Hello from the Guidance Officer

Hi I am Lizette Phillips, your school's Guidance Officer for 2023.

In a nutshell – I am here to help. As a specialist teacher I contribute to the development of comprehensive student support and wellbeing that is responsive to the needs of the school community.

With parent consent I may work directly with students in addition to working with a student's teacher, school support personnel, family, other specialists or external support providers.

Support offered by guidance officers includes providing advice and counselling on educational, behavioural, vocational, personal, social, family, and mental health and wellbeing issues.

Coming back to school brings up big emotions for kids and parents. One of my favourite resources is the Big Life Journal. They share how to have better conversations with your children at the end of those big days. By showing your child that you value their experiences and are interested in their lives, you strengthen your bond and create a sense of belonging within your family. If you talk about the “little” things, it makes it easier to talk about the “ bigger” things.

See the below image for some ideas to switch the conversation so that when you ask,  “ How was your day?”  or “What did you do today?” , you might find out a little more than, “ Ok”, or “Nothing.”

Warm regards,
Lizette Phillips