Wellbeing

Our framework for building positive relationships is centred on the values of respect, responsibility and integrity.


This framework reflects and extends upon the College motto and Catholic values to ‘Walk with Christ’. It is designed in accordance with a positive approach to education, where the focus is squarely on acknowledging and rewarding positive behaviour. Management of behavioural issues are approached from a restorative perspective, around the central focuses of respect, responsibility and integrity.

Our positive approach towards education focuses on acknowledging and rewarding positive behaviour. All students are encouraged to develop the responsible personal and social qualities which will enable them to be positive and valued members of society.

 

 


Wellbeing Framework

 

Wellbeing Framework

 

 

 

Marian Catholic College Kenthurst

Respect

  • Building respectful and caring relationships
  • Respecting each other
  • Respecting ourselves
  • Respecting the environment
  • Respecting our College community
  • Respecting the learning of others

Marian Catholic College Kenthurst

Integrity

  • Showing honesty
  • Showing decency and fairness
  • Showing pride in our College, in yourself and in your learning
  • Showing Catholic values
  • Striving to achieve your personal best

Marian Catholic College Kenthurst

Responsibility

  • Responsible for building positive relationships
  • Responsible for our learning
  • Responsible for own behaviour
  • Responsible for demonstrating Catholic values
  • Responsible for the environment

 

 

 

At the core of our Wellbeing Program is a team of dedicated professionals who individually monitor the wellbeing of every student. Students are guided and supported by their Homeroom teacher, Year Leader of Learning and House Patron, along with their subject teachers, College Leadership Team and School Counsellor.

Pastoral programs focus on building resilience, tolerance, good decision-making, study skills and other key areas of development and growth, relevant to adolescents and beneficial into, and throughout, adult life. Guest speakers and special programs offered throughout the school year aim to educate our students in a supportive environment, enabling them to best navigate the 21st Century.

 

 

 

Learn more about our Pastoral Programs

 

Pastoral Care at Marian College

A range of pastoral programs are provided at Marian Catholic College. These contribute to the social, personal and spiritual development of the students and includes Homeroom and Pastoral Meetings within the daily timetable.

Additional activities that occur outside the timetable are:

  • Year 7 Camp
  • Spirituality Days for Years 7-9
  • Year 10 Social Justice Day
  • Year 11 Retreat
  • Year 12 Retreat

The role of the members of the Student Leadership Team is to represent the students, staff and families of the Marian Catholic learning community by their witness to the College Mission Statement, College Motto, and Gospel values that underpin education at Marian College.

The Student Leadership team headed by the College Captains and SRC Presidents lead a team of house, event and SRC year representatives and exercise a shared leadership of service to the College community. Together they work to build a strong and healthy community in which every student is accepted, valued and encouraged to be an engaged and active learner and where positive relationships are central to the shared experiences of the community.

They work closely with the College Senior Leadership, House Patrons and Year / KLA Leaders of Learning and College Staff in conjunction with the SRC, to build and strengthen all aspects of community life.

The Leadership structure outlined below represents the maximum number of student leaders in a given year. Essential criteria include the ability to lead their peers in an effective and positive manner whilst being a positive role model to students. Involvement in the school community, understanding and participation in service activities and a sense of school spirit are required qualities.

Year 12 Leadership positions:

  • Executive Leaders - College Captain, College Vice-Captain, SRC Presidents (One boy and One girl for each position).
  • House Leaders - Two leaders for each of the Four Houses.Event Leaders - 2 leaders for each of the following categories - Sport, Creative Arts, Mission, Learning.

Junior Leadership Positions:

  • SRC Leaders - One boy and One Girl from each grade - Years 8-11.
  • Junior House Leaders - two Year 9 students from each House.

The primary role of the Student Representative Council (SRC) is to represent the views and concerns of the students at Marian Catholic College, and to advocate for them, in raising their views and concerns. The SRC aims to build a strong, healthy student community based on co-operation, positive relationships, and the College Mission Statement, Motto, and Gospel values.

