Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4
Occupation: Education and training
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: 1514679
Virtual School Victoria (VSV) is the state's leading virtual school, offering 280 semester-based courses online, including VCE subjects. With an annual enrolment in excess of 7000 students from Foundation to Year 12, VSV is the largest state government school in Victoria. Around 2700 students are enrolled full time, while around 4300 students, most in Year 11 and 12, complete subjects with VSV while based in other schools.
The VSV student cohort is both diverse and unique. We provide education to:
¿ school-based students who do not have access to the courses they need in their own school
¿ children and young people with chronic physical and mental health circumstances that make it difficult for them to attend mainstream schooling
¿ young people involved in elite level sports and performing arts
¿ children and young people who are travelling within Victoria, around Australia or overseas
¿ young adults wanting to complete their education in a way that they find engaging
¿ remote, rural and regional children and young people who, due to distance, cannot attend a local school.
In addition to offering a host of teaching and learning courses approved by the VCAA, our specialist teachers provide students with individualised learning and support. VSV teachers are dedicated to building the confidence and resilience of each and every student. Like any school, our teachers regularly support and interact with students, but they do so in a different way to most schools: they do so virtually.
A Learning Advisor role is undertaken by all teachers as a core element of their teaching position at VSV. The overall aim of the role is to connect with and encourage students to belong to the VSV school community in order to optimise their student engagement, learning and wellbeing outcomes. Building positive relationships with students, their family support network and, where appropriate, their health practitioner, in an encouraging, friendly and supportive manner is crucial when teaching in a virtual school. The Learning Advisor role also involves team teaching the Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) program to students in Year 7 to Year 10.
VSV¿s four core school values of Growth, Empathy, Respect and Collaboration guide our vision and underpin our interactions with students, parents/carers and staff. VSV is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment using a trauma informed approach based on the Making SPACE for Learning model. SPACE is an acronym for the 5 basic principles of trauma informed practice at VSV. These elements help teachers respond to the needs of all students but especially for those who have experienced trauma.
Learning and Teaching at Virtual School Victoria is informed by the Pedagogical Model for Online Learning and Quality Assurance Frameworks for Course Development and Teaching Online. A recent School Review confirmed our pedagogical model and quality assurance frameworks strengthened the school¿s role as a system leader and built on our goal of consistently providing high-quality and targeted teacher practice. Authentic, real-time, interactive learning is a key to teaching at VSV. Teachers develop engaging learning materials and utilise VSVOnline, our Moodle based Learning Management System, to create synchronous and asynchronous collaborative teaching and learning opportunities for students.
VSV students learn by taking part in online collaborative and interactive activities, communicating and interacting with other students and by receiving personalised support and feedback from their teachers. Students participate in active learning targeted to their needs. Teachers use purposeful ongoing assessment strategies to ensure continuous student progress. Data forms an important component in this process and guides personalisation and changes to student learning programs.
Our vision is to see VSV as a system leader in online, virtual and blended learning: sharing our knowledge and expertise, and leading system conversations around digital learning. VSV aims to lead a community of practice that will evolve and strengthen digital learning in Victoria, and positively influence and support other schools to develop in this space.
Currently VSV is implementing the Government¿s Expanding the VCE into Rural and Regional Victoria Initiative. As a result, VSV now delivers all of the VCAA VCE Studies Units 1 - 4. VSV delivers the Victorian High Ability Program (VHAP) which is an intensive 10 week online course to high performing students in Years 5 ¿ 8 as part of the Department of Education¿s Student Excellence Program. VSV also operates Bellum Bellum, a regional hub offering blended learning opportunities to VCE students in the Gippsland Region.
VSV has a large Education Support staff which includes teams in Administration, Enrolment, Online Team, Wellbeing and Inclusion.
The VSV staff work mostly in teams. As such it is important that all staff demonstrate effective teamwork. In particular, staff must be collaborative, cooperative and recognise the value of others¿ contributions with a view to delivering the best outcomes for students and VSV as a whole.
