Mindfulness for the whole school community
The Reciprocal Relationship between Positive Education and Highly Effective Teaching Practices
Warren Symonds, Jenni Cook and Penny Collins, Mt Barker High School, SA

Biography: Warren Symonds is PESA Board member and also holds the position as PESA Treasure. He is an experienced educator and has worked in Department for Education in South Australia since 1987. His teaching experience has varied from small Area Schools through to large metropolitan High Schools. For the past nine years Warren has been the Principal of Mount Barker High School situated in one of the fastest growing cities in Australia. During this time he has initiated Mount Barker High Schools introduction of Positive Psychology into a whole school approach. This concept was expanded into the Mount Barker community and 8 primary schools to improve the wellbeing of over 3000 children and young people across the Adelaide Hills. Professor Martin Seligman has referred to the approaches being used at Mount Barker High School as being a world’s first and at the cutting edge of teaching Positive Education to a whole school community. Warren has also been an active member of ACEL supporting the development of leadership with a focus on leader’s wellbeing. He was the recipient of the 2017 ACEL SA Educational Leadership Medal and the ACEL National Fellowship award. He is currently the ACEL SA Branch President and holds the position as a Director on the ACEL National Board.

Biography: Jenni Cook is Deputy Principal at Mount Barker High School with a focus on Student Wellbeing and Services. She has led Positive Education at Mount Barker High School since 2013, runs workshops for other schools in embedding Positive Education, and has regularly presented at State and National PESA and wellbeing conferences. Jenni is currently completing a doctorate with a focus on teachers' experiences as a school embeds Positive Education.