The SRC is a leadership team focused on the learning, pastoral, health and spiritual issues of relevance to the life of the students at Marian Catholic College. The SRC Representatives are responsible for communication with the students in their Year Groups and their respective Year Leaders of Learning, especially through the discussion of issues at Year Meetings. The SRC Representatives work as a team under the leadership of the SRC Presidents, and report through them to the College Senior Leadership. The SRC also works in conjunction with the College Captains, House / Year Leaders and Junior / Senior Event Leaders in promoting whole-school activities designed to build school spirit and strengthen relationships in the community.

A House system was introduced into the College to facilitate sporting competitions and to foster College spirit.

The Houses are named after prominent Australians who have achieved excellence and international recognition. They were also each chosen as good role models for our students, with an equal number of males and females who represented various fields of endeavour.

Each House not only has a crest, accompanying colour and floral emblem but also aligns with a Catholic Saint and a Catholic Value.

Students are allocated to House groups randomly.



Bradman | St John Paul II | Compassion

Colour: Green House | Floral emblem: Gumleaf


Don Bradman  

Sir Donald Bradman (1908-2001)

Don Bradman is arguably our greatest sporting hero and his grace and precision at the wicket is legendary. Moreover, his achievements in cricket over 22 years in the first class arena are outstanding. When he retired in 1948/9 he had amassed 28,067 runs with 117 centuries. His batting average was 99.94 but his legend is based on his performances in his first Test Tour of England when he scored 974 runs with four centuries and an average of 139.14. His highest score in first class cricket was 452 not out. In 1949 he was knighted for his services to cricket and he remains the premier model of good sportsmanship for all Australians. A cricket bat, personally signed by Sir Don, is kept in the College’s trophy cabinet.

St John Paul II  

St John Paul II-Compassion (1920-2005)

St John Paul II was elected Pope on 16 October 1978. During his time as Pope he celebrated 147 beatifications, in which he proclaimed 1,338 blesseds, and 51 canonisations, for a total of 482 saints. On 3 May 1981, an attempt was made on St John Paul II's life in Saint Peter's Square. Saved by the maternal hand of the Mother of God, following a lengthy stay in the hospital, he forgave the attempted assassin and, aware of having received a great gift, intensified his pastoral commitments with heroic generosity. St John Paul II proclaimed the Year of Redemption, the Marian Year and the Year of the Eucharist as well as the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, in order to provide the People of God with particularly intense spiritual experiences. He also attracted young people by beginning the celebration of World Youth Day. No other Pope met as many people as St John Paul II during his time as Pope. More than 17.6 million pilgrims attended his Wednesday General Audiences. St John Paul II died on Saturday, 2 April 2005. John Paul II was beatified in Saint Peter's Square on 1 May 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI, his immediate successor and for many years.

 

Crest-Bradman



MacKillop | Sir Ernest (Edward) ‘Weary’ Dunlop | Service

Colour: Red House | Floral emblem: Waratah


St Mary MacKillop  

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop-Service (1842-1909)

Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop was an Australian nun who was canonised on 17 October 2010, during a public ceremony in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican. St Mary was the co-founder of the order of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart known affectionately as “the Brown Joeys”. She was a strong willed young woman who defied the Church leaders to introduce an innovative educational system into Australia. She also worked tirelessly to open many convents and charitable organisations. A branch of her order is situated at Baulkham Hills. St Mary is the first and only Australian to be recognised by the Catholic Church as a Saint.

Weary Dunlop  

Sir Ernest (Edward) ‘Weary’ Dunlop (1907-1993)

Sir Ernest (Edward) ‘Weary’ Dunlop was an Australian surgeon who was renowned for his leadership while being held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II. During World War II, Dunlop was appointed to medical headquarters in the Middle East, where he developed the mobile surgical unit. Dunlop became a Japanese prisoner of war in 1942 when he was captured in Bandung, Java, together with the hospital he was commanding.

