HPSC Newshamper

Wellbeing Team News

Matilda's Super Star, Elise Kellond-Knight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian soccer star, Matilda's defensive midfielder, Elise Kellond-Knight graced the school with her presence during the 16 Days of Activism, which is recognition against gender-based violence. The renowned athlete, known for her prowess on the field and dedication to social causes, delivered a powerful and uplifting speech that left a lasting impact on students and faculty alike.

 

The session begun with students lining up to meet the superstar for photos and autographs which then lead to Elsie surprising the girls' soccer class, that were already in match. The soccer game that left everyone buzzing with excitement.

 

The presentation begun by acknowledging the significance of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, highlighting the importance of the 16 days campaign, raising awareness for equal women’s rights in the sporting world, and encouraging students to be advocates for change within their communities. Kellond-Knight, a symbol of perseverance and excellence in the world of women's football, highlighted the importance of raising awareness for equal women’s rights in the athlete sporting world and encouraged the students to be advocates for change within their communities.

 

The soccer star shared her personal journey, emphasizing the challenges she faced as a female athlete in a male-dominated sport. Her narrative resonated with the students, illustrating the resilience required to overcome obstacles and achieve success. Elise's words served as a reminder that determination, hard work, and a strong sense of purpose can pave the way to success, regardless of the challenges one may face.

 

During her speech, Kellond-Knight also spoke passionately about the power of sports to drive positive change. She emphasized how sports can be a catalyst for social transformation, breaking down gender barriers and promoting inclusivity. 

The Australian midfielder didn't shy away from addressing the importance of education, both in the classroom and beyond. She shared insights into her own educational journey, highlighting the role of discipline and perseverance in balancing academics and sports. Her message underscored the idea that education is not just about gaining knowledge but also about developing the resilience and adaptability needed to navigate life's challenges.

 

Elise gifted two student’s, Tarik Omerovic and Bahara Ghulami with signed memorabilia to honour them for their efforts as being the student speakers for the event. Elise’s motivational speech left an indelible mark on Hampton Park Secondary College, inspiring students to pursue their passions, stand up against injustice, and actively contribute to positive change. 

 

SECL’s MERLE Program Graduation

The 24th of November saw another group of MERLE participants successfully graduate and celebrate their work, over the term!

The MERLE Program, ran by local community organisation South East Community Links (SECL) works with a select group of Year 7-9 students to grow life-skills, leadership capabilities, healthy relationships, and positive behaviours, through mentoring and learning activities. Over the term, our MERLE graduates have worked hard to grow together, challenge their beliefs, expand their skills, and get out of their comfort zone – everyone should be so proud of their work. In the final session, after showing facilitators Tyson and Chris what they’ve learned, they were rewarded with a goodie-bag, a certificate of completion, and a special lunch for their efforts.

Impressive work by the whole group this term! We can’t wait to see you lead with these skills in the coming years.

-Tyson and Chris 

        

 

SMLS’ Sporting-Change Program

 

After another successful year at HPSC, the team at local community legal organisation Springvale Monash Legal Service (SMLS) celebrated with participants of their Sporting-Change program! 

Students have come to the gym every week on Tuesdays to learn about the law, justice and their rights, personal and online – safety, healthy relationships, jobs and work, and how they can get support in the community in these fields. 

The students learn through group chats, and sports-activities, with the SMLS Lawyer, Youth Workers, and often with professional sport coaches. Participants this year have worked hard to build on their knowledge of the law, and we hope they now feel empowered with their new skills.

Any students Years 8-10 are welcome to Join! Come and get a consent-form from Wellbeing next year, and join on the fun!

 

For Support:

SMLS offer community legal support, and have one of their community Lawyers, Liam, at our school each Tuesday for free consultations with students. HPSC students can book thru compass, or chat with the Wellbeing team for help with booking.

Getting Ready For The Holiday

The school holidays can be a difficult time for some families with the cost of living , holiday expenses and other difficulties arising. 

 

If you or your family need support during the school holidays please feel free to reach out to the following community services , these services are free to access for our community.

 

Bk2Basics https://bk2basicsmelbourne.org/ runs a free food pantry and free meals every day. Find out more on their facebook page. 

 

https://www.foodbank.org.au/?state=vicFoodbank often a mobile supermarket for the community to access free meals and produce, check out their social media pages  for the most current locations. 

 

https://www.cranbourneiss.org.au/index.html Cranbourne information and support service offer material aide, if you need support with medications , myki, supermarket vouchers , school supplies , petrol vouchers etc. They also offer counselling for those who may need extra supports, they can see clients aged 8 + at no cost. Referrals to counselling can be made via the main phone number. 

