Safe and Supportive Environment Policy

Philosophy of Student Management

At Emanuel School, we aim to create a school experience that fosters respect and healthy relationships, enabling students to flourish. In keeping with the School’s Jewish ethos, Positive Psychology and Wellbeing models, we aim to nurture positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment within each child’s schooling (Seligman, 2011).

The School seeks to promote an environment where teachers, parents and students are mutually supportive. Students, teachers and parents should respect each other and engage in conduct that fosters this mutual trust and support, and also upholds the philosophy and values of the School. The School encourages consultation between all members of the School community about matters that affect them.

Within Emanuel’s Wellbeing Programs, we aim to support the School’s values of:

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, then when?” Rabbi Hillel (Ethics of the Fathers 1:14)

Emanuel School believes that it is essential to establish clear expectations for our students. These include our belief statements, rights and responsibilities and social graces. Our Student Management Policy focuses upon Wellbeing as an essential element for flourishing. This highlights the School’s approach to Positive Education and programs for building student effectiveness. Pastoral Care processes assist students who require additional support. There are key personnel responsible for pastoral care, including a team of school counselors and a life coach.

The Emanuel School Student Behaviour Management Process creates consequences that allow children to understand the impact of their behaviour, make amends, rebuild and learn (based upon the principles of restorative justice practices). Emanuel School has Anti-Bullying procedures to create a culture that works proactively to prevent bullying and educate students on anti-bullying strategies. Our Student Leadership programs encourage a culture of leadership throughout the school by providing structures to support student initiative and responsibility.

Leadership Programs

Students have leadership opportunities throughout their High School years. From Year 7 to Year 10 (culminating in Year 11), students can be elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC). The SRC runs a number of charity events throughout the year and acts on the suggestions and questions raised by the student body.

All Year 10 students take part in a unit of study during Jewish Studies class called Hadracha (Leadership), where they learn from a tradition of Jewish leadership. This course trains students in the techniques and philosophies of experiential education while looking at a range of strong Jewish leaders throughout history. After completing the Hadracha course, students have the opportunity to volunteer as a Madatz (Young Leader). Madatzim (Young Leaders) are mentored by Year 12 leaders and members of staff and take responsibility for planning and running various Jewish Life events throughout the year.

Madrichim

In Year 11 (culminating in Year 12) students can be elected to the Prefect body, known as the Madrichim. These formal leadership groups undertake training at the start of their tenure with both external experts as well as internal leadership trainers. The Madrichim play a significant role in the High School with each Madrich/a joining various va’adot, committees, including:

Students in Year 11 may initiate a Year 11 Project at the start of the year. Some examples of Year 11 projects have included the Frisbee Club and the Spoken-Word Poetry Club.

Alongside the opportunities formally offered by the School is a tacit understanding that students can express interest in showing leadership in the School in ways that are relevant to them. For example, Year 7 students might form a group to raise both awareness of the plight of Orangutans and raise money to help an organisation with this cause.

An implicit expectation in the High School is the notion of being a leader in one’s own life. The Student Management system encourages the development of this attitude in students.

Peer Support

Year 10 students complete Peer Support Training at the start of Term 4. Students nominate to become Peer Support Leaders and commence their roles as the incoming Year 7 students transition to High School. The Peer Support Leaders facilitate an Orientation Day and a range of activities over the course of the first semester, including

Emanuel School Date Edited: April 2020 Safe and Supportive Environment Policy To Be Reviewed: April 2021

attending the Year 7 Camp to run Peer Support sessions, which include: Orientation, Relationship Building, Organisation, Study Skills, and Say No to Bullying.

Wellbeing

House Tutors and Executive staff members have created engaging programs to assist students to learn about proactivity and decision-making, relationship building, resilience, study skills, positivity, anti-bullying practices and understanding oneself. The aim is for these ’proactive or preventative measures’ to assist students to make positive and responsible choices in their lives. A number of programs are used to support this.

Wellbeing Programs

The Wellbeing Programs for Emanuel High School students are based on the notions of positive psychology, entwined with the needs of students at various stages of their adolescent development. While a range of avenues can be used to teach these programs including Tutor Group sessions, PDHPE lessons and in other subject areas such as Jewish Studies, Peer Support sessions and assemblies, the majority of the program is delivered in Tutor Groups. Each student is placed in a Tutor Group for his/her House and Year Group. The group usually stays together and with their Tutor (a teacher) throughout their High School education. This program is holistic and embedded in all that we do.

The range of topics covered includes:

Expert presenters are invited to the School each year to address students on specific topics. Examples the speakers engaged during the year are:

• Paul Dillon – Drugs and Alcohol
• Brent Sanders – Staying Safe
• Brett Lee iNess – Cybersafety
• Enlighten – empowering young women
• Rite Journey – growing good young men
• Two Birds One Bee – gender, pronography and sex education

The Wellbeing Programs complement the academic support needed by students. Some aspects of this program include:

• Academic Mentoring for each Year 12 student, provided by a teacher once per fortnight
• Study Skills programs in Tutor periods
• External expert delivering sessions on study skills annually for each year group
• Academic orientation for Year 7 (Week 1, Term 1).

Welfare Issues

Key staff members for Years 7 – 12 students who deal with welfare issues are the:

• Subject teachers
• Tutor
• Head of House
• Life Coach
• Counsellor
• Deputy Principal
• Principal

The House System provides students and parents with the initial points of contact regarding welfare issues. Tutors assist students as part of their pastoral care role, as do Heads of House, should the matter be more serious.