Because of his leadership skills, he was placed in charge of prisoner-of-war camps in Java, and was later transferred briefly to Changi, and in January 1943 commanded the first Australians sent to work on the Thai segment of the Burma-Thailand railway where prisoners of the Japanese were being used as forced labourers to construct a strategically important supply route between Bangkok and Rangoon. A courageous leader and compassionate doctor, he restored morale in those terrible prison camps and jungle hospitals. Dunlop defied his captors, gave hope to the sick and eased the anguish of the dying. He became, in the words of one of his men, "a lighthouse of sanity in a universe of madness and suffering". His example was one of the reasons why Australian survival rates were the highest.

 

Crest-MacKillop



Paterson | St Francis of Assisi | Stewardship

Colour: Yellow House | Floral emblem: Wattle


Banjo Patterson  

A.B (Banjo) Paterson (1864 - 1941)

Ballad-writer, horseman, bushman, overlander, squatter and lawyer, Banjo Paterson helped to create the Australian legend. With the rare touch of a genuine folk-poet he created ballads about the scattered lives of the out-back country Australians and immortalised them. His “Waltzing Matilda” became a national song and the film of “The Man from Snowy River” was a huge commercial success both here and overseas. Several literary awards commemorated Paterson and “The Times” in London compared him with Rudyard Kipling.

St Francis  

St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

St Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty. Francis's embrace of Christ-like poverty was a radical notion at the time. The Christian church was tremendously rich, much like the people heading it, which concerned Francis and many others, who felt that the long-held apostolic ideals had eroded. Francis set out on a mission to restore Jesus Christ's own, original values to the now-decadent church. With his incredible charisma, he drew thousands of followers to him. They listened to Francis's sermons and joined in his way of life; his followers became known as Franciscan friars. Francis of Assisi died on October 3, 1226 and he was canonised as a saint just two years after his death, on July 16, 1228, by Pope Gregory IX. He is the patron saint of animals and the environment.

 

Crest-Paterson



Sutherland | St Ignatius | Justice

Colour: Mauve House | Floral emblem: Jacaranda


Joan Sutherland  

Dame Joan Sutherland (1926 - 2010)

Dame Joan Sutherland Mauve, Jacaranda. Joan Sutherland established herself as the foremost soprano of our age and as one of the greatest operatic artists of all times in a wide-ranging international career. In February 1959 she received standing ovations at Covent Garden in England for her roles in Lucia di Lammermoor. She sang over 60 operatic roles and her recording career is one of the most prolific in history. She retired from professional life in 1991 at a spectacular farewell at the Sydney Opera House.

St Ignatius  

St Ignatius (1491-1556)

Inigo Lopez de Loyola, who later took the name Ignatius, was the youngest son of a nobleman born in northern Spain. In an attempt in 1521 to defend the Spain, St Ignatius suffered a significant leg injury. During his recovery, St Ignatius read several religious books. These books and the isolation of the recovery period brought about a conversion which led to the founding of the Jesuits. Ignatius began to pray. He fasted, did penance and works of charity, dedicated himself to God and later decided to study for the priesthood.

As a student in Paris he drew a small band of friends and directed them in extended prayer and meditation according to his Spiritual Exercises. After further studies, the first Jesuits were ordained to the Catholic priesthood in Venice and offered themselves in service to Pope Paul III. In 1540, Paul III approved the Institute of the Society of Jesus. St Ignatius was elected General Superior and served in that post until his death at the age of 65. Ignatius was beatified by Pope Paul V on July 27, 1609.

Ignatius has to this day a powerful and respectable legacy. Of the institutions dedicated to Saint Ignatius, one of the most famous is the Basilica of St Ignatius Loyola. In addition, he has had a global impact, having been the influence behind numerous Jesuit schools and educational institutions worldwide.

 

Crest-Sutherland


The Merit System is designed to allow all students the opportunity to have their academic effort, positive attitude toward uniform, co-curricular commitment and good behaviour recognised as being an integral part of the Marian Catholic College community.

