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At St Francis of Assisi College, wellbeing isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a way of life.

Guided by our College values and the principles of Laudato Si, we have a genuine and deep commitment to nurturing the whole person—spirit, mind, and body—centred around care for each other, our local and broader community, and importantly, care for ourselves.

Here are some ways we integrate comprehensive wellbeing practices into every aspect of school life to support students, staff, and their families to be at their best:

A Holistic Approach to Student Wellbeing

We place the individual student at the heart of our wellbeing strategy, implementing many initiatives aimed at strengthening student resilience, confidence and general wellbeing:

• Pastoral Care Groups: Regular check-ins with teachers and peers ensure students feel seen and supported.
• Mindfulness Practices: Mindfulness sessions help students build focus and manage stress, encouraging a calm, balanced approach to learning.
• Faith-based, Values-Based Education: Inspired by the teachings of St Francis, we instil values like compassion, humility, and stewardship through reflective practices and community service projects.
• Supportive Staff: Our experienced internal ‘circle of support’ includes a dedicated Leader of Wellbeing, a Student Counsellor and House Group Teachers. All our staff members are committed to delivering personalised student wellbeing support.
• Positive Education: We incorporate the principles of ‘positive education’ to inform the way we support wellbeing in day-to-day interactions, our pastoral care programs and curriculum. This ensures a consistent, school wide approach to wellbeing. 
• Leadership Opportunities: We provide leadership opportunities from Year 7 onwards. Our Student Leadership Council is made up of four representatives from each year level. The student leaders ensure every student has a voice.
• Independent Wellbeing Management: All students receive a personal study diary sourced from the Institute of Positive Education which supports them to independently manage their time, events, homework, and assessments. Parents are encouraged to check their child’s diary on a regular basis.
• Wellbeing Week: Our annual Wellbeing Week promotes the physical, mental, and emotional health of students, staff, and the broader community.  A range of activities across the week encourage self-care and resilience including meditation, music, nature walks, art, yoga, sport, card games, cooking, workouts and talks from local health professionals.  
• Transition support: We provide personalised transition support and immersion opportunities for Year 5 and 6 students from local schools to engage in a range of specialist subjects and experience College life ahead of their transition.

Wellbeing Partnerships

We have engaged in multiple partnerships to foster resilience, emotional intelligence, physical health and a sense of belonging:

• Life Buoyancy Institute (LBI) Foundation: Since 2021, we have partnered with SA-based LBI which delivers local mental health, wellbeing and growth outcomes. We have four staff members who are trained and accredited IMPACT Coaches through LBI including our Leader of Wellbeing and Counsellor. All College staff have completed the IMPACT Foundations accreditation and have engaged in training on a variety of topics related to student wellbeing.
• LifeChanger Foundation: The Foundation develops inspiring mentors within communities and delivers holistic self-development workshops for teens. Our Year 10 students are trained annually as workshop mentors and support Year 7 students in their LifeChanger workshops that focus on goal setting, problem solving, resilience and gratitude. Together they explore their emotions, how they project those emotions and practical strategies to help regulate their feelings.
• Pastoral Care Programs: We have a range of partners for research-backed resources related to sleep, managing social media use, building healthy relationships, improving physical wellbeing and reducing anxiety. These partners also provide webinars each term to our parents.

Supporting Staff Wellbeing

We equally prioritise the wellbeing of educators and staff. Recognising that happy, healthy staff are crucial for a thriving school environment, we have implemented:

• Professional Development: Workshops on mental health, self-care, and work-life balance empower staff to manage the demands of their roles.
• Peer Support Networks: A collaborative and supportive workplace culture ensures staff can lean on each other for advice and encouragement.

Connecting with Families and the Wider Community

We extend our commitment to wellbeing beyond the school gates, creating strong ties with families and the local community:

• Parent Workshops: Regular sessions offer tips on supporting children’s mental health and fostering positive relationships at home.
• Community Partnerships: Collaborations with local health providers and cultural groups provide students and families access to additional resources and support.
• Celebrating Togetherness: Events like the annual Wellbeing Week and Family Nights bring the entire school community together for fun, learning, and connection.
• Inspirational speakers: In Term 2 2024, we enjoyed a visit from Mike and Ben from Real Life Resilience who are affectionately known as Legless & Blind, with Mike losing both of his legs at age 18 and Ben losing 98% of his eyesight overnight at age 16. Through powerful storytelling and humour, they shared their experiences and tools to help our students connect, build resilience and prioritise individual and community wellbeing.

The Role of Nature in Wellbeing

Inspired by St Francis’s deep connection to nature, we emphasise outdoor education and environmental stewardship.

• Outdoor Learning Spaces: Classes are frequently held in the school’s gardens, creating a serene setting that enhances creativity and engagement.
• Eco-Initiatives: Students take part in sustainability projects such as tree planting, recycling drives, and caring for the school’s vegetable garden.
• Nature Walks and Reflection: Regular walks in the nearby Riverland environment provide opportunities for quiet reflection and a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Measuring Wellbeing

Regular surveys and data analysis ensure we are meeting the needs of the community and continually evolve our strategies to address emerging needs:

• Classroom Pulse Check-in Survey: Each year, all students in Catholic schools in South Australia participate in an online survey aimed at ‘checking in’ with students and measuring how they are feeling about their experience in school, their identity as a person and a learner and their sense of belonging, safety, and friendships, to identify any potential social, emotional, or learning needs that they may have which we can then act on swiftly.
• Mood Checks: We gather data on the moods and feelings of our students to gain insight into students’ current emotions, energy levels, general happiness, levels of participation and engagement and what affects their moods as they go about their day-to-day activities.

Resilience and wellbeing are essential for both academic and social development. Our wellbeing practices exemplify our dedication to creating a vibrant, compassionate, and inclusive community. By prioritising the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of students, staff, and families, we are fostering a generation equipped to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and grace.