Iona Presentation College

Pastoral Care means looking after the physical, spiritual, emotional and social well-being of the staff and students. The basic message of Christianity is to ‘love God and love your neighbour as yourself'. Jesus' message to us is that every single person has intrinsic worth and deserves respect and care. Pastoral Care is also important on a more pragmatic level: students and staff who are happy, healthy and well-adjusted are going to work well, concentrate, pursue multiple interests, and generally get the best out of what life has to offer.

At Iona Pastoral Care has been important ever since the Presentation Sisters founded the College in 1907. The Presentation Sisters have maintained this ethos of caring and respect for all, regardless of their age, race, creed or abilities, through successive generations of students and staff. The Principal, all the staff, both teaching and non-teaching, and the students themselves are all part of the Pastoral Care offered at Iona . All the staff - teachers, clerical, technical, kitchen, cleaning and grounds staff - look after the students and each other. The students look after each other as well.

The formal Pastoral Care structure includes the Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care), the Heads of Year and the Form Teachers.

The Year 8 students participate in the Peer Support Program for their first semester at Iona Presentation College . In this program Year 11 students work in pairs with small groups of students to look at some of the challenges faced and the skills necessary in high school. It is beneficial for both the Year 11 and the Year 8 students. The Year 8s also participate in the Sports Challenge Program in Term Four. This program helps to improve the students' emotional intelligence.

It is important that parents/guardians and students inform the appropriate people at the College as soon as possible once a problem arises. There is a much greater chance of successful resolution if the problem is tackled early and from all angles.

In summary, Pastoral Care is of utmost importance at Iona Presentation College and every member of the Iona community is expected to contribute to the happiness, spiritual, social and emotional health and well-being of every other member.

Anne Taylor,
Deputy Principal, Pastoral Care
April 2008