Published on: 22 February 2024

  • Role of Tutors
  • New wellbeing software
  • Drug and alcohol community presentation
  • Principal’s Bike Ride

On Monday night it was encouraging to see how effective the goal-setting process was with students and parents. To ensure consistency across the Senior School, this process is embedded into each student’s Nexus page so that it can be referenced to regularly by students and tutors to check progress and review actions. The role of the Tutor is integral throughout a student’s journey to becoming a man here at Christ Church. A Tutor is many things – parents’ single point of contact at the school, a student’s first point of contact every morning, and the first person a teacher reaches out to about their students’ academic performance or pastoral care – good or bad; just to name a few. I witnessed an indoor table tennis competition early one morning, through to our Tutors engaging with students in a game of cards or chess. Our Tutors play a significant role in every student’s school journey, which continues to set our students apart from their peers at other schools.

This week saw the introduction of a new wellbeing software tool in the Senior School, called ORAH. This serves as a pastoral check-in system that fosters students’ capacity to reflect on their emotions, as well as identify the reasoning behind their moods. ORAH aims to build students’ emotional literacy and capacity around proactive wellbeing strategies. Students complete their weekly check-in reflection individually within their tutorial time. The software provides an extra layer of mental health support on top of our existing pastoral system, to highlight any student that may require further mentoring from their Tutorial teacher, who can also advise a student to visit our school psychologists.

On Wednesday 28 February, the Wynne Centre for Health and Wellbeing will host award winning author Jade Lewis to give a community presentation on raising drug and alcohol-problem-free teenagers. In the session titled ‘Under YOUR Influence’, Jade will discuss current drug trends and understanding adolescent behaviour, and provide practical strategies to foster open communication with your children during these years. To find out more and register for this free event, please click here.

On Sunday 10 March, the annual Principal’s Bike Ride happens. This community event is for proficient bike riders aged sixteen and over and has two route options – Canning Bridge or Mount Henry Bridge, both commencing and ending at Christ Church. At the ride’s conclusion, everyone comes together to share a coffee, and bacon and egg roll on campus. You can find more information and register, please click here.

Upcoming Senior School Events

  • Drama Tour Production ‘On the Road to win Friends and Influence People‘ – Thursday 22 February at 7.00 to 8.00pm 
  • Quads Swimming Meet – 22 February HBF Stadium at 5.30pm to 9.00pm
  • PSA Bye – Friday 23 and Saturday 24 February
  • Year 7 Sundowner – Sunday 25 February at 5.30pm
  • Jade Lewis community presentation – Wednesday 28 February at 6.30pm to 7.30pm
  • PMC Sundowner and Information Evening – Wednesday 28 February at 6.30pm to 8.30pm
  • Christ Church Grammar School Birthday Service – Thursday 29 February at 9.00am to 10.00am
  • Mid Term Break – No school on Friday 1 March and Monday 4 March
  • PSA Interschool Swimming – Thursday 7 March at 5.00pm
  • PSA Sport v Guildford – Friday 8 and Saturday 9 March

 

Mark Morrissy
Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School