Wellbeing and Counselling — Senior School
How pastoral care and counselling work in Years 7–12: the Homeroom wellbeing program, how to refer a student to Senior School Counsellor Mr Chris Nguyen, R U OK? Day on Monday 7 September 2026, and where to find help outside school including headspace and 24-hour services.
Students learn best when they feel safe, known and supported. In the Senior School, wellbeing is everyone's work — the Homeroom teacher who notices a change in mood, the Year Level Coordinator who follows up an absence, the counsellor who provides confidential support — under the leadership of Deputy Principal – Wellbeing & Mission Mrs Siobhan Reilly. This page explains how the system works and how families can ask for help. In an emergency outside school hours, phone 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
The Wellbeing Team
| Role | Name | When to contact |
|---|---|---|
| Homeroom teacher | Listed on the Learning Hub | First point of contact for any concern |
| Year Level Coordinators | Yr 7 Mr Nick Papadopoulos; Yr 8 Ms Hannah Kim; Yr 9 Mr Will Turner; Yr 10 Mrs Sarah Donnelly; Yr 11 Ms Olivia Chen; Yr 12 Mr James Whelan | Friendship, behaviour or attendance concerns; coordinating support |
| Senior School Counsellor | Mr Chris Nguyen | Emotional and mental health, family stress, grief, anxiety |
| Learning Diversity Leader | Mr Sam Devlin | Learning needs, Personalised Learning Plans, NCCD adjustments |
| College Chaplain | Sr Bernadette Long rsj | Spiritual support, bereavement, retreats |
| Deputy Principal – Wellbeing & Mission | Mrs Siobhan Reilly | Complex or ongoing matters; child safety concerns |
The Wellbeing Centre is beside the Senior Office and is open 8:15am–4:00pm. Students may drop in at recess and lunch without an appointment. First aid and Sick Bay are also located here.
Counselling — how referrals work
Mr Chris Nguyen is a registered psychologist and works at the College five days a week. Counselling is free and confidential within the limits of safety. Students can be referred in three ways:
- Self-referral — a student emails counselling@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au, drops into the Wellbeing Centre, or taps Request Support on the Learning Hub Wellbeing tile.
- Parent referral — email Mr Nguyen, phone the Senior Office on (03) 9555 0100, or speak to the Year Level Coordinator. Please include a short description of the concern and the best time to call you back; Mr Nguyen phones parents within two school days.
- Staff referral — teachers and coordinators refer students they are concerned about, and parents are usually contacted before the first session.
What to expect: an initial conversation within a week (sooner if urgent), then short-term support of typically four to six sessions during class time, scheduled to avoid the same subject each week and never during SACs. For students under 15, parent consent is sought before ongoing counselling; older students may consent themselves but are encouraged to involve their family. Mr Nguyen will tell a parent or guardian if a student is at risk of harm. Where longer-term or specialist support is needed, he helps families connect with a GP, a Mental Health Care Plan, headspace or a private psychologist, and continues to check in.
Homeroom wellbeing program
Homeroom runs every morning from 8:40am and includes a fortnightly extended Wellbeing lesson. The program follows the Resilience Project's themes of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness and is mapped to the Victorian Curriculum Personal and Social Capability.
| Year | Focus |
|---|---|
| Year 7 | Belonging, friendship skills, organisation, digital footprint; Welcome Retreat |
| Year 8 | Respectful relationships, online safety, body image, bystander action |
| Year 9 | Identity and values, risk and decision-making, consent education, Solidarity Camp |
| Year 10 | Mental health literacy, stress and study, alcohol and other drugs, driving safety |
| Year 11 | Balance and sleep, help-seeking, leadership |
| Year 12 | Managing exam pressure, life after school, gratitude and legacy |
Parents are invited to two Wellbeing Evenings a year; the Term 4 session, Supporting Teenagers Through Exams and Beyond, is on Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 7:00pm in the Library.
R U OK? Day — Monday 7 September 2026
Our Student Representative Council leads R U OK? Day activities on Monday 7 September 2026. Yellow ribbons are handed out at the Senior gate from 8:15am, Homeroom features a conversation-skills activity built around the four steps (Ask, Listen, Encourage action, Check in), and there is a lunchtime barbecue on the Hall lawn ($3 sausage, proceeds to headspace). Year 11 students sitting exams that day will still receive their ribbon at the exam venue. Parents are encouraged to ask the question at home that evening too.
Bullying and online safety
Every report of bullying, including online, is taken seriously and handled under our Anti-Bullying Policy using restorative practices. Students can report to any staff member or anonymously through the Learning Hub Request Support button. Parents who become aware of harmful online content should keep the evidence, not respond, and contact the Year Level Coordinator; the eSafety Commissioner can also order removal of material. See also Behaviour and Restorative Practices and Mobile Phones.
Help outside school
| Service | Contact | Details |
|---|---|---|
| headspace (nearest centres: Lilydale and Knox) | headspace.org.au or 1800 650 890 (eheadspace) | Free or low-cost support for 12–25 year olds; the College can make a referral |
| Kids Helpline | 1800 55 1800 | 24 hours, ages 5–25 |
| Lifeline | 13 11 14 | 24 hours |
| Beyond Blue | 1300 22 4636 | 24 hours |
| Suicide Call Back Service | 1300 659 467 | 24 hours |
| Parentline Victoria | 13 22 89 | 8:00am–midnight, for parents |
| Emergency | 000 |
Child safety
St Mary's College is a child-safe school under the Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order 1359. Every adult on campus holds a Working With Children Check, and any concern about a child's safety is reported to Mrs Reilly or Dr Helen Carmody and, where required, to Child Protection or Victoria Police. Read our Child Safety Policy.
Contact Mr Chris Nguyen at counselling@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au or through the Senior Office on (03) 9555 0100. See also Study Skills and Homework Club for exam-stress support.