Herlufsholm focuses on student well-being
07/6-2018Herlufsholm has a special focus on student welfare.
In society as a whole, we recognize a general need amongst young people to debate well-being, behavior and their place in society. In collaboration with parents and external partners, we have therefore implemented a series of initiatives to address this growing demand.
Herlufsholm skole is constantly developing to sustain itself as a modern educational institution with a high academic level. One of the cornerstones is a continuing focus on subjects that are crucial to the students´ cultural and moral education and well-being.
The initiatives launched during the last year are a natural result of the school´s profile and values.
Examples of activities relating to well-being during the academic year 2018/19
- Increased counseling for staff and students
In 2017 Herlufsholm employed a welfare officer with the aim of counseling students and staff, arranging activities to enhance welfare. The school´s readiness to respond to psychological issues has been improved in order to be able to offer special professional insight when needed.
Student welfare and social interaction are integral parts of discussions amongst staff at Herlufsholm kostskole and annual welfare investigations are conducted. Both boarders and day students participate in anonymous surveys that allow them to point out possible issues and potential focus points.
Herlufsholm takes bullying very seriously and has launched an anti-bullying strategy this year. Along with the existing conflict policy, it aims at creating a safe and tolerant environment. Read the anti-bullying strategy here: https://herlufsholm.dk/media/7075/herlufsholm-antimobbestrategi.pdf
or the conflict policy here: https://herlufsholm.dk/media/6991/konfliktpolitik.pdf
- Behavior on the social media
Herlufsholm has had a visit from Center for digital dannelse. We wish to address the framework for the students´ daily online activities by ensuring that the students gain the wherewithal to navigate the digital world and acquire a clear understanding of the boundaries of online behavior; including what is illegal with regard to the sharing of images.
Herlufsholm has published a student folder about the rights and ethics in relation to sharing pictures and films. In this, it is made clear that student behavior online is subjected to the school´s general guidelines for proper conduct and companionship. See the folder here: https://herlufsholm.dk/media/7023/digitale-dannelse.pdf
Herlufsholm has hosted an event for parents about children´s digital life and welfare with an introduction by Børns Vilkår. The focus of the evening was to prepare the parents to understand and handle their children´s behavior on social media including the parents´ part in preventing struggle.
Read more about the introduction here: https://herlufsholm.dk/media/7023/digitale-dannelse.pdf
- The use of alcohol and drugs
Herlufsholm has looked closely at the alcohol culture amongst young people and has adapted the guidelines for alcohol consumption at school events.
Year 8 and 9 have worked with the topic smoking and drugs and have been visited by two nurses from Slagelse Kommune who talked about the consequences of smoking, including the social aspect and the health risk. A special focus was placed on the use of snuff, a recent trend among teenagers.
Carl Christian Randow gave a talk on alcohol and drugs to year 9 and 10, Upper Middle School and IB. He paid special attention to the Danish party culture and the road to addiction. Read more about the content of the speech here: http://alkohol-coach.com/foredrag/
- Sexuality and relations
During project days, year 8 highlighted youth culture and sexuality and the subjects´ identity and boundaries. Read more about the Uge Sex Campaign here: https://www.underviserportal.dk/grundskole/uge-sex-i-grundskolen/uge-sex-i-grundskolen/
All 1.g classes have worked with the topic “Sex in week 6”. This academic year, the focus was on the body, including the way the media influences body image and self-confidence, the differences of the body, development and movement and norms and body concerns.