DIRECTOR OF STUDENTS
YEAR 7 COMMUNITY DAY
On Friday 16 February Year 7 students participated in the Year 7 Community Day at the Mildura Football Netball Clubrooms followed by an afternoon of fun at Mildura Waves.
The purpose of the day was to build community amongst the Year 7 cohort and allow students the opportunity to connect with their peers and staff. At the beginning of the day, students enjoyed some ice-breaker games followed by some competitive games, core group versus core group. Students enjoyed the fun, with even a fun little dance competition where we witnessed some talented moves!
A highlight of the morning was the tug-o-war competition between Houses. The competition was tight as each House was determined to come out on top. The House spirit was fierce and a fitting warm-up for the Swimming Carnival coming up in Week 5.
Students enjoyed a pizza lunch followed by an afternoon at Mildura Waves where they tried out a few wave sessions with their friends and had fun in the outdoor pool.
I commend the students on their behaviour on the day and the level of respect shown towards their peers and teachers. This was an enjoyable day of fun.
A special thanks to the staff involved and the year 9 Peer Support Leaders who showed outstanding leadership throughout the day.
YEAR 9 PEER SUPPORT LEADERS 2024
In November 2023, students in Year 8 had the opportunity to nominate themselves to participate in Peer Support Leadership training to become a Year 9 Peer Support Leader in 2024. Successful students participated in a training day late last year to build skills and knowledge on what it takes to be a Peer Support Leader at St Joseph’s College. The aim of the program is to support Year 7 students as they begin secondary school.
Peer Support Leaders were involved in the Year 7 Community Day last week and demonstrated excellent leadership. In Term 1 Peer Support Leaders will also run short wellbeing sessions with Year 7 core groups based on creating a sense of belonging, building resilience, and fostering connection within our college.
WELLIO – NEW EPC PROGRAM
Student wellbeing can be influenced by various challenges, and addressing these challenges is crucial for creating a positive and supportive learning environment. At St Joseph’s College we have improved our Pastoral Care program with a significant focus on wellbeing. We have introduced Wellio, an online platform that helps to improve overall student wellbeing. Wellio sessions are run by an allocated teacher in period 4 on Thursdays. Because each year level has a different focus per session, students are grouped according year level in each House. The sessions cover topics such as stress management, anxiety, respect and consent, healthy relationships, phone use, social media, etc. We will be reviewing the program as we progress through the year.
More information about Wellio can be found on their website.
Mrs Jodie Birnie
Director of Students