Wee Waa High News

Student Wellbeing 

Student Wellbeing Programs 

During Term 1, WWHS have run a variety of wellbeing programs including;

  • Daily Breakfast Club with a BBQ breakfast run in conjunction with WWPS each term
  • Our school nurse is available to students one day a week
  • Our Year 11 students attended a talk on positive mindset given by world-renowned speaker, Michael Crossland at Narrabri High School on the 1st of March
  • After school sports and activities program on Wednesdays for all interested students. Our Student Support Officer, Mrs Raylene Slee, in conjunction with Ms Shannon Thorsby of Tamworth Family Support Services have been delivering this program one day a week from 3pm to 4.30pm at Wee Waa Primary School hall. 
  • Year 7 to 10 received their immunisations
  • Thrive Through Sport - We have been fortunate to have run the Thrive Through Sport program every Monday with the Year 8 boys, which has been facilitated by Platform + Co. Currently, the students have completed 4 weeks of the program. The first 4 weeks have been based around communication and decision making. Students have also been given some objectives to complete in between sessions. These objectives are simple things such as striking up a conversation with a teacher to improve communication skills. For decision making, the students have been asked to focus on being more in the present and not on what might or might not happen in the future which generally affects decisions. They have been asked to consider what action is needed for that exact moment. The program has been well received by the students and they are beginning to develop beneficial problem solving skills.

NSW Police Force & Centacare (New England North West) Deliver Drug, Alcohol, Mental Health, Wellbeing and Safe Driving Program 

 

Drugs, alcohol, mental health, wellbeing and safe driving were the focus of Stage 4 and 5 student workshops conducted by police from the local area command and Centacare subject matter experts.

 

In attendance to build understanding and awareness was Senior Constable Ben Stride from the NSW Police Force. Senior Constable Stride’s role covers the Crime Prevention Unit, Domestic Violence Operative (DVO) and Specialist Youth Officer (SYO), as well as GLLO an Advocate for the LGBTQI+ Community. 

 

Also in attendance were Renee Finnigan and Catherine McIlrick of Centacare (New England North West) who shared the sessions with Senior Constable Stride.

 

Together our guests delivered compelling education about road safety, drugs and alcohol with a focus on vaping and the legal ramifications of underage drinking. Renee and Catherine together focused on mental health and the ramifications of drug and alcohol use from a wellbeing perspective. 

 

Some compelling points about vaping that surprised many students included;

  1. The nicotine in one vape is equivalent to about 50 cigarettes
  2. Vapes contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, paint and disinfectant
  3. At times there have been more people incarcerated and held in detention for multiple traffic offences than any other category of crime.