WELLBEING
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. That is let these things occupy your mind.”
This beautiful piece of scripture has been used at Emmaus as the basis for a great deal of our conversations since our beginnings. Inevitably there will be times when children hurt one another either physically or emotionally. However, in acknowledging this reality it is crucial that when these instances occur, that children are taught a pathway to reconciliation.
A variety of processes and procedures are in place to deal with issues that may arise at Emmaus. The key to dealing with any such issues for us has always and will always be centred in open, honest and transparent communication and with a restorative approach.
Celebrating Book Week | August 2016
Our Wellbeing Team consists:
Ethan Corfee - Principal
Jo O’Kelly - Deputy Principal
Misty Duncan - School Counsellor.
Social and emotional literacy is of paramount importance to us at Emmaus.
Together, along with the entire staff team, explicit instruction in social and emotional literacy occurs daily at Emmaus. We use the language from the Zones of Regulation to articulate feelings and emotions. All learning communities have well considered “Chill Out Zones” for children to access when they feel ‘out of balance’ and to take time to regulate. Some students prefer to self-regulate whilst others prefer to co-regulate. We have a dedicated sensory room called “Gobata” which is a Wadawarrung term meaning “to take care”.
“Emmaus Catholic Primary School promotes health and wellbeing through a holistic approach to education. Our commitment to emotional wellness is ingrained in every aspect of our curriculum and school culture.”
Misty, our School Counsellor, works full time and in addition to working with children in a 1:1 capacity, offerings include: the Secret Agent Society (SAS) which focuses on emotion recognition and regulation and includes social skills. Also on offer is the Empowering Girls Program which is an eight week program focusing on all things relationships amongst girls and the reduction of relational aggression. The Banana Splitz program provides support to children experiencing changes in their family dynamics including separation and divorce. The Peaceful Kids program is a mindfulness and positive psychology program which aims to support children to build their emotional resilience, so they are better equipped to deal with the day to day stresses that life can bring. Drumbeat is a program that incorporates recent development in neurological research which notes the beneficial impact of rhythmic interventions on primal brain systems associated with anxiety and emotional control.
Misty also provides opportunities for parents to engage in learning. Parenting programs include Tuning into Kids which aims to promote the development of emotional competence and prevent behaviour problems in young children, by improving parents' own emotional competence and teaching emotion coaching skills. The No Scaredy Cat program assists parents to reduce anxiety and build resilience in children.
Emmaus Catholic Primary School commits to creating a nurturing community, where every individual feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
