Year 11 Pastoral Guardian

Welcome to 2021 as parents and carers of your Year 11 young adult.

As Year 11 Pastoral Guardian, I was so pleased to meet our returning students, who were bubbling with excitement at reconnecting with friends, starting a new pathway, and settling into routine after a long break.  I would like to particularly welcome our five new students and families to Elizabeth Hayes School and the College:  Mackenzie Bush, Kaiya Douglas, Stella Martin, Abriel Reed, and Savannah Townsend.  I know you have been most welcomed by the Year 11 cohort. 

As young people enter the final stage of their learning journey in Elizabeth Hayes School, it is so important that, with the partnership of family and school, they develop increasing responsibility for their own wellbeing to manage the challenges of the final two years at the College and to prepare for adulthood.  

Wellbeing is “the state in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (World Health Organisation, 2014).  Already Year 11s have made a positive contribution to our community by their impressive leadership as mentors for their Home Room Year 7 mentees, demonstrating responsibility and pride as role models.  In Term 1, to manage increasing and exciting academic challenges as they engage in Elizabeth Hayes School, our Personal Development program (two lessons per week) focuses on wellbeing, independence and managing self, covering topics of:  balancing life’s commitments, coping strategies, Healthy Mind Platter, healthy diet and sleep, stress management, mindfulness, time management, and success in Senior, career action plan, leadership, and Australia and world events for social and political awareness. 

I am proud to share with you the current Year 11 cohort student reflections from November 2020 on the eve of entering Senior school: 

I am excited

" ... about independence, opportunities, leadership, being role models and mentors, graduating”.

“ ... about who I am to become”.

“ ... about being leaders and working towards our future”.

“ ... to learn and achieve above and beyond in the Elizabeth Hayes School”.

“ ... to know that I am able to finish something and graduate”.

With you, we are preparing our young people to reach these meaningful, personal goals, to feel positive and confident in themselves - mentally, socially, and emotionally - and to feel connected and engaged in their learning.   Our role is to encourage our young adults to understand how being in control of their own wellbeing can support the next stage of their adult life journey to grow into “happy, respectful, well-balanced and successful members of … the wider community” (Australian Student Wellbeing Framework, 2019)

I am honestly impressed with the positive attitude to achieving personal excellence, learning, and engagement in college life that our Year 11s have embraced from day one, and wish every student success in the year ahead.  At a Year Level meeting today  all Year 11s shared thoughtful perceptions of their unique cohort colour identity as:  red for supportive, passionate, independent, compassionate, and determined; green for diversity, growing together, peaceful, and like tree branches reaching for goals; blue for quirky, energetic, and united and, finally, purple for courageous, creative, wise, and proud. 

I am going to enjoy leading this year level on their senior journey. 

Karen Farrow