Pastoral Academic Care (PAC)
Pastoral Academic Care (PAC) Focus - SORTING OUT ISSUES / CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Well Being Element - Meaning + Purpose
Character Strength - Leadership
Parent Wellbeing: Role modelling having self-belief in your self-worth as a person who matters and self-acceptance of who you are, will benefit the wellbeing of your son/daughter. Young people have not always listened to adults, but they have never failed to imitate them. Doing this, will also fill you with frequent positive emotions, which are the best builders of wellbeing.
To build the wellbeing of the whole school community there needs to be a shift in our thinking from what school rule was broken, why did it happen and what are the consequences, to this was a violation of our school community’s trust, which affected and threatened respectful relationships. Then ask students how can they use their strengths to make things right for others and act more positively. This approach promotes school wide growth mindsets to ensure that the wellbeing of everyone is valued and matters.
This shift is about moving from external control by adults to showing students how they can use their top strengths to build their own internal control to understand what has to happen to make things right and how will it be done. Asking students who do the wrong thing to complete Restoring Esteem and Focus (see Individual Resources on website) will assist them to have empathy for others.
Reflecting on the following questions focuses students on using their strengths to make changes themselves:
• who has been affected by what happened and how?
• what could l have done or said differently?
• what would I now do and say?
• what do I have to do to make things right?
• How can I use my top strengths to achieve this?
“From a little spark may burst a flame.” Dante Alighieri
Acknowledgement: Peterson & Gable
Year 7
Ms Natalie Mellowship
Year 7 students have been continuing to do some wonderful things in and around school. From demonstrating amazing efforts with their academic learning to demonstrating community service at O’Connor. This week we have been able to celebrate these achievements in our Year Briefing with Ms Menz who awarded the following students a Principal's Award: Jack Young, Charlotte Fletcher, Dylan Summers and Sierra Donnelly. Ms Mellowship also awarded the following students with Pastoral Academic Care Leader Awards: Eve Newsome and Benjamin Kurian. A huge congratulations to all our award winners.
This week in our PAC lesson, students were continuing to focus on kindness. The Science of Kindness youtube clip displays an understanding of the scientifically proven benefits of being kind. Here is the link to watch at home, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9UByLyOjBM.
All next week (week 5), we will be celebrating Catholic Missions Week. This is a great opportunity for Year 7s to learn more about doing something kind for someone who may be in need or less fortunate than themselves. Activities will include a Giant Handball competition which I’m sure many Year 7 students will get involved in.
Ms Mellowship and the Year 7 PAC team
Year 8
Mrs Kath Czinner
Week 4 completed already. Our year group has been working towards planning for next year. The electives have been chosen, preference for class placement have been considered and we have focussed on the power of positivity.
We were able to focus on the positives of the people around us and reach out to affirm them. This gave the students the opportunity to show thanks and gratitude. Congratulations to our students who continually strive to do what is right and just. A positive word of thanks allows people the opportunity to feel appreciated.
Congratulations to our students who continue to receive commendation awards. We have a large number of students who are close to the next level of the award system. With continued effort, initiative, courage and self-regulation, we as a year group can strive for self improvement.
Mrs Kath Czinner on behalf of the Yr 8 PAC teachers.
Year 9
Mr James Russell
One month into our final term of Year 9 and school has been a hive of activity and learning. Even though we continue to face COVID restrictions, there seems to be so much happening at the moment with students having excellent opportunities to learn and have fun. A fantastic example of this was this week when the Benilde Indoor Street felt like a Sydney Food Court with Food Tech students cooking up a storm for their Multicultural Food Stalls. This event was a huge success with all food sold out and more importantly students having a wonderful opportunity to apply their learning under the pressure of a real life situation. There was a definite buzz in the kitchen and students were so excited to show off some top notch culinary creations. Thank you very much to Mrs Healey for her hard work in teaching our students Food Tech and in organising this event.
