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Pillars: Prioritising connection
Our Pillars program aims to explicitly teach students social-emotional skills and competencies that allow them to develop self-esteem, self-awareness, resilience and a willingness to understand and respect others—important life skills that young people need to thrive in today’s fast-paced and changing world.
“We aspire for our students to be savvy young women, to be articulate, to be problem-solvers, who think outside the square, who pursue excellence in their life aspirations and are comfortable with change.”
The program is enriched by a strong research base about the developmental needs of girls and young women. It is underpinned by Martin Seligman’s PERMAH framework and Positive Education principles.
The Presentation values of respect, responsibility, relationships and resilience are the cornerstones on which we build our vision and all that we do at St Mary’s College, along with the touchstones of hospitality, compassion and simplicity.
Central to the Pillars are experiential learning experiences that extend beyond the traditional classroom environment. Students participate in a variety of experiences including year level and House group activities, overnight camps and retreats, wilderness and aeronautical adventures, alpine and river journeys, where the focus is on connecting with self and peers, community, land and nature, respect of culture and the importance of spirituality.
“Gratitude helps me to see what is in my life rather than what isn’t.” – Year 8 student
Learning about me:
UR Strong program – friendship skills, bucket fillers, sustainability, emotional regulation.
Building connections:
UR Strong Program – UR Strong program – friendship skills, mindfulness, gratitude, resilience, digital world, spirit of Jesus program.
Confidence and Self Assurance / Committing to Challenge:
UR Strong program – friendship skills, mindfulness, gratitude, resilience, digital world, leadership, Spirit of Jesus and Making Jesus Real programs.
Transition and Creating Connections:
Self-management, empathy, emotional regulation, power of yet, digital world, goal setting, friendships, gratitude, reflection, mindfulness, power of laughter.
Respectful Relationships:
Positive identity and self-worth, empathy and active listening, acceptance and respecting, collaboration and cooperation, digital world, goal setting, gratitude and self-care.
Building Communities:
Digital world, emotional intelligence, self-care, strengths, meaningful connections, peer support training, celebrating strengths, benefit mindset and service learning, grit and resilience.
Looking Outwards:
Social safety, student agency, self-care, anxiety and stress, financial literacy, pathways and careers, responsible choices.
Forward Thinking – Future Thinking:
Leadership and role modelling, social connectedness, service learning, future thinking, legacy, hope and purpose, team building, gratitude, preparing for the real world, stress, tension and mental health.
“Pillars classes are great because they make me think about a lot of things: growth mindset, the power of yes, positive friendships and that it is OK to get things wrong.” — Year 7 student