Wellbeing Update | Term 4, 2022
2022 has seen a significant increase in the time and resources dedicated to helping Mac.Rob students to build and sustain a strong sense of wellbeing. A great deal of our work, both inside and outside of the classroom, has focussed on supporting students to become mentally well, emotionally intelligent, resilient and independent young people.
Our Connect program was launched at the start of 2022, and we have now completed the first year of our wellbeing curriculum. Students have worked with peers and teachers to develop skills in communication, relationship building, managing conflict, help-seeking, emotion regulation, and stress management. Our Learning Mentor Program also provided students with the opportunity to improve their sleep habits, time management practices, and social connections.
Over the course of the year, I had the privilege of working with several staff members and students in implementing programs aimed at supporting student wellbeing. These events included Mac.Rob Week and RUOK? Day celebrations, Year 10 Health classes, student seminars on the Religious Discrimination Bill and the Federal election, Student Shadowing, and the Towards the Line initiative. Our SRC Wellbeing Action Team members also developed and delivered a number of wellbeing initiatives, and our Eustress student leaders facilitated a regular, safe space for students to discuss and reflect on wellbeing issues. Our Counselling team has also provided individual therapy to many students experiencing mental health difficulties. I am very grateful to the staff and students involved in each of these events, for their work in improving the wellbeing of our student population.
Students reflect on wellbeing at Mac.Rob in 2022, as featured at Presentation Night.
It was also a pleasure to work closely with parents and carers in 2022. Many parents attended our Parent Seminar focussing on managing stress during the exam period, and others joined us at the Melbourne Theatre Company’s performance of Laurinda. A number of parents also participated in Parent/Carer Focus Groups with myself and Nathan Wood-Davies (Head of Community Engagement and Cultural Understanding) – this was a very valuable experience for us, as we learnt more about what is important to parents and carers of Mac.Rob students, and how we can improve the involvement of parents and carers in the Mac.Rob community. It was wonderful to get to know some of our parents and carers, and I look forward to this continuing next year.
Finally, we provided a number of professional learning seminars to our staff at Mac.Rob this year. A series of workshops focussed on the ways that we can support students with trauma backgrounds, anxiety, and executive functioning difficulties. We also provided training to staff in understanding and responding to perfectionism, and the ways that teachers can support students to approach their learning with a growth mindset. Our staff have also undertaken training to ensure that they are familiar with the new Child Safe Standards.
2022 has been a fantastic year for wellbeing at Mac.Rob, and we are looking forward to continuing our efforts to build a school community that enhances student wellbeing in 2023!
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or feedback about wellbeing at Mac.Rob, at bridget.mcpherson@macrob.vic.edu.au. You can also access SchoolTV at any time – this is an online resource that provides parents with information to assist with ensuring that our young people are psychologically well. You can explore SchoolTV via the “SchoolTV Portal” link here, or via this direct link.
I wish you all a wonderful festive season! I look forward to continuing our work with you and your children next year.
Dr Bridget McPherson, Head of Wellbeing and Engagement