Learning Specialist & Wellbeing Report

Welcome back to Term 1 2023! 

This year we are both very excited to take on new roles within the school. This year we will be working with each other, domain leaders, staff and students to develop the curriculum and hopefully more engaging for our students. We have a strong focus on talking to the students, finding out what they want to learn and how. We look forward to working together to improve the learning outcomes for all students. 

Learning Specialists

Sarah Schellen & Lashay Tricker

The Wellbeing Team are available to support students and families. Student wellbeing is a professional support service provided to the whole school community. This consists of, but not limited to; one-on-one counselling, working with families, teaching staff, support staff and outside agencies to provide the best possible outcomes for students and staff. How to access Wellbeing: Students can access Wellbeing by making an appointment with a member of the Wellbeing team during recess and/or lunchtime. Staff can refer students who they have concerns for, and parents can call and request an appointment for their young person. Students can use Stymie to report or notify Wellbeing of any concerns they have for themselves or for someone they know. 

The Wellbeing Team have a few things planned this term, including Teen Mental Health First Aid (TMHFA) for all our year 10 students. The course will be taught over 3 x 60mins sessions by Megan Kenny, our Mental Health Practitioner, who is a trained facilitator. Students will learn how to provide mental health first aid to their friends. Mental health problems covered include Anxiety and depression, eating disorders, alcohol and other drug disorders and psychosis. Mental health crisis covered include suicidal thoughts and behaviours, non-suicidal self-injury, intoxication, bullying and abuse. At the end of the course these students will be accredited Teen Mental Health First Aiders. Research with high school students who receive TMHFA students report reduced stigma, increased confidence in supporting a peer with a mental health problem and are also able to recognise certain adults as helpful to a peer with a mental health problem.

Breakfast Club is back Monday and Thursday! 

This year Breakfast Club will be located next to the ramp outside the Wellbeing Office. The usual grab and go items from food-bank and fresh fruit from Woolworths Maffra will also be available. 

FREE grab and go items and fresh fruit will also be available from the canteen every recess and lunch. Thank you to Woolworths Maffra and Foodbank for their continued support and donations of these items!!

Youth Insearch

Penny Armstrong from Youth Insearch will be onsite at Maffra Secondary College from Wednesday – Friday. Youth Insearch is accessible to youth aged between 12 – 20 and is young people helping young people to turn their disadvantages into advantages. Youth that are referred have the opportunity to engage in Youth Insearch programs that include Foundations Workshop, weekly support group, virtual support group, weekend workshops, case management individualized care and a leadership program.

 Please contact a member of the Wellbeing Team for more information. 

Doctors Clinic

Our doctors clinic is operating as normal, Dr Stuart Anderson and Dr Margret Young from the Doctors in Secondary School Program will be available via appointment on a Monday. Our GPs provide students with the same services as those of any GP in the community, including management of physical health, mental health, and sexual and reproductive health issues. There are no out-of-pocket expenses for the students or families to see the GP. We have a purpose-built clinic onsite for students to access.

Respectful Relationships

As part of our commitment to The Respectful Relationships Initiative MSC will actively promote gender equality and speak out against gender-based violence in our school and in our community in accordance with our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support Framework. Over the semester the Wellbeing team will be working with our Diversity Captains, Student Leadership Team and staff to create opportunities for students to be involved in influencing and promoting gender equality within our school community as part of our commitment. Keep an eye out via compass for what we have planned and ways to get involved. As part of our commitment to deliver a respectful relationships curriculum, the explicit teaching of the RRRR resource will begin in the coming weeks for students in years 7 – 12. 

Emily Boyle

Wellbeing Leader