Brisbane Girls Grammar School is committed to providing a Student Care Program that nurtures the intellectual, emotional, and social needs of students during the crucial stage of adolescence. We provide a holistic education for our students and understand that wellbeing underpins learning.
Students who are healthy and emotionally secure are more able to fully participate in learning. The Ethics curriculum and the Floreamus Centre are designed to play a critical role in fostering student wellbeing. We value our partnership with parents, and therefore provide the following summary of Term 3 Student Care Programs.
Year 7 Ethics
Year 7 continues with the theme of Becoming a Grammar Girl by focusing on navigating relationships. Students work through concepts to equip them with the skills they need to form and maintain strong and healthy relationships with peers as friendships play a pivotal role in a students’ social and emotional life, particularly during secondary school. Themes include respecting and accepting diversity, understanding how different behaviours can impact their relationships, assertive communication, setting boundaries, and the importance of compassion and kindness. The School’s Promoting Positive Relationships Policy is discussed, which provides a conceptual framework associated with promoting the safety and wellbeing of all students at the School. Finally, the students complete some preparation for their upcoming Outdoor Education Program at Marrapatta, which aims to further foster relationships within their classes.
Ms Sacha Cross and Ms Sally Callie
Year 7 Ethics Coordinators
Year 8 Ethics
Term 3 sees the commencement of the .b Mindfulness in Schools Project. The program is delivered by a specialised team of teacher trained practitioners. It teaches distinct mindfulness skills and assists girls to stay focused, present and strong. In Term 3 we begin with providing some simple tools for training their attention. Students will firstly learn how to nurture an attitude of curiosity, kindness, acceptance and openness that helps them to deal more skilfully with fluctuating mind-states. The course then covers practices to move out of unhelpful thinking modes, such as rumination and catastrophising, which affects our bodies and behaviour (sleep, sport and academic performance). Students will also develop strategies for bringing their attention into the here and now, so that they can respond rather than react to what is difficult or unpleasant.
Mrs Hazel Boltman and Mrs Violet Ross
Year 8 Ethics Coordinators
Year 9 Ethics
In Term 3, Year 9 students will partake in a bespoke program that offers them a degree of choice. Depending on their interests and strengths, students will choose between three different strands. These choices will again be available in Term 4 where the students will choose a different strand. Confident Me involves sessions in financial literacy, public speaking skills, laughter yoga and jiujitsu. Balanced Me looks at wellbeing strategies such as aromatherapy, mindfulness in nature and yoga. Curious Me is a team project looking at solving a specific problem in a creative way.
Mrs Sybil Edwards and Mrs Stephanie Thomas
Year 9 Ethics Coordinators
Year 10 Ethics
The theme of Term 3 Ethics is Looking Beyond Me: Being the Difference and topics covered include purpose and engagement, as well as reflecting—with authentic emotions—on the time that they spend with themselves and others in the Service Program. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their community service and contribution activities and consider what it has meant to them to give time and care to others. Students will have service and contribution opportunities as Open Day Tour Guides, spectators at the QGSSSA Athletics Carnival, and supporters of their classmates at the Junior Merle Weaver Public Speaking Competition. Open Day Tour Guides is a significant opportunity for Year 10 girls because, as a united group, they can show their pride for their School and appreciate the talents of their peers as they demonstrate their skills.
Ms Ruth Jans and Ms Lynne Mungomery
Year 10 Ethics Coordinators
Year 11 Ethics
In Term 3, the unit Being the Best Me—Stepping into Leadership will introduce students to the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Leadership process. Utilising a positive psychology approach, students will develop an understanding of their character strengths and personal leadership skills. The program will be delivered through a variety of activities and engaging presentations, including the VIA Character Strengths Survey, Peer Power, and a Q&A Panel with current Year 12 Leaders.
Miss Alysia Stark and Mrs Alice Dabelstein
Year 11 Ethics Coordinators
Year 12 Ethics
The Year 12 Ethics program will provide students with the opportunity to explore topics that get them thinking about the transition from secondary school to becoming graduates. Continuing to prepare them with a healthy mindset for the external exams, they will practice mindfulness and self-care. The students will celebrate diversity within the cohort through student presentations and mark their last 50 days at BGGS. A presentation from Red Frogs at the end of the term will provide the students with practical skills to apply in social environments outside of school.
Ms Sarah Boyle
Year 12 Ethics Coordinator
Year 7 Philosophy of Learning
Philosophy of Learning is designed specifically for Year 7 students and complements the Ethics Program. During Term 3, the students focus on the physiology of the brain and how it responds in times of stress. Students learn strategies such as how to calm themselves when anxious, how to focus their attention and how to take control of their learning and assessment. The Philosophy of Learning course aims to emphasise the capacity of an individual to learn by promoting a positive learning mindset, and utilising productive cognitive and behavioural techniques.
Ms Sally 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 wellness skills-based groups, facilitated by the School Psychologists. In Term 3, the following groups are designed to enrich certain aspects of student wellbeing. Embrace aims to develop resilience by learning how to embrace and manage difficult emotions. Soothe is offered to senior students and focuses on enhancing wellbeing by learning evidence-based self-care and self-compassion practices. Thrive focuses on building confidence, resilience, and learning how to manage stress and anxiety. 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. We will introduce a new group in Term 3, Connect, which aims to assist students to develop their social skills and enrich their relationships. Students are encouraged to visit Minerva to learn more about the Floreamus Centre wellness programs and enquire about joining one of the groups.
Dr Jody Forbes
Associate Dean (Wellbeing)
