CamNews

Principal

August 30, 2024

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Last week, you would have received an email from me announcing our inaugural Giving Day on Wednesday, 4 September 2024. Excitement is building, and several parents have already expressed their delight that Barbara Sutton Hall, the space at the heart of our School, will be ‘reimagined’ through its redevelopment.

We are fortunate to have a number of generous matchers who have agreed to double every donation. This means that for every dollar you give, it will be doubled! I encourage you to visit charidy.com/cggs and sign up for notifications as we approach Giving Day. On 4 September, the countdown page will transition to display the live progress tally as the day unfolds. I look forward to sharing the excitement of this special day with you next week.

Child Safe Standards
As part of our commitment to Child Safety, we are required to provide you with information about how we implement the standards in the School and seek feedback. In this edition of CamNews, one of our School Counsellors Paula Kolivas shares information on the role of Child Safety Officers as well as some of the programs that the counsellors facilitate with students in the article below.

If you have any questions or would like to provide any feedback on Child Safety, please contact our counsellors or your relevant Head of School.

With best wishes,

Debbie Dunwoody
Principal

Achieving the Child Safe Standards

Following on from Debbie’s editorial in February this year, the wellbeing and safety of all the students at Camberwell Girls Grammar School (CGGS) is our first priority. We actively review, develop and improve our practices to ensure that we maintain a culturally safe and caring environment, where students feel safe and supported.

At CGGS, we have a multi-facted approach to achieving this commitment to student wellbeing and safety, and it is imbedded in our curriculum, co-curricular programs and our school’s culture.

Some examples of how we demonstrate this commitment include:

A Wellbeing Program – a dynamic wellbeing program which promotes a safe and respectful environment from ELC to Year 12. For example, our experienced ELC staff spend the first term of each year mindfully teaching, exploring and developing skills in play and relationships with our youngest students. Students learn how to play and interact with others in a safe, happy and productive manner. These skills are actively taught throughout their ELC years and further developed during their primary and secondary education at CGGS.

Child Safety Briefings and Updates – all students are briefed biannually about Child Safe Standards and student safety, in an age-appropriate manner. With our younger students, the classroom teachers explore the concepts of body and personal safety, and the school counsellors provide the older students with more advanced information, such as recognising child abuse and grooming, understanding the laws that govern child safety and about reporting to authorities.

A model supported by staff and students – students from ELC to Year 12, hear a very consistent message regarding the importance of informing a trusted adult about any safety concerns they have for themselves, and/or others. We take pride in our students who speak up against bullying and disrespectful behaviour, and praise those who report their concerns regarding child safety. Students are encouraged to identify the trusted adults in their private lives and at school, including the CGGS Child Safety Officers.

Annual Student Survey – our annual student survey which all Years 5-12 students complete covers a wide range of wellbeing topics, including questions on bullying, social media, safety, and recreational activities. The student responses and data gathered identifies areas of concern that need to be addressed and improved, and informs staff when tailoring future wellbeing curriculum to promote student wellbeing safety.

The Wellbeing Committee provides opportunities for students to voice their opinions and concerns on matters that impact their wellbeing. This student led committee has steered initiatives such as CamberWELL Week and Diversity Week, which promote and celebrate both student wellbeing and diversity respectively.

The Promotion of Indigenous Culture and Knowledge – the strong relationship CGGS has with Murrundindi, along with our commitment to enhancing our students’ understanding and appreciation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wisdom and culture supports the safety of students from these backgrounds and helps break down the barriers and discrimination that many have faced in the past.

A model supported by staff and students – students from ELC to Year 12, hear a very consistent message regarding the importance of informing a trusted adult about any safety concerns they have for themselves, and/or others. We take pride in our students who speak up against bullying and disrespectful behaviour, and praise those who report their concerns regarding child safety. Students are encouraged to identify the trusted adults in their private lives and at school, including the CGGS Child Safety Officers.

As part of our commitment to Child Safety, the School also has a number of Child Safety Officers, who respond to and report matters of child safety and/or abuse. These officers offer support to the child, parents/carers and person who reported, clarifying the allegations and suspicions of abuse, and when required, report the concerns to the relevant authorities – Child Protection Services, the Police and/or the Commission for Children and Young People, and for ELC cases to the Australian Chilfren’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

Our 2024 Child Safety Officers are:

Debbie Dunwoody – Principal
Davina McClure – Deputy Principal
Kath Woolcock – Head of Senior School
Tom Clark – Head of Middle School
Paul Donohue – Head of Junior School
Shane Maycock – Education Outdoors Coordinator
Nancy Robottom – Deputy Head of Junior School,
Emma Hinchliffe – Deputy Head of Junior School
Esther Wong – Early Learning Coordinator
Rev Helen Creed – School Chaplain
Paula Kolivas – School Counsellor
Beth Sarlos – School Counsellor

CGGS has developed clear procedures and policies for responding to child safety concerns. We regularly review and update school policies and procedures, evaluate the curriculum material and audit the school’s physical and social environment, to ensure that our organisational culture reflects our commitment to student safety and wellbeing. We encourage parents and caregivers to review these policies via the school website.

All our students have a right to feel safe on and off campus. We want our students, families and community to feel confident that CGGS is an organisation committed to the physical, emotional and sexual safety of all students. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s safety or the safety of any other student in our community, we strongly encourage you to contact the Principal, Heads of School, or the School Counsellors to discuss the matter. We will respond to any concerns in a sensitive, confidential and respectful manner.

Paula Kolivas
School Counsellor

For more information about Child Protection and the Child Safe Standards please refer to:

https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/assets/resources/New-CSS/Whats-new-overview-of-the-new-Child-Safe-Standards.pdf

https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/

https://www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/Documents/MinOrder1359childsafe.pdf

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/programs/health/protect/ChildSafeStandard5_SchoolsGuide.pdf