Year 9 & 10 eXcel Days
Earlier in the term our Year 9 and Year 10 students participated in their perspective eXcel wellbeing days.
The Year 9 focus was also on respectful relationships, lasting friendships, breaking gendered stereotypes and managing stress. The Year 10 day was designed using positive education and respectful relationship interventions to help our Year 10 students develop their social and emotional literacy.
Over the course of the Year 10 day, each student participated in the following:
- TomorrowMan
Building emotional muscle and spaces free of judgment, to start conversations about the man of tomorrow. - TomorrowWoman
Aspires to reignite girls and women around Australia with their innate voice, empowering them to confidently express their needs and opinions in the moments that matter. - Speak and Share
Speak & Share is a Not-for-Profit Mental Health Organisation that encourages tough conversations and challenges the stigma associated with mental health. - Respectful Relationships/Consent
Unpacking the importance of consent culture for our young people.
Mobile Device Policy Update
In light of the State government policy on mobile phone use, instigated after Padua’s ban on mobile phones, the College leadership has reviewed its process of staged consequences.
The note important changes outlined below.
Mobile phones are not to be brought to any class and are to remain locked in a student’s locker during the course of the school day. If a staff member sees or hears a student’s mobile phone the following will occur:
First Offence
The mobile phone will be confiscated and handed to the relevant office. The phone will be securely stored and kept until the end of the day. The student may collect their phone at the end of the day and will be reminded of school policy. Parents will be notified of the breach of the College policy.
Second Offence
The mobile phone will be confiscated and handed to the relevant office. The phone will be securely stored and kept to the end of the day. Parents will be notified of the breach of the College policy. The phone will be returned to the student at the end of the day but must be handed in each morning to the relevant office and collected at the end of each day for a period of one full week.
Third Offence
The mobile phone will be confiscated and handed to the relevant office. The phone will be securely stored and kept until the end of the day. The phone will be returned to the student at the end of the day and a meeting will be required with the student, parents and House-Co-ordinator or Student Wellbeing and Growth Co-ordinator. Prior to this meeting the phone will be handed in each morning to the relevant office and collected at the end of each day. After the meeting the phone will be handed in each morning to the relevant office and collected at the end of each day for a period of time as determined in the parent meeting.
The College would see multiple instances of mobile phone confiscation as a demonstration of a student’s inability to follow College policy and appropriate action would take place.
For matters of importance, students who need to contact their parents must do so through the office on each campus, parents who need to contact their child are reminded that this should be done via the appropriate action of contacting the school office and asking that a message be relayed.
Mobile phones will be confiscated by staff if seen during the school day, this includes during recess and lunch.
The Voice to Parliament
The Voice to Parliament Referendum provides all Catholics with a unique opportunity to come together as a community and draw upon our faith and moral grounding to make an informed decision.
Earlier in the year as part of Reconciliation Week, I presented at an assembly of Year 12 students on the topic of the upcoming Voice Referendum. I shared Fr Frank Brennan's (CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia) suggestions on the Voice. A link to this article can be found here:
https://www.catholicweekly.com...
At the heart of the upcoming Voice to Parliament Referendum is the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, the world’s oldest continuing culture, in the Australian Constitution.
As Catholics, we have a responsibility to listen to the voices of First Australians and to work towards a more just and equitable society. The information below is from the ‘One Journey Together’ campaign which gives information on the Catholic Perspective on The Voice to Parliament Referendum.
Their mission is to educate and inform fellow Catholics on this pivotal moment in Australia’s history. They have collated and created statements and resources – grounded in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching – to help the process of discernment.
https://indigenousvoice.church...
The information from ‘One Journey, Together’ gives information on the Catholic Perspective on The Voice to Parliament Referendum.
To coincide with our commitment to building student agency we will also be working with students from the Global Politics class to provide more information to the Padua College community over the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
Given how much our school embraces sport and our documented success for years in this space, it was pertinent to also share Australia’s biggest sporting organisations' much-publicised position on the support for a Voice to Parliament.
The link below is to a beautiful prayer called The Voice Prayer from the NATSICC (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council).
This Month on SchoolTV:
Respectful Relationships
Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.
Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.
Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.
In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.
If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to this month's edition https://padua.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships
