Respect and Responsibility

Promoting values in education

School initiatives

Display Presentations

Forum delegates had the opportunity to view displays of Respect and Responsibility programs during the morning tea and lunch breaks.

Domremy College, Five Dock

has adopted a model of behaviour management, Restorative Justice, aligned to the ethos of the school. Student leaders are trained in skills to resolve conflict. Having a whole-school approach has empowered students and teachers to manage school situations. Tensions have been reduced as the focus has shifted from ascribing blame towards building positive relationships.

Trinity Catholic College, Lismore

has developed a Youth Support website where students and parents can find information and online help from the Trinity Youth Support Staff. There is a discussion board where students can talk about their issues and an online peer support program, managed partly by trained senior students. This is a safe site where students can feel free to discuss their ideas and reach out for help if they need it.

Henschke Primary School, Wagga Wagga

has embarked upon a new Social skills program called You Can Do It which aims to develop life skills to assist children with bullying, conflict and developing friends. The students have responded positively to this program and have grown as individual responsible citizens of the school.

Beverly Hills Intensive English Centre and Menai High School

students cooperate in the Schools Cultural Exchange Program, where they use drama techniques and peer teaching to develop their understanding of how conflict arises and how to manage it. Excerpts from an SBS television program, School Torque, featuring these schools will be shown at the forum.

Goulburn High School

demonstrates student leadership through the Learning Plus program. Learning Plus is an umbrella term to cover a range of projects where Goulburn High School students lead and participate in community projects. Students use their talents and abilities to help others to achieve their goals.

Baulkham Hills High School

is involved in cultural exchange and has a strong leadership program which emphasises community responsibility and partnership. The school maintains a very active SRC and prefect body. It conducts peer support programs and leadership training for all Year 10 students, a peer tutoring scheme, and reading assistance by students for the support unit.

Pymble Ladies' College

conducts a number of Values in Action programs from Kindergarten to Year 12. These programs are designed to allow students to gain respect and understanding of other people and their cultures, and to exercise responsibility as citizens in our communities. Included is the Croc Festival initiative, where Year 11 girls work with local children to promote music, dance and drama.

Showcase Presentations

Merrylands High School

works with staff, students and parents of feeder primary schools in the area on the values-rich Respect, Responsibility and Right Choice program. Well-respected student leaders, staff and parents present highlights of this initiative.

St Ignatius' College, Riverview, and Noor Al Houda Islamic College, Strathfield

have an inter-school program involving classes and cultural activities which highlight respect for the individual and the rights of others.

St Edward's College, Gosford

develops the students' civic responsibility and life values. The students learn respect for others by working with local homeless people. They also have a cultural exchange program with a primary school that has a largely Indigenous student population.

Beverly Hills Public School

has incorporated respect and responsibility in the school's management plan. Staff members discuss the processes in developing the plan, including staff meetings and P&C endorsement. They explain how they reviewed and strengthened established practices, while keeping the project fresh with new programs.

Peel High School, Tamworth

promotes the values of inclusiveness and connecting with the community in an effort to maximise the life opportunities of all their students. Student leadership representation is multicultural, with many Indigenous school captains and SRC members. The school is regarded as a safe place by students and their families.

Our Lady of Mercy College, Parramatta

has a values integration program delivered by teachers in their curriculum programming. The values integration initiative is to identify specific core values and to integrate them more consistently, more effectively and more widely across the curriculum.

The Interschool Harmony Committee

includes the principals of eight schools in the Arncliffe area. Their students, from various cultural backgrounds, have worked together in a number of projects to appreciate the culture of others as well as their own. One project explored the bush and resulted in the writing of a children's story book with author Nadia Wheatley, which will be published this year.