joseph House:

Mrs Gabrielle Catania

Email:  gcatania@mscw.vic.edu.au

Loreto House:

Mr Andrew Gordon

Email: agordon@mscw.vic.edu.au

Lourdes House:

Mr Chris Senini

Email:  csenini@mscw.vic.edu.au

MacKillop House:

Mrs Siobhan Ware

Email: sware@mscw.vic.edu.au

Marcellin House:

Mr Tonderai Harawa

Email: tharawa@mscw.vic.edu.au

Sion House:

Mr Darren Besanko

Email: dbesanko@mscw.vic.edu.au 

Wellbeing - Family Spirit, Compassion and Love - Year 7 Welcome Evening

On Thursday 8 February, 600 students, parents, guardians and carers gathered together in the College Hall for our Year 7 Welcome Evening. This event provided the opportunity for our College community to get to know one another as we enter into partnership together. This Evening forms part of our transition program for our Year 7 students and their families to our College, guided by the Marist pillar of Family Spirit and the Sion Values of Compassion and Love. The event provided the opportunity for parents, guardians and carers to meet their Year 7 child's Tutor and Head of House as well as learn about our College, Year 7 Camp and for students to receive their College Laptop. Thank you to the many parents, guardians and carers who attended this evening. We look forward to seeing your faces and working with you over the next six years!

Wellbeing - Connectedness - Inter-House Swimming Carnival

The colour and fun was out in force last Friday at the College's first Inter-House event with the Inter-House Swimming Carnival. Cooling off in the pool, sitting and laughing with friends under the shade and the House Spirit Chant Off before the relays made for a fantastic day to connect with each other. It was rewarding to see an increase in attendance on this day and we look with anticipation to the whole College in attendance for Inter-House Athletics in Term 2. 

There are countless hours of preparation behind the scenes to run an event like this. Thank you to Mr Dean Hendrikse (Sports Leader) April Bethune (Sports Assistant), and to the College Management Team for your organisation of the day. The Head of House Team led from the front with old and new friendly rivalries on display. Thank you to our Maintenance Team and other staff who assisted with the set-up and pack-up of the event. 

These days are events where positive relationships with peers and staff are enhanced. By not attending, students are missing out on the opportunity to just be with each other. To build social connections. To feel that they belong. As parents and guardians, we implore you to work with the College to promote your child's attendance. These opportunities for face to face connection are the opportunities that only a few years ago we desperately longed for. Now they are here. Let's show our gratitude through action and presence. 

All results of the day will be shared at the Tuesday's College Assembly. 

Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support - High expectations wearing our College uniform with pride

The Marist-Sion College uniform is an important mark of our identity and is an expression of our beliefs and values. The College uniform is well recognised and regarded within the wider community. As a College community, we expect that our students will wear their uniform correctly, showing respect and pride in themselves and in our College.  The uniform of any organisation worn correctly, says to all: "This is where I belong, and I am proud of where I belong."  

As a College, we believe that the College uniform: 

• promotes a collective sense of respect, responsibility, identity, and pride  
• allows all students to feel equal, preventing competition based on clothing, trends, and materialism  
• ensures each student’s appearance reflects the expectations and spirit of our College community  
• ensures all students are dressed safely and responsibly to engage in all aspects of College life   
• encourages students to develop pride in their appearance and an understanding of the importance surrounding formal events  
• prepares students for the expectations of employment.   

Parents, guardians and carers play an important role in ensuring we maintain student engagement and value learning. Together we can support our students with this by attending to uniform expectations and appropriate personal presentation as we strengthen our commitment to belonging. 

In Term 1, all students are required to wear the College Summer uniform.  

How do students and parents, guardians and carers know about the expectations for uniform

1. The Uniform Expectations are printed in the College Student Planner.
2. Letter to Parents emailed before the commencement of Term 1. 
3. Bob Stewart Website - Price List and images.
4. College Website.
5. Head of Houses have addressed uniform during House Assemblies on Monday 5 February 2024.
6. Tutors continue to reinforce with their Tutees 
7. Teachers to reinforce with their students throughout the school day as needed. 

Compulsory items  

• College Blazer  
• College Short Sleeved Shirt  
• College Dark Grey Shorts  
• College Summer dress  
  • The hem of the Summer Dress is to sit at or below the top of the knee. 
• Socks 
  • College Socks to be worn with shorts  
  • White socks to be worn with Summer dress above the ankle or knee-length  
• Plain Closed Toe Shoes: black leather lace-up uppers with heel. Boots are not permitted.  
• Hat:  Approved College hat.  

Optional Summer items  

• College Jumper:  College Jumper  
  • Junior Student Jumper (Years 7-9) – Green  
  • Senior Student Jumper (Years 10-12) – Black  
• College Soft Shell Jacket  
• Year 12 Jacket  
• Black Belt  

 NOTE: The College Blazer must be worn to all formal College events including all Masses, Assemblies, Information Evenings etc. 

College Sport uniform 

Compulsory items  

• College Sport Polo Shirt  
• College House Polo Shirt  
• College Tracksuit Pants  
• College Sports Shorts  
• College Sport Socks or plain white sock.  
• Sports Shoes:  Suitable sports shoes. Shoes must be non-marking and provide suitable support and grip for a range of sports activities. Skate shoes or canvas shoes are not permitted 
• College Hat (compulsory during Term 1 and Term 4) 

  Optional items  

• College Rugby Jumper  
• College Soft Shell Jacket  

Bob Stewart College Uniform Shop 

The Bob Stewart College Uniform Shop located at the front entrance to the College will be open the following days and hours during Term 1, 2024. 

