Run in partnership with PESA, in a theatre on the Expo floor, the Wellbeing Seminar is where principals and teachers will learn about both student and staff wellbeing programs. Topic areas will include practical strategies to improve the well-being of staff and students, instilling resilience in staff and students, combating bullying, implications of the digital age in schools, programs for supporting the social and emotional well-being amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and the legal and moral responsibility of schools to safeguard all of their stakeholders.
As the landscape of education and the workplace shifts and evolves, so too does our need to create a thriving school environment where staff lead and live well. This includes utilising a multitude of strategies that build individual and collective responsibility. Join us as we unpack a number of practical strategies you can apply directly to your school, creating a culture where staff thrive.
The Maroondah Positive Education Network aims to improve individual and collective wellbeing of students, staff, parents and the wider community. This ongoing collaboration between Council and the Department of Education is using a system-based approach to build capability, connection and community and enable our schools to create and maintain flourishing learning environments, where relationships are important and other people matter.
What we've achievedAs of August 2023, 27 government schools (21 primary, 5 secondary, 1 special development) are participating in the Maroondah Positive Education Network. Significant progress has been made since the project’s inception in 2016, including:
- Professional learning for staff - Interactive workshops and ongoing programs for students - Information sessions for parents
Join Professor Lea Waters and Anne Johnstone as they discuss the significance of fostering student agency in young people, and how Positive Education can bolster student agency.In this discussion, you will hear:
Join us as we explore learnings and actions from the MACS Student Engagement Unit to support a whole of school approach to embedding wellbeing, enabling students to flourish and enrich the world. Wellbeing needs across schools are increasingly complex, with schools supporting and responding to these needs in a variety of ways. A systems approach to wellbeing is called for which recognises the unique environment of schools, highlighting the importance of partnerships with the school community, Parish, parents, staff, children, and young people.
This session will include:
Are you really paying attention?
This presentation will challenge your attention on attention and leave you questioning how your school is tackling this very real fragmentation on our ability to focus. We will explore the use of devices Haidt (2024), apps, socials Haugen (2023), and in-person connection Kline (2020), while sharing how we are trying to undo some of our policies in response to the strong evidence. Join us and be part of advocating for change.
Research shows the pivotal role that belonging plays in overall wellbeing and academic outcomes. Cultivating a culture of empathy, support, and encouragement within the school community creates an environment where students feel valued, understood, and empowered to thrive across the many layers of their learning journey.
As educators, we recognise the profound impact that a strong sense of belonging can have on student application to learning and engagement in classroom practice, which has the capacity to significantly enhance academic performance. By exploring the intersection between resilience and student belonging, we recognise resilience as a key factor in navigating challenges and building strong connected communities. We also see belonging as a protective factor for things such as school absences, school refusal, and behaviours that are not compatible with successful academic outcomes. So, what can schools do to foster a greater sense of belonging?
This panel brings together thought leaders in the field of wellbeing education, who will discuss ways to cultivate belonging and connection in a school environment.
Audience takeaways:
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