At SCAS we believe Wellbeing to be a holistic state of balance between the spiritual, emotional, social, physical and cognitive self. We strive for all members of our community to be positive and productive contributors to our school, the land and society.
We proactively strive to enhance the academic, social, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of each student through our K-12 Wellbeing Framework. The scope and sequence followed during Wellbeing time complements our Personal Development, Health and Physical Education curriculum and targets social and emotional learning (SEL). This is a learning process through which all young people acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions (CASEL).
At SCAS, we acknowledge the strong connection between wellbeing, academic achievement and flourishing in life. As a Deep Learning community, our students are engaged in learning that is purposeful and significant to them. They are curious students, who take time to notice and to wonder and drive their own learning. The teachers facilitate this through the use of real-world examples that provide direction to align learning with the curriculum. We know that conditions that support Deep Learning are also good for our wellbeing and help students become their best selves. Our wellbeing focus underpins every classroom, sporting or cultural activity at the school.
St Columba is proud to be an active member of the local Port Macquarie-Hastings community, as well as being connected to the wider global village.
Our students are encouraged to support and drive community initiatives at every opportunity to foster and promote a caring, empathetic and selfless attitude.
Some of our community service initiatives include fundraisers, the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, Rotary Interact Club, ANZAC Day March and various community volunteering opportunities.
The Primary and Secondary Student Leadership Committees aim to provide leadership of the student body and operate in the areas of the School’s assemblies, Chapel and other liturgies, fundraising, and social functions. The Committees can also act as a forum for discussion and initiatives and have input into the decision-making procedures affecting student life. Students are encouraged to approach their leaders on any of these matters.
Preparing for your career
Our vision is to offer our students the knowledge, skills and attitudes to manage their life and learning in a format that prepares them for an evolving and successful post-school life. This means moving away from reliance on simple vocational advice and supporting our students in developing skills that allow them to take a level of personal responsibility for accessing and using career-related information, making good decisions, “bouncing back” from disappointment and recognising the changes occurring in the world around them.
Our dedicated SCAS Careers website is updated frequently and is available at scascareers.com.au
Primary School Houses
In Primary School, we have four School Houses:
Farrell (Red), Innes (Green), McCabe (Blue) and Robinson (Yellow).
The names are drawn from the early colonial School Masters John McCabe and Gamaliel Farrell and two pioneering women of the Hastings area, Annabella Innes (later Boswell) and Grace Robinson. Each house has its own mascot; the Farrell Fox, the Innes Leprechaun, the McCabe Shark and the Robinson Ram.
The Houses are an important part of the School’s Wellbeing program, with students encouraged to support their House to the best of their ability. Each year Houses compete for the House Shield.
Secondary School houses
In Secondary School, there are six Houses:
Bangalay, Rosewood, Tuckeroo, Acacia, Lilly Pilly, and Coolamon.
The Secondary Houses are named after trees that are indigenous to our region and reflect our dedication to our sense of duty to our environment and our respect for its unique beauty. Secondary school students are assigned to Houses for Wellbeing time, peer support, student leadership and other activities. House activities of a sporting, cultural and academic nature are organised throughout the year and each House competes for the House Shield. Students attend House Meetings and participate in regular House activities, led by their Heads of House, Student House Leaders and Wellbeing Teachers.