Caring and sharing Pangea-style!
As an online school, Haileybury Pangea has developed innovative ways to support every student’s wellbeing.
Every second Tuesday after morning lessons are finished, Haileybury Pangea students share lunch together. Being spread across the country means they can’t meet in person, so they gather in one of two online drop-in sessions led by Year 12 Captains, Sean and Maddy.
The fortnightly sessions are a chance for students to get to know each other better and to share their news and highlights of the past two weeks.
“The lunch-time drop-ins are an opportunity for anyone to ask questions and get to know one another, and Sean and I can find out what students want introduced into our community so we can do our best to achieve that,” explains Maddy.
“So far we’ve had some really positive feedback with students saying they found some good tips for completing schoolwork online and they’ve come to know their classmates better.”
Maddy and Sean also film a weekly video update that includes interviews with students and teachers, a round-up of the week’s events, and details of upcoming activities for the Haileybury Pangea community to be part of, such as the recent Clean Up Australia Weekend.
“The weekly updates ensure everyone has an idea of what is happening around our virtual campus, and we present the information in a more informal way so other students can get to know us, too,” says Maddy.
Year 12s also drop in to the virtual Year 12 Common Room every Thursday lunchtime.
“Sean and I want to create a strong sense of community and I think we’re on the right path. I feel like the Haileybury Pangea community is getting to know each other more and I’m excited to see how that continues to grow”Maddy (Year 12)
Haileybury Pangea has been carefully designed to ensure that student connection and wellbeing are very much part of the everyday online school experience.
Scheduled virtual office hours give students regular and reliable opportunities to speak to teachers and ask questions about their coursework, and weekly tutor meetings are an avenue to check in and discuss any emerging issues or concerns.
Haileybury Pangea whole school assemblies are a cornerstone event where all students meet online to recognise and celebrate student achievements. A weekly Middle School study hall helps students catch up on any work they have missed and the myPanga app, featuring interactive dashboards, keeps parents up to date on how their child is progressing.
“Teachers and tutors arrange regular check-ins with students and, more recently, online tools have provided us with specific data on student wellbeing — this data-driven approach ensures we can quickly gauge students’ wellbeing and support them with timely and targeted interventions, when necessary,” says Mathew Shill, Head of Middle School (Haileybury Pangea).
“Our academic dashboards also monitor student attendance, learning behaviours and coursework and can highlight any changes in behaviour that might trigger a conversation with a student.
“Building connection, rapport and trust — all important to student wellbeing — in an online learning environment is challenging, but it’s possible,” says Mathew. The school also has trained psychologists and wellbeing incursions run by experienced professionals to increase student knowledge and support.
Mathew says encouraging empathy and clear communication underpin Haileybury Pangea’s approach to student care and wellbeing.
“Staff at Haileybury Pangea are well versed to actively listen and ask open-ended questions, and they have a genuine interest for the students in their care”Mathew Shill, Head of Middle School (Haileybury Pangea)
Students are in safe hands at Haileybury Pangea, where the School’s strong belief that ‘every student matters every day’ is lived and breathed, whether learning is online or in person.
