FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS AT THE COLLEGE

Respectful relationships are important because they:

• contribute to your growth, maturity and sense of self-confidence;
• promote healthy self-expression and awareness of yourself and others;
• enable you to feel accepted, positive and free to be yourself.

The Student Code of Conduct at our College (Page 99 of the College Diary) very clearly articulates our commitment to fostering respectful relationships, based on the values of the Mercy tradition. We work in partnership with each student’s family in developing a Christian basis for social behaviour. We also embed the Mercy values in all that we do at the College. There is a dedicated Personal Development program where our Heads of House/Heads of Year lead sessions and workshops covering a wide range of topics. One such topic is Respectful Relationships. The College also publishes on the website, the Respectful Relationships: Anti-Bullying Policy. This Policy very clearly defines what bullying is and what it is not. It outlines the bullying reporting mechanism for students, staff and parents/guardians, and how responses to reports of bullying are addressed by the College. It is important to stress that all reports of bullying will be investigated and acted upon, with appropriate support and consequences implemented. Many great resources provide information and tips on addressing bullying. One such resource is the ‘Bullying. No Way!’ Website.

To understand what constitutes bullying, we ask students to think about the following:

• When someone says or does something unintentionally hurtful once, that’s RUDE (Patchin, 2014)
• When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful once, that’s MEAN (Patchin, 2014)
• When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful, and keeps doing it, that’s BULLYING (Patchin, 2014)

Cyberbullying is using a computer or mobile device to intentionally be rude, mean or bully repeatedly (Patchin, 2014). The most effective process to address cyberbullying is to save any screen shots, do not respond to the comment, block people and report the incident.

A great resource for parents/guardians on Cyberbullying is the Government eSafety Commissioner Website.

Our College Student Code of Conduct outlines the expectation for students to demonstrate:

• Respect for themselves,
• A sensitivity to the needs of others and to treat others with dignity and respect;
• Respect for the reputation of the College

Our College uses a Respectful Relationships and Restorative Practices approach to Pastoral Care as we acknowledge that in both school and life, success is largely about relationships. Relationships can often develop into conflict, which require resolution, forgiveness and healing. Restorative practices help students learn from their mistakes, reconcile, and resolve problems with others. The lessons learned at school are valuable for life and ultimately, we hope that our students will learn to make positive, productive and effective choices in responses to difficult situations and relationship issues.

Cameran Triffett | DEPUTY PRINCIPAL