Issue 8 SJC News 2020

With communications e-mailed out on Tuesday from Tony Paatsch this newsletter article is written by Deputy Principal Student and Staff Wellbeing, Mark Kennedy.

The Return to School

It has been great having our Year 11 and 12 students back the past week and a half and I am very proud of the way our students have adjusted to the new sets of COVID-19 norms we have in place. All boys are showing respect to the staff, the school property, themselves and each other whilst practising healthy hygiene habits. We have also welcomed back our Year 9 students to Westcourt today. This decision was made in consultation with Headspace, Catholic Education Melbourne and Edmund Rice Education Australia in the best interests of the Year 9s health and wellbeing after the tragic loss of Abraham Knox. We wish them all the best as the reconnect with each other and get the support and guidance of their supportive teachers. We are really looking forward to welcoming back Year 10 and our Year 7 & 8 Waterford students next Tuesday as well.

Our senior leaders have set the tone of our new expectations to their peers which can viewed on the link below:

The consistent message is that we are working extremely hard to ensure we have processes in place that will keep people safe at school whilst maintaining our focus on student wellbeing and support. Our full working SJC COVID-19 Safe Plan document is located on the College website under ‘Our Wellbeing’ and we welcome families to read through it.

Wellbeing sessions for students

Headspace led our first online presentation on Monday in the Wellbeing period helping the Year 11 and 12 boys understand ways of supporting each other in tough times, reading the signs of friends in distress and self-care. The themes came from some of Tom Barnett and Louie Shearman’s close friends. We will also be offering the boys lunchtime sessions to help open up healthy conversations.

We had originally intended on these sessions being delivered early Term 2 during renewals and in seminar week but were postponed with the COVID-19 restrictions. The advice from headspace is that we should only offer sessions of this manner in a school setting when extra supports can be made available from teachers and counsellors which they were on Monday.

Dr Chris Hall, a motivational speaker, will lead another online presentation on Monday 15 June in the Wellbeing period focusing on overcoming adversity, stress management and resilience. This will involve all Year 10, 11 and 12 students and hopefully help our students plan for a positive and proactive Semester 2.

Both these presentations will be adapted to suit our Westcourt and Waterford students when they return and settle in to their classes. Surveys from students will help provide future direction for the College.

Community Support

I would like to thank all families for the support you have shown St Joseph’s during this challenging year. Our partnership is a key factor in schooling success for our boys and it will need to remain that way whilst we integrate everyone back next week. To help strengthen this school connectedness and positive thinking Peer Support Australia is currently providing a series of free webinars for parents and school leaders with adolescent psychologist Andrew Fuller. This is a great opportunity for our community to engage and build own understanding of wellbeing in the comforts of their own home or office.

Special offer for our SJC families

The headspace Schools Be You team are also willing to offer our SJC families a range of on line parent information sessions on Understanding Grief and Loss in Adolescents. This parent session aims to assist parents to:

• Recognise what grief might look like in adolescents

• Understand bereavement after suicide

• Practical strategies for parents to support a young person who is grieving

• Identify signs of difficulties and when and where to seek professional support

The parent sessions will be co-facilitated by headspace Schools Be You team and Jesuit Support after Suicide. The first of these free sessions will take place on Wednesday 10 June at 7.00pm. Only 25 families can register and take part in a particular session and we will run more sessions if our numbers proceed this.

Please email [email protected] if you wish to take part and you will be provided with the online session details.

Br Kevin Woodfuff

Finally, Br Kevin Woodruff, long serving staff member and the last Christian Brother to have worked at St Joseph’s died on Saturday 23 May. Eternal rest, grant unto him O Lord and let the perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.