At Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School our mission is to provide high quality Christ‐centred education and pastoral care for children and their families. The School works in partnership with families to provide an environment in which children discover and develop their potential and utilise their unique talents to serve others in the world around them. We aim to help children develop positive attitudes and acceptable behavioural patterns, that support children becoming self-motivated and self-disciplined persons who contribute valuably to society.
Behaviour Management
Good Shepherd has a whole-school approach to behaviour management that encourages children to become confident, courteous, friendly, reliable, forgiving and compassionate in order to allow themselves and each other the maximum opportunity to learn. Students are encouraged to examine their own behaviour and, importantly, to take responsibility for it.
Behaviour management within our school is underpinned by our Christian ethos and stems from our care and concern for each child’s wellbeing. Our belief in this approach to behaviour management and student wellbeing, grows out of a context of respect for the rights and responsibilities of each individual.
To effectively implement our Behaviour Management Program, all members of staff aim to operate as a team, work in partnership with parents and to support one another.
Children learn best when:
- They feel confident and secure in their school and home environment
- They are affirmed and happy
- The focus of learning is made clear
- Learning tasks and experiences give opportunity for success
- Learning programs cater for varied abilities
- Learning includes collaborative group tasks as well as individual learning tasks
Worship Program
The term “worship” is well known to those who have grown up with strong connections to a church community. It is, perhaps, less understood by those who have no such strong connections.
Put simply, worship is a time set apart for listening to God’s Word of love to us and responding with our praise, our prayer and our lives of loving service for one another. By hearing and sharing the good news of God’s love, our worship helps set the tone for every other aspect of our learning and living together through the week.
Staff at Good Shepherd begin each day with a short time of worship together. During the week our classes each hold a time of worship.
Our whole school joins together on Wednesday and Friday mornings for a Chapel Service. We are often joined by many parents, grandparents and friends of the school. A regular Sunday evening opportunity for whole-family worship is also offered.
Student Wellbeing
The Student Wellbeing Program at Good Shepherd is aimed at supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of our students through a variety of in-class programs and individual counselling. Our Head of Counselling and Wellbeing works with teachers and parents to identify the needs of students, and leads special programs that target issues such as resilience, anxiety and conflict resolution. Individual counselling is also available for parents who wish to discuss any concerns they may have for their child’s social or emotional wellbeing.
Good Shepherd is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students and helping equip them for a happy and healthy life.
Child Safe Program
Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School is a child safe organisation which welcomes all children and their families. We are committed to providing a child friendly environment where our students are safe and feel safe. We are committed to creating a safe place for students where their participation is valued, their views respected and their voices are heard.
The School has no tolerance for child abuse and proactively takes steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to students in our school environment.
The School promotes positive relationships between students and adults and between students and their peers. These relationships are based on trust and respect.
The School regards its child safety responsibilities with the utmost importance and is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child safety and wellbeing laws and regulations and maintaining a child safe culture. When child safety concerns are raised or identified, we treat these seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly.
The School’s child safe policies, strategies and practices are inclusive of the needs of all children, regardless of background, culture, identity, disability or other characteristics that may make a child vulnerable. Inappropriate or harmful behaviour targeting students based on these or other characteristics is not tolerated at our School, and any instances identified will be addressed with appropriate action taken.
Each member of the School community has a responsibility to understand the important role they play individually and collectively, to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all students.
Good Shepherd is committed to regularly reviewing its child safe practices, and seeking input from students, families, staff, and volunteers to inform our ongoing strategies.
For more information, please click on the following links:
Staff and Student Professional Boundaries Policy
Student Child Safety Code of Conduct
Our Child Safe Officer, Mr Dean Polychronopoulos, can be contacted on (03) 9726 2900 or dean.polychronopoulos@gslps.vic.edu.au.
Share Care Program
All School families belong to a Family Share Care Group. Each group has a number of Share Care Group Leaders. Our Share Care Program is overseen by our Head of Counselling and Wellbeing, supported by our Pastoral Care Team.
Share Care Group Leaders:
- Organise fellowship activities, eg: coffee mornings, family picnics, theatre/restaurant outings, etc.
- Provide care and support to families in crisis, through provision of food, help with transport, emotional support.
- Celebrate special events and occasions in the lives of our school community.
Shepherds Program
The Shepherds Program is a student-centred program providing individual support for students through positive parent and community participation. Trained volunteers, in partnership with teaching staff, work with students on a one-to-one basis for one regular session each week.
The program is aimed at supporting individual students with special needs who would benefit from some one to one time with a trained adult companion. This may include students who lack confidence, are withdrawn or who find difficulty relating to peers and/or adults.
Trained volunteers work closely with students and become a trusted mentor. They participate and share in the challenge and excitement of a student’s personal growth and learning.
The Shepherds program is coordinated by our Head of Counselling and Wellbeing who takes responsibility for the administrative aspects of the program and recruits and trains volunteers.
Seasons Program
The Seasons Program is a peer support program for students experiencing loss as a result of the death, divorce or separation of a significant person in their lives.
Children meet in small groups with a trained adult companion. Children are given an opportunity to express, acknowledge, normalise and integrate their grief through various activities.
Andrew Leske
Assistant Principal – Operations and Student Management
Mark Greenthaner
School Pastor
Dean Polychronopoulos
Head of Counselling and Wellbeing