VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
Pastoral Care permeates all aspects of College life. It is concerned with the development of the whole person.
As a Catholic College the response to Pastoral Care is founded directly in the Gospel values of: Love, Justice, Compassion and Reconciliation. It honours the dignity of the individual, the family and the College.
Pastoral Care is a vital dimension of educating the whole person in the Catholic tradition. This includes personal, spiritual, social, physical, intellectual and cultural growth. It seeks to promote a community where each person has the opportunity to experience success in a range of endeavours. Therefore, the pastoral focus is the concern of all members of the College community in all areas of the College.
While every member of the school staff, and indeed every student, has a responsibility towards others in the Columba community, the Pastoral Team has a special commitment towards meeting the pastoral needs of all students. The Pastoral Team consists of:
- Deputy Principal - Pastoral & Residential;
- Pastoral Middle Leaders (Years 7&8, Years 9&10, Years11 &12)
- Pastoral Care Teacher
- Counsellor
- School Chaplain
- College Nurse
In addition the school has an Inclusive Practices Teacher who is responsible for the curriculum support of students in need.
Each student is placed in Pastoral Care rooms under the guidance of a Pastoral Middle Leader.
A Pastoral Leader is appointed as shown above. The Pastoral Leader is a point of communication between school and home, and fosters the personal growth of all students in the Year Level. Each day, the Pastoral Care Teacher is the first point of contact with children and are responsible for their general pastoral care including ensuring students are appropriately groomed and attired as well as being prepared for each day’s learnings. Under the direction of the Pastoral Leader, the Pastoral Care teacher will also oversee the delivery of various programs such as the LoveBites program and The Resilience Project. Relationship building, Mindfulness, Gratitude, Emotional Literacy and Empathy are key tenets of the College’s pastoral care program.
Retreats/Reflection Days/ Camps are an important part of a child’s development as a whole person, not only mentally, but spiritually and physically as well. All students are strongly encouraged to participate in all aspects of the College’s Retreats, Reflection Days and Camps.
GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES
The effect of life's stressors on the personal, social and academic development of students is widely acknowledged. Schools exercise a central role in supporting and assisting student development by providing a guidance and counselling service. The College Guidance Counsellor works in partnership with the college community to promote and foster student development, mental health and resilience.
The Guidance Counsellor is available to meet with students, parents/guardians and staff to talk about concerns. This is a confidential service. An appointment can be made either by contacting the Counsellor directly or leaving a message with the office staff.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Pastoral Care Policy is to promote a College Community where all students, family members and staff feel respected and valued within a safe, inclusive and caring environment. All students accept accountability for actions and the effect their actions have on others.
It focuses on adhering to and repositioning back to the College’s ‘Big Five’ values. Each value begins with respect.These are:
- Respect for Self
- Respect for Others
- Respect for Learning
- Respect for Environment
- Respect for Tradition
The ‘Big Five’ values permeate the total climate of relationships within the College Community and are best expressed through our Mission Statement that states we:
- Exist primarily to provide for the needs of all students to promote a balanced and inclusive approach when deciding appropriate actions/consequences.
- Support families and co-operate with parents in the total development of their children.
- Foster an atmosphere that is welcoming, safe and supportive, with relationships at all levels based on self respect and respect for others.
ACTIONS
Positive Behaviour Management is centred on the dignity of the human person, acknowledging their strengths and their fallibility. Positive approaches for behaviour management represent the repositioning of misdemeanours within a consistently used positive language framework, positive approaches for restoration of relationships and positive actions for thinking and time-out that enables self-reflection within consistent and supportive structures.
Scaled actions are followed to ensure consistency of response to misdemeanours. These are outlined in the Positive Behaviour Responses Matrix – St Mary’s Campus, Mount Carmel Campus and Residences. The principles of restorative justice are adhered to, utilising framing questions to enable students to understand their actions, their impact and how to restore temporarily fractured relationships.
Staff communicate with parents as per the Behaviour Matrix Chart, across the scaled actions.
Always, the dignity of the students and the context of the situation will impact on the way in which levelled consequences and parent communication occurs.
Ensures the awareness of actions and resulting consequences with an underlying purpose of minimising existing harm and preventing from further unacceptable actions.
HARRASSMENT AND BULLYING
Harrassment or bullying will not be tolerated and will be dealt with as a serious matter. If your child tells you that they are being harrassed or bullied, it is important that you raise the matter with us - despite what your child might advise. The College's Bullying Policy along with the Procedures for Addressing Student Bullying are available through the College website.
