TUCKED away in the newly redeveloped ground floor of the JJ Sheehan wing, a purpose-built well-being centre is gradually helping to turn the tide on Ballarat High School's attendance rates.
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The concept, whole not new, has been rare in a state school.
In a massive overhaul of Ballarat High facilities, school principal Gary Palmer said the inclusion of a well-being centre was proving to be a game-changer in helping the most vulnerable students.
The well-being centre's entrance, discreetly concealed from the bustle of junior students' stampede to classes, opens to small rooms for one-on-one counselling with frosted glass and comfortable couches. High's breakfast program now has a dedicated kitchen in the same space.
There is a scaled down classroom for students needing time away or transitioning to full classroom environment.
Direct entries into the school library and extra tutorial rooms extend from the centre.
Usually every second day, the well-being centre is also where you might find Kai, High's therapy dog, when she is not working in classrooms.
Mr Palmer said the Victorian education department had offered important extra funding for more support staff, including a dedicated mental health practitioner. Before bringing the team together in a well-being centre, the counselling team had been based in an old classroom.
He said the difference was important in a coordinated, holistic approach to well-being for his school's community.
"In post-COVID [lockdowns], this is really important. It's not just students, but parents, teachers and other staff who are struggling and now there's extra financial pressures," Mr Palmer said.
"If you look at year eights now, they didn't do grade five and six full-time in the classroom. They have missed out on important maturity and socialisation building in social relationships.
"Our year nines and 10s pretty much missed years seven and eight and big events like energy breakthrough or sports programs that matter in socialisation.
"Our year nines and 10 are struggling with routine and rituals in school."
Less than half of Ballarat High School students chalked up at least a 90 per cent attendance rate last year, according to My School data. This was compared to about four in five students' with strong class attendance rates in 2019, the year before the pandemic.
Mr Palmer said attendance rates were notably improving at High with extra support structures in place but, like a lot of schools, there was still a long way to go.
"Kids are not coming to school for a number of reasons," Mr Palmer said. "Coming out of COVID there is a lack of socialisation and resilience. We're certainly seeing an improvement this year compared to last year.
"...There are still some families who are COVID-conscious. Education is going to take a number of years to recover."
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Mr Palmer said there had been a doubling in students applying for apprenticeships from High in the past year.
On a positive note, all school leavers from High last year had taken up full-time study or a working or apprenticeship equivalent.
Careers advisors at the school continue to follow up with students after leaving school, including those who might return for a bit of redirection when initial plans might not eventuate.
Ballarat High counsellor Shirlene Laurie said it was important to have a team working closely together on welfare, particularly with about 1500 enrolled students.
Ms Laurie said well-being staff in schools had to quickly adapt during the pandemic. This had continued to be an evolving space the past year with all students expected back on campus and many struggling to make the full adjustment, as well as those who had already been identified as vulnerable and needing extra support, for example, in experiencing trauma.
"Well-being has been increasingly recognised by the department after two years of COVID...There is fatigue in coming back to school full-time and that's been a huge adjustment for everyone: parents, staff and students," Ms Laurie said.
"One of the good things was that it has been important was looking into what well-being looks like. The new centre has one-on-one counselling in safe spaces and places for meeting groups and discussions."
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Ms Laurie said gradually building students up to fully transition back into the classroom was important and the smaller classroom helped in a staged approach to build social elements.For others, building socialisation was via physical activity, such as swimming or rock climbing at the nearby Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre.
Ms Laurie, a Dja Dja Wurrung woman, also works closely with High's Indigenous student population to foster school engagement, such as designing official artwork for this year's Ballarat Associated Schools' Head of the Lake rowing regatta.
For High's major redevelopment works, including new outdoor sporting facilities and heritage restoration, Mr Palmer said the new well-being centre aimed to promote assurance to all students they were being supported.
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