2024 has started with a whirlwind of activity including camps, information nights, meet the teacher nights and new parents’ dinner, all coming up soon. Primary school-aged children are feeling excited about their new classes, teachers and friendships, and our secondary school students are getting down to the business of learning very well.

While many of us had lovely breaks and family times over the summer, and are therefore feeling refreshed, there are many in our community, both students and parents, who may be finding life difficult at this time.

PVCC believes that we are all created in the image of God; are precious in his sight and that he has a plan and a purpose for us. We also know that life can get in the way and make things tough. We also believe that wellbeing is not just a response to difficulties, but a holistic approach where we are proactive in teaching and learning strategies and practices to help stay balanced when waves come crashing.

We have a beautiful new Wellbeing Hub in the centre of the school, where students can access our team of a counselor, social worker and chaplain, and me as deputy. Together we seek to support and resource our community, when needs become more specialized.

As a college, we approach wellbeing using a 3-tiered system.

Tier 1 – Good for everyone. Proactively teaching students about relationships, consent, mental health signs and symptoms and wellbeing as a lifestyle.

Tier 2 – Necessary for some. Some interventions need to be put into place to assist students in navigating bumps and potholes in life.

Tier 3 – Essential for a few. External interventions are required to help keep students safe and to help them recover from illness or trauma.

As part of our approach, I am very pleased to be able to offer our parents access to a webinar by Dr Justin Coulson: Breaking Point - Unpacking the Crisis in Youth Mental Health. Please take this opportunity to join online, and help make our community stronger.

When: Live streamed Tuesday 27 February 2024 (AEST)

How: Use the PVCC purchased registration via the URL below:

Breaking Point | ANSWERS with Dr Justin Coulson (ac-page.com)

Webinar Information:

Breaking Point:

Our children are not ok.

Latest national statistics indicate that mental health challenges are at an all-time high in Australian children and youth. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders are wreaking havoc in our schools and families (not to mention the amplification of these challenges if your child is neuro-diverse). Suicide and self-harm are rising. And finding good help is increasingly challenging.

Our kids and our families are at breaking point.

How do we know if our kids will be ok? What can we do to support their mental health and resilience? What's going wrong, and how do we fix it?

Join Dr Justin Coulson, Australia's leading parenting expert, as he unpacks the mental health crisis enveloping our kids. He'll cover:

The root causes behind the deteriorating state of mental health, and who (or what) is responsible
The tools you need to reverse this trend for your children
Science-backed, relationship-focused strategies to remedy school refusal
Realistic approaches for managing screen time in a way that protects your child's wellbeing without completely alienating them from their peers
Creating margin in your home and family life to protect and promote mental wellness

Lily McDonald

Deputy Principal

Arrowsmith Program