Safe Schools

Annandale Public School

2026-2027 Safe and Inclusive School Plan

Our school is committed to providing all students with a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment free from bullying and harassment that promotes respect, acceptance, and empathy. Staff, students, parents and caregivers, and community partners will work together as a team to help make our school safe and welcoming for everyone. The Safe and Inclusive School Plan highlights some of the key actions that our school community will put in place as part of our bullying prevention and intervention efforts.

Key Priorities and Goals

This year we are focusing on: -Creating a community where all students feel welcome, included, and safe.

-Continuing to build an understanding of different types of conflict (bullying, conflict, teasing, a mean moment), restorative practices and when to best use them, and the development of healthy relationships.

-Supporting the continued development of healthy relationships contributing to student well-being (self-image, self-regulation, mental health, diversity and inclusion) and a positive school climate.

We are doing this to:

-Reduce social conflict and bullying, encourage the continued development of healthy relationships contributing to student well-being (self-image, mental health, self-regulation), and foster a positive school climate where all members of the school’s diverse community feel supported, included and safe.

Key Actions or Strategies

• 1) We will continue with mental wellness initiatives, including school wide announcements, a Healthy Relationships Monthly Memo, and school wide community building activities to support individual mental wellness, positive relationships, diversity and inclusion. This includes sharing information with students about healthy coping strategies during high stress times and how to find and access mental health support when needed.
• 2) We will work with both students and staff to support the use of the Universal Way of Addressing Concern to address unwanted or hurtful behaviour: Stop It - Stop / Address the behaviour; Name It - Describe the behaviour (e.g. racist, sexist, homophobic); Explain It - Explain why this behaviour is inappropriate/hurtful; Ask for Change - Ask for a change in behaviour, discuss other appropriate words or actions to use.
• 3) We will continue our Junior Recess Leaders in collaboration with Southwestern Public Health. This program creates an opportunity for Junior Students to be trained peer leaders engaging younger students in fun activities on the yard and facilitating the development of conflict resolution skills.
• 4) We will again be addressing gaps in positive interpersonal skills with grade 7/8 students by implementing the Healthy Relationships Plus Program (HRPP) in collaboration with Southwestern Public Health, allowing intermediate classes to practise and to explore positive relationship skills.
• 5) We will be bringing in presenters/speakers/resources to support conversations about diversity, inclusion, and on-line behaviour, including cyber safety.

Community and Home Connections

• Ask your child about the difference between teasing, conflict, a mean moment, and bullying.
• Encourage your child to use their conflict resolution strategies and to engage in restorative practices when a relationship has been impacted by conflict.
• Model and encourage your child to use the Universal Way of Addressing Concern. -Encourage your grade 7/8 child to use relationship skills acquired from HRPP in situations at home and between peers (practice lessons and program outline and updates will be shared with parents during the program).
• We all have opinions and beliefs. Encourage your children to remember that opinions and beliefs should not be used to inflict harm. We don’t need to agree, believe, understand or like something or someone, but we should always be respectful in our interactions.
• We encourage you to monitor your child’s technology use, including time online, what they are looking (the messages they are receiving), the social media platforms they are using and who they are engaging with on-line. Please consider exploring safety features for/on your child’s device.