Student Life
Commitment to Student Wellbeing
An Edmund Rice education shapes the outlook of young men – the way they think, how they perceive themselves and others, their attitude towards the world. To meet and challenge the modern complexities beyond school, we take a wholehearted approach to their wellbeing – physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
You can never look at academic results without looking at the young man behind them. As educators, we know both empirically and anecdotally, health and wellbeing are critical to success … and to coping with life’s inevitable disappointments. Wellbeing at Edmund Rice College encompasses all students, staff, parents and community members.
Student Wellbeing Team
Within our community, we practise clear, direct and open communication. We have a team of staff dedicated specifically to student wellbeing:
- Jodie Hughes – Director of Pastoral Care & Wellbeing
- Pastoral Care Coordinator and Assistant Pastoral Care Coordinator
- Pastoral Care Teacher (Home Room Teacher)
- College Psychologists
- Careers Counsellors
Our Student Wellbeing team work closely with teachers in each year group to monitor the health and wellbeing of our students. The Director of Pastoral Care and Wellbeing, plus the Deputy Principal, lead our staff in this area.
Student Wellbeing Program
Our Student Wellbeing Program explores age-appropriate topics for each student cohort around resilience, mindfulness, time management, career guidance, and personal and online safety.
Resiliency Program
Students reach their full potential when they’re happy, healthy and safe, and a positive school culture helps engage students and supports learning.
Our new emotional wellbeing program – The Resilience Project – is an evidence-based positive mental health program that builds resilience and happiness. It’s based on the philosophy that fulfilling and happy lives grow with the regular practise of gratitude, empathy (kindness) and mindfulness.
Emotional literacy – having self-awareness and recognition of one’s own feelings and knowing how to manage them – is an integral part of the program. Students complete resilience journals, create gratitude projects, undertake mindfulness activities and study emotional intelligence.
Mentoring Program
Mentoring has been a key feature at Edmund Rice College for many years. Our senior students guide and encourage our junior students in many ways including: the peers support program, homework club, student representative council, Christian service-learning program, and our student engagement program. Mentoring helps our junior students identify with senior role models who can inspire their journey.
The College places great value on developing leadership qualities. Beyond peer-support, leaders in each House are given opportunities and training to organise events, interact with broad age groups, and embrace the spirit of a servant leader. These activities give our student leaders the skills to lead our boys with confidence and kindness.
Counselling
Counselling & Psychology Services at Edmund Rice College
Edmund Rice College recognises many issues impact a student’s performance and prevent them achieving their best … in both school and life. Our two onsite Clinical Educational Psychologists support our community to thrive.
What Our Psychologists Do
School Psychologist deal with the social and emotional wellbeing of students at the College. Our Psychologists not only help students in a crisis, but also hold honest conversations about mental and emotional health. They inspire our boys to positively deal with life. This can be through challenging unhelpful thinking, building resilience, encouraging healthy lifestyles or providing advice to help students make good choices.
The School Psychologists are also available to talk with parents, carers and families about parenting an adolescent and other challenges they may be experiencing.
Child Safe Information
Edmund Rice Commitment to Student Protection
Edmund Rice College is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and secure environment for all students in our care. We take our moral and legal responsibility to provide this care seriously. Edmund Rice College student protection policy, processes and guidelines are based on the following principles:
- Every student has a right to protection from harm
- The welfare and best interests of the student is paramount
- All adults have a responsibility to care for students and protect them from all forms of harm as well as to positively promote their welfare
- Edmund Rice College is committed to the importance and implementation of student protection policies and processes
- Edmund Rice College has a comprehensive Student Protection Policy in addition to our Student Protection Guidelines, both designed to maintain a child safe environment.