Healthy Bodies & Healthy Minds at Haileybury

STUDENT WELLBEING IS A TOP PRIORITY AT HAILEYBURY’S EDRINGTON CAMPUS

Activities year-round aimto promote wellbeing and increase awareness of mental health

Haileybury’s Mental Health Week is the perfect time to highlight these initiatives and directly promote good mental health among students.

The week supports the School’s work in teaching children positive ways to take care of their mental health and wellbeing.

Edrington’s events, which research has linked to wellbeing, involved mental health and emotion management, building relationships, connection, mindfulness and relaxation.

They helped students see the benefits of being active, doing things that help them to feel positive and be connected to others.

Highlights included baby goats and rabbits for calming cuddles, staff-student sporting matches, lunchtime concerts, ponies, Kids Helpline online friendship and resilience sessions, mindfulness, karaoke and a sanctuary of activities in the library’s ‘Zen Den’.

Wellbeing bingo encouraged staff and students to spread positivity throughout the week by giving compliments, showing gratitude, and doing good deeds for others and themselves.

Edrington School Psychologist Ms Marnie Vertigan says it is important to focus on wellbeing and mental health from a young age.

For example, during Mental Health Week, ELC children welcomed the Myuna Farm Animal Ark to pet and feed baby goats, lambs, rabbits, chickens, ducks and guinea pigs.

Engaging with the animals gave the children a sense of joy, and allowed valuable learning opportunities about relationships, nature and ecology.

“Students were able to reflect on their emotions and create calmness in themselves and with the animals,” Ms Vertigan says.

“It was great to hear so many positive comments from students about how happy and calm they felt sharing special moments with the animals and with each other throughout the week.”

Haileybury’s ELC programs foster each child’s sense of belonging and wellbeing through intentional group experiences, such as Reception (three-yearold) students creating a large stick insect with wire art and paints.

They also designed mandalas in Creative Arts, while Pre-Preps participated in story writing as a group and used puppetry to retell their stories.

Ms Vertigan says a focus on wellbeing from Day 1 reaps countless rewards.

“Empowering students with knowledge and fostering dialogue about mental health encourages them to seek help and promotes positive socialemotional development,” she says.

HAILEYBURY BERWICK EDRINGTON 138 High Street, Berwick

For more information visit haileybury.com.au

or phone 03 9904 6006