Pastoral Care at Mercy College is based upon the Christian belief in the fundamental dignity and worth of each and every person.
LIFE AT MERCY
Pastoral Care
With this person-centred philosophy, Pastoral Care and related policies are based upon these principles:
- Each person – students, staff and visitors to the College – has a right to learn, teach, or go about their work, and be treated with courtesy and respect;
- Each person – has a corresponding responsibility to respect the rights of others; and
- Every Human being has a need to BELONG, to have some form of choice or INDEPENDENCE, to be recognised for something they are good at, or of which they have MASTERY, and to exercise a spirit of GENEROSITY.
‘Love in Action’
The key to effective pastoral care is the quality of the relationship that exists between teachers, students, parents and families. Pastoral care initiatives and an established good working relationship will minimise incidents of unacceptable student behaviour.
The College motto ‘Love in Action’ is the basis for the Pastoral Care focus of each Year Group:
- Year 7 – ‘Me + My School’
- Year 8 – ‘Me + Others’
- Year 9 – ‘Me + my Wellbeing’
- Year 10 – ‘Me + my Decisions’
- Year 11 – ‘Me + my Journey’
- Year 12 – ‘Me + the World’
Thus Pastoral Care at Mercy College means enhancing the dignity of each person within a Catholic faith community. It is concerned with maximising learning and growth to enable all to become inner-directed, contributing members of God’s creation.
Structure of Pastoral Care
At the centre of our Pastoral Care is the Pastoral Care Group (PCG) teacher.
There are eight Forms in each House:
- Augustine Chi (X) and Rho (P),
- Flynn Chi (X) and Rho (P),
- McAdam Chi (X) and Rho (P), and
- O’Dea Chi (X) and Rho (P)
The aim is to keep students and their Pastoral Care Group teacher together as they progress through Years 7-12, with Year 7 being a specialist Transition Year.
Each Year Group has a Head of Year, a member of the College Middle Management Group, who deals with the Pastoral needs of each student in that Year Group.
In 2022 the Heads of Year are as follows:
- Year 7 Mrs Niamh Walsh
- Year 8 Mr Shane Koimans
- Year 9 Mr Anthony Davis
- Year 10 Ms Jodie Reynolds
- Year 11 Mrs Mel Traeger
- Year 12 Ms Stacey Ward
Principles
- Mercy College provide a safe and supportive school environment, a curriculum and a set of policies and practices based on the Gospels.
- Mercy College enables students to attain the beliefs, values, attitudes, knowledge, skills, practices and positive relationships which will allow them to achieve Christ’s vision of the human person.
- Mercy College provides an environment where the care and development of each person takes place within the Catholic faith community.
- Mercy College implements policies, programs and practices that are proactive, focus on prevention and intervention and that engage, nurture and promote the wellbeing of the whole school community.
- Mercy College promotes care, respect and cooperation and values diversity.
- Mercy College recognises that quality leadership underpins Pastoral Care and that policies and programs must be regularly monitored and reviewed with evidence-based practice supporting decisions and improvements.
- Mercy College takes action to protect children from all forms of abuse and neglect.
- Mercy College ensures that, in providing a nurturing and safe environment, the roles and responsibilities of all members of the school community are explicit and understood and that there is a commitment to ongoing professional development and training for the whole school community.
