From the Leader of Wellbeing

 

Adolescents, particularly during secondary school years, are often faced with friendship ‘issues’ that tend to dominate their thinking and lives as they try to navigate their way through this stage of development. Often, conflict and confusion arises within a particular group when someone feels insecure and that they don’t belong anymore. Moving in and out of friendship groups as a young child and adolescent is considered quite normal behaviour, even when at times it can present as challenging and difficult for adolescents finding their ‘people’ and place in the world. Things tend to settle however, from the age of 15 years and above, as friendships form more naturally at that point. 

Forming healthy friendships

In Steve Bidulph’s book, 10 Things Girls Need Most, he quotes another psychologist, Michael Thompson, who has identified the key skills needed to form and maintain a healthy friendship:

  1. A positive view of friendship (seeing it as valuable and fun)

  2. Sharing and taking turns (essential with most conversations, games and activities)

  3. Feeling for others (being unselfish and caring about the welfare of friends)

  4. Regulating aggression (not lashing out when we are angry, frustrated or sad)

  5. Apologising when appropriate and meaning it (genuinely being willing to admit mistakes)

  6. Reading emotions (knowing what others are going through based on their looks and behaviour)

  7. Trust with caution (being able to trust, but not being too gullible)

ReachOut also provides a range of wonderful resources and ‘hands on’ strategies for both students and parents. Be sure to check out this site as an opportunity to understand adolescent friendships today, especially as they transition back to school. It is also provides helpful tips in understanding how best to support their concerns or help regulate your child’s emotions when feeling upset with friendship discourse. 

Best outcomes are evident when students are emotionally, behaviourally and intellectually engaged at school.”

Gala Day 2021

While 2021 has provided a range of challenges with remote learning, let us remember that there has also been immense learning within this period as well. To acknowledge these learnings, our theme for GALA DAY 2021 – is Gratitude! Each Year Group has been set a specific challenge that best represents the FOUR key themes linked to Gratitude:

 

 

The College is committed to providing the highly anticipated Gala Day opportunity, as we recognise the intense gratification that it brings to all participants involved – from those onstage, to the Year 11 students facilitating the rehearsals, and those students involved with makeup, hair, costumes, judging and video editing. Even with the strict NSW Health restrictions, our aim is to persevere with Gala Day 2021, which promises to have just as much vitality, overwhelming enthusiasm and various opportunities of creating many moments of FUN as previous years!

This spectacular event emulates the Marist qualities that we try to capture in promoting positive sisterly relationships through collaboration, creativity and student leadership within each House.

Schools that effectively collaborate continue to build capacity across their community and ultimately promote both emotional wellbeing in conjunction with learning outcomes.” (Roffey, 2018).  

Time to put the ‘attitude, in Gratitude!’

Mrs Sia Mastro, Leader of Wellbeing

This article on College life meets The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools – Charter #6 & #8