Values Program

 

Values

Donvale Primary School has been running a highly successful ‘Values’ program for many years.

All classes are involved in learning that focuses on the development of our students understanding of each of our five core values, all underpinned by DET’s ‘Respectful Relationships’ curriculum.

RESPECT

RESPONSIBILITY

RESILIENCE

COMPASSION

GRATITUDE

Lessons allow for relationship building, sharing of thoughts, ideas and feelings. All designed to support each child’s emotional well-being. Students are actively involved in each lesson through activities such as role-play. Activities aim at developing responsibility and self-esteem in all our students. Children feel part of a group, connect and engage positively with their peers.

We also use the Framework of Values set out by DET into our teaching;

Integrity

Understanding

Tolerance and Inclusion

Care and Compassion

Honesty and Trustworthiness

Fair go

Doing your best

Freedom

The Values program is part of Donvale Primary School’s proactive approach to developing a supportive and cohesive community of students who care for each other and encourage their class mates to be the best they can be.

Donvale Primary School is affiliated with ‘The Resilience Project’

https://theresilienceproject.com.au/education/

Our school has been working with the team from The Resilience Project since 2018. Their education program supports the development of gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness in our children.

Donvale Primary School is a ‘KidsMatter’ school 

We are very enthusiastic about motivating and teaching students how to be physically and mentally fit, in order to be happy and healthy learners.

What is ‘KidsMatter’?

For those that are new to our school, please read below to learn all about how ‘KidsMatter’ benefits your child and our school community.

‘KidsMatter’ is a mental health and wellbeing framework for primary schools and is proven to make a positive difference to the lives of Australian children. ‘KidsMatter’ primarily promotes preventative measures in order to raise strong, healthy and mentally fit kids.

The ‘KidsMatter’ framework is divided into four component areas to make the task of working to improve student’s mental health and wellbeing in schools more manageable.

The four components are:

  1. Positive school community
  2. Social and emotional learning for students
  3. Working with parents and carers
  4. Helping children with mental health difficulties.Each component is unpacked into more specific target areas and goals to help schools with their planning.For more information, please visit http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary. The website has some wonderful videos with case studies from schools across Australia. It also has some very useful resources and links for parents.At Donvale Primary we are currently working on the first component, ‘Building a Positive School Community.’ The staff has participated in six professional learning sessions, led by the ‘KidsMatter’ Action Team. It has been wonderful to work together as a staff to brainstorm and implement strategies that will build on the wonderful sense of community we have at our school. Some of these initiatives have included:
  • DPS Wellbeing and ‘KidsMatter’ Launch Day
  • All teachers out in the school yard after school to connect with the community and make ourselves available to parents and students
  • Wine and cheese welcome night after the Foundation information session for new Foundation parents.
  • ‘Welcome Back’ BBQ for all DPS families at the completion of our Wellbeing Day.
  • ‘Getting to Know You’ interviews.
  • ‘Carols on the lawn’ at the end of the year.
  • Regular Snippets articles educating parents about raising physically and mentally fit childrenAt Donvale Primary, we believe that the KidsMatter framework will help students, staff and the wider Donvale Primary community be happier and healthier learners and citizens than they already are!