Deputy Principal - Student & Staff Wellbeing, Mr Patrick Brennan
FROM THE DEPUTY HEAD – STUDENT & STAFF WELLBEING, PATRICK BRENNAN
EREA National Wellbeing Conference – Ballarat
Last week, myself and Sue Walsh (Director of Identity and Student Formation) joined over 70 educational leaders from EREA and Associate schools in Ballarat for the EREA Leaders of Wellbeing Conference. The conference was hosted by St Patrick’s College and the Southern Region Schools from Victoria.
Highlights included a session on staff wellbeing and self-care – with former AFL player and author, Mark Bunn. Mark will be speaking to our staff next year about this important issue and providing strategies to improve our health and wellbeing. A second speaker which we are bringing to Waverley College for both staff and parents is Student Resilience expert – Greg Mitchell. His parent session will be on the evening of 27 April, 2020.
Other speakers included Legal Obligations surrounding Mental Illness: Student, Staff, Family – with Paul O’Halloran (Partner, Colin Biggers & Paisley), responsible gambling – Tanika James (Child and Family Services-Ballarat), trauma informed learning – Andrew McCausland and gaming addiction with Vasileious Stavropoulos (Cairnmillar Institute).
Leave Reminder – Years 5-12
Just a friendly reminder of the processes surrounding leave from the College. NESA requires that any leave during term time must be approved by the College, prior to the leave being taken. The College requests no less than two week’s notice. For leave of up to four school days application for leave must be emailed to your son’s Head of House.
For leave of five days or more application for leave must be emailed to the Deputy Head of College – Staff and Students.
All Waterford applications are to be made to the Director of Waterford.
It is expected that students will be present at all compulsory College events including: May Procession, College Sport, Co-curricular activities, CAS Swimming and CAS Athletics carnivals.
An application for co-curricular exemption must be made directly to the Director of Co-Curriculum with two week’s notice prior to the date for any anticipated absences. Medical certificates must be supplied for illness. Unauthorised absences from compulsory events will result in an appropriate Sanction.
2020 Term Dates
These are now available, please click here to view the 2020 calendar on the website.
Waverley College Volunteers and Working With Children Checks
Under the NSW Child Protection Legislation the School is responsible for the protection of children in our care. Whilst the regulations state that parents volunteering in their child’s school are exempt from the WWCC requirement, we have adopted a higher standard of practice. Consequently we require that all volunteers meet the following requirements.
Procedure:
- Apply for a Working with Children Check (make a link) at https://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/working-withchildren/working-with-children-check or (02) 9286 7219
- Once your application form has been completed online, you will be given an application (APP) number.
- Take your application number along with proof of identity to a NSW Motor Registry, RMS Agency, or Service NSW service centre. Find a location here.
- For volunteers, the Working With Children Check is free.
- You will receive an email once the Working With Children Check has been completed. Your clearance is valid for 5 years and is valid for volunteering in any child related capacity in NSW.
- The final step in the process is the verification of your clearance and an identity check by Waverley College Staff. This involves presenting your WWCC Clearance and identification documents at School to the Deputy Head of College – Staff and Students.
At the conclusion of this process you are ready to volunteer for activities within the College.
* If you already have a WWCC number you will need to complete step 6 if you have not already done so.
Please contact me if you have any questions. We understand that these steps may take you some time, so we thank you, not only for your time in volunteering assistance, but also for demonstrating your ongoing commitment to your sons’ security and wellbeing. We are sure you will understand and appreciate our aim to establish and maintain the highest standards of child protection.
