From the Principal

 

 

 

Speaking up

In our last Newsletter I wrote about the Valedictory Dinner as offering an opportunity to observe our students relishing their sense of safety and security, in the knowledge that they were truly accepted and valued for the person each of them has shown themselves to be.

"This is a moment to treasure as there is no greater goal for us, as educators, than to know that every child, adolescent and young adult feels truly safe and is able to flourish as the person they know themselves to be."

But this theme of safety has many other facets and building a truly safe environment for our students requires everyone within our community to take a proactive role. From time to time it is necessary to reiterate this important message.

As a school we are committed to policies and practices that ensure staff are recruited, trained and supported to integrate student wellbeing and safety into every aspect of the school program. We actively encourage students to reflect on, and question, their own behaviour and that of others. We do not want our students to be cowed into compliance by arbitrary rules or dominated by authoritarian systems. These systems breed vulnerability and powerlessness.

We want our students to speak up; to have the ‘Courage to question’.

We are committed to supporting  them to do so, knowing that we invite challenge and that we need to be able to explain and justify what we say, what behaviour we model and what we teach. We challenge cultural conventions, such as ‘no dobbing’, that continue to protect bullying and abusive power configurations.

Preshil will not tolerate behaviour by students that puts the wellbeing of others at risk; this is clearly spelled out in our Behaviour Management Policy. While we employ a restorative approach to inappropriate behaviour, this does not mean we condone or turn a blind eye to abusive or harmful interactions.

When necessary, be assured that we will involve external agencies, including police, to respond to communications, interactions or behaviour that does not actively support a culture of mutual respect and personal safety.

Teachers at Preshil have been gratified to find that our students increasingly demonstrate their own agency to do this. However, we want them to trust their teachers, to help them solve problems or to intervene when they are unable to manage situations. We need to earn and honour this trust.

I would hope that all parents encourage their daughters and sons to seek help for themselves and their friends if ever they experience potentially harmful situations or interactions they do not want to be involved in, regardless of how minor they may seem. This is our priority.