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Health Services Take Centre Stage

Our Staff Professional Learning Day has been packed with a range of different experiences. One of the most engaging sessions for teaching and boarding staff was presented by members of our Health Services Team. Psychologist Majella Dennis and provisional psychologist Dr Kimberlee Burrows talked about protecting the wellbeing of students and staff, as part of our College Mental Health Strategy.

Wellbeing is not a state nor a trait, it is a multi-dimensional experience of life. To support the wellbeing of members of our College community, Santa Maria is committed to a framework that includes a focus on Culture and Values, Knowledge, Skills and Support. Staff were made aware of the ways all these aspects are being addressed at present.

Supporting Students

In supporting students, our teachers and Boarding staff were reminded to keep the three elements of integrated wellbeing in mind. These elements are:

  • Awareness
  • Connection
  • Integration

1. Change Your Lens (Awareness)

When learners are not as engaged as we would like them to be, and we make negative judgements like those below:

We need to consider that there may be factors beyond our awareness, such as these…

2. Fill the Emotional Cup (Connection)

 When children are depleted by fatigue, stress, failure, rejection, and any number of other factors they will act out with unhelpful behaviours. It is our job to help fill their emotional cup and create connection. We can do that by:

3. Wrap Around Care (Integration)

Wrap-around care means care for ourselves, our colleagues, our families, the students our community, and the world in which we live.

This was just part of one session staff attended in the very rich learning program offered today. All sessions were well received by staff and invaluable in providing instruction and care for our students daily.

What A Term! So Many Opportunities – Jennifer Oaten

As I look back on the past nine weeks, I am so grateful for who we are as a community and what we have achieved. Through the dedication of our staff and the enthusiasm of our students, we have established new connections, immersed ourselves in opportunities and worked through challenges.

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