Student Engagement and Wellbeing

As Term 1 comes to an end, it is a great time to reflect on the successful and positive start to the year for our PLSC community. Both students and staff have settled into the new school year well. It has been pleasing to walk the corridors and see calm, focussed classrooms with students making the most of the opportunities provided to them.

Student Engagement and Well-being (SEW) Team

Every day our SEW team works with our students and assist them in various ways with a range of strategies that support them with their education and wellbeing. This team is made up of: 

Year 10 Leader- Rachel Villani

Year 11 Leader- Natalie Pace

Year 12 Leader- Rachel Villani

Wellbeing Counsellor- Olivia Zoch

Mental Health Practitioner- Rhiannon Tuffin

Admin Assistant- Joanne Newcombe

AAA+ Rewards

This year the SEW Team introduced a reward system that acknowledges students for their efforts with their Attendance, Attitude and Academic achievements. We believe that positive efforts in these areas help students achieve success with their education. Students received positive Compass Chronicle entries when staff noticed an effort in one of these areas and each entry equated to an entry into the major prize draw at the end of term where students had the opportunity to win gift vouchers. This system has been a great initiative for recognising positive efforts by the students and will continue in term 2.

We have also been recognising attendance on a weekly basis by giving out three Tasty Truck Vouchers each week to students that had 100% attendance in the previous week. It has been pleasing to see so many students across the school making an effort to attend each week.

Student Leaders

Peter Lalor has a strong emphasis on student voice and allowing students the opportunity to shape what happens at school. This year we have initiated a Student Leadership Program that will allow this voice into the activities we deliver at PLSC.

Each homegroup has at least two nominated student leaders, there are also three wellbeing ambassadors that make up the Student Leadership Program for 2023. These students have demonstrated our school values and contributed positively to the school community so far this year. Congratulations to the leaders for 2023:

• Year 10- Cooper Carter, Cooper Gibson, Jed Giampino, Raghad Sayahi
• Year 11- Bailee Bourchier, Claudia Mitidieri, Arnie Sui, Leitisha Whiteside
• Year 12- Athina Axiotis, Nicky Geddes, Dion Moulas, Brodie Welsh, Will Young
• Wellbeing Ambassadors- Indi Robinson, Milly Taylor-Banks and Jorgan Tapau

Learning outside the Classroom

There has been plenty of opportunities for students to engage in educational programs outside of their normal classwork. Our Year 12s attended Camp at Gundwindi Lodge. This camp provided student with the opportunity to bond with their peers and participate in a range of teambuilding activities, high ropes activities and other activities designed to push students out of their comfort zones. 

The Year 11s have been on several excursions towards the end of term. They attended the Whittlesea Network Careers Expo which provided them with opportunities to find out more about their options for pathways after school. Last week they also attended the Road to Zero Experience at the Melbourne Museum where students participated in an interactive world-first road safety educational program. 

Earlier in the term our Year 10 students were given the opportunity to complete their Barista Training Certification. This course not only provided our students with a certificate that can help with employment but it also allowed them to make coffee on the school industrial coffee machine. 

A huge thank you must go out to the staff that oranised these activities, their commitment to providing students with different experiences is a great part of PLSC.

Well done to everyone for making it through this long first term. I hope everyone has a safe and relaxing break and I look forward to welcoming everyone back at our brand-new building in Robert St in Term 2.

Paul Meager - Assistant Principal Student Engagement and Wellbeing