Growing Stronger Communities

The students from Year 8 and Year 10 participated in the Growing Stronger Communities Survey this week. The team from the coalition of local services that formed the Eurobodalla Local Drug Action Team (ELDAT) administered the survey in consultation with Deakin University. Our visitors were very impressed with the welcome they received by our students, their behaviour and their diligence in completing the survey. We all hope that the data our students have contributed will enhance the focus of services offered to the youth across the Eurobodalla region.

College Uniform

Recently at our whole school assembly, students were reminded about the college expectations for wearing their uniforms. Students who consistently wear their uniforms correctly were affirmed and acknowledged for their contribution to the College. Students who were not complying with the college uniform policy were reminded of the expectations the college has. I have attached the College uniform policy below for parents to read. To support the efforts made by our staff we would appreciate parents monitoring student uniforms in particular hair styles, jewellery and the length of uniforms for the girls.

To assist our students who may feel hesitant to make direct contact with our Counsellor for assistance a QR code has been developed. This code is on display in student spaces around the College. All students need to do is scan the code which will take them to a form they can complete and submit. The Counsellor will then reach out to the students to organise a time to meet. If you feel your child would benefit from some extra support at school, please contact their Pastoral Coordinator or encourage them to use the QR code system.

Parent resource

For some students, there may be times when they may feel overwhelmed. At these times the routine of school can be an obstacle and they may either avoid coming or refuse to attend on a regular basis. Days absent here and there can quickly accumulate and result in a loss of social connection, confidence, and disrupted learning. If this is something that you as a parent have experienced or you know of friends or families where this can occur, the information below may be of some assistance.

Louise Ibbett
Assistant Principal Pastoral Care

School Avoidance and Refusal

School refusal can be a challenging issue for students and their families and can be more frequent after school holidays when students have had a break from their routine and school. For many young people, refusing to go to school can be part of a larger issue, and it is important to provide support to assist them to go to school safely.

What is school refusal?

School refusal is when a student frequently does not want to attend school due to anxiety and worry about being there. This worry can become so great that the student refuses to attend school and may act out in order to stay at home. 

School refusal can look like this:

- Becoming increasingly anxious or worried on the Sunday before school, or the morning before a school day

- Complaining of illness/injury that requires them to stay home, but then symptoms go away once they are at home and have missed school

- Crying and begging not to go

- Trouble sleeping

Common school refusal causes include:

- Worrying about leaving the comfort of home (common in younger students and students who are new to a school)

- Learning difficulties – challenges in class that include not understanding key concepts, difficulty concentrating, and finding all schoolwork “too hard”

- Social problems – bullying, fighting with friends, feeling left out

How can we help?

As a parent or carer, it can be hard to remain patient with your child when they don’t want to go to school, but it is important to take the time to learn why, and how your child can be supported.

- Learn about the issue from your child’s perspective. Have an honest and open discussion about what they are feeling and why. In doing so, you can gain an understanding of what support they need in order to attend school. If your child is having difficulty identifying the issue, a useful way to explore this is to ask them to rate each part of the day – homeroom, class, recess, lunch, bus ride etc. In doing so you can find the main issue together.

- Acknowledge feelings and manage expectations. It is important to acknowledge how your child feels and let them know they are not alone, and that you are there to help. It is also important to let them know that they are still expected to go to school and will be supported to do so. Plan with your child about how you can work together to get back on track.

- Communicate with school and other supports. Let the school know what is going on for your child and work together to collaboratively support them. Communicating with others involved with your child is also important (e.g., sports coach or music teacher). The best way to support a child is to have a team around them with a common goal.

- Reach out if you are concerned. School counselling is available if you are not seeing any improvement with your child, or if they would like to talk to someone else about the issues they are experiencing.