Mr Patrick Brennan, Deputy Principal - Student & Staff Wellbeing
Read more: results of 2022 Wellbeing Survey, Balancing Technology and Social Media in Children and Adolescents, May Procession, Parent Event – ‘It’s Time We Talked’, Terms 2-3 winter uniform and hair requirements.
2022 Wellbeing Survey
During Week 9, all students took part in the annual wellbeing survey. The College continually seeks a greater partnership with your sons and values their perspective.
To help us work better with your son’s journey through adolescence, we like to know from their perspective, what is working well with our Wellbeing system, and importantly, what we can improve on.
The data collected through the survey is being analysed by the Heads of House, Psychologists, Director of Identity & Student Formation, and Deputy Principal – Staff and Student Wellbeing, allowing us to make decisions as we work alongside your sons at the College.
This data will help inform our wellbeing structures, processes and support mechanisms for all students.
Key Points
Key points already extracted from this year’s survey include:
- 61% of students found missing their friends as the most difficult part of COVID-19, closely followed by missing out on their sport and co-curricular activities (49%)
- The best thing about returning to face-to-face learning was seeing their friends (86%)
- 90% of students are getting enough sleep
- 91% of students feel safe and supported at the College
- The majority of our students have never experienced bullying at the College
- The majority of students ‘strongly agree’ that the College works towards an environment where bullying is not tolerated
- Mentor Time is the standout feature of the Wellbeing structure that the students appreciate (53%), followed by their Head of House (48%), then playground facilities (44%).
Importantly, students had the opportunity of providing affirmation for what we term ‘upstanders.’ These are the students who look out for their peers, and say ‘no’ to bullies.
We congratulate the following students in 2022 who were identified as ‘Upstanders.’
Kayden Baker (Conlon), Rhys Ferguson (Aungier), Felix Turini (Tevlin), Lachlan Henry Grant (Conlon), Daniel McSweeny (Brennan), Xavier Scally (Brennan), Daniel Risk (O’Connor), Billy Lagos (Conlon), Charlie Smith (Aungier), Lewis Hamilton (Brennan), Toby Johnson (Brennan), Achilles Zanapalis (Aungier), Axel Stapleton (Tevlin), Bailey Gosbell (Lacey), Christian Kitas (Conlon), Cy Preketes (Green), Dylan Varcoe (Brennan), Harvey O’Malley (O’Connor), Isaac Occhiuto (O’Connor), Noah Tofaeono (Quinn), Toby Davidson (Aungier), Charlie Gibbins (Brennan), Dash McDonough (Tevlin), Ngakau Hiroti (Lacey), Will Carter (Aungier), Hopper Dyke-Miller (Brennan).
As in previous years, those students who, according to their classmates, are making poor decisions with regards to their peer interactions, will be spoken to by their Heads of House and their parents notified.
It was great to note that there were only three students identified as bullies in this year’s survey. This number continues to decline each year.
Balancing Technology and Social Media in Children and Adolescents
Much of the wellbeing team’s role at the College involves building greater capacity in our students in using mobile technology and social media.
In 2022, The Kidman Centre UTS is continuing to offer free online workshops delivered by clinical psychologists, to equip children, teenagers, and their parents with practical and evidence-based psychological skills.
Thier next workshop assists parents with balancing their child’s use of technology and social media. We know that technology and social media can bring about many benefits when used appropriately. It can enhance social connections and even be used as a learning tool. However, we often hear from many parents they have difficulties knowing how to effectively balance their child’s technology use.
This workshop will help parents tackle these concerns and introduce key parenting skills to facilitate effective technology and social media use.
When: Monday, 11 April 2022, 6-7pm via Zoom.
>>> Click here to view more information about these free online workshops.
Bookings: Please phone (02) 9514 4077 or email kidmancentre@uts.edu.au or jennifer.hawken@uts.edu.au
May Procession
Sunday, 1 May 2022
Our annual May Procession is fast approaching, early in Term 2, and will occur on Sunday, 1 May from 12pm to 1:30pm, in the Centenary Quad, here at Waverley College. Students will need to be in the Quadrangle by 11:30am.
This wonderful celebration of our College founder, Blessed Edmund Rice, and Mary our Mother, is a compulsory event for all students. As such, full school uniform including blazer and tie should be worn.
Students will be required to get their names marked off by their Mentor upon arrival.
Parent Event – ‘It’s Time We Talked’ – Save the Date
Tuesday, 26 April 2022, 5:30pm
‘It’s Time We Talked’ is a violence-prevention initiative that supports young people, parents, schools, government and the community sector, to understand and address the influence of pornography.
The program grew out of Maree Crabbe’s work with young people in secondary schools and community settings.
Maree noticed that pornography was increasingly playing a role in how young people learn about, think about and experience sexuality. The young people she worked with were keen to talk about pornography, but the adults in their lives often had no idea about pornography’s prevalence or influence – and those who did, often didn’t feel equipped to have the conversations.
These observations led to more questions, research, planning and writing. With significant philanthropic support, ‘It’s Time We Talked’ began in 2009.
Following a presentation to staff earlier in the day, Maree will be presenting to parents that evening.
Maree Crabbe
How To Join the Zoom Meeting for ‘It’s Time We Talked.’
>>> Click here to join the Zoom meeting.
Meeting ID: 896 5492 2955
Passcode: 864555
Terms 2-3 Winter Uniform
All students are required to be in winter uniform from the start of Term 2 to the end of Term 3. This includes blazer and tie. The College has high expectations of our students, particularly when travelling to and from school on public transport. As was the case last year, students failing to do this will be subject to a Friday detention.
The positive message you give to the public through your uniform and appearance is a clear statement of what it means to be a Waverley College student, and your pride in yourselves and the College.
Sometimes students will take the Easter break as an opportunity to experiment with different hairstyles. The expectation is that students will meet the following guidelines on their return to the College:
- Hair should be neatly cut, combed and maintained
- Hair should be shorter than the collar
- Long hair or outlandish styles are not acceptable
- Undercut styles, dramatic layering, tracks, mohawks, overuse of product, tinting, colouring, dreadlocks, strands of hair, buns, braids or lines are not acceptable
- A number 2 cut is the shortest acceptable cut
- No facial hair
Parents are asked to support the College with these expectations. If students do not comply with a request to address any breaches by their Head of House, they will then have three options:
1) Go immediately to the barber at Charing Cross and have the inappropriate haircut rectified
2) Rectify the inappropriate haircut themselves with clippers supplied by the College
3) Return home until such time as the inappropriate haircut is rectified.
Mr Patrick Brennan
Deputy Principal – Student & Staff Wellbeing
E: pbrennan@waverley.nsw.edu.au
