2019

The Student Support Services Team offers supportive counselling, group, year level and whole school programs. Our team is available to support all students and has various connections and partnerships with external agencies to support all needs.

Doctors in Secondary School Program

The Doctors in Secondary School Program was introduced in 2018 and has again been successful throughout 2019 thanks to the positive partnership with Westcare Medical Centre in Melton. Consistent with Australian common law, the program allows any student who wants to see the GP an appointment. Our clinic is full most weeks with students seen by a nurse and/or GP. With assistance from our clinic staff, we were able to also offer all Year 10 students the Helipad program for learning about drug use, ambulance response, and responding to a medical emergency. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Westcare Medical Centre in 2020 and beyond.

Lock Up the Principal

During Mental Health Week, the College community voted for one of the Assistant Principals to be locked up to support Lifeline Australia. This year, Ms Gokmen was arrested for setting too much homework and taken by our local police officers and student officers to the purpose built jail cell, built by students in the Hands On Learning program. Students and staff donated money to keep her locked up longer as well as supported the fundraiser with purchasing from our BBQ ran by food technology students. Headspace, Odyssey House, Youth Services and VIC Police were present on the day and supported this wonderful initiative. Who will be locked up next year?

RUOK? Day

RUOK? Day is a national suicide awareness initiative. As a College we create awareness about how important it is to ask “Are you ok?” This year, student leaders assisted by delivering coffee and cookies to staff around the school, a staff morning tea was enjoyed and students were involved in lunch time activities promoting participation.

Mental Health First Aid

Over 30 staff members have been trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid over the past two years, enabling our school to be eligible to run the teen Mental Health First Aid program for all Year 11 and Year 9 students. This program is offered over 3 sessions focusing on recognising how to keep minds healthy, enacting the mental health first aid process and putting it in to practice. This evidenced based program skills young people in helping their peers in recognising when their friend is not ok and in how to connect their friends with appropriate adult support.

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is recognised every March to coincide with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Throughout Harmony Week and specifically on Harmony Day, the College recognises and celebrates the cultural diversity within our College community highlighting inclusiveness, diversity, respect and belonging for everyone. Students were invited to participate in a number of lunch time activities to celebrate this day.

Program for Students with Disabilities

Our program for students with disabilities caters for funded students who require additional assistance to access education whilst at school. Our coordinator and her team regularly support students in and out of the classroom with additional needs to create best outcomes for all students in the program.

Group Programs

The Student Support Services Team offers prevention based programs for whole year levels and identified small groups of students. This year, the team has offered programs focused on increasing self esteem, resilience and boosting confidence. In addition to this, social skills programs, engagement programs and psycho-education programs were also offered. In partnership with external organisations we have been able to offer BOUNCE, an engagement based programs for students identified at risk of dis-engagement and year level programs such as Helipad ran in collaboration with Westcare Medical Centre, VIC Police, Ambulance VIC and a guest speaker highlighting the dangers of one punch. Our team looks forward to extending the provision of programs to meet the needs of all students in 2020.

RESP Program

Throughout 2018 and 2019, Kurunjang Secondary College has been committed to the Refugee Education Support Program initiative. We have partnered together with Edmund Rice services with assistance from the Centre for Multicultural Youth and Foundation House to offer a homework program for our students here at the College once a week. This program has been successful and we hope to continue offering similar support in 2020.

EAL Program

Our school provides additional support for students who have been in Australia for less than 7 years and who speak a language other than English at home. EAL students are learning English while at the same time using English to learn in all other classes. Some in class support is available during English classes. Students also have access to enriched resources to help their English learning.

Kurunjang Secondary College Newsletter

Issue 9 · 19 Dec 2019

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