Wellbeing

Beaumaris North Primary School has whole school wellbeing strategies and programs for students, staff and parents. Together these strategies create a harmonious, respectful and supportive school environment for all community members.

Approaches to wellbeing:

• PYP IB Learner Profile Attributes
• Child Safe Organisation
• The Zones of Regulation
• The Resilience Project Curriculum
• Respectful Relationships Curriculum
• Therapy Dogs
• eSmart Framework
• Cyber Safety Project Curriculum
• Circle Time
• Restorative Practices
• Lunch Time Clubs
• Individual Education Plans (IEP’s)
• The Bungalow “Chill out zone”
• Behaviour Support Plans
• Student Behaviour Reflection Sheet
• Compass Chronicle entry for reporting and monitoring student behaviour

Our Wellbeing Officer – Mrs Jessica Patane

Jessica Patane is passionate about student wellbeing and engagement and has worked at BNPS as part of the Wellbeing Team for over 15 years. She works in the school in a part-time capacity (currently working Monday - Thursday).

The role involves working with the Disability and Inclusion Leader, Sheridan, to oversee the implementation of our whole school, evidence-based wellbeing programs, in particular The Resilience Project and Respectful Relationships. This includes reviewing our annual wellbeing survey and co-ordinating, sourcing and exploring funding options for new and innovative incursion programs based on the most up-to-date information for our students. Jessica Patane is also one of our Child Safety Officers, continuing to ensure our students are healthy and safe.

The Wellbeing Team work very closely with our whole school staff to discuss any of their wellbeing concerns about their students and discussing whether any further follow up would be helpful. Each year level in our school meet on a weekly basis to discuss their grades and wellbeing is discussed as a matter of priority at these weekly meetings. They provide support to individual children who have had a tough morning and arrive at school distressed or upset or who become distressed or upset. This may involve a walk or check-in chat with the child or their class teacher.

• Liaising with external agencies, including Bayside Council, Kingston Council, SYFS, Orange Door, Allied Health Professionals.
• The Wellbeing Team meets regularly with the Leadership Team, and more specifically the Principal Mrs Duffy and Assistant Principals, to discuss the wellbeing needs of students in the school to ensure a whole school collaborative approach is maintained.

Disability And Inclusion Co-ordinator – Mrs Sheridan Duffy-Fainu’u

Our Disability Inclusion Co-ordinator, Sheridan Duffy-Fainu’u has a great passion for wellbeing and providing strategies to support students to grow and thrive, despite any barriers. Sheridan has completed further studies in the area of Disability and in Wellbeing.

Sheridan ensures our students with additional needs are engaged in education and meeting their learning goals. To do this, she works collaboratively with the school’s leadership, wellbeing staff and allied health team and other services involved with a student outside of school. Sheridan will play a key role in coordinating the team around the learner.

The Disability Inclusion Leader can play a key role in the school’s transition to Disability Inclusion, which can include supporting the organisation of Disability Inclusion Profile meetings, supporting teachers to identify students who may benefit from a profile meeting, and supporting school leadership to use Disability Inclusion funding to resource evidence based reasonable adjustments, for individual students and cohorts of students.

Therapy Dog

Trained Therapy dog(s) are part of our wellbeing and engagement approach at BNPS. In previous years, we have had Archie and Sid as Therapy Dogs at our school, and they were a valued part of our school community.

In 2022, we welcome our trained Therapy Dog, Wally.

Research shows that therapy dog programs provide significant benefits for students as the dogs are trained to use their social instincts and learned social skills to provide health, social-emotional and cognitive benefits. Being in contact with a therapy dog calms children, reducing feelings of anxiety and stress and promoting a sense of belonging in school. 

Wally (and his handler Georgie Tilley) have been trained by K9 Support and Lead the Way Institute to become Therapy Dogs. Wally is a Groodle (Golden Retriever x Poodle).

Thank you to all of our families who have contributed to the 'First Aid, Health & Wellbeing Contribution'.

If you would like to also contribute, you are welcome to at your convenience throughout the year, via the Qkr app - School Payments > Education Contributions > First Aid, Health & Wellbeing Contribution.

These contributions are vital to a positive trajectory for both the school and for the experiences of all our students at BNPS.