At Iona College, we take pride in our holistic approach to the wellbeing of both staff and students. We believe that student wellbeing and learning are shared responsibilities between families and the College. To support this, we collect weekly real-time data from our students and staff, promoting and demonstrating help-seeking behaviours. This data collection is facilitated through the LineWize Pulse Wellbeing check-in, which is based on the ARACY wellbeing framework for young people.
The Pulse check-in questions help us understand the lives of our young people by conceptualizing wellbeing across six interconnected domains: Valued and Safe, Health, Material Basics, Learning, Participating, and Positive Sense of Identity and Culture. This comprehensive approach helps Iona students reach their full potential, regardless of gender, ability, ethnicity, race, religion, or socioeconomic status.
Wellbeing is defined as a person’s state of happiness and health. Prioritizing wellbeing is essential for our community to thrive. Our Wellbeing curriculum is designed to support teachers and enhance their knowledge and experience in delivering social-emotional learning (SEL), Mindfulness, Respectful Relationships, and Positive Education. Relationships are at the core of our approach. Every interaction with students counts, and our curriculum is not a replacement for the implicit social-emotional learning that happens daily through teaching and other activities. The Wellbeing curriculum itself is explicit and is implemented strategically during timetabled classes. Each classroom is unique, and the relationship and rapport each teacher has with their students are the best social-emotional learning available. Consequently, lessons are adapted and customized to meet the needs of our students. The Wellbeing lessons, are taught in Learning to Learn and Wellbeing classes, are evidence-based and adapted from the Institute of Positive Education (PEEC), HAT Here’s a Thought curriculum, Berry Street Trauma-Informed Practice, The Resilience Project (GEM), SEL programs underpinning Respectful Relationships, and other well-researched, evidence-based learning programs. This curriculum is a part of our comprehensive support for students at Iona College.
“Iona staff all have a collective responsibility to teach our students the skills and strategies for Wellbeing”