 

The mental health foundation of Australia is offering free support services in person and online , if you require a support group for family violence, mental health concerns , parenting , for gender supports and so much more , you can sign up here https://www.mhfa.org.au/support-groups their groups are free to access and they can offer counselling at $20 per session. 

 

The Sikh Volunteers provide free meals delivered to you , you can contact them at anytime of the year to arrange this. https://sikhvolunteersaustralia.org/category/free-food-van/ the food van is located at different areas each day if you would prefer to collect items instead of delivery. 

 

If you require supports with family , mental health , crisis situations or anything else please see the school website for a range of local support services and organisations listed https://hpsc.vic.edu.au/wellbeingservices/

 

It’s the end of 2023 and we have been so busy, the year has flown by.  The wellbeing team had to relocate to E block, while our new Wellness Centre was being built.  We hoped to be in the new centre by the end of 2023, but it wasn’t to be.  The good news is, that it won’t be long before we are moving and we are hoping it will be at the start of 2024 – fingers crossed for us!  The Wellness Centre is a purpose built area and here’s the floor plan as a reminder of what to expect!

 

 

Farewell to our mental health practitioner

The wellbeing team farewell our very special team member, Jana Mesic who is taking family leave to have her first baby.  We are very excited for Jana and look forward to meeting her bub in the new year.  Thanks for everything you have done for our students and school community, Jana, you are a gem!

 

Welcome to our new team member

We are delighted to welcome Theresa Avice to the wellbeing team as our new Mental Health Practitioner.  Theresa has a great background in youth mental health and is excited to start meeting our students at the start of 2024.

 

Doctors in Secondary School Program

The Doctor’s Clinic start in 2022 and we have seen such great outcomes with our students accessing medical support.  The Doctors from The Southern Cross Medical Centre attend the College each Thursday to support our students with any type of health issues. We thank them for their ongoing support to the HPSC community!

The Doctors in Secondary School Program details are:-

  • Students have access to confidential care that is a fundamental component of youth friendly care 
  • The Doctor complements a range of school-based health and wellbeing services and programs 
  • For adolescents, confidentiality has been shown to: 
    • Increase comfort 
    • Reduce anxiety 
    • Increase trust 
    • Increase the likelihood of future visits 
    • Important to acknowledge the desire of parents to be involved whilst maintaining trust in the confidentiality of the GP consultation 

 

If any parent/carer has questions about the Doctors in Secondary School program, please contact Student Services Leader, Debbie Edwards on 8795 9400.

 

Breakfast Club

HPSC in partnership with Foodbank were able to feed over 7000 meals during the year.  Students were able to enjoy breakfast club from Tuesday to Thursday each week.  The good news is that we are running Breakfast Club 5 days per week from 2024.  Watch out for our opening date and we really hope it will be in the new Wellness Centre!

 

Transition to Secondary College

During term four, the Wellbeing Team provides support for the Explore 2024 students, by helping with the two college Orientation Days and hosting an additional pre-orientation day for a select cohort of students. Students really enjoyed the days and gave us some great feedback!

 

We know that the transition to secondary college can be an exciting and challenging time for young people, so check out the supports available via the college website and the various opportunities promoted via the college social media channels. 

 

Here are some evidence-based tips on how to support your child moving into secondary college: 

  • Open communication: having conversations that allow your child to ask questions or express their feelings, helps to provide opportunities for them to process their thoughts or worries. 
  • Acknowledge the challenges but emphasize the positive: it's important to acknowledge this might be a tricky time, but working with your child to brainstorm ways they can cope with challenges will help them to develop resilience. Try to remain positive and enthusiastic, focusing on school topics your children enjoy and are looking forward to, because this will help them to develop confidence.
  • Routine: maintaining a normal routine at home is important for your child’s wellbeing, especially if they are experiencing changes elsewhere. In particular, healthy lifestyle routines are essential for young people’s learning, mood, and development. Make sure your child is getting one hour of exercise and three meals per day, as well as nine hours of sleep a night!
  • Check in with yourself: your child moving into secondary school is a big change for you too. While it’s normal to have mixed feelings about this change, it's important that parents/carers check in with themselves to address any worries of their own, so they can support their children with this milestone. 

While it might sometimes be nerve-wracking, change is a normal part of life. The transition to secondary college is often a very positive experience that provides valuable opportunities for growth, learning, and working together.    

How to support your young person’s transition from primary to secondary school | headspace

 

Staying HEALTHY over the holiday break!

Holidays are a great time to do something different and REFRESH for the year ahead. Here’s some tips to stay healthy over the holidays. How To Stay Healthy Over The Holidays | headspace

 

The wellbeing team take this opportunity to wish our staff, students and school community a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. See you in 2024!

 

 

Debbie, Jacquie, Harlin, Jana, Chris, Mike and Kaye 😊