Student Wellbeing
We hope you have settled well into the school year and that you are looking forward to an exciting and rewarding 2022.
After a disrupted two years, we wanted to take a moment to re-introduce our Student Wellbeing Team to you. Our team consists of a range of professionals who are committed to maximizing the potential of young people in our school community to learn and achieve. We are available to provide support, information and referral options to young people experiencing issues that are impacting their health and wellbeing.
The Student Wellbeing Team is:
- Ana Finlay (Director of Student Engagement and Wellbeing)
- Micah Crowe (Psychologist)
- Shanilka Abeywickrema (Psychologist)
- Jasbinder Singh (Mental Health Practitioner)
- Alanna McCormack (Secondary School Nurse)
Students who are wanting to connect with the Wellbeing Team can self refer by dropping into the Wellbeing Area at the Front Office. Parents and carers can make contact with our team by calling the school on (03) 9795 2366.
A reminder too that our Doctors in Secondary Schools Clinic is running every Friday. We are excited to welcome back Dr Joy and Dr Andrew who will be at school on alternate Fridays from 9.30am to 1pm.
For families new to our school, the Doctors in Secondary Schools program (DiSS) funds general practitioners to attend secondary schools to provide medical advice and health care to young people. Appointments with the Doctors in Secondary Schools GP are free.
Students can book an appointment with our GPs at the Front Office- students don’t need to tell anyone why they would like to see the GP when booking. Students can also drop-in to see the GP or nurse at recess or lunchtime on Fridays without an appointment.
SECONDARY SCHOOL NURSE NEWS
While the number of young Australians who are smoking cigarettes has fallen in recent years, we’re currently seeing a rise in the number young people who are ‘vaping’.
Students have recently participated in workshops that have provided them with information about vaping and its impact on health, as well as knowledge of the legal issues around vaping in Australia. This will be further supported by learnings in Junior School Health classes throughout the year.
The following article from the Lung Foundation Australia was created to empower parents and carers with the latest research and information about vaping and strategies for engaging in conversations with their children about the potential harms. It offers evidence-based information on vaping, its health, safety and legal issues in Australia, and the ways in which it presents a health risk to the body and lungs.
Alanna McCormack
Secondary School Nurse