well being

Developing courageous, compassionate and confident young women

Positive relationships and feeling part of a community are excellent indicators of good mental health. When we feel welcome and valued and have a sense of belonging, the foundation is set for us to learn successfully and thrive. The school environment is therefore a crucial setting for promoting the wellbeing of adolescent girls.

By fostering a culture of care and wellbeing, St Mary’s provides a nurturing environment for each girl to learn, socialise, develop her skills and find her passion. Complementing our curriculum and cocurricular activities, our targeted wellbeing and pastoral care programs help our students to develop the skills and mindset that they need to thrive both academically and personally.

When it comes to adolescent girls, we understand that they face unique challenges and pressures that can impact their wellbeing. Our approach is to provide a range of resources and support systems that cater specifically to their needs.

At St Mary’s, all our teaching and non-teaching staff play an important role in supporting the wellbeing of our students. We are also fortunate to have a team of leaders who are focused on overseeing specific elements of our wellbeing programs, including our Associate Deans of Students and Wellbeing, Heads of Year, Psychology Services Team, School Chaplain, Head of Boarding, Indigenous Student Coordinator, Associate Dean of Cocurriculm and Junior School Coordinator of Wellbeing. Together, they facilitate opportunities for our staff and students participate in a range of wellbeing and pastoral care programs that foster compassion, courage and confidence.

As Deputy Principal (Students and Wellbeing), I am privileged to work with such dedicated and passionate staff, who together promote and support the overall pastoral care and wellbeing of our students. Our priority is to foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels known, safe and respected, so that they can flourish as they navigate the unique challenges facing young people of today and embrace the myriad of opportunities on offer.

Rebecca Payne Deputy Principal (Students and Wellbeing)

Felicity Monck Associate Dean of Wellbeing, Senior School Psychologist

As Associate Dean of Wellbeing, my role is all about supporting the systems of care around our girls so they can thrive as their authentic selves. Wellbeing is a broad term that encompasses a range of teachable skills and behaviours which grow more readily in healthy systems. With the Wellbeing Team and the Pastoral Care Committee, I work to ensure that the girls learn and practise these skills in a whole school context that promotes connectedness, belonging and mattering. I believe every teacher is a teacher of wellbeing and all learning is social-emotional. I work with teaching staff to promote pedagogies that create a positive climate in each classroom, so that every girl can enjoy a supportive and inclusive environment.

Jules Weeks Head of Psychology Services, Senior School Psychologist

Psychology Services consists of a team of committed psychologists who provide consultancy regarding mental health and wellbeing, as well as direct psychological counselling support to Junior and Senior School students and families in times of need. We offer students access to specialised care regarding their neurodevelopmental, social, emotional and academic growth, and our psychologists sometimes act as a liaison to coordinate care at school with a student’s external health specialists. The team also delivers staff, student and parent workshops on important mental health or protective behaviour topics. Drawing on current psychological research, our psychologists also contribute to the planning and delivery of St Mary’s broader academic and wellbeing programming, with the goal to enhance all students’ socialemotional learning outcomes.

Reverend Richard Pengelley School Chaplain

In my role as School Chaplain, I create experiences that allow for times of mindfulness and reflection based on but not limited to the Anglican Christian tradition. At St Mary’s, we are blessed with a beautiful chapel and delightful natural surrounds, which provide the perfect space for students to slow down, relax, breathe and feel. I am also excited about the opportunities that St Mary’s at Metricup’s new bush chapel will offer and the life lessons that our girls will learn via our community service and service learning immersion experiences, which I lead and facilitate.