The School employs two Counsellors and a Life Coach to provide assistance to students who are experiencing personal difficulties. For other students with particular needs, Case Management is an option as outlined below.

Case Management

There are some student matters that require specific and ongoing attention beyond the regular scope of a Tutor, class teacher or Head of House. In these cases, one person needs to be assigned as the Case Manager. The staff members who may be Case Managers are the Deputy Principal, the Director of Studies, the Head of Primary, the Deputy Head of Primary, the Director of the Specialist Learning Centre, the Nurse, School Counsellors or a staff member with particular expertise. A Case Manager is appointed on an ongoing basis but it is hoped that the student could be removed from the Case Management list as things improve for him/her.

The types of student matters that require Case Management include:

• Students with severe attendance problems
• Students with severe medical conditions
• Students with severe psychological conditions
• Students experiencing severe trauma
• Students with severe physical disabilities
• Students experiencing ongoing conditions
• Students experiencing a combination of conditions or situations
• Students with severe behavioural problems
• Students with significant family related problems

Role of the Case Manager

• Liaise closely with the Deputy Principal / Head of Primary or Principal on all aspects of the Case
• A list of students and their Case Managers appears in the Weekly Bulletin
• Any action being taken in relationship to the student must be discussed with the Case Manager first
• All documentation is to be maintained by the Case Manager. This includes:
  • Medical / psychological reports
  • Parents letters
  • Letters from the School
• All communication relating to the student is to be channelled through the Case Manager. This includes:
  • Parent contact
  • Teacher notifications
  • Outside specialists

Flow of information

Students at Risk

Criteria

Students who present with significant mental health concerns and /or behave in a manner that could endanger others fall under the auspices of the Students at Risk Policy. This policy aims to ensure all students at school are safe and supported and if this is not possible, a temporary absence may be required until measures are in place for a return to school when appropriate.

Definition

Students at Risk present a potential for harm to themselves and / or others. Significant harm is harm that is sufficiently serious to warrant a response by an authority irrespective of a family’s consent. Significant harm is not minor or trivial and may reasonably be expected to produce a substantial and demonstrably adverse impact on the child or young person’s safety, wellbeing or welfare.

Examples

Examples of significant mental health concerns include suicidality, self-harm, eating disorders, substance abuse and mental health diagnoses that includes but is not limited to depression, anxiety and personality disorders. Anti-social behaviours such as the carrying of weapons on school premises, threats of violence, inciting violence and aggression in any arena are serious enough for a student to be considered at risk. Students who present with the intention to harm themselves or others (e.g. bringing a large quantity of analgesics to school and / or illicit substances and / or implements of self-harm / weapons) will also be subject to the Students at Risk Policy.

Process

Risk assessment

Initial indicators of a student at risk could include relevant background information, attendance concerns, compromised academic performance, anecdotal evidence from staff, parents or students, self-reported information, poor behaviour or attitude, a deterioration in appearance or affect, and / or significant medical issues. An episode where there is a significant event is likely to be the trigger for the Student at Risk policy to be implemented.

Once a student has been identified as at risk, a Risk Assessment will be conducted, and an Individual Management Plan will be developed and implemented. In the event of a student being assessed by the school as being at significant risk, the student may be sent to hospital and/or other services for a more immediate and comprehensive assessment. Where possible parents or emergency contacts will be notified. The Risk Assessment may include an assessment from an external provider such as a paediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist, general practitioner etc. It is essential that consent for the school to communicate with external providers is granted by parents and / or students. Should consent not be provided, this will be considered a hindrance to the process and the students enrolment would be under review.

Responsibility for the social and emotional wellbeing of students rests with the family and can be supported by the School, the health system and the wider community. On- going communication with key stakeholders is required until the student has been cleared of imminent risk. Part of the clearance will include medical discharge notices or like reports from external health authorities that the student is safe to return to school.

Risk Assessment Stages

• School identifies high level of concern
• Collection of information from relevant sources
• Consideration of whether emergency response is required (with/without parental consent) e.g. police, ambulance, hospital
• Consideration of mandatory reporting
• Reports from external provider/s
• Decision about student being at school or in other care
• Analysis of risk factors and controls in place to minimize risk to the extent that the risk is manageable
• Creation of Individual Management Plan in consultation with stake holders
• Communication of Risk Assessment and management plan to key staff and parents

Monitoring and Review

A staff member will be appointed as Case Manager to monitor the implementation of the Individual Management Plan and will confirm the student’s adherence to the plan, e.g. attendance at a weekly psychologist appointment, compliance with taking medication etc. A Welfare Team consisting of the Deputy Principal, a School Counsellor, the Case Manager, and other staff as needed (eg the Nurse, the Head of House, the Tutor) will review the implementation and effectiveness of the Individual Management Plan periodically and make recommendations to the Principal regarding the ongoing enrolment of the student. The Welfare Team will include the family and external providers in the review of the Management Plan.

Confidentiality

Whilst privacy and confidentiality are of considerable importance, the safety of students is of higher consideration and hence using the Children and Young Person Care and Protection Act will be in place.

Addresses for assistance

School Youth Liaison Officer – Eastern Beaches Local Area Command
Sean O’Brien
02 9349 9216 (direct)
02 9349 9299 (switch)
obri1sea@police.nsw.gov.au (direct email)

Jewish Care
Big Brother/Big Sister Program Ms Mim Zilka
02 9302 8000 m.zilka@jewishcare.com.au

Jewish House
Rabbi Mendel Kastel
02 9386 0770 (switch)
1300 544 357 (crisis line)

Association of Independent Schools
Child Protection Unit
02 9299 2845