At Corio Campus, we offer a comprehensive and interconnected network of care for our students so that their health and wellbeing needs are fully supported.
In order to ensure the best possible health care for each student, it is important that parents communicate to the Kennedy Health Centre and Head of House any health and wellbeing considerations for their child, in particular any ongoing health matters and/or medication that their child has been prescribed. The Kennedy Health Centre, House Assistant or Head of House should also be notified if any new medication has been prescribed or the student has suffered an illness during the school holidays.
Kennedy Health Centre
The Kennedy Health Centre is an on-campus clinic, open 24 hours during the school term. Students with minor ailments will be treated by staff in the house, and all other matters will be referred to the Kennedy Health Centre where qualified staff are always available throughout the day and night.
Boarding students have access to the GP clinic and physiotherapy service that are offered through the Centre. The Kennedy Health Centre has the capacity to accommodate nine students if a student requires overnight care or observation during the day.
Appointments can be made through the House Assistant/Head of House, or directly to Kennedy Health Centre via phone or email. Parents are encouraged to have private health insurance and ambulance cover in the State of Victoria in case a student requires hospital care for serious injury or illness. Students who have a student visa must have Overseas Student Health Cover.
Kennedy Health Centre:
T: +61 3 5273 9302 E: KennedyM@ggs.vic.edu.au
Counselling services
Student counselling support is available to students in the Kennedy Health Centre with our qualified team of psychologists and counsellors. This is a confidential service offered from Monday to Friday and available to all students and families to help identify and support educational, behavioural, emotional, psychological, social and developmental concerns.
Our professional team has a detailed understanding of the complex needs of our learning community and can assist in supporting through transition and adjustment difficulties, stress and anxiety, sleep issues, family issues, friendships and relationships, Indigenous support, gender diversity, sexuality, self-confidence, low mood and other matters that can arise through adolescence.
Students do not require parent permission to access School Counselling and it is a free service. For ongoing counselling needs, it is the School’s policy for families to acquire the services of external health professionals. This allows for continuity of health services during school holidays as well as when students have graduated from school and require the ongoing care from external health professionals. Please refer to the School Health Centres Policy, available in Hive, for further information.
Appointments with counsellors can be made through the Head of House by the student or parent/guardian, or through the Kennedy Health Centre via phone or email.
Student Counselling Services:
T: +61 3 5273 9302 E: KennedyM@ggs.vic.edu.au
Dental and orthodontist appointments
Regular medical and dental appointments should be restricted to holidays or after class so that interruption to schooling is kept to a minimum.
Medicines
Students are not permitted to self-medicate. All prescription and non-prescription medicines that are brought to school must be handed in to the House Assistant or Head of House. This includes pain relief medication such as Panadol as well as vitamins. Medicine is administered either by a member of house staff or the Kennedy Health Centre, with a record of dosage maintained.
Sleep
Sleep allows students to gather the physical and mental ‘recharge’ needed to participate in a busy school life. On weekends and exeats, students must be mindful of the need for sleep. Late nights establish a sleep debt which is difficult to overcome. The consequences of this seriously reduce a student’s capacity to productively manage academic and co-curricular activities. There needs to be a general acceptance by students that having the right amount of sleep is important, and we encourage parents to discuss this with their children.
Sun safety
Exposure to the sun during childhood and adolescence significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer in later life. Students must ensure that they avoid unnecessary harmful exposure to the sun and wear appropriate protection when exposed to the sun, including:
– Shirt (long-sleeved if possible)
– Hat (wide-brimmed) or GGS cap for specific sports — compulsory for sport and PE lessons
– Sunglasses (close-fitting)
– Sunscreen
Note: hats, caps and sunscreen are available from the GGS Shop
Swim safety
All new students to GGS or previously untested swimmers are required to complete a water safety competency check to enable them to participate safely in water-based activities, camps and excursions. Swimming lessons can be arranged for those students who do not pass the test. Students who do not pass the test are able to arrange swimming lessons by liaising with the Sports Office team. Students with an RLSS Bronze Star or Swim and Survive Award may be exempt.