Wellbeing Report – July 28, 2016

Keeping Safe Curriculum Update and The Child Protection Standards

Thank you for supporting the Keeping Safe Professional Development day on the first day of Term 3. There have been some important developments by the Wellbeing Team at the College. The Year Level Coordinators, working closely with our Pastoral Care Coordinator, Mr Brad Murray, have begun planning how the Keeping Safe Curriculum can be integrated into our Pastoral Care Program for 2017. We will begin with Year 7 and 8. Further aspects will be integrated into Years 9-12 in 2017, with a view to consolidate in 2018 and beyond. The long term strategic plan is to integrate this curriculum across the whole school curriculum.

The new Child Safety Standards support the message of Keeping Safe in a very timely fashion for St Patricks’ College. Both initiatives are very positive ways of supporting St Patrick’s College to continue to be a safe place for our boys to attend but also to educate our boys of their rights at school and in life.

A team of staff are working steadily to develop our response to Child Safety. Staff will be in-serviced and information provided to parents as the year progresses. We want our boys to thrive and education about being safe and staying safe are part of the holistic education of our students.

Resilience, Resilience, Resilience -¦.

The two initiatives mentioned have at their heart the necessary life skill of resilience. This is the quality that the Wellbeing Team agreed unanimously needs to be the most important life-long trait for the boys to have. Further to that it is a core theme that will be addressed throughout our Pastoral Care Program. For those parents who attended the Resilience Project presentation for parents recently will have heard Hugh van Cuylenburg unpack the importance of resilience and role of the following three qualities;

-¢ Gratitude

-¢ Mindfulness

-¢ Empathy

Each day reflecting upon what went well builds a positive perspective and allows us to keep the balance right in our lives. If you would like to see the presentation or other information from The Resilience Project please access the following link http://theresilienceproject.com.au

Take Care, God Bless Mr Gerard Sullivan Deputy Headmaster – Wellbeing