1.     Part 1 – Strategies and Plans to Ensure Student Wellbeing in School

            Two strategic goals that should be included on the agenda of a school curriculum in order to ensure student wellbeing in the school are the provision of counseling services and the inclusion of extra-curricular activities as part of the school curriculum. Both are very important as these ensure that students can grow and develop in the best possible way during the years in school, attaining maturity both physically as well as mentally, and becoming more progressive and tolerant in their outlook to life.

1.1.           Milestones for the Strategies and Goals to Ensure Student Wellbeing in School

            The first important milestone for the counseling services that are to be given to students at the school in order to ensure their wellbeing is to detect whether students in the class who are moody or who keep few friends or who stay away from class for the most part. The provision of adequate counseling services implies that students can speak to school counselors in order to overcome personal problems and challenges that they may be faced with in the home such as depression, separation among parents, loneliness etc. The success of counseling services would be reflected in students of the school attending classes on time and regularly instead of remaining away from the school. The success rate of counseling services can also be gauged from how happy students appear to be when they are in the class or if they are paying enough attention to what is being taught or not. A clear sign of depression among students is the lack of attentiveness in addition to boredom and disinterest, all of which are not likely to remain present if students are being counseled adequately in order to combat the personal and other problems and challenges that they may be faced with in life.

            The second important milestone for the counseling services which need to be made available to school students in order to ensure their mental wellbeing in school is to see how successfully students are being able to perform in the class. If students are doing well in class, or at least better than how they would fare before the counseling services were provided, then this would mean that the counseling facilities made available to the students are effective. Counseling can be effective for a student only if the student is able to fight his or her problems in life and pay attention in class and do well in the class. Hence over and above factors like student demeanor or student attendance and attentiveness in class, the ability of students to do well in their subjects, will also be a clear cut indication of whether the counseling facilities being given to the students are working in their favor or not. Student success rate in class tests and exams will also be another milestone therefore of the counseling measures being taken to improve and ensure student wellbeing.

            When it comes to the provision of extra-curricular activities to ensure student wellbeing, the first important milestone that will be considered to see whether the activities are proving to be a success or not, will depend on how many students in the school sign up for the extracurricular activities in the first place. Examples of the type of extracurricular activities that ought to form a part of the school curriculum for the purpose of ensuring student wellbeing are games like table tennis, regular tennis, soccer, basketball and activities like dancing, singing and fitness. All of these activities are certain to rouse the interest and the attention of students of all ages in the school, especially for students who are in middle school and in the high school. It will get them to come to school regularly and enjoy themselves while they are in school. Of course to partake in the activities, students will have to sign up for them first. If, at the end of six months of introducing the extracurricular activities mentioned, it is seen that student attendance for all of these activities is high, or at least of a substantive number, then it can be concluded that the extracurricular activities being provided to ensure student wellbeing are successful and are working in favor of the students, making sure that they feel complete and happy while they are in school, instead of depressed, bored and detached from everything that is around them.

            Another important milestone for the inclusion of extracurricular activities in the student’s agenda to ensure student wellbeing is to see if students are able to strike a balance between their academic duties and responsibilities and extracurricular activities. The whole purpose of providing extracurricular activities is to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of students. Hence students who are able to derive pleasure out of their dancing and singing activities in school or the sporting activities that they take part in will also be able to do well academically, as they will be provided with a mental and emotional stimulation to take an interest in whatever they do at school. Extracurricular activities will prevent students from becoming satiated or saturated with whatever it is that they are learning in the class. It will provide them with the scope to vent their thoughts and feelings and channel their energies towards activities other than studies, which in turn implies, that students ought not to feel bored or saturated or dull when they come to class or perform their academic duties. The pleasure and the entertainment that students derive from their extracurricular activities is certain to give them the energy and the will that they need to do well  in the classroom, by at least paying attention to what is being taught in the class and doing well in class tests. If students start performing well in class exams and tests after an increased participation in extracurricular activities, it will mean that the extracurricular activities are working well to ensure student wellbeing in the school.

