A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL UPCOMING DATES

361 Sandy Bay Road, Sandy Bay, Tasmania. Postal: PO Box 217, Sandy Bay, 7006
p: 03 6216 7900 fax: 03 6216 7999 e: [email protected] w: www.mountcarmel.tas.edu.au
Issue 5
5th March, 2015
A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear members of the Mount Carmel community,
Last Thursday evening I had the wonderful experience of attending an evening
“Shakespeare in the Gardens” performance of A Comedy of Errors, with five
staff members and 41 students from Years 8-10. It was the second time I had
been to the show, the first being with my husband and daughter, but seeing
it again was even more enjoyable, and most particularly because it was such a
delight to accompany our MCC girls. After a year at Mount Carmel now, I still
cannot come to terms with how exceptional these young women are - how
respectful, responsive, outgoing and generally amazing they are!
Accompanying them on an excursion like this just highlights for me how much
we have to be grateful for at this wonderful school. It is always a privilege to
be with them when they go out in the wider community and on many
occasions I have had members of the public stop and comment on our
students’ exceptional presentation and behaviour. Thank you to parents and
staff for working together to support and uphold consistent standards and
expectations and most of all, thank you to our students who are just
remarkable!
UPCOMING DATES
MARCH
Thursday, 5th
Saturday, 7th
Wednesday, 11th
Friday, 13th
Monday, 16th
Tuesday, 17th
Friday, 20th
Monday, 23rd
Tuesday, 24th
Wednesday, 25th
Thursday, 26th
Friday, 27th
VET Hospitality Parent Evening
at GYC
Head of the River – Lake
Barrington (Rowing)
SSATIS Swimming Carnival
STCPSSA Primary Swimming
Carnival
Year 8 Mother/Daughter
Evening 7pm – 9pm
Primary Parent Teacher
Interviews
Year 10 Reflection Day
Twilight Fair
Autumn Concert
Year 8 Camp 1 departs
Year 7 Varicella and DTPa
Immunisations
SATIS Swimming Carnival
Primary Parent Interviews
Year 8 Camp 1 returns
Year 8 Camp 2 departs
Junior SSATIS Swimming
Carnival
Kindergarten Open Afternoon
1.30 – 2.45pm
Year 8 Camp 2 Returns
FROM THE PRINCIPAL cont.
College Board
Have you ever wondered who is on the College Board and what they actually do? The Board is a group of nine current
members, led by Chair Dr Jonathan Moritz, who meet monthly to consult on major changes; manage finances for the College;
formulate policy for the conduct of the College; and, ensure the implementation and evaluation of the Strategic Direction
Plan. At present, the Board members comprise:
Dr Jonathan Moritz (chair); Mr Tony Peebles (deputy chair); Sister Cathy Meese RSC; Dr Karen Gartlan; Father Brian Nichols;
Dr Timothy Jetson; Mr Scott Wilson-Haffenden; Mr Chris Ryan; Mrs Susan Ryan, Principal, Mrs Kerrie Loveluck, Business
Manager. Board Secretary is Ms Vivienne Brown.
The next Board meeting in March will be the Annual General Meeting, at which occasion several 3 year terms will be due
for renewal. Parents or friends of the College who are interested in nominating for a position on the Board are invited to
complete the nomination form attached to this newsletter and return it to Ms Vivienne Brown at Mount Carmel. I would
like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the commitment, energy and dedication of the College Board. Over the past
year, I have been indebted to their wise counsel, and feel very blessed and supported to meet regularly with a team of
people of their breadth of vision and intellectual depth.
