It’s evident that we are reaching the end of Term 3, from the exhaustion and tiredness of staff and students. Term 3 is always difficult – Cold weather leading into Spring allergies; Winter Sports season reaching its finale and the sheer volume of College events. But we have almost made it to the end and I’m sure that those who can, will enjoy a break.
There have been so many highlights across this term. From the amazing community spirit of Heritage Round and the Blue and White Ball to the number of grand finals our boys played in across basketball, rugby and soccer; to the Sports Presentation Nights and who could forget the enthusiasm of the Junior School during Book Week. It is apparent that the community spirit of St Edmund’s College is alive and well and we thank all members of our community for their involvement with all the events during Term 3.
Recently the College acknowledged R U Ok Day. This day is a vital nation-wide initiative that encourages all of us to check in with friends and family about their mental health. On this day our seniors welcomed the students to school and then during tutor groups the boys participated in group discussions whilst sharing a Kit Kat – the theme being ‘Share a Kit Kat and enjoy a chit chat’. It is hoped that by promoting these discussions our young men can tune into others more readily.
Midway through the term we hosted our House Celebration afternoon. This was a great day where each House shared BBQ together and then participated in House activities, where tutor group versed tutor group. This is a great afternoon to promote camaraderie and House spirit.
During our Personal Formation program there were so many topics covered to promote social and spiritual growth as well as develop skills in the areas of social and emotional intelligence. A focus for this term was on Mental Health across all age groups and bullying in Years 7 to 9.
We had the Mental Illness Education ACT (MIEACT) team come in and deliver workshops to four of our Year groups. Year 7 and 8 had the ‘No Labels’ workshop which explores bullying with a focus on the effects of bullying behaviour on individuals and their well-being. Year 9 did the YAM (Youth Aware of Mental Health) program over three weeks which promotes good mental health and addresses suicidal behaviours. YAM addresses the mental health needs of young people and aims to get young people involved and talking about mental health. Through this program students learn problem solving skills and gain knowledge about mental health in order to build resilience and promote early intervention and help seeking behaviours. Finally, Yr 11 had the Mental Health 201 workshop which addresses stigma and help-seeking through personal stories shared by MIEACT volunteer educators. This program allows for a more critical look at the impacts of stigma and importance of early help seeking.
On the 15th August we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption. Students participated in a Formation lesson which focused on the significant role Mary plays in the life of the Catholic Church and the belief in her unique role in salvation history as she was assumed to heaven both in body and soul. It was a time for students to reflect on Mary’s virtues of faith, humility, and obedience.
The final aspect of formation to touch on this term is the topics of bullying and racism. Unfortunately, there are still too many instances in society, both locally and internationally, where we see this kind of disrespectful behaviours play out. Our Year 7 and 8 students had lessons on these topics with a specific focus on ‘banter versus bullying’ and when banter goes too far. With the impacts of social media in this space, it is crucial that we work together as a community to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students. We encourage families to have open conversations with their children about kindness, respect, and the importance of standing up against any form of discrimination, especially about someone’s race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or appearance. Together, we can make try to make a difference in this world and continue to promote a culture of acceptance and inclusiveness.
There are still events happening, even in the final week of term. Year 12 begin their end of Year celebrations with their formal at the Marion on Thursday evening. We also have parent/teacher interviews where our parents / carers can check in with teachers to see how their sons are travelling with their education.
For the beginning of Term 4, we kindly remind families to ensure that students adhere to the uniform expectations, especially with haircuts and shoes. Please check that your child has the appropriate uniform and is prepared for Term 4.
Our College wouldn’t be such a vibrant place without the efforts of so many members of our community, as was evident this term. So, thank you to the staff, students, parents, carers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and community members that give up their time, volunteer their skills and strengths, support the expectations of the College and encourage our boys to be the best version of themselves. It is appreciated.
Monica Day
Assistant Principal – Student Wellbeing