2.     Part 2 – Rationale and Justification

2.1.           Understanding how the Strategies and Plans are aligned with Frameworks for Student Wellbeing in Schools

The strategic goals and milestones of extracurricular activities and provision of counseling services are entirely in keeping with the frameworks for student wellbeing that are followed in most schools. Extracurricular activities like dancing, singing, debating as well as different types of sporting activities have traditionally been on the agenda of schools in different parts of the world. There is no school in the universe that does not want its students to grow and develop physically in addition to growing intellectually mature. Schools in any and every part of the world, the country of Australia notwithstanding, will want to provide students with recreational opportunities so that they find an interest to come to school in the first place. Hence the provision of different types of extracurricular activities like sports such as football and basketball and singing and dancing lessons can fit in nicely into the framework that is followed by a school to ensure wellbeing for its students (Aldrige et al., 2016). In fact, extracurricular activities like the ones that have been mentioned not only give students an interest in coming to school and staying in the school for long hours for the purpose of study and play but also gives them the scope to represent the school that they are enrolled in, in what is known as inter-school competitions and festivals. The fests give students the scope to showcase their talents in various types of extracurricular arts and crafts and do their school proud at the same given time (Anderson & Graham, 2016).

2.2.           Understanding how the Strategic Goals and Plans can ensure Student Wellbeing based on Evidence

Most schools in the world want to be regarded as student friendly destinations or at least places where students want to come and study instead of fearing the school environment and the faculty members who teach here. Yet it is important to remember that each and every student is different in terms of mindset and personality, and what works well for one particular student may not work well for another student. There are students who will get up and get dressed and come to school without being told to, because they love to study, to take part in extra-curricular activities and hang out with their friends. However, there are other students who are likely to be depressed and dejected and who will not want to come to school because they are scared of feeling alone, of being bullied, and of not being able to perform up to the mark in class. For such students, the provision of counseling services can prove to be very useful which is why academic and general counseling facilities are entirely in keeping with the frameworks for student wellbeing that are followed in most schools, both public as well as private. Counseling forms an important feature of school life in today’s day and age as counselors have a vital role to play in unraveling all the doubts and issues and psychological insecurities that students suffer from and which can keep them from performing well in the class, or enjoying school as a whole (Dudovitz et al., 2016).

Evidence has shown that students who attend counseling services in a school set up are students who do much better academically as well as in extracurricular activities compared to students who are not provided with counseling services. A student who is able to go to a counselor in the school premises and talk about the issues and problems that he or she may be facing at home, will be far better positioned to deal with his challenges and problems and overcome them than a student who may be going through problems at home but is not able to speak about it (Sletta et al., 2019). Counseling services offer students with the catharsis or outlet that is needed for the release of pent up energies, especially negative energies that can otherwise bog students down and keep them from performing well in class. Students who have to bear the burden of psychological issues and problems and are not given the opportunity to open up about such problems and issues are students who are likely to harbor feelings of anger and resentment. This anger and resentment can in turn impact their academic performance by a considerable degree, with some of these students not even wanting to come to school and attend classes in the first place. Counseling services will thus come to the aid of students and improve their marks or scores in class tests and exams, giving them the confidence they need to engage in healthy interactions with their peers, associates and teachers and giving them every incentive to attend school, do well in class and complete their education with decent if not flying colors (Simmons et al., 2015).

Similarly, the provision of extracurricular activities also serves evidence of the fact that students are capable of doing well in the class and are likely to have every incentive to come to school on a regular basis if they are given the opportunity to hone their skills and abilities and showcase their talents in the form of extra-curricular activities (Thomas et al., 2016). Students who engage in singing and dancing activities in the school on a regular basis or who take part in talent hunts and talent competitions are likely to feel motivated and encouraged to learn in the classroom as well. Since the extracurricular activities will give them the outlet that they need to release their creative energies, they will end up feeling satisfied and happy and this in turn will give them the motivation and zeal they require to pay attention in class and do well in academics too. It is also clear that a school which provides extracurricular activities in large numbers for students of all levels and all ages is a school that students are going to want to come up study at on a regular basis, not being absent unless required. This is because extracurricular activities give students a lot of enjoyment, it gives them the mental and physical boost needed to perform well and it gives the platform to show to their friends and peers what it is that they are good at, all of which ensure student physical and mental wellbeing in every possible way (Putwain et al., 2019).

