Student care is integral to the fabric of Girls Grammar and nurtures students’ intellectual, emotional and social development. The Student Care Program supports our girls and young women as they navigate through each phase of life. The program is deliberately designed to enhance the wellbeing of students at each Year level by addressing the issues that are relevant to their age and circumstances. Complementing the School’s Ethics curriculum and programs offered through the Floreamus Centre, is the Year 7 subject Philosophy of Learning, where students make a connection between learning dispositions, productive cognitive and behavioural techniques and flourishing.
The following is a summary of Term 2 programs.
Year 7 Ethics
The theme of the Term 2 Year 7 Ethics Program was Becoming a Grammar Girl, and topics covered included being organised, persistent and courageous learners, being friendly and respectful of diversity, and being safe in cyberspace. Students were also provided with the space to become emotionally literate, by exploring the concept of emotional regulation through self-awareness of mental and physiological cues to stress. Students were also given the opportunity to connect mindfully with the natural environment to enhance mental and physical wellbeing.
Ms Sacha Cross and Mrs Sally Callie
Year 7 Ethics Coordinators
Year 8 Ethics
Year 8 students continued with, and completed, the Healthy Minds Program in Term 2. This is a comprehensive evidence-based prevention program designed to equip young people with the necessary psychological skills to maintain emotional wellness and resilience. Term 2 modules focused on practising helpful thinking, managing stress, and overcoming obstacles such as procrastination, over-commitment, and negativity. The concept of ‘optimalism’, as opposed to ‘perfectionism’, was introduced: making the best of a situation regardless of what happens. The modules also concentrated on building major protective factors like self-compassion, cultivating a sense of gratitude, and developing a strong set of values. At the end of the term, we introduced the .b program to set the girls up for a successful and fulfilling mindfulness program.
Mrs Hazel Boltman and Mrs Violet Ross
Year 8 Ethics Coordinators
Year 9 Ethics
Year 9 Ethics offers students a range of experiences involving a micro-credential course, guest speakers, and a bespoke program designed to allow student agency. Year 9 students worked at their own pace on completing a micro-credential, Eton X, a highly regarded course with units such as resilience, making an impact as a leader, and verbal communication skills. Interactive presentations from guest speakers such as dietitian Megan Bray, PREP (period pain and endometriosis awareness), SMASHED (alcohol safety), and Shake and Stir Theatre’s social media education production, Right Clique, imparted valuable information in an entertaining format. The Ethics Program also provided the House Group Captains leadership opportunities through running a ‘passions’ assembly which highlighted their peers’ diverse talents.
Ms Sybil Edwards and Ms Stephanie Thomas
Year 9 Ethics Coordinators
Year 10
Throughout the Year 10 Ethics Program, the theme, Looking Beyond Me, drives each term’s focus. Term 1 was about exploring what makes a meaningful life, and Term 2 introduced the idea of making an impact. We started by welcoming Rebecca Sparrow, who shared the lessons she has gleaned from her childhood about the impact we can have on each other through our choice of friendships and how we treat each other. Students also learned how the experience of Service has an impact on those who we help, but also the personal benefit of the feelings of wellbeing we receive in return from acts of service to our community. Finally, attention turned to the impact that encouraging and supporting each other can have on developing a cohesive cohort.
Ms Ruth Jans and Ms Lynne Mungomery
Year 10 Ethics Coordinators
Year 11
In Term 2, students explored a range of themes: Healthy Habits; Positive Relationships; Helpful Thinking; Self-Care, and Stress Management. These concepts were facilitated through a variety of guest speakers including Ms Megan Bray, Director, and Practicing Dietitian at Food, Mind, Body; Mr Paul Dillon, Australian Drug and Alcohol Foundation; Ms Karen Breedon, School Psychologist; Ms Rashna Taraporewalla, Head of Ancient History; and Ms Raechelle Finch, Mindfulness Practice. Students also shared their ideas and contributed to Year level assemblies through short presentations highlighting their strengths or interests. An energetic, joyful, and enthusiastic cohort, Year 11 students continued to participate in interhouse-based activities as part of the Assembly program. The purpose of these activities was to connect and strengthen the respectful relationships students have with each other, thus laying the foundation for leadership moving into Term 3.
Ms Alice Dabelstein and Ms Alysia Stark
Year 11 Ethics Coordinators
Year 12
In Term 2, Year 12 students heard about creating and maintaining personal boundaries in different environments. Guest speaker, Mr Paul Dillion, presented to the cohort on topics linked to social party settings. To help students maintain their personal wellbeing throughout Year 12, they also learned about the importance of maintaining boundaries in terms of friendships, external commitments, and academic studies. The term concluded with a small university expo to prompt students to investigate university options over the winter holiday period.
Ms Sarah Boyle
Year 12 coordinator
Year 7 Philosophy of Learning
Philosophy of Learning is designed specifically for Year 7 students and complements the Ethics Program. In Term 1, students worked to understand themselves as a learner. They discussed the value of practice, perseverance, and a growth mindset in terms of building expertise in both academic and co-curricular contexts. During Term 2, the students reflected on their thinking and the actions that they can take to become better learners. They also reflected on any feedback provided by their teachers in relation to classroom work and set personal goals to improve their learning. By focusing on how to learn well, promoting a positive learning mindset, and maximising learning with productive cognitive and behavioural techniques, the Philosophy of Learning course aims to emphasise the capacity of an individual to learn.
Ms Sallie Callie, Year 7 Advisor, and Ms Susan Garson, Director of Centre for School-Wide Pedagogy
Floreamus Centre Wellness Group Program
The Floreamus Centre offers a range of skills-based wellness groups, facilitated by the School Psychologists. In Term 2, the following groups were designed to enrich certain aspects of student wellbeing. ‘Embrace’, targeted at students in Years 9-11, aimed to develop resilience by learning how to embrace and manage difficult emotions. ‘Soothe’ was offered to senior students and focused on enhancing wellbeing by learning evidence-based self-care and self-compassion practices. ‘Thrive’ focused on building confidence, resilience, and learning how to manage stress and anxiety. In Term 2, Thrive was targeted at students in Years 7 and 8. Year 7 students were welcome to attend ‘Flourish’, a weekly drop-in group that assists our new Grammar girls to settle into School life and connect with their peers. The study skills group ‘Engage’ meets every Friday to dedicate time to planning, organising and scheduling study, and to learn about how to increase focus and decrease procrastination. Each group meets for a series of sessions throughout the term.
Dr Jody Forbes
Associate Dean (Wellbeing)
