Pastoral Care update and International Women’s Day

At Shore, we strive to create a community where everyone is respected, valued, and has equal opportunities to belong and contribute meaningfully. We believe that every individual matters, and that respectful relationships are key to fostering a supportive environment and a positive school community that recognises the value of every individual. Our boys are told that they matter, each one of them, simply for being them. We build further on this idea to explain that for the same reasons that they matter, so does everyone in our community. International Women’s Day is a terrific opportunity to engage the boys on the importance of respecting women, acknowledging the existing inequalities in our community, and taking action to make a positive change. I want our boys to recognise that they should be young people of character who are caring, courageous and principled, willing to do good and speak up for what is right.

The recent address in our full School Assembly last week from Ms Deb Magill, the Principal of Roseville College, spoke about the significance of International Women’s Day. During her speech, Ms Magill acknowledged the progress that has been made towards achieving gender equality but emphasised that much work still needs to be done. She also highlighted the focus for 2023 is on digital equity, and how the disparity in women’s access to technology has implications for education. Ms Magill challenged the boys to make a difference in the world by choosing to work for an employer that champions gender equity and pay.

At the local level, Ms Magill stressed the importance of understanding how negative gender phrases and sayings can be hurtful and make girls feel ashamed. She emphasised that bridging the gender gap is a shared responsibility. Our Head Boy, Lachlan Hunt, followed on from Ms Magill’s presentation by speaking at length about International Women’s Day. He encouraged the boys to engage with the messages presented and emphasised that it is not just about thanking the women in their lives but recognising and taking action to eliminate the limitations and boundaries that women still face.  

Our approach to Character Education through the House system and Building Good Men program provides opportunities for more detailed and rigorous conversations about these issues, and it is essential for the boys to continue engaging and learning about this topic. Gender inequality is real, and there is still work to be done. We must act and bridge the gap at different levels, be it international, national, or local. It is crucial for us to challenge outdated ways of thinking about gender equality and for the boys to treat all the women in their lives with respect. Our service and leadership initiatives are currently working to build on our existing programs and find more opportunities to engage in this important area.

As part of our ongoing external speaker program, Year 10 boys spent Thursday morning, March 15, in a seminar run by the external provider Goodfellas. The seminar focused on unpacking and dispelling some damaging and unhelpful myths or stereotypes about teenage boys based on masculinity, strength, vulnerability, behaviour, and respectful relationships. This bespoke program, called Walk the Talk, addresses harmful stereotypes, healthy and unhealthy relationships, consent, building awareness of domestic violence, and women’s homelessness. The goal of the program is to help educate teenagers in a meaningful way that moves beyond theory and token gestures and into purposeful, informed action, empowering them to be upstanding agents of change.

A key goal of our approach to pastoral care is for the boys to understand that they need to develop social and emotional skills that can aid them in building meaningful and nourishing relationships with others. The boys will now have some opportunities to debrief on this topic in Year meetings and tutor time to maintain and continue the common discourse established during the day and to develop their understanding of the ideas and terms around masculinity, strength, vulnerability, behaviour, and respectful relationships. It is my goal that all our boys recognise the value in each person and that our community is grounded in shared principles that allow them to do good for others.

Mr D Champion
Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care