Welcome Afternoon
Yesterday we hosted our first Welcome Afternoon, showing prospective students or parents through our College. While
“every day is open day” at Mount Carmel, and interested families are always welcome to come and have a look at what we
do, the Welcome Afternoon provided an opportunity for us to showcase our facilities, our classrooms and most significantly,
our students. Year 8 White student Georgia Ross spoke about her experience of being here since Kindergarten and this is
part of her story:
I'm in year 8 this year, I have been part of Mount Carmel College since 2006, so that's 10 years this year. I feel like I know
Mount Carmel very well and I'm very proud to be a Mount Carmel girl…One of my favourite years was Year 7 because I met
so many amazing friends and so many teachers that I look up to today. Last year the year 10s from 2014 began a program
called the "big sister program" and that is when we got to do a lot of activities with the Year 10s and we even had a sausage
sizzle and an Easter egg hunt. In Year 7 we went to Coningham, and we met new students and did activities such as beach
cricket which was a lot of fun, sand castle team competitions and fast track which is when you have a golf ball and you make
tunnel through the sand and whoever gets the best time without the ball stopping wins. Coningham was such a fun day and
I'll always will remember it…The reason I'm still at Mount Carmel College is because I've learnt so many things and the
teachers and students are so welcoming and they always put a smile on my face. I feel honoured to belong to this community,
and I feel happy to come to school every day.
A further Open Morning and Welcome Session will be held on April 23rd at 11am and registrations can be made by contacting
Ms Vivienne Brown at the College.
For 2016, we have decided to run 3 full days of Kindergarten (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), making the other 2 days
optional long day care for both 3 and 4 year olds. Applications for both Year 7 and Kindergarten close around mid-April so if
you know of friends or neighbours who are interested in Mount Carmel as the school for their child, please advise them to
make contact with Vivienne Brown at the College via [email protected] or by telephoning
6216 7905. Interviews for new enrolments will commence this month.
Scholarship positions for Year 7 students are also now open. These scholarships are designed to provide new opportunities,
foster passions and encourage excellence across specific areas of educational and spiritual growth. We offer scholarships in
Science and Engineering; Music Tuition; and, our Sisters of Charity scholarship is designed to encourage students to follow
in the footsteps of Mount Carmel’s founders, the Sisters of Charity, through service to others and a commitment to social
justice and the environment. Current Grade 6 students and incoming Year 7 students are encouraged to apply. Applications
and more details can be provided by contacting Vivienne Brown.
God’s blessings for the week ahead,
Susan Ryan
Principal
Mount Carmel College
Issue 5 – 5th March 2015
COLLEGE BUS SERVICES FAIR EVENING 20TH MARCH
Due to very low numbers of students using the service in previous years on the afternoon of the College’s annual Twilight
Fair, the service will not be operating as normal this year. The Buses will all run as normal on the morning of the 20th
March. Could any parents who need their children to use the afternoon service on Fair night please contact the College
Office by Friday 13th March.
Hannah Legge
Administrative Assistant
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY
Dear Parents and Carers
Primary Assembly – Have you filled a bucket today?
Yesterday, Wednesday 4th March, the two Grade 6 classes hosted the first Primary Assembly for 2015. In particular the
Grade 6 students were keen to showcase the Making Jesus Real program. MJR is aimed at helping students gain and
maintain a positive attitude to life through assisting in the development of social skills and life skills. Not only did the Grade
6 students demonstrate 50 words of encouragement that we can all use when looking for “right thing to say” but presented
each class with a bucket. Have you filled a bucket today? is the title of a book by Carol McCloud. The challenge for all of us
is to fill one another’s buckets as well as our own by saying or doing positive things. On the reverse side, when we are nasty
and say or do hurtful things “we are emptying the other person’s bucket as well as our own.” (Carol McCloud) This gesture
is a wonderful way of living Jesus’ central message, “Love your God by loving your neighbour.”
The next assembly will be hosted by Grades 4/5 on Wednesday 18th March.
Primary Parent Teacher Interviews
Parent Teacher Interviews provide an invaluable opportunity for parents and class teachers to meet and discuss children’s
particular needs and his or her progress at this early stage of the school year. The discussion can encompass specific
learning goals and strategies, as well as social and emotional issues. I encourage parents and carers to take the opportunity
to meet with your child’s class teacher on either Tuesday 17th March or Wednesday 25th March for what should prove a
fruitful and informative conversation.