To shop online or to book an appointment please visit www.bobstewart.com.au. 

Current Uniform Price List is accessible via manage.bobstewart.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Marist-Sion-College-Uniform-List-with-Prices-2024.pdf

Uniform – New College Cap available has arrived!

I ask for your support with the College's Sun Smart Policy. All students are required to wear a College approved hat during Recess and Lunch and all lessons and events held outside.  Students can now choose between the bucket hat or the new College Cap. These are both available now for purchase from the Bob Stewart Uniform Shop. 

Students are encouraged to apply sunscreen before attending school each morning and throughout the day as needed as well as remaining in the shade on days when the UV rating is high to extreme. All students and staff are able to check the daily UV rating via the SunSmart button on their SIMON home screen. Please see the updated SunSmart Policy to support the health and safety of our students and staff Marist-Sion College's SunSmart Policy.

Wellbeing - How to support your young person at the start of the new school year

Each new year offers us the excitement of new beginnings, a clean slate where we can imprint new aspirations and pursue with optimism new challenges. We also know that for our young people, starting a new school year and starting a new school can also be a time of juxtaposed feelings - excitement and nervousness, happiness and anxiousness, hope and uncertainty. The most common contact we received from our parent community during the transition phase of a new school year is about friendships and social connections.

It is not easy for children and adolescence to always know how to manage friendships. Learning how to make new friends and keep them involves a number of skills every young person needs to understand and develop. For some, these skills will come very naturally, allowing them to easily move between different friendship groups, sharing their experiences and opening up to new people. For others, this can be much harder to navigate. Belonging to a group that is like-minded with similar interests is highly beneficial to a child’s wellbeing. Friendships are full of ups and downs and it is better for kids to learn how to manage and build their own friendships, even though as an adult carer you may be tempted to interfere.

School provides the opportunity for all children and young people to become active members of their community and make friends with their same age peers. Inclusive schools provide opportunities for meaningful relationships, but unfortunately just “being there” won’t be enough for deep authentic friendships to be built. Together, schools and families can increase the possibility of students with significant disability making and keeping friends by being intentional in nurturing relationships.

Positive Relationships are everybody's business:

• Keep expectations high – expect inclusion and friendship. 
• Actively nurture positive roles and ways to make a contribution within the College, e.g. a choir member, a fundraiser, a library volunteer, the College photographer. 
• Friendships deepen when a child participates in an area of interest alongside classmates e.g. swimming club, environment group. If interests are unclear, try the typical/popular activities for the student’s age/gender. 
• Expand your imagination about HOW every child can participate alongside their peers – think creatively. 
• Pay attention to the patterns of friendships at any particular age; help the student to understand socially valued activities and ways of relating. 
• Speak positively. Don’t allow others to spread messages about the child which might unwittingly undermine their image and opportunities for friendships. 

Resources curated for our College community - Safer Internet Day, SchoolTV

eSafety Commissioner Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day is a global initiative to raise awareness of online safety issues.

The eSafety Commissioner leads the initiative in Australia. We educate people about online safety risks, like online abuse, how to be safe online and where to go for help.

This Safer Internet Day we're encouraging you to take three simple actions when approaching online safety: Connect. Reflect. Protect.  

• Connect safely by keeping apps and devices secure and reviewing your privacy settings regularly. 
• Reflect on how your actions online may affect others or your safety. 
• Protect yourself and others by visiting eSafety.gov.au to find out how to stay safe online and report online abuse.

By doing these things and sharing the Connect. Reflect. Protect message, we can work towards making every day a Safer Internet Day. 

These resources have been created as part of the eSafety Commissioner's education and support of families to help keep their children and young people safe online. 

Join one of the free webinars for parents and carers.

These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences.

Webinars for parents and carers | eSafety Commissioner

Digital technologies and mental health

This video explains how to support a young person's mental wellbeing when they are using social media and apps. It's designed for parents and carers of young people aged 10 to 18 years old.

Click here: Parent resources | eSafety Commissioner

Marist-Sion College continues to offer the valuable resource called SchoolTV to our College community.

Parenting our children is a complex, challenging and rewarding experience. However, the demands on parents to remain current with technology, drug and alcohol advice and safe practices in a virtual and social media world, as well as dealing with anxiety and wellbeing, add to our busy and diverse family lives.

SchoolTV is a new ongoing resource that is now available to all Marist-Sion College parents, guardians and carers. Each online edition will address a major topic with expert interviews, fact sheets, a parent quiz, recommended apps, books and more. SchoolTV combines information from a host of reliable resources, including BeyondBlue and ReachOut. It provides a single stream of independent factual information that saves parents time and the confusion of searching across multiple online sites for information.

You can access the SchoolTV archive here Home Page SchoolTV | Marist-Sion College.

During the school year we will publish various topics for you to access. The topics covered may be pertinent to your immediate situation, or the resource may be useful for you at a later date. 

We hope that you find SchoolTV to be informative and a useful source of current well-researched information.

Mrs Janelle Burgees

Deputy Principal: Wellbeing Partnerships and Safety