Hi families!

For our new families here to Renmark High School, my name is Alicia Thackray and I am the Social Worker at Renmark High School. My role here is to support our students who are struggling with their wellbeing. I can meet one-on-one with students, facilitate groups and sometimes organise trainings for our amazing staff.

Two of the incredible groups I work with regularly are a year 8 girls group and the Renmark High School Pride Group.

The year 8 girls group meets weekly to learn vital life skills, discuss any concerns they have about friendships and relationships and all other aspects of being a teenager. Last week we spoke about the importance of having a balanced diet and the girls chose to make delicious fruit salads where some our girls tried different fruits for the first time.

The Renmark High School Pride Group is a lunch time group which runs every Friday where allies and those who identify as LGBTQIA+ can come together in a safe space to chat about life. Last term Pride Group raised an amazing $93 for the Riverland Youth Theatre’s Ally Program. On Friday 25 August, Renmark High School celebrated Wear it Purple Day. This day is an annual LGBTIQA+ awareness day, especially for young people based in Australia. Supporters wear purple to celebrate diversity and young people from the LGBTIQA+ community. Thank you to everyone who got involved.

This term I will also have the opportunity to take a group of year 11 students to the Riverland General Hospital to spend a day with a team of nurses, doctors, and support staff to participate in the Prevent Alcohol Related Trauma in Youth Program. This program aims to bring participants face-to-face with the consequences of risky decisions. The program is an up-front, true to life experience of the impact of trauma. The program emphasises that the choices they make can cause life-threatening injuries to themselves or others, which not only affects them, but you as their parent or caregiver and the rest of your family and friends.

As always, students and families can always get in contact with me via Daymap or by contacting the school on 8586 6974 if there are any issues students need support with.

Alicia Thackray
Social Worker