Team Bonding Day: Elevated Spirits and Mutual Appreciation
On July 11th, the staff of Notre Dame came together for their annual Retreat and Wellbeing Day. The day was filled with activities designed to foster a culture of gratitude and appreciation, encourage positive outlooks, and strengthen social connections within the school community.
The theme for this year's retreat was 'joy and gratitude', chosen by the chaplaincy group and reflecting the life of St Julie Billiart, the founder of the Notre Dame order of the sisters. The day began with a shared lunch, followed by the 'Three Good Things' activity, a gratitude exercise that has been shown to increase positivity, optimism, and emotional resilience among individuals [2][3]. Staff were asked to select something meaningful from the student responses, sharing their own experiences and expressing their support for the retreat concept.
Sophie Simpson from SSD Dance and Wellbeing led a dance class for staff, providing an opportunity for them to let loose and enjoy themselves. Justine Barlow, the Principal, encouraged students to write a prayer or reflect on what brings them joy. Another student expressed gratitude for God's faithfulness despite personal unfaithfulness and the peace in their life and family, while another described joy as finding fun in everyday activities and making the most of what one has.
Staff had choices for wellbeing activities such as touch rugby, bootcamp, summer reading, creative writing, home fermentation, line dancing, wellbeing planting, a FIFA tournament, a walk through Hyde Park, and a gel nail activity. A variety of students responded, representing different faiths and none.
Lay Chaplain, Agnes Colantuoni, led a short liturgy, and The Examen exercise was led by Maria Coyle. The day ended with the Notre Dame quiz led by Steve Johnston, Head of Digital.
Overall, the retreat provided an opportunity for staff to reflect on and discuss what brings them joy and what they are grateful for. By implementing the 'Three Good Things' activity and other positive psychology interventions, Notre Dame is working to support student mental health, foster positive outlooks, and strengthen social connections in educational environments [2][3][4].
- During the retreat, Justine Barlow, the Principal, encouraged students to write about what brings them joy, demonstrating how the school is promoting education-and-self-development and personal-growth.
- Alongside the 'Three Good Things' activity, Notre Dame offered a range of wellbeing activities including home-and-garden class on home fermentation, aiming to support a lifestyle that prioritizes wellbeing and self-care.
