Secondary School Wellbeing

Year 8 & 10 students have recently completed the teen Mental Health First Aid program. Students were taught the teen Mental Health First Aid Action Plan and supported to identify symptoms of an emerging mental health problem or crisis in a friend - and to seek support from a trusted adult. 

Each session was full of rich discussion and opportunities for students to work together on scenarios where they could role play how to help each a friend in need. Student engagement with the content was impressive. Our students are becoming more literate in good mental health and how to get help when needed.

Please continue to talk with your child about the content of the course. Be curious! They have learned that talking with their parents is one of the best ways to be supported and find help.

If you or someone else in your family are interested in attending our Blended Youth Mental Health First Aid program on Saturday 10^th August this year, please contact Mrs Michelle Stancliffe, our Student Counsellor by email mstancliffe@standrews.vic.edu.au or use the QR code provided. Refer to the Hub News item here.

Thank you for your support,

CSEN Secondary Masterminds Competition

Our dedicated Masterminds Team gave up their non-school day to attend the CSEN Masterminds competition. After a rocky start the team caught up, and by lunchtime scores were pretty even. The afternoon session, culminating in an all-in (teachers included) general knowledge section, brought our team home by 3 points!

Congratulations to the team: Angela, Deanna, Eden, Zara, Mark, Chris, Jamie and Caitlyn. Student voted MVP: Jamie - due to his amazing spread of knowledge and rapid recall of facts!

Student highlights: What part did you like the best?

• Getting the answers right! 

• Winning

• Answering "Oak trees" to the question "What animal spreads oak trees more than any other animal?"

Student Leadership Retreats

During Semester 1 the Secondary captains were involved in two wonderful leadership retreats hosted here at the College. At the beginning of the year students were given the book “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer, which has formed the foundation for our student leadership retreats this Semester.

The days were a mix of practical sessions, activities and small group discussions. Students heard from Principal Mr Nick, College Counsellor Mrs Michelle Stancliffe and Secondary Student Leadership Coordinator Mr Mike Finger regarding leadership and personal formation. Some of the key focus areas across the two sessions were ‘Silence and Solitude’, ‘Simplicity’ and ‘Slowing’ all of which were fundamental practices of Jesus. Ultimately, these sessions argued that effective leadership starts by “un-hurrying” our lives.

“As leaders we often focus our attention on doing, on the activity of leadership. That is, how we present ourselves in public, how we build and lead teams, how we make decisions, and how we enact change. However, the leaders who last are those who not only attend to their leadership skills, but deeply invest in their own formation.” - Mark Ryan CSA

The reality is, most of us are just too busy to live an emotionally healthy and spirituality vibrant life. Hurry is incompatible with the way of Jesus. The love, joy, and peace that form the nucleus of Jesus’ kingdom are all impossible in a life of speed.” - John Mark Comer

We must, as Dallas Willard said, (which inspired the title of the book) “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry.”

This leadership retreat time is designed to challenge and equip our College leaders to be effective, sustainable and servant hearted leaders here at St Andrews and beyond school. It has been a pleasure journeying with them thus far and we are looking forward to Semester 2.

Blessings,