All young people need to feel that high school is a safe place where people will care about them, their needs for support, respect and friendship will be met, and they’ll get help to work through problems. To meet the needs of our students we have introduced Wellbeing lessons and seminars.

In 2020, all students in Years 7 to 9 will have fortnightly Wellbeing lessons with a designated teacher to build resilience and to create respectful relationships. During these lessons’ students will learn about issues which effect young people and the ways in which they can help each other as they traverse the teenage years. Students will create a strong sense of belonging in a safe and caring environment which will allow them the opportunity to discuss and learn about issues such as how to manage stress, how to ask for help, how to problem solve, look at their personal strengths, discuss what masculinity looks like today and in the future, and how to create positive and respectful relationships with all people.

To further enhance student’s wellbeing, all students in Years 7 to 10 will participate in a Friday afternoon Wellbeing Seminar twice a term during Friday Activities. The purpose of these seminars is to instil in our students the importance of looking after our mental health as much as our physical health.

This term the seminars will delve into the following areas of respect:

• What is respect? Let’s define it!
• What does it look like?
• How to earn respect.
• The importance of role models in our lives.
• How to treat girls/women
• How to be a respectful friend, family member and student
• How to respect yourself
• Respect online

Students will have a variety of guest speakers including Snr Constable Peter Hughes from Gosford Police, to discuss cyber safety and showing respectful behaviour online. Years 9 and 10 students will also have a BATYR workshop in Weeks 5 and 6 to address the issue of youth suicide and depression. Students are taught how to recognise and help their mates if they are suffering from poor mental health.

Parent seminars are also being organised throughout the year to provide support and guidance to our community and to meet the needs of all our students. Please check the newsletter and/or emails for all upcoming events.

I encourage all parents to continue the conversation about being respectful. The Australian Government has provided a website to guide parent conversations and can be accessed on the following links:

• https://www.respect.gov.au/resources/the-respect-checklist/#son
• https://www.respect.gov.au/resources/talking-about-respect/

Mrs Anthea Pearson
Leader of Wellbeing