Middle School Handbook

Pastoral Care

Pastoral care of students is an essential part of Middle School life. All teachers are conscious of the need to support the students and to convey information about their progress and wellbeing to their Key Teachers. Key teachers are supported by the Deputy Head of Campus - Pastoral Care and the House and Student Leadership Coordinator.

 

Key Teacher System

 

There are six Key Classes in both Year 7 and Year 8. Each class has a Key Teacher who is responsible for pastoral care.  Key Teachers support students in their everyday welfare, monitor their progress in their learning and maintain contact with parents.  A strong home-school partnership is essential to provide students with the support and guidance required to achieve the best possible social/emotional and academic learning outcomes. Key Teachers are available to discuss Middle School matters with parents. If a concern arises with which parents feel the School can assist, they should make timely contact with the Key Teacher so that effective action can be taken.

 

Throughout the year there will be various occasions when parents will be able to meet staff. The Key Teacher contacts the parents of each child in their group early in the first term to establish communication. Parents have the opportunity to meet with their child’s Key Teacher during Open Classroom Afternoons, as well as with subject teachers when reports are communicated.  Outside of these designated times, staff can be contacted at the School to discuss important issues at a time which is mutually convenient. Information evenings are held each year to provide parents with an understanding of the curriculum and the courses available for their child/children in the following year.

 

Key Teachers teach their Key classes for Connections and at least two other learning areas, providing the opportunity for building strong relationships.  In addition, a Social/ Emotional Learning Program (SEL) runs each week, aligned to Gathering with the School’s Quaker Coordinator, in the Meeting House. SEL is both a structured program, designed to promote positive wellbeing, as well as a time for Key Teachers to work with individual students and for students to develop independent work skills. Also at this time, Key Teachers are able to undertake individual conversations with students to support learning and social/emotional growth.

 

House Structure

 

The School has four Houses: Hodgkin, Mather, Ransome and Unwin, commencing in Kindergarten and carried through until students leave the School. It is hoped that this sense of belonging to a small House community, within the larger Campus community, will develop positive attitudes in the students, as well as giving them a sense of stability during their years of rapid growth and change.

 

A number of inter-house competitions are on offer in the Middle School,  including Athletics, Cross-country, Aquatics, Service Challenges and House Arts opportunities. These contests provide students with the chance to build House spirit through competition, collaboration and student leadership, fostering a sense of belonging and celebrating and building a positive school culture.

 

 

 Student Leadership

 

The Years 7-8 Student Voice Council is the student representative body of the learning community. As a learning community, we are concerned for the academic, cultural, physical, social, emotional and spiritual development of each person in our care. In adopting a Student Voice Council position, leaders must embrace, promote and model the Purpose and Concerns, leading the students of the 7-8 Campus to uphold the expectations and values of our community. In addition,  Student Leaders will display exemplary conduct, engagement and attitudes relating to all areas of School life and learning. They will work enthusiastically with fellow students, creating and promoting educational opportunities for all. Students at the Middle School campus are able to apply for the position of Student House Leader or Key Class Representative, and all 20 students will form the Student Voice Council per semester.

 

The Student Voice Council role of Student House Leader is an integral position to promote and uphold the spirit of the Middle School. Successful Student House Leader applicants will be appointed based on their application, interview with the Senior Leadership team, a speech to their House members, followed by a student and staff vote.  The tenure of Student House Leader positions is one semester.

 

Student House Leaders’ responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Committing to and modelling all aspects of the Purpose and Concerns
  • Contributing to the development of activities and opportunities that will promote House spirit and belonging
  • Motivating all students to engage in House activities with pride and determination
  • As part of the Student Voice Senate, contributing to creating, leading and supporting the student initiatives of the Senate, in the areas of Creativity, Action and Service
  • Being punctual and engaged in all meetings and leadership activities
  • Being called upon to represent the Campus at special events and functions (which might extend beyond the School day)
  • Being a true representative of the students of the Campus by listening to and encouraging all students to have a voice. 

The Student Voice Council role of Key Class Representative is an integral position to ensure that all students are represented and have a voice in the Middle School. Successful Key Class Representatives will be appointed based on their application, interview with their Key Teacher, a speech to their class and a student and staff vote. The tenure of a Class Representative position is one semester.

 

Class Representatives’ responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Committing to and modelling all aspects of the Purpose and Concerns
  • Contributing to the development of Key Class initiatives and activities
  • Motivating all students to engage in Key Class initiatives and activities with pride and determination
  • Working closely with Key Teachers, assisting in classroom management and delivery of curriculum, such as Wellbeing activities.
  • As part of the Student Voice Council, contributing to creating, leading and supporting the student initiatives of the Council, in the areas of Creativity, Action and Service
  • Acting as a point of liaison between the staff, the Student Voice Council and the student body, ensuring that concerns, visions and ideas are communicated
  • Being punctual and engaged in all meetings and leadership activities
  • Being called upon to represent the Campus at special events and functions (which might extend beyond the School day)
  • Being a true representative of the students of the Campus by listening to and encouraging all students to have a voice. 

In addition to elected representatives, all students at the Middle School are encouraged to show leadership; to act with integrity, to take pride in their Middle School community and to engage in initiatives that contribute to the culture of the campus.