Team Italia - Mario (Lexi) and Luigi (Zoe) with their delicious creations for the Multicultural Food Stalls
Next week is Missions week at school and it is always a great opportunity for students to learn more about doing something kind for somebody less fortunate. Fortunately they can also have a lot of fun in the process if they choose to compete in the Giant Handball Competition that will be run across this week (all entry fees go toward Catholic Missions). The Yr 9 PAC Team encourages all of our students to support this very worthwhile cause and get involved.
Year 9 students continue to do amazing things at school in the areas of academic achievement, effort towards learning and in service to the O’Connor Community and beyond. This week we celebrated the efforts of a number of students who were awarded their Principal’s Awards by Ms Menz. Congratulations to you all.
PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS: We had quite a few recipients for Principal's Awards this fortnight.
Year 10
Ms Amanda Bell and Mr Frank Patricks
Hello again lovely people, how quick is this term going, Week Four now done and dusted. A big congratulations from all the Year 10 cohort to the Year 12 cohort. You have done such a wonderful job with your approach to your HSC and you all deserve the very best in life. You have shown so much resilience and have been a great example to all of us in Year 10 and you really inspire us as we approach our own leadership roles next year.
Work experience - many students have spoken to prospective work experience employers and there are many work experience places taken up. Don't leave it to the last minute. Get out there and arrange to experience work in an area that interests you. This could really change your life as you head toward life after school.
Achievements - As the term comes to an end, it is a great time to reflect on things that you have done in the past and how these things are going to stay with you and your family for many years to come. Below is an example of a project completed by Angela Ryan last year. When Angela brought the timber in for this project the top was oil stained and it was just a jumble of rough pieces. Through hard work and determination she was able to create a piece of furniture that will stand pride of place in the house and last in her family for many many years. You can achieve anything you want, but to take it, you need to actively participate.
RE - In RE classes we are presently linking how First Nations and Indigenous society with Catholicism are intricately linked. Examining how the Dreaming and Christ’s words both set the boundaries of an existence with all that is around us. As part of Mr Patricks’ class they are creating their own Rosaries linking the reuse of resources from around us for another purpose. Great examples have been the reuse of twine from the farm, the collection and reuse of bottle tops and the use of gum nuts from the bush. All great examples of how we are only custodians of the land and we need to ensure resources are not exploited.
Retreat - This is an incredible way to really reset. Last Friday Year 10 experienced a full day away from their normal school day with the opportunity to reconnect with God and learn the power of living closer in the way of Christ’s teaching. A day to be able to take stock of one’s self and head in a reflective direction, giving strength and guidance gained from on high.
Strong Finish - From next week you only have 25 days left of face to face Year 10. This is the time that you need to continue your wonderful focus and head into the Christmas holidays knowing you have done your very best for the year. There are projects to finish, classwork to complete and not to mention the countless other activities that are a part of your busy day.
Ms Amanda Bell / Mr Frank Patricks (on behalf of the Year 10 PAC team)
Year 11
Mrs Vicki Channon
As our students transition into year 12 and their HSC year they will face many challenges. Some have already trimmed their learning loads from six subjects to five. This in itself was a major decision for them.
Goal setting remains an integral part of College life. Goals need to be realistic, achievable and reviewed regularly. Other things like a student’s well being should not be sacrificed in the pursuit of such goals.
The Year 11 debating team of Angus Scrivener, Jean Boshoff and Joel Croft, along with
Roie Wood (Year 10), were victorious against TAS in the semi-final of the Non-Government School virtual debating competition on Thursday. They now progress to the final and will debate the winner of Canberra Girls’ Grammar and Scotch College (VIC) next week. We are extremely proud of their success this year and wish them all the very best!
At the time of printing, our collective thoughts and prayers are with our Year Leader Vicki Channon, who has been unwell but is on the road to a speedy recovery. For the next two weeks I will be acting LOL Year Leader. Feel free to contact me instead of Vicki during that time with any requests or problems. We look forward to Vicki’s return in Week 7.
In the meantime, our students will continue to balance their many extra-curricular activities such as work, TAFE, sport (to resume soon) with their scholastic responsibilities.
Our PAC team is very proud of the way in which our students are adapting to their new responsibilities as leaders, as role models and as the senior students in the school.
Peter McLeish (on behalf of Vicki Channon and the Year 11 PAC team)