Pastoral Care is based on respect and dignity of the human person.
Pastoral Care grounds the school’s Mission Statement in the quality of our daily relationships. The ways in which people interact with each other in the daily life of the school significantly affects each person’s sense of wellbeing, identity and self-worth. Everyone in the school community has a responsibility to foster quality interpersonal relationships amongst teachers, students, parents, support staff, priests and parish communities.
St Joseph’s Primary School endeavours to provide to all, the experience of high-quality interpersonal relationships of care and support. Thus each member is both a provider and recipient of Pastoral Care.
As a school community, St Joseph’s responds with increasing sensitivity to the social and cultural diversity of its members. It is in and through Pastoral Care that much can be done to promote, respect and support such things as diverse family structures, different ways of giving expression to Christian faith, and awareness of cross-cultural issues. School policies and practices are respectful of the dignity, rights and fundamental freedoms of individual students and provide learning opportunities for individual students which are responsive to their unique needs for growth and fulfilment.
A Pastoral Care Worker was appointed in May 2012 to provide support to students and their families. Since then a Class Parent Network has been established, with each class parent assisting the class teacher throughout the school year and a LAP (Learning Assistance Program) program catering for individual needs of children involved.
The core frameworks of pastoral care for students include:
- Positive Behaviours for Learning
- Making Jesus Real
- Kids Matter
- Pastoral Care Worker (two days a week)
- Psychologist (one day a week)
Other programs in place that support Pastoral Care in our school are:
- Class Parent Network
- Peer Support
- Buddies
- Kinder Orientation Playgroup
- Seasons for Growth
- Various, targeted social skill workshops led by staff
