As a Catholic school, St Therese’s shares in the mission of the Catholic Church. Christ’s commandment, “to love one another as I have loved you” is the basis of all faith communities. Pastoral care gathers all the qualities and practices within a community that seek to make this commandment real.
Wellbeing is the concept that underpins pastoral care. St Therese’s is focused on the wellbeing of the whole school community. We are an MJR school (Making Jesus Real) and this forms the foundation of our pastoral care approach towards each individual. We are conscious of the need to promote healthy wellbeing in all areas of the human person. Mental health is of paramount importance. We recognise the flow-on effects of mental wellbeing to academic achievement and whole-of-life satisfaction. We are a Kids Matter school – using this framework as a basis for student wellbeing. Within this framework the students are explicitly taught positive behaviours support (PBS). Each class is engaged in the Highway Heroes program, which teaches students practical strategies to help them cope with the complexity of their everyday lives and learn how to build resilience and deal with bullying in a proactive manner.
Where a need for specific assistance is identified, St Therese’s offers the services of a School Counsellor. The school runs a number of other programs throughout the year targeted to the needs of individual students. These include, Zones of Regulation (sensory management and self-regulation); Seasons for Growth (bereavement) and Friendship Saver (building resilience). The P&F Caring Group also provides pastoral support for families within the school community.
Support Personnel
LEARNING SUPPORT TEAM
Students at St Therese’s Primary School, New Lambton are assisted by a Learning Support Coordinator, Learning Support Teacher and 11 Learning Support Assistants. The Learning Support team work to assist the pastoral and academic needs of the students.
School Psychologist
St Therese’s has the services of a psychologist, provided through the Catholic Schools Office, working at the school. The psychologist provides support with academic and social assessments. Recommendations are made to assist parents and teachers to cater for the ongoing educational needs of the students.