life at ashdale
Student engagement
Focusing on student engagement and well-being, we ensure that every student grows, becomes a lifelong learner and feels valued at all times. Staff, parents, and the community are all partners of our students, assisting in building character, strengthening social values, and enabling opportunities for success. This is the robust platform upon which Ashdale Secondary College is built.
student engagement
Student Services
Ashdale SC has an exceptionally well-resourced Student Services Team, consisting of dedicated Year Coordinators for each year group and a Program Coordinator for Junior (Years 7 – 9) and Senior (Years 10 – 12). All members of the Student Services Team focus on attendance, behaviour, physical and emotional well-being, pastoral care and successful academic and non-academic outcomes.Â
Our approach to student well-being at Ashdale focuses on prevention and early intervention. The Student Services staff are trained in youth mental health first aid to ensure mental health concerns are responded to effectively and promptly. Ashdale SC has trained psychologists or counsellors, referred to as the Specialist Care Team, available to provide individual support.
Student Wellbeing
Research reveals that for every 1,000 students, 250 suffer depression, 120 have initiated self-harm, and 12 have contemplated suicide; unfortunately, out of this number, only one in four will inform an adult. This generation of adolescents has adopted electronic social language, with their mode of communication being centred on Facebook, SMS and electronic social networks. Based on this evidence, adolescents would examine their situation online rather than face to face. Students are encouraged to seek support available within the College from Student Services, i.e., Year Coordinators, Student Support Coordinator, College Psychologist, Community Health Nurse and College staff.
Community Health Nurse
Community Health Nurses are skilled in assessing adolescent health needs. They engage in health counselling with young people to identify issues, risks and protective factors, provide advice and brief intervention, assist with access and referral to other services, and provide follow-up care. Young people can drop into the Junior Student Services building or make appointments to discuss health and well-being issues. The services provided are free and confidential.
College Psychologist
The College has access to the School Psychology Service. Students may be referred to the service to address various school-based issues, including learning, behaviour, attendance and engagement, mental health and well-being.Â
Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care focuses on the social and emotional well-being of your child. It is at the core of all our teaching and extra-curricular programs. When students are happy, their opportunities for learning increase and their performance improves. The pastoral care programs provided at the College teach the skills to prevent mental illness, support learning and cultivate well-being. Approaches to mental health and a child’s academic education are most effective when students, parents and the school community are taught the same common core of abilities and skills. As such, parents and staff can also access opportunities to learn the skills taught through these programs. The College offers a range of Pastoral Care initiatives.
Role of the Mentor Teacher
Mentor teachers form an integral role in pastoral care for students across the College. The importance of mentor time in providing an opportunity to disseminate vital information, general organisation and health and well-being checks cannot be underestimated. There are clear areas of responsibility outlined for staff in monitoring and managing their mentor group’s academic, social and emotional well-being.
life at ashdale
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