Lowanna College

Wellbeing Report

 

Hi, my name is Paul and I am the new Wellbeing Leader at Lowanna College.

 

I live locally with my two children so I have a great understanding of the local community. I have a background and qualifications in Early Childhood, Youth Work, Family Therapy, Social Work, Counselling, Mental Health and Business Management. I’m currently studying a Masters of Adolescent Health and Wellbeing.

 

Previous to my role at Lowanna, I spent 4 years as the Wellbeing Coordinator at Newborough East Primary School. 

Past roles have included practitioner and leadership positions within Anglicare Victoria, Berry Street Education and the Department of Education and Training.

 

I am passionate about supporting vulnerable young people and ensuring they have a safe and stable environment in order to come to school ready to learn and be the best they can be.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club runs each Tuesday and Thursday morning in the Dining Room from 7.45am - 8.20am.

Come pop by and get yourself some toast and a hot milo!

Breakfast Club Volunteers Wanted

We would like to welcome all families back and a special welcome to our new families for 2021. Each Monday and Thursday the wellbeing team make breakfast club available for students. Breakfast club commences at 7.45am and runs until 8.30am.

The wellbeing team are very keen to meet new parents and carers and would love to hear from you if you can assist with breakfast club. This is a great opportunity for students and staff to connect with our broader school community (and have a few laughs along the way) so if you can spare both or either of those days before school please let the wellbeing team know. We look forward to getting to know our families and sharing more news about what Wellbeing will look like for Lowanna College in 2021.

Breakfast Club Donations

We would love donations of Margarine, Milo and Cheese as these are things we go through quite quickly. If you are able to help in any way when you do your grocery shop we would be extremely grateful. Feel free come and say hello to the wellbeing team and drop off any donations there. We are located opposite the library.

Respectful Relationships

In 2020 Lowanna College signed on to the Respectful Relationships Initiative rolled out by the Department of Education and Training. This initiative was one of many as a result of the findings in the Royal Commission into Family Violence.

 

In 2021, Lowanna College will join other Victorian Government schools in taking a whole school approach to Respectful Relationships and building a culture of respect and gender equality. This whole school approach leads to positive impacts on student academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour and relationships with teachers and peers. This year Lowanna will be establishing an implementation team who will work towards rolling Respectful Relationships out within the curriculum and throughout the school through social events, ongoing discussions with students and connection with other Respectful Relationships schools within our local community. We encourage our families to get involved in conversations with your children about this important work as they learn more about it throughout the year.

 

We will continue to provide updates about our work in newsletters. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for regular updates as well.

The Achievement Program

Lowanna College have also taken a lead in another initiative which supports the Respectful Relationships work we will do. The Achievement Program helps to create a healthier environment for working and learning. This program focuses on health areas such as healthy eating, physical activity, mental health and wellbeing. Aligned to the World Health Organisation’s model for Health promoting Schools and Healthy Workplaces, this program is supported by the Victorian Government and delivered by Cancer Council Victoria. By participating in this program Lowanna aim to –

  1. CREATE – a healthier environment using our policies, tools and resources.
  2. BUILD – on the work we are already doing to support health and wellbeing.
  3. LEAD – by obtaining Victorian Government recognition as a healthy place.
  4. THRIVE – by supporting everyone in our community to be healthy, well and participate.

 

Lowanna College is the first secondary school in the Latrobe Valley to be participating in this initiative and only the second secondary school Gippsland wide.

 

Stay tuned for regular newsletter updates as we progress through this great work.

 

Paul Fry

Wellbeing Leader