At WBHS, we pride ourselves on providing a safe and supportive environment by having in place policies and procedures that provide for student welfare.
Student welfare encompasses the mental, physical and emotional well-being of students. Student welfare policies and programs are essential for developing a sense of self-worth and fostering personal development. Student welfare at WBHS includes:
- programs to meet the personal, social and learning needs of the students
- monitoring student attendance and strategies for improvement
- early intervention programs for students at risk
- student, family, and community support networks
- opportunities that the school provides for students to
- enjoy success and recognition
- make a useful contribution to the life of the school
- derive enjoyment from their learning.
In 2020 at WBHS we were able to incorporate the following programs and events to support the students at our school.
Leapfrog Program
Co-ordinated and implemented the successful year 6-7 “Leapfrog” Transition Program for 20 students. The program was developed for students requiring individualised attention and support when moving into a large comprehensive high school. Parent and student anecdotal feedback has continued to be positive particularly in relation to the effective collaboration with partner primary schools.
Orientation Day/Peer Support Program
In Term 4, Year Six students came for a visit for their Orientation Day. This included learning about what to expect on their first day, meeting some of the teachers and participating in some team building exercises with Year 9 Peer Support Leaders and their Year Advisers. A great day was had by all and they all were keen to come back and commence their journey with WBHS in 2021.
Internal Programs delivered by the Student Support Officer
Implemented internal programs through our Student Support Officer. Programs for boys focused on social education and mentoring to improve students’ mental health and social wellbeing. This program was designed to foster young men’s inclusion, building their resilience, and empowering them to reach their full potential.
Programs were delivered for selected female students in Stage 4 who required support with building positive self-esteem, relationships and self-worth, body Image, personal hygiene, and bullying. This program was effective in developing positive friendships and resilience.
Breakfast Club and Food Boxes
Implemented the Warners Bay High School Breakfast Club. WBHS partnered with Food and Friendship and Bakers Delight to offer a variety of cereals, toast, milk and juice for a healthy start to the day. While nutrition is the focal point of breakfast clubs, responding to the immediate hunger needs of students, we believe it also provides greater avenues for connection and engagement with students improving their capacity to learn. Breakfast clubs enable schools to create nurturing, caring environments, where students can start the day having eaten a healthy breakfast and be better prepared for learning. While COVID caused a disruption for our club to continue after Term 1, we were able to continue supporting our families with food boxes delivered to their home by a local church group supplied by Oz Harvest.
Year 11 Life Ready
In 2020 Year 11 experienced a variety of educational and engaging workshops covering a wide range of areas under the “Life Ready” program. Teachers at WBHS developed and refined workshop material to create experiential activities for the students. The students appreciated the workshop material and the opportunity to explore issues both relevant and significant to their age group.
“The workshops were excellent. I learnt heaps.”
“I enjoyed the mental health aspects of the workshops. They were informative and provided strategies for building resilience.”
“Study skills and taking care of yourself helped me plan my way through Year 11 into Year 12”
These are just some of the comments from the students. As a cohort the students must be congratulated for approaching the workshops with maturity and enthusiasm.
The “Life Ready” initiative focusses on the idea that “most young people move through adolescence without great difficulty. When they feel positive about their health, safety, wellbeing and future, young people are more likely to achieve better educational outcomes, make successful transitions to work and further education, develop healthy adult lifestyles, experience fewer challenges forming relationships and become more actively engaged citizens. Secondary students are a diverse group. They vary in their levels of maturity and in their ability to manage changes and challenges at this time of life. The way in which young people plan for and respond to these situations can have a significant impact on
their future.”
Students experienced workshops covering relationships, mental health and wellbeing, sexuality and sexual health, drugs and alcohol, careers options and study skills. Each workshop was specifically designed to address the needs of young people in an open and safe forum where students developed a greater awareness of themselves, their relationships with others and how their approaches to life can be influenced by positive self-talk. Both teachers and students should be celebrated for their collaboration and exploration of issues that young adults feel empowered by. Well done to the school community.