This year parent teacher interviews will be organised online. A letter will go out to each family early next week outlining
how this procedure will work. All interviews will take place in the College Library.
Primary Swimming Carnival
I would like to thank all those staff members who assisted with the organisation and smooth running of this event. I would
also like to thank the invaluable assistance of parents, carers, friends and the Grade 10 students. Finally, the students must
be acknowledged for their amazing performances on the day not only in the pool but from the side-lines. The house spirit
was simply electric and it is such a joy to witness students encouraging one another across the year groups. Carmel House
was successful in claiming the trophy at the conclusion of the day, with Loreto and Lourdes taking up second and third
places respectively.
Primary Leaders and House Captains
Congratulations to the following Grade 6 students who have been elected Primary Leaders and House Captains for the first
half of this year. Those students who have been selected as Restorative leaders will be listed in the next College Bulletin.
Primary Leaders:
Tessa King and Isabella Mahmoud (6 Navy)
Rose Gowan and Jenna Stacey (6 White)
House Captains:
Carmel – Anja Bobrowski and Sarah Wilson-Haffenden
Loreto – Ella Gartlan and Dayna White
Lourdes – Rose Duigan and Mia Scanlon
To be chosen as a leader is a special honour, but it is also a very important responsibility. I am confident that the Grade 6
leaders will work with the Primary students with tremendous enthusiasm and commitment throughout the first two
semesters.
Dates
Friday 6th March – Burn Bright presentation for Grade 6 students
Monday 9th March – Eight Hour Day Public Holiday
Friday 13th March - STCPSSA primary Swimming Carnival, Hobart Aquatic Centre
Tuesday 17th March – Primary Parent Teacher Interviews
Mount Carmel College
Mrs Caroline Wilson-Haffenden
Issue 5 – 5th March 2015
FROM THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR - SECONDARY
Last week a group of Year 8 students attended a presentation at St Mary’s College from Caritas, the group that organises
Project Compassion each year. The focus of the day was not only to learn about what Caritas does and how it assists
communities around the world, but also to gather some understandings about what they can do within our own community
here at Mount Carmel that will make us better aware of the issues that affect people worldwide. This year’s Project
Compassion has the theme of “Food for Life”, and focuses on the importance of food for life, health and community
engagement. The big issue the group grappled with was the wastage of food around the world, even though starvation and
malnutrition remain big problems. We thought about how much we waste here at school, and searched for alternatives to
this situation. More on this at a later date…..
Last week also saw some Year 9 and 10 students gather to plan out the justice and charity events of the year. Andrew from
Edmund Rice Camps and Jayne from Vinnies were on hand to talk with the girls about the nature of working with the heart
in following Christ, and what that can look like to young people. It was an inspiring day, made special by the contributions
of the girls who were engaged in outreach activities over the holidays. It will be an exciting year ahead with all the plans
that were made at the end of the day!!
Please keep contributing to Project Compassion. You will make a positive difference to the lives of those less fortunate and
be able to assist communities around the world lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Just a reminder that all boxes will be due
back at school by the end of March.
This week Project Compassion focuses on Niger, where life is very tough. Many live in extreme poverty, often unable to
afford or access food and water.
This week we meet Mariama who is raising her daughter in Niger, a country that
suffers widespread poverty. When her little girl became malnourished, she
received life-saving food and care at a Nutrition Centre, supported by Caritas
Australia.
