Pastoral Care and Wellbeing

Our Positive Behaviour Framework 

At St Joseph’s College, our positive behaviour framework is named ‘Respect, Commit, Be Grateful’. We have our positive behaviour framework and matrix which focuses on the positive behaviours we want to see, rather than the behaviours we don’t. 

Here at St Joseph’s we teach the positive behaviours we want to see, correct the behaviour when it strays from these and reaffirm these behaviours when displayed. 

Here is our Behaviour Matrix that outlines these behaviours in line with being respectful, committed and grateful. 

The last two weeks we have been focusing on ‘PAUSE before you Post’. We have revisited this to support students’ skills and understanding of safe and positive online behaviour. We use the acronym PAUSE as a reminder that before we post or send something, that we ensure it is Positive, Accurate, Useful, Supportive and Ethical. 

We encourage you to continue to have conversations with your student/s around online behaviour, what their experiences are and how they can best respond and report any concerning or inappropriate online behaviour. There are many great resources you can utilise to support these conversations also. I encourage you to access our SchoolTV resources at https://sje.vic.schooltv.me/, Safe on Social Media, Office of the eSafety Commissioner and there are many more. 

SchoolTV - Special Report

Managing Overwhelm

Willingly or not, we have all been exposed to a piece of bad news that has lingered in our thoughts for days afterwards. This seems to be more common in the current environment than ever before. Due to the pandemic, the world we now live in is a very different place, so it is easy to see why we might feel impacted. It can often seem like there are many stressful events occurring simultaneously, and the hyperconnected nature of our environment means we are constantly being reminded of the challenges we face via numerous media and social media channels. Our connectivity to the digital world exposes us to a barrage of messages that can often leave us feeling overwhelmed.

It is therefore important for children and parents alike, to consciously and intentionally learn good wellbeing strategies. Unfortunately, our brains have not evolved fast enough to adapt to the digital landscape we find ourselves in and this often leaves us feeling overwhelmed and can result in increased levels of stress and anxiety. If left untreated or unmanaged, constant stress and anxiety can lead to a number of behavioural issues or health consequences.

The blueprint for parenting, based on our own experiences, is no longer fit for purpose in raising kids as citizens of tomorrow. The combination of constant access to information and having little control over the situations presented, can be stressful and overwhelming. Although we can’t provide our kids with certainty, we can provide them with the skills and strategies to cope to enable them to flourish and thrive, socially, emotionally and academically. It may not necessarily be the information itself that is harmful, but more their inability to process and make sense of it.

https://sje.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-managing-overwhelm

Please remember we are here to help! If we can assist in supporting you and/or your student, please contact your student’s Learning Mentor, House Leader or wellbeing@sje.vic.edu.au.

Rach Chapman 

College Leader - Pastoral Care and Wellbeing and The Wellbeing Team wellbeing@sje.vic.edu.au