3 minute read
From the Principal
Caption: Pictured right: (top) Year 7 students returning to onsite learning in Term 4, (bottom) Year 12 students on Founders’ Day in February.
From thePRINCIPAL
Welcome to the ‘wellbeing edition’ of The Star. When we planned a wellbeing focus for this issue, little did we know how relevant such a theme would prove to be. With the global coronavirus pandemic and Australia’s bushfire crisis, 2020 has brought the critical importance of wellbeing into sharp focus worldwide, as people have coped with incredible upheaval in their lives.
As our College Archivist explains on page 13, student wellbeing has long been a priority at MLC. Yet the way we think about wellbeing has undergone a huge shift in recent decades. Today, we are armed with an increased awareness and understanding of mental health and its importance for individual and wider social wellbeing. We are also more cognisant of the challenges to wellbeing for young people, many of which have been heightened during the coronavirus pandemic, as young people have been isolated from their friends and have relied, often too heavily, on social media.
As we educate ‘world-ready women’, we are informed by a considerable body of educational research showing the impact of positive mental health and wellbeing on student learning. In an era where youth mental health is declining, a deliberate and sustained focus on wellbeing is vital if we are to help young people be the best versions of themselves. In this context, I am particularly proud of the results of MLC’s 2020 Resilience Survey, which we conduct annually. Despite this year’s survey occurring during the first period of home isolation, the results were very positive, with many wellbeing indicators sitting consistently above the Australian norm. In our current period of high uncertainty, equipping students with the skills and attributes they require to succeed and thrive in a changing world has become an even higher priority.
MLC was one of the first schools in Australia to appoint an executive role dedicated to wellbeing. Our Director of Wellbeing, Lisa Gatliff, oversees our suite of programs designed to foster positive mental health in girls and young women. I encourage you to read Lisa’s feature article on page 4, with its accompanying overview of the PROSPER wellbeing framework, which we use to inform the ongoing development of our programs.
The entire MLC community has pulled together to face the enormous impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Victoria and on school education in particular. For many students, the majority of their year has been spent learning remotely. I commend our entire staff for the incredible work they have done to successfully deliver our Continuous Learning and Wellbeing program. Through this, students have continued to access their regular timetabled classes, complemented by a range of approaches to student wellbeing, specifically incorporated to reflect the differing requirements for our students when face-to-face compared to remote. These have included one-on-one checkins with wellbeing teachers, the shifting of wellbeing programs and activities online, and repositioning wellbeing time within the school day.
Despite disappointments and a collective sense of loss, I am in awe of our students’ overall resilience as they have coped with the cancellation or shifting online of so many significant activities and events this year. As you will see on pages 8 and 9, our Class of 2020 student leaders have truly taken the initiative, devising innovative ways to ‘virtually’ lead the school community and provide opportunities for students to remain connected to the College and to each other.
MLC community wellbeing has been a constant focus, too. We formed a staff wellbeing team that has helped staff remain connected through a variety of activities including virtual morning teas, individual and team ‘check ins’, yoga classes and webinars.
The MLC Parents’ Association has been particularly imaginative and launched PA Live – a fabulous series of online events (see page 27). Our MLC Advancement team creatively realised online alumnae events following the cancellation of our reunion program in 2020 (see page 29).
Pandemic or no pandemic, in this edition of The Star we spotlight some of the many ways that student wellbeing is actively fostered at MLC on a daily basis. This includes our supportive year level wellbeing groups, our vertical House system, our dedicated programs for senior students, our Learning Support and Counselling services, our transition programs, our inclusive student clubs and our wellbeing programs in the MLC Boarding House. Above all, we ensure that student wellbeing is an integral focus for all our teachers and student-facing staff.
Wellbeing truly is a College-wide commitment, supported by our clearly defined and shared vision.
With best wishes,