Students are given merit codes for their efforts, abilities and service. Merit Codes are cumulative over a student’s entire time at Marian Catholic College. An accumulation of Merit Codes leads to achieving Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards. To strengthen identity and connection to houses, merit codes contribute to House Spirit points.

The Merit System promotes a greater public recognition of the student’s positive contribution to Marian Quality and encompasses our core values of Respect, Responsibility and Integrity.

Respect | Responsibility | Integrity


Merit Code Merit Focus Areas
MA
Merit for Academic Achievement
Outstanding achievement or improvement with a task or assignment; excellent results in a class test/assessment task.
MB
Merit for Behaviour
Consistent outstanding behaviour or sustained effort to modify behaviour, e.g. through maintaining focus, speaking and listening politely, being punctual, including others in the group.
MC
Merit for Class Work
Outstanding and/or consistent effort within class e.g. through contribution to group work and discussion, attentiveness, organisation of class materials, ability to work independently, consistent high standard of homework and classwork.
MS
Merit for Service
Contribution to the life of the College and wider community e.g. through support of charities, involvement in social justice actions, contribution to school events such as Open Night, Marian Day, care and support for others, care of school environment, sustained involvement in co-curricular activities.
MU
Merit for Uniform
Consistent wearing of the full school uniform according to the College Uniform Code.
MQ
Merit for Quality
Showing pride in our College and in oneself and contributing to Marian Quality. For example – representing the College, demonstrating initiative, role modelling exemplary behaviours, striving for one’s personal best.

Receipt of 7 or more Gold Awards qualifies a student for a Marian Shield in special recognition for his/her efforts and achievements at the College. This Shield would be presented at the Year 12 Graduation Ceremony. The awarding of the Marian Shield is at the discretion of the Principal or delegate.

Internet safety and Cyber Bullying is taken very seriously at Marian Catholic College. Below are guidelines that are supported by Marian Catholic College and all schools throughout the Parramatta Diocese.

  • Personal information stays personal
    children should not give out passwords, photos or personal details such as phone numbers and addresses to anyone online

  • Information on the web is not always reliable
    discuss with children ways of assessing reliable information online

  • Treat others on the net the same way you would like to be treated
    remind your children that cyber bullying has serious consequences both at a school and personal level, as well as the possibility of legal and criminal consequences

  • Be aware of 'stranger danger'
    chat rooms pose a particular threat in this area and young web users should be warned of the dangers and advised not to answer messages that make them feel uncomfortable or seem improper, indecent, or threatening. Young people should also be advised not to arrange meetings with people met over the Internet without asking their parents first

  • Discuss online experiences with a teacher or parent
    children should be encouraged to share their experiences both good and bad

  • Report cyber bullying
    children and teenagers should be encouraged to speak with a teacher or parent if they see instances of cyber bullying, for example, other students filming an inappropriate incident on their mobile phone

  • Be careful when downloading programs from the Internet
    teach your children how to use virus scan software to avoid viruses

  • Hacking into computers is not a game
    it is a serious crime, as is downloading copyrighted material such as software, music, books, movies, TV and art from the internet.

Discuss with your child that your digital footprint stays online forever. Once something is put onto the Internet it is very difficult to remove. (Photos/Videos etc.)

Cyber bullying is just one of the dangers associated with new technologies, reinforcing the need to educate young people in responsible online behaviours.

For parents one of the most difficult aspects of cyber bullying and other dangers online is that they are often unaware of the risks and unsure of how the technology works. One of the best ways to keep your children safe online is to get involved and be aware - learn all you can about information and communication technologies and talk to your children about what they do online.

It is advisable to supervise the internet usage of young people. Once parents are aware of the online behaviour and habits of their children, it becomes easier to spot the signs that something may be wrong.

All Catholic schools in the Parramatta Diocese have strict policies and guidelines for dealing with bullying and inappropriate behaviour.

It is important to note that students will be given access to the College Network and will be monitored whilst using this network. In addition, the student and their associated devices will need to abide by the College’s and Diocesan Acceptable Use Policies. This involves you and your son/daughter discussing, then signing the College Acceptable Use Policy.

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