Work Type: Ongoing - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Classroom Teacher - Range 2
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Hume - Wangaratta
Reference: 1531485
Location Profile
Wangaratta District Specialist School is a multi-mode specialist school catering for students with mild to severe intellectual and associated disabilities from five to eighteen years of age. We strive to provide a purposeful, comprehensive learning environment meeting the social, emotional and educational requirements of every student.
More than 80 Teaching, Educational Support, wellbeing and Allied Health staff are passionately committed to working with families, carers, specialists, relevant outside agencies and the local community to ensure students achieve their maximum potential and targeted educational outcomes. Enrolment continues to increase with fervour. The 2026 school year began with 160 students enrolled.
WDSS is located in the Rural City of Wangaratta and as of the beginning of 2025, a second campus will also be located in the Rural city of Benalla. The school services the Benalla, Myrtleford, Ovens and King Valleys, Rutherglen, Wahgunyah, and Wangaratta districts. six buses transport students from within Wangaratta and the many towns in surrounding districts.
The school¿s philosophy is reflected in its motto, `Together We Will¿. This is based on the belief that children learn best in a co-operative environment that is happy, challenging, supportive and non-threatening. Strong and respectful relationships between all members of the school community are encouraged as is the active involvement and participation of students, staff, parents, caregivers, volunteers and the wider school community. This is reflected in the strong relationship the school has with all its stakeholders and the high regard with which the school is held in the wider community.
Currently the Wangaratta campus is organised as a junior, middle and senior school, with 20 classrooms grouping students based on a variety of criteria, with a view towards helping students achieve short term goals as stepping stones towards a long-term post school outcome. Class sizes vary from 5 students to 12 students and are staffed according to the student need in each classroom.
From Term 1, 2025, the Benalla campus will run with students aged 5 -15 years with the senior students accessing the VPC from the Wangaratta Campus.
All students have an individual learning plan established in consultation with parents and relevant professionals. In the last three years of school the focus is on transition to adult programs, and this includes work experience, participation in TAFE programs and increased responsibility around the school and community.
· SC2 `Teaching practice¿. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to mental health, wellbeing or learning.
· SC3 `Assessment and reporting of student learning¿. Demonstrated ability to support a student¿s mental health, wellbeing or learning by developing and maintaining connection with external services.
· SC4 `Interaction with the school community¿. Demonstrated high level interpersonal skills and communication skills. Demonstrated high level of capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, other employees and the broader school community to focus on student learning, wellbeing and engagement.
The Department of Education and Training has been piloting the Mental Health in Primary Schools program in Victorian schools since 2020 in partnership with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. Evaluation of this pilot program has shown that 95 per cent of Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders consider the Mental Health in Primary Schools model has improved their school¿s capacity to support students¿ mental health and wellbeing needs.
Participating schools receive funding to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, a qualified teacher, to work across the school to implement a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, staff and families based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.
The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:
· build capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention),
· provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs,
· establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress.
The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context-relevant programs, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders are provided training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and receive ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Communities of Practice. Training is developed and facilitated by the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children¿s Research Institute.
Operating in collaboration with their school, leadership and wellbeing team where relevant, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader will:
· Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families
· Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence-based mental health strategies, interventions and programs and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns.
· Collaborate with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing. Provide support to schools staff and classroom teachers to build their capabilities to embed mental health into the classroom.
· Work with school leadership and wellbeing teams to embed whole school approaches to mental health into school planning and strategic processes. Coordinate clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention.
· Proactively work with and support regional staff, school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students.
· Contribute to the school¿s existing wellbeing team.
Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
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.
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
· Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.
· Candidates are advised that the key selection criteria must be addressed. Visit http://www.careers.vic.gov.au/vacancies/tips-for-applying for guidelines and tips for applying for government positions and addressing key selection criteria.
· All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
· Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New DET employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.
· If appointed from outside DET, successful applicants will be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.
· Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
· Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
· A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided. Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department¿s Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages.default.aspx
· To support DET's commitment to its Environmental Management System, DET employees are expected to act in an environmentally responsible manner at all times.
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.