Wellbeing Report – November 3, 2016

The Importance of Student Leadership and Student Voice

When students are listened to and given the opportunity to lead and choose, both in class and the broader school, their engagement to learning and school culture increases. This is a win-win outcome for parents, students and teachers.- There are range of ways that we are placing value upon the leadership potential and student voice of our students. We hope for this to develop further within our community.

• GRIP leadership Conference- This was attended by the new Student Council Leaders of Year 12 for 2017, helping to build their capacity as leaders, a very worthwhile day for them all.

• Final Assembly of 2016- A Commissioning Assembly of Student Congress Leaders 2017. At our final assembly we will recognise formally for the first time the Congress leaders of 2017, presenting each boy with their congress leadership badges. Parents of this student body have also been invited to attend the assembly and morning tea afterwards. All parents are welcome to attend the assembly.

• The Student Focus Groups Mr Crowley and I have met with- These student gatherings are providing valuable insight from the boys about the question of what makes a great man. How we can support the boys along this very important journey is crucial. Staff and parent voices will also play a role in the process of naming and aspiring to being a great man, something we believe every boy is capable of achieving.

• A range of student working groups that students choose to be a part of and contribute to – Social Justice, Student Wellbeing and Sustainability.

Social Justice has long been an option for passionate students to engage in, led by Mr Art Nicholls, Our Faith In Action Coordinator.

Student Wellbeing, a new group developed by students, is coordinated by Mr Brad Murray, our new Pastoral Care Coordinator. –

The Student Sustainability group, a group that has been at the College for some years, is coordinated by our new Sustainability Coordinator, Mr Chris Nielsen.

All these groups have annual goals that they aim for and each group now has a College Assembly, focused upon Sustainability each year. All students are welcome to contact the staff coordinating to become involved. – – – – – – –

These are some important ways that we work with the students, gauging what is important to them and how we can support them. Please encourage your sons to continue to ask for what they need and work closely with their teachers to achieve their potential at St Patricks’ College.

Take Care, God Bless

Gerard Sullivan

Deputy Headmaster – Wellbeing