2.3.           Importance of Involving Students in the Plans

It is important to involve students in the plan of counseling service provision because if students are not made to understand the importance of counseling and all the good in the world that this can do for them, they will not sign up for the counseling services. It is imperative for the school administration to make it known to the student population of the school that counseling services are going to be provided that will aim at removing their doubts and fears not only with regard to their academic performance but life in general (Morinaj & Hascher, 2019).   It is also crucial to make it known to the student population that the counseling services that they are going to be provided with, are services that are going to be made available to them for free and that they don’t have to pay a dime to attend such counseling services in the first place. Another important thing that needs to be made known to the students at the time of letting them know that counseling services are to be provided is to tell the students that the services will aim at helping them resolve their personal issues as well and not just issues related to academics or the course curriculum. If students understand that the counseling services are being made available for their personal and academic benefit both, they will want to attend these services in large numbers (Lingard et al., 2015).

Students have to of course be included in the extracurricular services that are provided to them as their participation in such activities will determine whether the school’s plan for ensuring the physical and mental wellbeing of students is working well or not. There are separate committees that need to be formed within the school set up that will take charge of organizing extracurricular activities in the school on a daily basis. The students should be provided with information about such classes and activities beforehand so that they are able to attend them and enjoy them as and when such classes take place. The students in a school also need to be asked to give their feedback about the extracurricular facilities that are being provided to them in order to understand if there are improvements or changes that need to be made in this respect. For instance, some students may not be happy with the way soccer is being taught in the school and some students may not like the way musical training is imparted (Kidger et al., 2016).  Active feedback must be sought from the students regarding all extracurricular activities introduced and provided so that students get to partake in such activities on a regular basis and have their needs, requirements and interests in these matters looked into. If students are happy with the extracurricular activities that take place in the school, they will enjoy these and their lessons at the same given time and will be happy learners overall (Kern et al., 2015).

2.4.           Understanding how Students can be Made to Participate in the Strategic Goals and Plans

The many different ways that students can be involved in the counseling services is to first send them a roster or schedule in which they are asked to mention the date on which they would like to avail the counseling services, after which they must be asked to list down what it is that they would like to talk to the school counselor about, that is, whether private or personal matters or academic matters, so that the counselor has the time to suitably prepare himself or herself for the type of questions that may be asked by the student during the counseling sessions (Johns et al., 2019). While counseling is not something that can be imposed upon the students, the students who do not mention their names on the counseling roster or show any interest in availing such counseling services, must be encouraged by their teachers to go ahead and to do if not implored for the same. It is the responsibility of the teachers in the class to make students understand of everything that they are about to gain if they sign up for counseling (Johns et al., 2019). Students who are troubled, who show signs of bad discipline or who appear to be angry and negative for the most part of the day, should be marked out by the teachers and approached individually. During such individual sessions, teachers have to make the students aware of the importance and benefits of student counseling so that the students become direct beneficiaries of the counseling services, and end up doing really well for themselves in class, and in life in general (Harding et al., 2019).

The most important way by which students can be made to be involved in the extracurricular activities that are provided in the school is to make at least one extracurricular activity compulsory for every student to attend. A series of extracurricular events should also be introduced or announced by the school prefects that will solicit the active participation of the students in such activities all around the year (Hughes et al., 2019). The more events there are, and there more competitions that take place, the more encourage will students feel to engage in such activities in the first place. Efforts can also be made by the school administration to announce exciting prizes and rewards for those who fare well in the extracurricular competitions so that students have every motive or every incentive to get involved in the extracurricular activities after class hours are over (Hughes, 2019).

Summary

            Thus, there are quite a few ways by which schools can introduce strategic objectives and plans for student wellbeing such as the provision of counseling services and increased number of extracurricular activities, giving students in the school every scope to grow and develop in the best ways possible.

References

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Anderson, D. L., & Graham, A. P. (2016). Improving student wellbeing: having a say at school. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 27(3), 348-366.

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