Pastoral Care is a relationship network in our School Community between children, parents, staff, priests and the wider community. Our concern at St. Kilian's is that every child should feel secure, worthwhile and safe and that there is always someone they can turn to.
Each member of staff is concerned for, and interested in, all children. Personal development is an integral part of our pastoral care. We aim to develop each person's self-esteem and, as a result, enable them to form and cope with interpersonal relationships.
The aim of our school is to help individual children to grow in self-discipline, to develop the total child - spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually.
St Kilian’s Care Team
This group consists of staff and parents who aim to assist families in difficult times and also to celebrate joys in family life. From time to time you will notice birth announcements, expressions of condolences etc in our school newsletter. We are also able to offer practical forms of assistance such as meals, transport to & from school and some childminding.
If you are a family within our school community (or are aware of one) who would like to share the news of a new arrival or is experiencing a difficult time, please let the Care Team know. Discreet contact will be made with a family before any action is taken. Contact with the Care Team can be made to individual members or the school office through the school phone or e-mail.
Catholic Care offer workshops and social opportunities to support parents during difficult times. Further details available from the Office or on School Newsletter of via the following link - https://www.catholiccarevic.org.au/directory/locations/bendigo
Peaceful Kids Program
The 'Peaceful Kids' program is a Mindfulness and Positive Psychology based program to lessen anxiety and stress and increase resilience in children from Prep through to Year 12. This program helps children to build their emotional resilience, so they are better equipped to deal with the day-to-day stresses that life brings them. The program also involves parental involvement and commitment to supporting the strategies at home.
Seasons for Growth
Seasons for Growth (SfG), is a trauma informed early intervention loss and grief program. The program is based on the belief that change and loss are part of life and supports young people to understand their grief. It is a small group program catering for ages 6-18 years, that consists of 8 sessions.
The SfG allows participants to learn the knowledge and skills required to build emotional literacy and resilience. The program incorporates a wide range of activities:
- writing
- drawing
- discussion, stories
- roleplays
- meditation
- journaling.
SfG also builds knowledge within school communities, enabling the school to sustain the program on an ongoing basis.
Buddies Program
A cross-age tutoring program is implemented at St Kilian's School, with Grade 6 children having a special "Buddy" from Foundation. Each Foundation student is helped in many areas by their Buddy. Introduction to the school situation can be quite daunting to a new child, but with the support of their "Buddy", the children can settle in quickly and happily. It gives them a sense of security and friendship. Together they read, write stories and participate in craft activities.
Buddies are introduced at the Transition Meetings the previous year to assist in the transition program.
Anti-Bullying
The welfare of students is greatly influenced by peer relationships, the need for children to have friends, to feel wanted and the need for children to feel safe in the school environment.
Bullying is one aspect which can have devastating consequences on the welfare of children. St Kilian's School Community has the responsibility to foster an educational environment where every attempt is made to eliminate learning barriers and where all students feel safe and valued. As such, St Kilian's School Community does not tolerate bullying or harassment in any form.
All community members are fully committed to putting an end to acts of bullying.
St Kilian's School Community supports a 'whole school' approach to dealing with bullying. The key elements are:
- a shared understanding of bullying as a problem
- a shared understanding of the different forms of bullying
- a shared resolve to eliminate bullying
- identification of bullying problems in the school community
- the creation of a 'telling' environment and the use of a range of interventions to address incidents when they happen
- recognition by teachers of their role in creating an anti-bullying ethos
- a classroom anti-bullying education program
- promoting a positive culture that nurtures acceptance and understanding of differences, strengthens relationships between students and school, develops skills in conflict resolutions and problem solving
- promoting a culture that is proactive and preventative in the approach to bullying.
Anti-bullying is taught through the Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationship (RRRR) program taught weekly from Foundation to Grade 6.
The Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) learning materials have been designed for teachers in primary and secondary schools to develop students’ social, emotional and positive relationship skills. Efforts to promote social and emotional skills and positive gender norms in students and young people has been shown to improve health related outcomes and subjective wellbeing. It also reduces antisocial behaviours including engagement in gender-related violence.
Further information about Student Behaviour
- CES Ltd Student Behaviour Framework
- St Kilian’s School Student Behaviour Policy
- SEPBS Guidance