From the Leader of Wellbeing - Year 8
Dear Year 8 Community,
As we move into the middle of Term 3, here’s a snapshot of the enriching experiences our Year 8 cohort has embraced—and a few important reminders:
- Inspiring Creativity with R U OK? Art Competition
Wellbeing time has taken an expressive and meaningful turn as students reflect on “What does connection mean to you?”, crafting thoughtful and creative artworks as part of the R U OK? Art Competition. We have been truly impressed by how well students connected with the prompt—Instagram-worthy artwork with heart!
Stay tuned as we share some of the most powerful and interesting entries in the upcoming newsletters.
2. Harnessing the Power of Positive Emotions
Part of our wellbeing lessons this term focused on how positive emotions—like joy, gratitude, hope, and pride—can supercharge learning, resilience, and wellbeing. We encouraged students to notice, name, and grow these emotions through simple everyday actions, conversations, and reflections. These seeds foster stronger focus, motivation, and friendships—small steps that can make a big difference.
- Respect and the Learning Environment
Term 3 has also seen a renewed emphasis on respect—towards teachers, peers, and the learning environment.
We’ve made it clear that defiance, disrespect, and disruptions to the learning are not part of our culture.
Instead, we're promoting a consistent, college-wide approach where respect is a clear expectation, and everyone plays a role in modeling it. These daily acts of respect help create a safe, focused, and thriving learning environment for all.
- Attendance Matters Now More Than Ever
Our Year 8 attendance rate remains strong—a testament to your commitment to learning; however, it can always be improved to help meet our goals and targets. That said, this is the time of year when attendance can start to slip. Even missing one day a week can add up to many lost learning opportunities over time.
Please continue encouraging your child to come to school every day—on time and ready to learn. The habits formed now shape pathways for lifelong learning and success.
5. Coming Soon: Evidence-Based Vaping Education
We are proud to be participating in a cutting-edge initiative from the University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre and Our Futures Institute—the OurFutures Vaping Prevention Program.
This four-week online module, delivered through engaging cartoon stories and interactive activities, equips students with knowledge, refusal skills, and resilience to resist vaping pressures.
Results from the Australia-wide trial show that students who complete the program were 65% less likely to vape after 12 months compared to those who received standard health education—an outstanding outcome (ourfuturesinstitute.org.au).
We look forward to rolling this out across Years 8 in the weeks ahead.
In Summary:
This term has been rich with creativity, growth, and opportunities to build stronger mindsets—through art, positive emotions, and respect. As we move towards the second half of the term, let’s maintain focus on attendance and look forward to continuing our strong growth and development as we move towards the end of the year.
Mr Jarryd Leaves
Leader of Wellbeing - Year 8