Wellbeing

Upcoming Wellbeing Events for families

• 20 May, 6:30pm - FREE Parent Webinar - Raising Confident and Resilient Kids
• 29 April, 12:30pm & 17 June, 12.30pm - Navigating screen time: tools for today’s families 
• 30 April, 12:30pm - Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men
• 7 May, 12:30pm & 3 June, 12:30pm - How AI is influencing new online risks for children and young people
• 28 May, 12:30pm & 23 June, 5:30pm - The trust trap: navigating friendships, pressure and manipulation online

Visible Wellbeing Professional Development

At the start of Term 2, staff participated in a professional development day led by psychologist Melinda Phillips, focusing on the Visible Wellbeing SEARCH framework, with particular emphasis on the pathways of Relationships and Coping. The session provided staff with practical, evidence‑based strategies to strengthen everyday interactions with students, reinforce positive relationships, and explicitly teach coping skills across classroom, mentor, and pastoral settings. A strong focus was placed on how consistent language and shared approaches across the school can support students to build resilience and emotional regulation over time.

One practical coping strategy explored during the day was the ANTs to PETs activity, a tool used to help students recognise and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns. ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) are the negative or unhelpful messages that can arise during periods of stress, while PETs (Positive or Empowering Thoughts) encourage students to reframe these thoughts in a more balanced and constructive way. Staff discussed how this activity can be embedded into mentoring conversations, classroom reflections, and day‑to‑day interactions to help students pause, name their thinking, and respond more effectively to challenges as they arise. For parents wanting further information about this concept, this video from SEL Sketches provides a child friendly explanation: Automatic Negative Thoughts - Meet the ANT Buddies!

Year 7 & 11 Peer Support Program

The Year 11 and Year 7 Peer Support Program continues to be a valued part of our wellbeing structure this year. Running fortnightly on Fridays, each day house group is supported by a team of Year 11 students who visit Year 7 mentor groups to lead structured activities. These sessions are designed to build connection, strengthen a sense of belonging, and support Year 7 students as they navigate the transition into high school. Alongside developing leadership skills in our senior students, the program fosters positive relationships, reassurance, and shared school identity for our youngest secondary students.

Nicotine Pouch Awareness

We also want to make families aware of the increasing presence of nicotine pouches, such as Zyns. These products are often marketed as smokeless and discreet and can be appealing to young people despite containing highly addictive nicotine. In Term 1, the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service delivered an excellent presentation to our Year 10 students on smoking and vaping. They will return in Term 2 to present to Year 8 and Year 9 students, continuing our proactive and preventative education approach. While schools and health professionals are working hard to educate young people, the tobacco industry continues to find new ways to package and promote nicotine products to adolescents. We encourage parents to stay informed and continue open conversations with their children about emerging risks.

Brent Sanders Life Choices Visit

On Thursday, 14 May, Brent Sanders will speak with our Year 10, 11 and 12 cohorts about life choices. Brent has visited our school on many occasions, providing our senior students with important information about decision-making, consent and relationships, sexual assault, and taking responsibility for our actions. The presentation is wrapped up in powerful, hard-hitting real-life stories and analogies that our senior students will gain important learnings from.