Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4
Occupation: Education and training
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: 1493787
VISION
The vision of the school community encompasses a commitment to achieving excellence in education for students with additional learning needs through a curriculum which integrates learning technologies with best practice in teaching and learning.
VALUES
The values embraced by the school community are:
- Respect
- Personal Best
- Inclusion
- Cooperation
- Honesty
These values are imbedded in the Student Code of Conduct and the Staff, Principal and School Council Codes of Practice.
CONTEXT
Located in Bundoora, a northern suburb of Melbourne, on two campuses, Concord is a specialist school which caters for students with mild intellectual disability between the ages of 5 and 18 years. Students come from a wide geographical area and a diverse socio-economic background. The Watsonia Campus caters for students aged between 5 and 9 years of age. The Bundoora Campus caters for 9 to 18 year old students. Both campuses are situated in attractive, well maintained grounds with excellent facilities which include:
- Discovery Centre
- Fully equipped gymnasium
- Food Technology Centre
- Art and Craft room
- Well-resourced library
- Physical Education & Performing Arts Centre
- Six school excursion buses
- Comprehensive and innovative eLearning facilities and resources
- Modern playground equipment
- Shaded outdoor playing areas
The school, with 150 teaching and ancillary staff, has a current enrolment of 430 students. Enrolment is dependent on eligibility criteria as determined by the Department of Education. Concord School supports integration into or from mainstream schools. Support services available to parent/carers and students include access to educational psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and visiting teacher services. Intensive social competency programs also form part of the core curriculum across the school
Concord School is focused on student achievement and learning. Concord School is recognised as being a leader in the provision of education for students with additional learning needs and, as a specialist school, is highly regarded for its curriculum, learning technology programs and educational leadership.
The students are taught the mainstream Victorian Curriculum (Prep-Year 10) and VPC (Year 11-12) curriculum however the educational pathway of each student is specifically tailored, through the use of Individual Learning Plans, to meet their targeted learning needs. The students are supported through extensive resourcing, small class sizes of 8-12, education support staff in each classroom and specialised staff including a school nurse, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and student wellbeing coordinators.
Concord School has a high level of commitment to a curriculum which integrates learning technologies with best practice in teaching and learning in order to enhance educational outcomes for our students. The Discovery Centre, a technology rich learning environment, has facilitated opportunities for our students, our staff and for staff from neighbouring schools. The Physical Education/Performing Arts Centre, Food Technology Centre and Library ensures our students have access to outstanding facilities and resources in these areas.
Staff members place a high priority on communication and work with parent/carers in Student Support Groups to communicate and discuss individual Student Learning Plans. These plans focus on the development of learning outcomes based on the course content of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. Student progress is closely monitored against these learning targets through extensive formal and informal assessment.
Student achievement is celebrated to promote increased self-esteem and self-confidence to assist students to become independent in their work and acknowledge participation at school. At Concord we expect that students will develop respect for others and achieve personal excellence.
The values of the school are promoted through all curriculum areas and emphasised through student responsibility areas such as the Student Representative Council and other student leadership programs.
Concord School provides many enrichment programs such as:
- Work Experience
- Travel Education
- Excursion / camping programs
- Swimming programs
- Inter school sport
- Electives
- Presentation Ball
- Perceptual motor program
- Annual Christmas concert, performing arts concerts and incursions
- Bike education
- Walkathon
- Footy Day
The school looks forward to continuing to meet the challenge of educating our students so that each can continue `To be The Best I Can Be'.
SC1 Qualifications and experience in child and/or youth counselling, social work or a relevant community health or welfare field.
SC2 Understanding of common approaches, theories, policies, programs and research relating to student wellbeing in an educational setting or with children who have an intellectual disability.
SC3 Demonstrated experience in the delivery of high quality student counselling, support and wellbeing initiatives in a school community.
SC4 Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively with members of the school community including families, carers and students.
SC5 Demonstrated commitment to professional development and the achievement of school goals in the areas of student engagement, wellbeing and transitions.
Range 4 is distinguished by broader management responsibility, particularly in the areas of finance, human resource and other support functions. Range 4 is responsible for managing a range of functions under a wide range of conditions, subject to the size and complexity of school operations.
Objectives will, generally, be clearly defined; guidelines will be broad and day-to-day direction minimal. Management responsibility extends to ensuring appropriate support levels are maintained across the school. Range 4 generally provides key support and timely advice to the leadership team and school council and liaises with the general school community, the Department and other government agencies and service providers.
Specialised professional roles will carry a high level of independence and accountability where suitable scope is provided to achieve objectives.
An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.
The Student Counsellors are responsible for the coordination and delivery of psychological and wellbeing services to their delegated sections
Key performance indicators
- Effective delivery of psychological or counselling services utilising a practitioner therapeutic model, founded on current research-based, evidence-based approaches
- Provision of assessments including psycho-educational assessments and report writing
- Initiate regular case planning meetings and case review meetings with all relevant parties and ensuring agreed adjustments to case plans are implemented
- Support staff at Concord School through the processes of mandatory notifications to Child Protection and/or SOCIT
- Provide individual or group-based counselling
- Provision of a range of direct and indirect services to the school population in accordance with the professional competencies, standards and ethical codes of relevant professional bodies for the delivery of psychological, counselling or case management services; and in accordance with guidelines set out by the DET and Concord School
- Provision of consultancy and information to students, teaching teams and parents with respect to new developments in psychology, mental health, interventions and community supports
- Liaison with government and non-governmental support agencies and services, and health specialists
- Participation and provision of active support in response to critical incidents and emergencies and related ongoing support for students in conjunction with the School Principal and Wellbeing teams, DET Emergency and Security Management Unit.
- Contribution to the development of effective policies and practices of a whole-school nature
- Training and development activities with student groups and with teacher groups
- In-house teamwork with: school wellbeing colleagues, other professionals, special educators, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, school nurse and other staff
- Liaison with DET Student Support Services (SSS) and other external agencies as part of effective management of caseload and timely response to referrals; coordinating referrals to SSS psychologists and social workers as required
- Maintenance of accurate and confidential file records in accordance with privacy and health records legislation, professional regulation requirements, and DET and Concord School protocols
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
This position is part time 0.6FTE and, attendance will be required 3 days per week.
Please ensure that your application includes:
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.