Your donation to Project Compassion 2015 helps save the lives of people living on
the brink of survival in Niger, giving them access to nutritional support and
essential food for life.
www.caritas.org.aurojectcompassion 1800 024 413
Anthony Chapman
Director of Mission / Religious Education Coordinator - Secondary
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SENIOR YEARS
International Women’s Day Breakfast 2015
As part of Mount Carmel’s involvement in the Alliance of Girls Schools Australasia our College Leaders attended the annual
breakfast at Ogilvie High School to celebrate International Women’s Day. The breakfast was attended by student leaders and
staff from a number of other Hobart Girls’ Schools. The special guest was the Hon. Elise Archer. The guest speaker, Melanie
Irons, challenged the girls to “Make it Happen”, which is the theme for the International Women’s Day this year. Mel spoke
about her experiences in forging a multi-faceted career and the ways in which she sought to cope with issues of equality in
the workforce. She described how she became involved with setting up the Facebook page to assist in locating and assisting
people during the Dunalley bushfire. Mel also outlined how her career developed and changed direction from her original
plans. She said, “It is ok to not to be sure about what you want to do after school. Your heart has a really good way of telling
you something is right. Your enthusiasm for it will give you the lead”. She went onto say, “give yourself ten years to find your
true course. Don’t be afraid to change direction.” She was truly inspiring for our leaders. Thanks must go to the staff and the
hospitality girls at Ogilvie High School for a wonderful international breakfast.
The Alliance of Girls’ Schools is a not for profit organisation which aims to promote the education of girls in single-sex girls’
schools and increase public awareness that single-sex schools provide the optimal learning environment for girls. As the peak
advocacy group for girls’ education, the Alliance provides leadership opportunities for girls and educators through conferences,
provides network support, publishes a biannual magazine and sources research on single-sex education.
(https://www.agsa.org.au/page/About/)
Scott Young
Director of Senior Years
Mount Carmel College
Issue 5 – 5th March 2015
Students at the
International Womens’ Day
Breakfast
Class Clowns is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's
education and competition program for young people.
Students from Years 9-12 compete in state heats. For us in
Tasmania the final of these heats will be held on the 11th of
March at the Peacock Theatre in Salamanca. The winner of
each state final will be flown to Melbourne to compete at the
National Grand Final that takes place at the Melbourne Town
Hall during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Three of our Year 10 students have chosen to be a part in this
year’s Class Clowns competition. They have spent weeks
writing, rehearsing and performing their comedy skits and
now it is time to try out their work on the wider community.
Being part of The Class Clowns completion is an excellent
experience, giving our students the opportunity to perform in
a professional environment and meet other talented local
performers.
Zoe Christensen will be performing a skit about friendship and
rocks and how combining the two can sometimes lead to
blood and tears. Jasmine Mawer-Goss explains how she came
to be so superstitious and why 3:00pm is not a good time to
watch a horror movie. Randa Al-Hasan’s piece explores the
difference between being intentionally funny and accidentally
funny and why she often finds herself humiliated in both
situations. All three of our contestants have worked on
perfecting the art of being funny and many laughs have been
had in senior drama this year.
To see their hilarious skits you are welcome to join them along
with many other entrants at the Salamanca Arts Centre on
Wednesday the 11th of March at 7:30 pm. Love to see you
there.
Ms Amanda Alexander-McGarrigle
Mount Carmel College
Class Clowns - Randa, Jasmine and Zoe
Issue 5 – 5th March 2015
SURF LIFESAVING
The High School Surf League took place recently with a number of girls from Years 7
to 10 representing the College and trying their hand at a variety of events. Students
competed against themselves, the ocean and other schools in an environment that
encouraged participation.
The girls all had a wonderful day testing their abilities in both the beach and water
events,
with exceptional participation throughout the day! There were a number of
s
stand out performances from the girls, particularly in Beach Flags, Beach relays and
the Tube Rescues.
We all had such an enjoyable day and one of the Mount Carmel teams, including
Alanna Monks, Brooke Elkin, Charlotte Wheeler, Ella Chapman, Breanna Lynch, Tahlia
Bortignon, Charlotte Sutton, Annabel Jamieson and Madeleine Fasnacht came away
with second place, which was such a fantastic effort!
Well done to all the girls who had a go and made the day so memorable! A big thank
you must go out to Mr Chapman and Miss Stuart who accompanied the students on
the day and organised the opportunity for the girls to be involved in the competition.
