Wellbeing

Wellbeing Team

Amanda Xavier

Wellbeing Co-Ordinator & Leader of the Doctors in Secondary Schools Program.

Amanda has been working in education for 10 years, 6 of those being at MSC and has had various roles within careers, wellbeing, teaching and student support.

Prior to working in education Amanda worked in residential care and drug and alcohol community organisations with disadvantaged young people.

Amanda is passionate about working with and advocating for young people and is a strong believer that emotions are the gatekeepers of the intellect therefore, positive wellbeing results in better academic outcomes.

Stacey James

Wellbeing Counsellor- Intake and High Needs Students

Stacey James started at Melton Secondary College at the beginning of Term 4, 2015. She previously work in the Department of Education regional office in Horsham for over 5 years. Her role was as part of Student Support Services Team where she travelled to schools across Western Victoria as a visiting Social Worker.

Over her time working in the education setting, Stacey has developed particular skills in working with student dealing with mental health issues.

Danielle Giampino

Wellbeing Counsellor- Therapeutic Intervention

Daniella Giampino has worked in secondary schools for the past 2 years as a school counsellor, starting at Melton Secondary College Term 3, 2016.

 Previously Daniella worked at a youth refuge for teens aged between 16 and 24 years, and as an applied behavioural analysis therapist for children aged between 2 and 6 years. Daniella enjoys working with groups of students in proactive programs.

Chris Lang

Wellbeing Counsellor- Programs and Attendance

Chris Lang has worked at Melton Secondary College for the past two and a half years. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Adolescent and Child Psychology.

He has been working with adolescents in both schools and community agencies for over twenty years in a variety of government funded programs but predominantly with young people at risk of homelessness, those in Out-of-Home care and at risk of leaving school prior to completion.

Chris has a particular interest in dealing with issues of anger and runs the RAGE and Triggers, Choices and Control programs at the school.

Nathanael Poljak

Registered Nurse/ Secondary School Nursing Program

The Secondary School Nursing Program which aims to reduce risk to young people and promote better health in the wider community.

The goals of the SSNP are to:

-              Play a key role in reducing negative health outcomes and risk taking behaviours among young people, including drug and alcohol abuse, tobacco smoking, eating disorders, obesity, depression, suicide and injuries.

-              Addresses prevention of ill health and problem behaviours by ensuring coordination between the school and community based health and support services.

Nathanael contributes in supporting the school community in addressing contemporary health and social issues facing young people and their families. This has included working with eSmart in cyberbullying issues, Melton council in addressing safe driving in our community, and gambling awareness issues with VRGF (Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation). Nathanael has currently worked on addressing Family Violence and Respectful Relationships in Melton SC and the community by presenting education in the classroom and in small groups within the school.

Secondary School Nurses are employed through Regional Offices of the Department, with most nurses allocated to two secondary schools.

"Never give up" at Melton SC

During the first term of 2018, Melton SC had the opportunity to learn about the impact on bullying. BullyZero Australia Foundation presented their message to all year 7 students that inspired us to stand up against bullying in our school. BullyZero taught us the dangers of bullying, how to seek help, and inspired us to treat each other with empathy.

Victor Muhindo of 7C learnt that

“Bully Zero taught us what is and what is not bullying. Bullying is a repeated behaviour when people are being mean to you, calling you rude names and doing unkind things over and over again”. 

“It is important to learn about bullying because it can prevent much from happening. Learning about bullying helps us to know how to deal with it in a situation and how to get help and how to stop it”.

The presentation empowered students to be Up-Standing bystanders and taking positive action when they witness bullying instead of becoming bystanders.

Each Year seven student completed a pledge against bullying which will be on display at Essendon Fields on March 16th, the National Day against Bullying and Violence.

Victor’s pledge was “Be treated the way you want to be treated yourself” and “don’t let other people shut you down, keep your head up and keep going because the only person from stopping you is yourself so keep pushing forward”

BullyZero shared how celebrities where able to overcome their own bullying experience from school. Victor recalls, “David Beckham was teased about his soccer skills and they told him he won’t make it but he didn’t let those people overcome him and he kept pushing forward and because of that he became one of the best soccer players in the world”

Melton SC will continue the discussion and actions in stopping bullying, as we would like to see everyone feeling safe and enjoying their Melton SC life.

By Nathanael Poljak (Secondary School Nurse and Victor Muhindo 7C

North Star Dental Service

North Star Dental will be attending Melton Secondary College in their mobile dental clinic in 2018. The clinic will provide our students with free quality dental treatments under the child dental benefit scheme. To find out if your child is eligible and for more information please visit humanservices.gov.au/childdental).

The mobile dental clinic will be at our college between the 30th of April and the 4th May 2018. Consent forms and more information will be sent home with your child in the coming weeks.

INTERNET: Parent Tip Sheet

WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION?

The Internet has a myriad of attractions to young people. It is instantaneous, highly interactive and immensely private, which are highly prized attributes for most young people. It gives them access to their mates, music and media without leaving home. It has addictive qualities we know, but that does not mean that a young person should become a Net addict.

HOW SHOULD PARENTS REACT?

TREAT .COM RELATIONSHIPS AND ACTIVITIES LIKE ANY OTHER:

Mocking their cyber friends and cyber activities can only drive them further into the cyber world of rebellion and further away from the real world.

IF THE CYBER WORLD IS THE REAL WORLD for your young person as he shuns most other activities as well as people it may be time to take some action or even get some help.

INVOLVE YOURSELF IN THEIR CYBER ACTIVITIES, much as you would any other type of activity. Take the time to find out what they are doing and what they get from the activities.

NEGOTIATE ONLINE TIME ALLOCATIONS and share time online with other interested siblings. Locate the computer connected to the Internet in a public place at home so that you are accessible and also so sharing can occur.

ASK YOUR YOUNG PERSON WHAT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME MAY BE ONLINE. If they violate that limit then ask them if they have a problem. Let them think it over for a time. Perhaps you can bargain real time activities in exchange for time online.

OFFER OFFLINE ALTERNATIVES TO ENTERTAINMENT, EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION. Remind them that there are offline alternatives, even if they do not use them all the time.

This is a Short Message from your Melton SC Welfare Team. If you have any issues regarding this and are unsure where to turn, please make an appointment with the school welfare team. Thanks, Nathanael.