Counsellor’s Corner
Katherine Adams Lower School Counsellor
Cindi Santos Middle School Counsellor
Sinol Menezes Upper School Counsellor
Throughout the past academic year, our School Counsellors, Ms. Katherine Adams, Ms. Cindi Santos, and Ms. Sinol Menezes, have been dedicated to fostering the wellbeing and mental health of our students, parents, and staff through a diverse array of events and initiatives. At WIS, the welfare of each child is our priority, as we strive to cultivate qualities such as independence, empathy, kindness, fortitude, and a growth mindset in our students. Among the new endeavors introduced by our Counselling Department this year are the provision of mental health and wellbeing resources readily available to students across the school, along with our inaugural celebration of Mental Health Month within the WIS community. Additionally, our counselors have continued to offer various activities including targeted psychoeducational and empowerment groups, enabling our students to grow into resilient, empathetic individuals, poised to confront life’s challenges with confidence. Throughout the year, our Counselling Department has celebrated numerous international wellbeing and mental health events, including World Gratitude Day, World Teachers Day, World Smile Day, World Mental Health Day, Anti-Bullying Week, World Kindness Day, Children’s Mental Health Week, International School Counsellor’s Week, International Day of Happiness, and Mental Health Month. These occasions were commemorated with a range of activities, such as workshops for parents and students, as well as wellbeing sessions encompassing activities like art therapy and stress management techniques. During Anti-Bullying Week 2023, under the theme ‘Make a Noise Against Bullying’, our Counseling Department organized various initiatives to promote anti-bullying awareness. Alongside assemblies and in-class activities, workshops were conducted for both students and parents, emphasizing the
importance of diversity and equality through initiatives like wearing odd socks in solidarity against bullying. Valuable coping strategies, including dealing with cyberbullying, were also shared during a Parent talk featuring leading anti-bullying expert, Barry Cummings. Children’s Mental Health Week 2024 centered around the theme ‘Your Voice Matters’, where we encouraged open dialogue about emotions and discussed the importance of support networks among children and adults. An enlightening student workshop titled ‘Mental Health Matters’, facilitated by Anna White from The Lighthouse Arabia, was among the highlights. Furthermore, Wellbeing Workshops covering topics like self-care, mindfulness, and managing exam stress were organized for students across the school. With guidance from our Counsellors, our Student Mental Health First Aiders and volunteers from the Big Brother Big Sister Scheme have supported students’ mental health across the school. Through a blend of hosting lunchtime clubs and providing personalised 1:1 wellbeing assistance, these initiatives have been greatly appreciated and have proven thoroughly enjoyable and beneficial to all involved parties. Furthermore, we have sustained our commitment to offering leadership roles to students as Wellbeing Ambassadors, building upon the remarkable legacy established by our predecessors for the last three years. These passionate Wellbeing Ambassadors continue to spearhead positive mental health initiatives across the school, guided by our Counsellors. Our overarching goal remains to destigmatize mental health challenges, encourage open expression of emotions, and emphasize the importance of self-care. We applaud the unwavering dedication of our Wellbeing Ambassadors, whose persistent endeavors play a pivotal role in nurturing a happier, healthier WIS community.
GEMS WELLINGTON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 42
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker