Deputy Principal – People and Culture
Key staff at our College have undertaken a comprehensive process (entitled “Compass”) aimed at upholding and promoting our students’ wellbeing. This process has been supported by the Association of Independent Schools, NSW, who have provided resources and frameworks to help us understand each aspect of wellbeing and to apply this to our unique context.
Informed by research, the Shellharbour Compass Team have developed a definition of Wellbeing that aligns with our context and the heart of our College. Our definition is:
As a Christian learning community, wellbeing is at the foundation of who we are. Wellbeing is flourishing through:
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Healthy relationships, minds and bodies,
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Hope-filled futures of purpose and resilience, and
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Hearts of compassion, justice and mercy.
We invite parents and College community members to reflect on this definition and if you wish to provide feedback or ask questions, we would love to hear from you.
Talking with your child about digital content
One of the challenges of parenting in this millennium is supporting our children’s safe use of digital media. It can be so difficult to keep track of how your child’s wellbeing is being shaped by what they see on their phones, tablets or laptops. As powerful and valuable as parental controls and web-filtering products are, we have to expect that at some point, your child will encounter something you would prefer they hadn’t seen. Regular open conversations are shown to increase the likelihood that, when inappropriate or distressing content comes across their screen or that of a friend, your child will be able to have a healthy conversation with you about how it has affected them and how they might avoid it in future. Along with limitations on the amount of time devices are used and rules about where devices are used and stored while charging (keep both of these in the open) I urge you to engage in safe and open conversations with your child about their use of their devices and what they have been viewing. For some great ideas and resources on eSafety, visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
