Wellbeing
School Values
Our agreed values that form the basis for our learning are
Cooperation
Achievement
Respect
Empathy
Our values are pivotal to the life of our school and the school community, and are embedded within student management and teaching and learning programs. Our excellent staff model these values and students who display the GPS values are recognized at assemblies with “Pupil Of The Week” awards.
We have a commitment to Child Safety and believe that all children have a right to feel safe and be safe, including at school. All staff, volunteers and School Council members are required to observe child safe principles and expectations for appropriate behavior towards and in the company of our students.
Buddy Program
All Prep children are matched with a Grade 5 or 6 student and are involved in cross-age classroom sessions where they complete tasks together.
“Big Buddies” and “Little Buddies” also look out for one another in the playground. The Buddy Program helps the prep child’s transition into the school environment and benefits the social development of both the preps and the older children. It provides the Grade 5 and 6 students an excellent opportunity to show leadership skills and promote the values of our school.
Friendship Tree
The Friendship Tree is a beautiful space within the school ground, The area is adorned with bright decorations, sensory games and plants, winding paths and a trolley, filled with games and activities, sits beside the tree. The area is a safe and supportive place for students to visit and play, listen to stories and learn important friendship skills such as turn taking, empathy and sharing.
Each year, we train 10-12 Grade Six students to become our ‘Wellbeing Leaders’. These leaders are selected on their attributes as kind, caring and responsible individuals who enjoy looking after others and being helpful. Once training has been completed, the Wellbeing Leaders are asked to coordinate activities at the ‘Friendship Tree’ one day per week.
PATHS Program
Greensborough Primary School is proud to implement the PATHS Program (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) at all grade levels.
The PATHS curriculum is a comprehensive program for promoting emotional and social development, while simultaneously enhancing the educational process in the classroom. Systematic, developmentally-based lessons, materials, and instructions are provided to facilitate emotional literacy, self-control, social competence, positive peer relations, and interpersonal problem-solving skills.
Social and emotional competence is a master skill that underlies both effective behaviour and academic success. The aims of PATHS are:
- To establish and reinforce basic classroom rules
- To strengthen self-control and encourage reflective thinking in the classroom
- To improve children’s communication skills with adults and peers
- To use literature to discuss and promote prosocial, responsible behaviour
- To increase children’s abilities to identify, understand, and discuss the variety of feelings people experience in their daily lives
- To enhance children’s abilities to recognise and interpret similarities and differences in the feelings, reactions, and points of view in themselves and others
- To promote the development of empathy and perspective-taking
- To help children use social problem-solving skills to prevent and/or resolve problems and conflicts in social interactions
- To support children in using these skills to improve the classroom environment and academic success.
Greensborough Primary School strongly believes that the implementation of the PATHS Program will help all of our students to achieve their potential.
Student Leaders
Grade Five and Six students are given the opportunity to apply for a variety of leadership positions within the school. These include-
- School Captains – a male and female School Captain and Vice-Captain. Responsibilities include leading school assemblies, taking part in special ceremonies, assisting with special programs at school, receiving and thanking special guests
- House Captains – a male and a female Captain and Vice Captain for each of the four houses. Responsibilities include leading their houses at the Twilight Sports, coordinating Easter Bonnet Parade and Activities and assisting with special programs at school.
- Wellbeing Leaders – 10-12 Grade Five or Six students Responsibilities including supervision and games at ‘The Friendship Tree’, attending weekly meetings and taking part in training
Junior School Council
As part of the student leadership program and to ensure ‘student voice’ is included in school planning, two children from each grade are elected by their peers each year to become Junior School Councillors. School Captains and Vice Captains are also mandatory members of the JSC. These members represent their peers in matters concerning the school, conduct fundraisers, have input into certain school procedures and operations, and act as representatives in the wider community.
Throughout the year, the Junior School Councillors are given the responsibilities and opportunities to develop their leadership skills through attendance at regular Junior School Council meetings, organising fundraising events, meeting with specific staff including the school Principal to raise and discuss issues, represent the school at official functions, show guests around the school or perform specific tasks as issues arise.
One of the recent JSC initiatives has been a fundraiser for a Gaga Pit. Gaga ball is a fast paced, high energy sport played in an octagonal pit and has proven to be a popular activity at recess and lunch time.
We are eSmart
Since we rst registered with the program, we have introduced many new policies and activities to improve the way our school manages cybersafety, bullying and cyberbullying.
We feel con dent our students, staff and the wider school community are now well supported to be smart, safe and responsible users of digital technology.
We encourage everyone in the school community to continue to uphold and promote eSmart behaviours, at school and at home. If you are aware of any incidents of bullying, cyberbullying or risky online behaviour, please contact the Principal or our eSmart coordinator.
Child Safe Policy
The Child Safe Standards have been introduced in Victoria to keep children safe from harm and abuse. Greensborough Primary incorporates strategies that promote understanding and acceptance of diversity, including disability, and our policies for identifying risks and responding to concerns are a vital component of our child safe organisation.
Student Welfare
Student Welfare is an integral part of the success and wellbeing of students at Greensborough Primary School. As a school, providing a safe, happy, supportive learning environment is of upmost priority for all staff at GPS. We work towards forming a partnership between students, teachers and parents, based on mutual respect and understanding.
Wellbeing Leaders and the Friendship Tree
Each year, we train 10-12 Grade Six students to become our ‘Wellbeing Leaders’. These leaders are selected on their attributes as kind, caring and responsible individuals who enjoy looking after others and being helpful.
The leaders are given intensive training to equip them with an understanding of empathy, active listening skills and open ended questioning. They are supported to form positive and supportive relationships with one another and their fellow students. Once training has been completed, the Wellbeing Leaders are asked to coordinate activities at the ‘Friendship Tree’ one day per week.
The Friendship Tree is a beautiful space within the school ground, in the area surrounding a magnificent tree. The area is adorned with bright decorations, sensory games and plants, winding paths and a trolley, filled with games and activities, sits beside the tree. The area is a safe and supportive place for students to visit and play, listen to stories and learn important friendship skills such as turn taking, empathy and sharing.
The Wellbeing Leaders uphold the school’s values at all times, particularly co-operation, respect and empathy. This program has been a resounding success since its implementation at Greensborough Primary School and is of great benefit to students and staff at the school.
Pupil of the Week
The Pupil of the Week program was established with the purpose of celebrating individual academic achievement as well as recognizing students who model our school values – respect, empathy, achievement and co-operation.
Each week the classroom teachers, as well as specialist teachers, select one student from each of their classes who stands out in these areas. They are presented with a special ‘Pupil of the Week’ ribbon at Monday assembly and their achievement is also recorded in the fortnightly school newsletter.
OzChild Shine Assist Program
Oz Child’s Shine Assist program enables families and schools to work together in partnership with General Practitioners, Paediatricians, Psychiatrists and Psychologists to address the psychological and emotional wellbeing of children and young adults who meet the eligibility requirements through the Medicare Benefits Schedule for psychological support.
The Shine Assist program is accessed by a referral from a General Practitioner, Paediatrician or Psychiatrist through a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Individuals may be eligible for up to ten individual sessions per calendar year and ten group sessions per calendar year. In exceptional circumstances the individual might be eligible for 16 sessions.
This service is bulk billed by Oz Child psychologists so there will be no cost to young people, their families, or the school. A young person may be eligible for support from the Shine Assist program psychologist if they have problems which significantly impact on their emotions, thoughts, social skills and decision making.