Catholic Identity & Values

  • at the heart of all we do at Galen Catholic College
  • presents a contemporary understanding of faith which energizes and inspires a deep understanding of ourselves, of life and of our relationship with God
  • commits to community and to spirituality
  • develop a recontextualized prayer strategy
  • takes Jesus and the Gospel seriously and uses explicit Christian language and symbols

What is FIRST?

FIRST is a whole school behavioural framework. It is a pro-active approach which emphasises respect through explicit teaching of acceptable behaviours; both in and outside the classroom. Through the prevention of problematic behaviours more time is spent fostering positive learning environments which lead to improved academic and social performance.

Why FIRST?

FIRST speaks to our College values: be living witnesses of our Catholic story; be self-aware, confident and compassionate; take an active and positive place in the world; have an enduring curiosity and love of learning; know that we are stewards of our world.

FIRST strengthens the students’ relationships with themselves, teachers, peers and families and provides a welcoming atmosphere which promotes a safe and supportive learning environment and fosters curiosity.

As a Catholic community our view is to educate the whole person. This holistic approach not only focuses on the academics, but promotes social emotional wellbeing throughout the entire school community. The community values all individuals, and the FIRST approach promotes this, not merely through acceptance but targeted teaching, which focuses on the strength of the individual.

The FIRST behaviour expectations Grid can be downloaded here and viewed below.

Please click here to see the Tier 1 Support Strategies.