Thanks for such a great day last week!
Madeleine Fasnacht
Year 10 Student
ROWING
Rowing
Congratulations to our rowers who had a great weekend at the Southern Schools
Regatta at Franklin. Some highlights were:
3rd in the Girls Under 16 eight: Maddie Black, Hella Foss, Bree Noonan, Estelle Haley,
Anja Bremmers, Alice Wagin, Brooke McDermott, Portia Memeo, Melanie Bremmers
(cox). This was a great effort given it was only the 4th time the girls have actually
rowed the eight, and their first race.
2nd in the Girls Under 16 Double Scull: Brooke McDermott and Alice Wagin
2nd Girls Under 13 Single Scull: Melanie Bremmers
3rd Girls Under 16 Quad Scull: Brooke McDermott, Bree Noonan, Alice Wagin, Hella
Foss, Melanie Bremmers (cox)
2nd Girls Under 16 Fours: Maddie Black, Brooke McDermott, Alice Wagin, Anja
Bremmers, Melanie Bremmers (cox)
1st Girls Under 15 Single Scull: Maddie Black
3rd Girls Under 15 Single Scull: Anja Bremmers
1st Girls Under 15 Single Scull: Hella Foss
The girls are training early mornings and long hours, which is a fantastic commitment
and will hold them in good stead for the big weekend ahead. This long weekend they
will spend three days at Lake Barrington competing in the Head of the River on
Saturday and the North West Schools Championships on Sunday and Monday. The
following weekend will be the finale of the season with the girls racing in the Schools
Championships at Lake Barrington on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March. Best of
luck girls!!!
Mount Carmel College
Issue 5 – 5th March 2015
Winter Soccer
Notices will be out soon regarding Central Regions Junior
Soccer to infant students. Mount Carmel will only be
entering teams in boys and girls Prep and Grade 1, and for
boys in Grade 2. These are just the year groups that are
unable to participate in the Term 1 Junior SATIS roster.
Anyone else that would like to participate in winter soccer
should look to join the Clubs that play in the Central
Regions roster. More details are available on their website:
http://www.crjsa.com/
Underwater Hockey
Competition is played from 16th March until 29th June
2015, 7pm – 8:30 at Hobart Aquatic Centre in U12, U15
and U19. Cost is $40 registration and $5 per night per
player. Enquiries to Glenn Keppel 0400523595 or
[email protected] and more information available
at
http://www.underwaterhockey.com.au
Athletics
Congratulations to all the Mount Carmel girls that recently
competed in the Tasmanian age Track and Field
Championships. I’m aware of some great results by:
Mackensie Belbin in U18, with 3rd places in the 100m and
200m, 2nd place in the triple jump and 4 x 400m relay and
1st place in the 4 x 100m relay.
Tahlia Bortignon won the U15 100m, 200m and 400m all
with personal bests, and came 2nd in the U16 4 x 100m relay
and 3rd in the U16 4 x 200m relay.
Both Tahlia and Mackensie have made the Tasmanian team
for the 2015 Australian Junior Championships in Sydney in
March. We wish them all the best.
It’s great to hear of our students doing well in events and
competitions outside of school, so please let me know, so I
can share in the Bulletin.
Ten Pin Bowling
Competition commences first week of Term 2, night of
choice midweek.
1 Game Bumper League – Starting at 4pm – Cost $5 per
person per week
2 Game Non-Bumper League – Starting at 4pm – Cost $10
per person per week
Nikki Stuart
Sports Administration Officer
Phone: 6216 7926
Email: [email protected]
Call AMF Moonah on 62729810 or Kathy Parsons (State
Development Officer) on 0475 906 408 or email
[email protected]
Photos from the Primary Swimming Carnival
Mount Carmel College
Issue 5 – 5th March 2015
Volunteer Coaches, Managers and Supervisors – New Working with Children Check
All volunteers involved in coaching, managing or supervising sports teams are required under new
State legislation to have a Working with Children Check in place by 1 April 2015.
