The school offers a number of specific programs to assist students with their learing and welfare needs.
Mentor programs
The mentor program was set up to provide support for all Year 11 students and to facilitate their transition to senior high school. Every Year 11 student has chosen a teacher to mentor them – someone they can readily approach if they have any concerns. This program can only succeed in a school like Randwick Boys High where the vast majority of teachers are willing to accept this additional mentoring role – to monitor and support a small group of students.
Selected staff may be approached to mentor a student experiencing difficulties.
Aboriginal mentors, including ex-students may be approached to assist Indigenous students who may be experiencing problems.
The mentor program has complimented and enhanced the school's welfare structures and processes. It has endeavoured to provide every student with a sense of connectedness and belonging. As a result, the learning and welfare outcomes of our senior students have improved. Research on resilience has clearly shown that attachment and belonging are the strongest antidotes to truancy, self harm, violence and substance abuse.
Drop everything and read
The drop everything and read program that operates each morning, except Wednesdays, during roll call provides a wonderful opportunity for boys to explore their interest in reading by choosing books that they find interesting and exciting to read.
The time spent reading in roll call adds up to over an hour each week, so if boys are conscientious about their reading, they can get through one or two books each term. As we know reading of any kind assists in a variety of areas – but as we try to convince the boys reading a good book can be one of the real joys of life.
The DEAR program also ensures a quiet and calm beginning for the school day for both staff and students.
Crossroads
Crossroads is a mandatory program covered in Year 11 at Randwick Boys High School.
The Crossroads program provides opportunities for students to extend their knowledge and skills in social issues.
It is a Personal development and health course and was developed to address some of the personal challenges that young people face such as exam pressures, learning to drive, decisions about the future and the pressure to use alcohol, tobacco or illicit drugs. The two main themes covered are relationships and alcohol and other drugs. Waverly Action for Youth Services (WAYS), Brainstorm Productions (in-school performances) and Head East (East Sydney Acquired Brain Injury Community Access Service) are the outside agencies that assist the staff of RBHS in delivering this program.
Friends for Youth
Friends for Youth is a program developed in response to the increase in anxiety disorders in teenagers. The program was developed in Australia by psychologists working in conjunction with schools. RBHS has a team of teachers trained in delivering the program to Year 9 students.
Friends for Youth promotes important personal development concepts such as self-esteem, problem-solving, self-expression and building positive relationships with peers and adu
Mind Matters
Mind Matters is a mental health resource and professional development program to support Australian secondary schools in promoting and protecting the social and emotional well being of school communities.
Mind Matters uses a whole school approach to promoting mental health. The program aims to enhance the development of school environments where young people feel safe, valued, engaged and purposeful.
Sticks and Stones
Sticks and Stones is an in-school performance presented by Brainstorm Productions.
The production involves two energetic young performers who explore the different forms of aggression and intimidation amongst groups and between individual students.
Sticks and Stones provides strategies for conflict resolution, anger management, assertiveness and breaking the cycle of violence at school and at home.
School yard scenarios are used to encourage students to have empathy for victims, and to understand that bullying of any kind is not acceptable.
Verbal Combat
Verbal Combat is a play about bullying and harassment. The performance makes it clear to students that certain behaviour (such as excluding people, spreading rumours and sending unwanted text messages or emails) is in fact bullying and will not be tolerated at our school.
This is an entertaining way to promote discussion and give students strategies to avoid being a bully or a target.
Wired – Year 11
Two adolescents with extremes of behaviours, metabolism, hormones, goals and perspectives are spiralling in different directions – one into stress and overload, the other into depression. Tailor made for senior students, WIRED uses music, a clever script and thoroughly believable characters to encourage balance and positive self talk
Cheap Thrills – Year 11
The performance "Cheap Thrills" is a fast-paced one man show that looks at that split second when we reach a crossroad, make a choice, take a risk and possibly change our lives forever. It looks at the real effects of alcohol and marijuana. It is an entertaining way to promote discussion and help students think of the consequences of drug taking.