St Gregory's College Newsletter

From the Director of Students

Mr Baldino Vetrano

Dear College community,

 

As we head towards the second half of this term, I would like to remind students and their families of how we are all committed to keeping COVID-19 safe. You may recall that the College has introduced a range of hygiene protocols that need to be followed.

 

Posters, like the one below, have been placed in classrooms and around the College.

It is great to see that all students are being mindful of the hygiene practices especially when:

  • Sanitising hands when entering and when leaving the classroom.
  • Bringing their own water bottles with sufficient water. 
  • Staying home if they are sick.
  • Following the traffic flow signs around the College.
  • Supporting distancing especially on public transport.

Student Merit update

We continue to congratulate our TOP 10 students who lead the college.

It is amazing to see the ongoing commitment these students present each week. Some of these students are now at a stage where they can claim a ‘Reward’. 

Rewards can be claimed at 40 points onwards. I know many students are accumulating points to gain larger ‘rewards’ like Air Pods or a Menu Log lunch order at school. To view all the reward options, students can log into the ‘Rewards Dashboard’ and visit the site.

Introducing Positive Education

All parents want the best for their children. They want their children to be happy and to flourish. They want them to live out their dreams and reach their innate potential.

The challenge, however, is finding the right education model. One that doesn’t stifle their potential nor produce cookie-cutter pupils. 

 

An excellent option to consider is positive education, which combines traditional education principles with research-backed ways of increasing happiness and wellbeing.

‘The fundamental goal of positive education is to promote flourishing or positive mental health within the school community.’       
(Norrish et al., 2013)

What Is Positive Education?

Positive Education is the combination of traditional education principles with the study of happiness and wellbeing, using Martin Seligman‘s PERMA model and the Values in Action (VIA) classification.

Seligman, one of the founders of positive psychology, has incorporated positive psychology into education models as a way to decrease depression in younger people and enhance their wellbeing and happiness. By using his PERMA model (or its extension, the PERMAH framework) in schools, educators and practitioners aim to promote positive mental health among students and teachers.

The PERMA and PERMAH Frameworks

PERMA encompasses five main elements that Seligman premised as critical for long-term wellbeing:

  1. Positive Emotions: Feeling positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, interest, and hope;
  2. Engagement: Being fully absorbed in activities that use your skills but still challenge you;
  3. (Positive) Relationships: Having positive relationships;
  4. Meaning: Belonging to and serving something you believe is bigger than yourself;
  5. Accomplishment: Pursuing success, winning achievement, and mastery.

The PERMAH framework adds Health onto this, covering aspects such as sleep, exercise, and diet as part of a robust positive education program (Norrish & Seligman, 2015).

In the coming months, the College is very excited to introduce Positive Education to staff, students and parents.

 

 

Mr Baldino Vetrano

Director of Students