The purpose of the legislation is to significantly improve safeguards and child protection processes
to help keep children safe from harm. I encourage all parents and carers to register as soon as
possible if there is any chance you will be involved with a sporting team this year. Volunteers will not
be able to take up their role until the WWC has been cleared, and we do not want any students
missing out on playing sport because we don’t have a registered volunteer. We very much
appreciate your generosity in volunteering to assist the College sporting community. Thank you for
taking the time to obtain your WWC registration.
How do I apply for a WWC Check and Number?
1. Complete the online application form. This is available from the website:
http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/working_with_children.
2. Print the ‘Application Receipt’ which is generated when the Application has been completed in
full. (If you do not have access to a printer, record the reference number and take that to a Service
Tasmania Shop).
3. Take the ‘Application Receipt’ to a Service Tasmania Shop, pay the prescribed fee ($17.76 for
three years) have your photo taken and have your identity confirmed. You will need to provide 100
points of identification. A Driver’s Licence is 100 points.
4. The Tasmanian Department of Justice will assess and process Applications and issue the
appropriate Assessment Notice and Working with Children Card directly to the applicant.
5. Once your card is received, please bring it to the College office for copying, in order for your
registration to be recorded.
How long will the Checks take to process?
Generally applicants will receive their results within six weeks of completing the application process.
There may be delays, however, depending on the applicant’s personal information and Service
Tasmania workloads. Volunteers in Catholic Education cannot commence volunteering until they
have received a satisfactory WWCC.
Please refer to http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/working_with_children for more details on how to
apply or contact the College office.
MOUNT CARMEL COLLEGE BOARD
Nominations are called for membership of the College Board. All nominations are most
welcome, however, if there are some parents/carers who come from a background in policy,
education or law, these areas of expertise would assist in providing a balance of
perspectives on this most important advisory body for the College.
A strong commitment to the Catholic ethos of the College and its Vision Statement is
required.
Membership involves attendance at approximately nine meetings for the year, committee
work and a preparedness to represent the College in a variety of forums.
You are asked to make the nomination on the form below, have it signed by a proposer and
a seconder and return it in a sealed envelope, along with a brief Curriculum Vitae, addressed
to The Principal. These should be returned no later than Friday, 13th March. Nominations
will then be forwarded to the Governing Council for selection.
The Board fulfils a valuable role within our College community and we recognise the
commitment and contribution of all Board members.
Susan Ryan
Principal
…………………………………………………………….
NOMINATION FORM
Nominee:……………………………..
Occupation:…………………………..
Address:……………………………………………………….
Phone:………………(Business) ……………………(Home)
Reason for nomination:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Signature of Nominee:…………………….
Signature of Proposer:…………………….
Signature of Seconder:……………………
……/……/2015
RETURN TO THE PRINCIPAL BY Friday, 13th March 2015
Welcomes you to attend
our Kindergarten
Open Day/Playgroup
Session for Term 1 2015
0 - 4 years of age welcome
Thursday, 26th March 1:30-2:45pm
Bookings Essential, Ph: 62167900
Mount Carmel College
Your Car and Your Child
THE AIM
Cars and kids don’t mix. It only takes one error of judgement to have
devastating effects. The aim of this notice is to ensure that everyone at Mount
Carmel College is working to ensure that EVERY CHILD IS SAFE, AND
FREE FROM RISK OF INJURY.
WHERE TO PICK UP AND DROP OFF:
Kindergarten/Childcare: In the designated Kindergarten/Childcare drop off and pick up
parking area, between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 6pm.
PARENTS/CARERS OF ALL OTHER STUDENTS ARE
ASKED NOT TO DRIVE THROUGH OR PARK IN THE
COLLEGE CAR PARK TO PICK UP OR COLLECT
STUDENTS.

