Head of Middle Years
Mr Steven Tkaczuk
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome each of you to the 2022 academic year. There is certainly a positive feel and buzz in the air with students refreshed and eager to tackle new experiences. We welcome back our existing families and extend a warm greeting to all new students and their families to the Middle Years.
We have much planned throughout the course of the year and are ready to create opportunities for your son or daughter to flourish in our Middle Years. Various extra-curricular activities have been planned and camps are already underway, albeit with COVID safe measures in action!
Our Middle Years is a safe and supportive place where students are encouraged and motivated to achieve success in a 21st Century learning environment. We strive to provide opportunities for students, that will prepare them not only for Secondary School but for life in the wider community.
‘Through Christ we are LEARNERS TODAY…LEADERS FOREVER!’
Pastoral Care
Our Pastoral Care Program is a very important component of what we do here at Good News Lutheran College. Research suggests that when an individual’s wellbeing is high, other aspects of their educational journey flourishes including their learning, social connections, and emotional growth.
Our Pastoral Care Program branches out from our Middle School Vision Wheel. Each step in the Pastoral Journey aims to enhance student’s emotional, spiritual social and academic development.
Year 6 – Stepping Up “What am I responsible for?” The focus is aimed at having every Year 6 student ‘step up’ and be a proactive member of the Middle Years community. Students will learn to become responsible and resilient through self-management. Additionally, empathy and compassion will be learnt and displayed through mindfulness, gratitude and being of service to others in their community.
Year 7 – Stepping Out “What are my obstacles and how do I overcome them?” Our aim is to have every Year 7 student ‘step out’ of their comfort zone, enabling them to develop a positive identity. Goal setting and strategies to achieve these goals becomes a key focus for the students. They aim to enhance their individual self-development through social emotional learning. Developing respect and confidence becomes an important focus throughout the year.
Year 8 – Stepping In “How can I achieve success?” The aim is for each Year 8 student to be successful as they reflect on their identity and begin to understand who they want to become. Focusing on the importance of being resilient, as well as the required strategies to draw upon, students begin to feel more secure and confident about who they really are, thus enabling them to form positive and successful relationships with others. After exploring what is needed in order to be mentally healthy and resilient, students journey on to discovering their leadership potential.
Year 9 – Stepping Out - The Rite Journey - “Who am I and who do I want to become?” Year 9 student's will be led through a fantastic program that enables them to understand the impact of others in their lives and the way that these experiences have shaped them into who they are today. Students reflect on events from their childhood, that have shaped their character or affected them in some way. After deep self-reflection, they begin to make informed choices about who they would like to be seen as and which direction they are heading. This knowledge will also help students set goals and intentions for their future and think about their responsibilities as a global citizen.
As the year progresses, Pastoral Care staff will share these exciting experiences with you.
Unfortunately, due to the current COVID safe measures in place, we will not be able to hold an information evening for families on site. However, an online presentation will be shared with each of you, with specific information relating to your child’s Year Level.
We look forward to sharing this year with your son or daughter and with continued collaboration with you, we hope to see opportunities grasped and goals achieved!
Having young adolescent children of my own, I often read articles relating to the growing mind and body – that transition from being a young child into that of a young adult. Forming good practices and habits is crucial to a developing adolescent individual. This article is a simple read with some fantastic information about what your child may be experiencing.