hkaVOICES - Spring 2018

supporting
student well-being and safe learning environments
by Kristel Solomon-Saleem
Hong Kong Academy’s commitment to student well-being comes
in many forms. We educate the whole child, taking into account
such factors as developmental readiness, socio-emotional wellbeing
and physical health. In this day and age, child well-being
also includes child protection. We all see the headlines in the
newspapers about incidents that can impact children’s safety,
and we all seek to ensure our children’s welfare in this complex
world in which we live.
they know their students particularly well and can be especially
responsive to students’ needs beyond classroom learning. The
overall goal is to ensure that students possess the tools of self
and social awareness to developing and sustain appropriate
interpersonal relationships. When students possess these skills,
they can move forward confidently as self-directed learners who
make responsible decisions.
When thinking about child safety, we recognise that we need to
take into consideration a number of factors. Research shows us
that being an effective self-advocate is an essential component
to children’s safety. Therefore, as we look at our commitment to
child well-being, we work proactively to teach students ways to
stay safe and effectively advocate for themselves. At the same
time, we as adults do our part to create a safe and captivating
learning environment.
To be effective self-advocates, students must be both selfaware
and equipped with the skills to express themselves
and seek appropriate help. To that end, in our Primary School,
our counsellor and teachers draw on Conflict Management
programmes to teach children how to assess problems and ask
a trusted adult for help when necessary. They also learn to apply
their own strategies to fix problems. Being able to problem-solve
on their own has the added benefit of building self-esteem and
self-empowerment. Relatedly, students spend time with social
skills programmes that support and develop their skills for
building healthy relationships with those around them.
Across all age groups at HKA, our commitment to empowering
learners to pursue their individual pathways to success includes
a celebration of differences and self-identity. In the Secondary
School, self-awareness is a particular focus of the Advisory
Programme. The Advisory Programme is also a key part of our
helping students to feel comfortable with approaching an adult
for assistance. As Advisory teachers meet with students every day,
The digital age further adds to the need for this self-awareness
and understanding of digital wellness. Within the school
environment, our goal is to work together with students and
families to identify ways in which we can utilise technology in a
safe and beneficial way. To shape this conversation, we draw
on leading resources, such as Common Sense Media,
www.commonsensemedia.org, which teaches students about
their online presence and helps students and parents alike
navigate the seas of the cyber world.
In addition to proactively equipping our students with the most
effective tools for making decisions, it is also our responsibility
to create a safe and captivating learning environment. HKA has
developed a number of processes and protocols to support all of
our learners. Over the last two years, we created Child Protection
Guidelines that outline expectations for working with all children.
We continue to train and provide professional development for
all faculty and staff who are affiliated with HKA. Most recently we
engaged an external consultant from the JANE Group to review
our protocols and documentation to ensure we are putting all the
appropriate structures in place to keep our children safe.
As we move forward on this journey as a school, we recognise
that our work will always be ongoing to ensure that we are
responding appropriately and effectively to our changing world.
We look forward to not only working with our HKA families but our
community at large, so that we might set a standard for protecting
and empowering all of our learners.
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