 Voluntary Helpers – If you are working at College in any voluntary capacity, you
may park in the spaces available in the staff car park. However, you are asked not to
use the two Visitor Car Parking spaces at the front of Lauramont.
 Emergency Parking – To pick up sick or injured students etc, use the staff car park.
 All other parking – You should use the designated parking zones in Sandy Bay Road,
Nelson Road, Earl Street or Quorn Street, being mindful of the restrictions imposed on
them. S – NO STANDING 8.00 a.m. – 9.00 a.m. or 2.30 p.m. – 3.30 p.m. means you
don’t park…YOU
DON’T EVEN STOP!
 IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO STOP/STAND ON A PEDESTRIAN
CROSSING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION
co m p o
ne
nt
1
What makes a positive
school community?
“Mum, Miss Collins told me to be sure you go to the school for the meeting tonight. She
says it’s very important.” “You’re not in trouble, are you Omar? Teachers only ask parents
to come to school when there is a problem, don’t they?” “No Mum. She says she is
looking forward to meeting you.”
When Rasheeda got to the meeting it wasn’t as she had expected. Lots of other parents
were there and they were talking with each other and with the teacher. It seemed quite
friendly. The teacher explained what the children would be learning in school this term
and then asked the parents to talk to two different people they didn’t know.
Rasheeda felt a bit shy about this. Luckily, the other parents at her table started talking to
her. They asked her what school was like in her home country. “Oh, very different!” she
told them. “Over there the teacher talks and the children listen. They don’t learn in groups.
They start early and they go home at lunchtime.” The other parents seemed interested.
Miss Collins also spoke with her: “Rasheeda, I wonder if there’s
anything more you would like to know about how Omar
is going or what we are doing at school? We want to
be sure you feel welcome, so if there is anything
the school can do to help you or Omar settle in,
please let us know.”
Positive school communities
create opportunities for
families, children and staff
to feel included.
What feeling included
is all about
Children come from an endless range of different
families, backgrounds, cultures and religions. They also
have a variety of interests, learning styles and abilities.
Despite all of these differences, everyone should feel
included and welcome within their school community.
Positive school communities create opportunities for
children, families and staff to feel included. They make
help and support accessible and find lots of ways to
invite people to take up the support being offered. They
help everyone benefit from understanding experiences
and cultures that may be different to their own.
When children feel included, when they are part of a
community that promotes inclusion and respect for
everybody, they show more caring and compassion
towards others, and they feel safer and more secure.
They are also better learners and have better mental
health and wellbeing. In a positive school community
every face has a place, every voice is valued, and
everyone has something to contribute.
School communities from around Australia chose care,
compassion, respect, understanding and inclusion as
important values for children to understand. These are
things that children can learn about. The best learning
happens when children see the adults around them
putting values like these into practice. Feeling included
is important for mental health, and is supported best
when diversity is respected and valued.
Some ways of showing
people they are welcomed
and included at school
• Display information, posters, and artwork that
reflect the diversity in the school community.
• Provide information in appropriate languages,
verbally, where possible, as well as in written form.
• Cater to specific needs where possible
(eg dietary needs, access needs).
• Publicly celebrate diversity (eg diverse families,
cultures, languages and values).
Being included and learning to
include and respect others are
very important for children’s social
development.
How parents and carers
can help
Being included promotes belonging
and connectedness, which are also
key factors for supporting children’s
mental health and wellbeing.
• Set up a ‘buddy’ system where families who have
been at the school for a while buddy up with new
families to provide welcome and support.
• Get to know other families, take an interest in
others’ different backgrounds as well as what
you have in common.
• Encourage children to include and appreciate others’
cultural and individual differences.
This resource is part of a range of KidsMatter Primary information sheets for families and school staff.
View them all online at www.kidsmatter.edu.au
Copyright: © Commonwealth of Australia 2012-13. This work is copyright. You may use this work in accordance with the terms of licence available at www.kidsmatter.edu.au