Wellbeing

The College House System develop students’ sense of belonging to the College and also in fostering college and community spirit during special days such as Athletics Day, Awards Assemblies and Talent Quests and other College and House celebrations.

The House system aims to provide continuity in pastoral care over Years 7 – 12, allowing the Learner Mentor the opportunity to establish ongoing support and understanding of students, a means of monitoring their personal development (intellectual, emotional, psychological) and to maintain strong pastoral links with families.

Our four Houses – Ambrose, Clare, Galgani and Lorenzo are named after saints who are remembered for their work with the poor and positive impact on society.

The College successfully uses Restorative Practices in building and maintaining relationships. Restorative Practices is based on a belief that the resolution of conflict builds trust and good relationships. This approach helps staff and students learn from mistakes and resolve problems with others. It promotes resilience. It is about helping young people to become aware of the impact of their behaviour on others and to build their commitment to personal accountability and responsibility.

Caroline Chisholm Catholic College provides all staff and students with a positive and inclusive environment. The College celebrates everyone’s differences and helps build good relations with each other. All members of the College community have a responsibility to ensure a safe and supportive environment that assists in the growth, positive self-esteem and attitude towards others. This means that bullying, discrimination and harassment in any form damage relationships in our College community and all incidents are not tolerated and will be taken seriously.

We aim:

• to be a learning environment in which staff and students feel safe and respected.
• to be an environment where staff and students do not tolerate bullying and act upon it immediately with a restorative practices focus.
• for staff and students to be comfortable to report discrimination, exclusion or harassment.

Learn more about our Bullying Prevention & Intervention policy.

Caroline Chisholm Catholic College is committed to the protection of all children from all forms of abuse and demonstrates this commitment through the implementation of a comprehensive Child Protection Program designed to keep children safe. At Caroline Chisholm Catholic College we have a zero tolerance for any form of abuse and are committed to acting in children’s best interests and keeping them safe from harm. The College regards its child protection responsibilities with the utmost importance and as such, is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection laws and regulations and maintain a child safe culture.

The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV) has developed a ‘Commitment Statement to Child Safety’, which can be found via the link below:

CECV Statement

Child Protection Officers

Caroline Chisholm Catholic College has appointed Child Protection Officers who are available to answer any questions that families may have with respect to our Child Protection and Safety Policy and the Child Protection Program, as well as providing a point of contact for students.

Easy English Parents Fact Sheet

Easy English Secondary School Fact Sheet

Protect Fact Sheet (Vietnamese)

Protect Fact Sheet (Dinka)

Child Protection Safety Policy

Child Safety Code of Conduct

Child Protection Complaints Management

College Counsellors

Our counsellors are well qualified, experienced and understand the issues that arise for young people during their important formative years at school. Our counsellors are available to discuss concerns with parents and carers regarding their child. They also oversee a range of programs for students, including Les Twentyman Foundation’s Embrace Youth Leadership program, Girls Education Party, art therapy classes and lunchtime activities such as Rock and Water at our all-girls campus.

The College has developed and maintains an eSmart culture and it is essential that we have plans, policies and procedures that reflect and support that culture.

It is our policy that:

• We are committed to providing a safe, secure and caring learning environment for all its students. The internet and digital technologies provide many opportunities for student engagement and learning. While the use of digital technology is an exciting learning tool, it is important for students to be responsible and safe when working in the online environment or using technology. Students must be cyber-ready and cyber-safe, to prevent exposure to cyberbullying or unacceptable behaviour that may occur.
• We will develop, maintain and review a whole school approach to ensure its students are protected from bullying and cyberbullying both while at school and develop the skills to use when in their home environment.

Additional resources are available online at the government’s eSafety website:
https://www.esafety.gov.au/

The Learner Mentor is the first point of influence and contact in the wellbeing of our students and fosters personal responsibility for learning, and provides each student with the necessary balance of support and challenge to allow for personal growth as a learner.

The Learner Mentor Program acts as the foundation for facilitating relationships between students, staff and parents / carers. Learner Mentors serve as coaches, mentors, guides and role models. They facilitate an open relationship with the aim of assisting the student holistically and academically.

Our Learner Mentor program encapsulates a Personal Development Program, ensuring development in fundamental aspects of our students lives, in a stage and age focused curriculum, that includes:

• Leadership and advocacy
• Ethical decision making
• Study skills
• Personal wellbeing
• Relationships

Our families are seen as partners and are encouraged to know and understand their hopes for their children and to be informed and engaged in their child’s learning; and together we inspire each other in our love of learning.

The fundamental aim of this approach to student organisation is to support student learning by deepening key relationships between the school, students and their families. This Triangle of Connection can provide students with a staff mentor to track their personal growth and academic performance. It also acts to strengthen relationships between the College and families by providing a consistent and personal face in the conversation about a child’s development. It allows for all students to make a smooth transition from our junior campus to our senior campus, and to challenge them to reach their full potential as world citizens with a Christian practice and a positive approach to managing their personal responsibilities.

Introduced in 2022, our Learner Mentor sessions will include a pastoral program within it that is uniquely tailored to Caroline Chisholm Catholic College. This program will be known as the Personal Development Program (PDP) and sees students explore a range of skills each year, known as ‘Our Five Pillars’. PDP aims to acknowledge the challenges facing our young people today, as well as ensuring a connection to faith and the Catholic tradition. We believe that each of the five pillars are essential for each student to have experienced by the time they have completed Year 12.

Our Five Pillars

It is our hope that by the time a student had completed Year 12, they will have experienced and developed in the following areas, known as ‘Our Five Pillars’:

1. Leadership
2. Decision Making
3. Study Skills
4. Personal Wellbeing
5. Relationships

Each of ‘Our Five Pillars’ is linked to the Victorian Curriculum Capabilities.

Students and Learner Mentors
Each Learner Mentor works with a group of students from the same year level, known as a horizontal approach. Learner Mentors have regularly scheduled meetings with their students. Learner Mentors meet individually with students on at least two occasions during a term. By the end of the year they will have met with each of their students on eight occasions.

Learner Mentors assist students in the setting of personal and academic goals, keep a close eye on their progress in all subject areas, and are a first point of contact for students.

Parent – Student – Learner Mentor Meetings
The entire program is embodied in the Learner Mentor Meeting. At these meetings there are discussions and analysis of subject teacher comments, assessment task records and the setting of goals and strategies. Parents / carers meet with the student’s Learner Mentor in term one and term three. During term two there is an opportunity to meet with subject teachers.

Learn more about our Learner Mentor Program.