From the Deputy Principal, Student Engagement and Wellbeing

28 July 2023

I love the buzz of a new term. Students laugh and chat as they catch up with their classmates and friends after the break. The staffroom is humming with a positive, hope-filled energy, with staff eager to launch into the new semester.

Our yard is a social hub of ball games, group walks, and chatty gatherings. Our classrooms are alive with refreshed minds and easy routines. The school breathes again. In the last Beacon, I asked all students and their families to consider a few things:

We have asked all students to attend class on time and be prepared.
We have also asked all students to attend school in full school uniform, adhering to the agreed Uniform Guide that all families have been sent.
We have asked all students to interact with all staff and all classmates with respect and collegiality.
And finally, we have asked all students and their families to review these “atomic habits” and to recommit to them for Semester 2.

Term 3 is a very busy term, particularly for our Senior Students. It is very easy to fall back into unhelpful habits as we become more immersed in the workload and expectations. We need to remember that this is a marathon, not a race. We have passed the halfway mark and are edging closer to the finish line. But this is the hardest stretch – the one where we must dig deep and recommit to our “atomic habits” on a weekly basis. And it’s the term when we need to make sure we are doing ok and that we are looking after ourselves the best we can. ReachOut have created a terrific resource to help our young people to persevere, to demonstrate grit as they run this educational marathon. Please take some time to read it here.

Thomas Carr College has invested in a new Wellbeing Program that will help us ascertain how our students are travelling – Pulse. Every Tuesday morning, every student in the school will be surveyed regarding how they are doing. This survey takes no more than 60 seconds and is a quick read for their PaLM. It is also an opportunity for students to reach out for support if they need it. You can learn more about Pulse here. Please feel free to reach out to our Directors of Students, Mrs Jennifer Trodden and Mr Tony Muller, if you wish to discuss this any further. We are very much looking forward to this important data not only supporting our students’ wellbeing in the first instance, but also informing our Pastoral Program so that we can deliver good mental health support strategies that our students need when they need it.

So I look forward to the continued buzz around the College. I look forward to the smiles, the greetings, the connections, the community that is here. And I look forward to seeing all our young people striving for their best and all our families and staff guiding them, supporting them, and cheering them on to the finish line.

Ivanka Spiteri

Deputy Principal, Student Engagement and Wellbeing