A tertiary qualification in an Allied Health field (social work/youth work/mental health/psychology/ other) is mandatory.
1. Demonstrated high level knowledge of relevant policy context, evidence based approaches, programs and research relating to child and adolescent health and development.
2. A demonstrated capacity to effectively implement and manage intervention strategies that address advanced and complex cases including critical incidents and those involving cross-profession or agency collaboration.
3. Demonstrated high level organisational, communication and inter-personal skills including the ability to work effectively with children and young people, parents/carers and teachers as well as professionals in the education and health systems.
4. Demonstrated capacity to successfully develop, lead and manage programs in a blended learning environment that meet the identified needs of vulnerable students and parents/ carers.
5. A demonstrated capacity to deliver professional learning to teachers and a commitment to ongoing professional learning in order to enhance student wellbeing in a school setting.
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 Allied Health professional - Student Wellbeing Coordinator will be a member of the Student Wellbeing & Inclusion Team at Virtual School Victoria and accountable to the Principal through the Assistant Principal, Student Engagement and Wellbeing.
The Allied Health professional will work with the Student Wellbeing & Inclusion teams under the direction of the Student Wellbeing Team Leader to provide:
Case management support:
¿ Respond to student wellbeing consultations and referrals in collaboration with the Team by undertaking assessment, developing clear plans and engaging all stakeholders in the implementation of support strategies.
¿ Liaise with Department of Education regional and school-based Health Wellbeing and Engagement staff and with external agencies, as appropriate, to provide support, advocacy, referral and information as required for assessment and/or ongoing case management.
¿ Maintain comprehensive and confidential data collection and records related to student case management plans.
¿ Support the development of mandated Individual Education Plans (IEPs); Convene and participate in Student Learning Action Meetings (SLAMs) and Student Support Groups (SSGs) as required.
Staff consultation and Professional Learning:
¿ Provide consultation, advice and guidance to teachers in undertaking their role of Learning Advisor with students.
¿ Assist in the provision of appropriate professional learning and/or organisation of external consultants to meet staff needs in the area of student wellbeing.
¿ Compile and maintain resources on student wellbeing and mental health; promoting availability to teachers.
Whole school wellbeing guidance and programs
¿ Participate in Wellbeing & Inclusion Team planning and review of evidence to inform Virtual School Victoria Student Wellbeing, Inclusion and Engagement policy, procedure and program responses
¿ Participate in planning and delivery of whole school, evidence-based wellbeing initiatives developed through the Health Promoting Schools work plan and priorities that are consistent with the Annual Implementation Plan.
¿ Contribute to the development and delivery of targeted programs with students and parents/carers, including preparing submissions to funding bodies and planning, implementing and evaluating these programs.
¿ Provide school level advice related to areas such as mental health, drug education, mandatory reporting, critical incidents and suicide prevention.
¿ Develop and maintain networks with relevant youth and community agencies to assist young people and their parents/carers in gaining access to services.
Colleagues/ Teams:
¿ The Student Wellbeing Coordinator will be an integral member of the Wellbeing & Inclusion Team.
¿ Wellbeing & Inclusion Team members will work in close collaboration with Sub School Leaders and Leading Teachers: Student Engagement and with Learning Specialists Literacy / Numeracy / Special and Inclusive Education to deliver coordinated responses to students
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of 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
VSV employs a hybrid rostering system of remote and onsite work. The successful applicant will be required to work onsite at Virtual School Victoria, 315 Clarendon Street, Thornbury on their rostered onsite day(s).
The successful applicant must have current Working with Children Check and hold a current Victorian drivers licence.
Virtual School Victoria utilises its own Student Database, not CASES21 Administration. Training will be provided.
Prospective applicants are advised to visit the Virtual School Victoria website www.vsv.vic.edu.au
Applications should be prepared in a standard font, preferably Arial or Calibri, at size 11 or 12. Pages should be single sided and have well delineated sections using clear headings.
Applicants are advised to include:
1. A cover sheet providing the name of the applicant, record number (where applicable), home and email address, telephone number and a telephone number where the applicant can be contacted during business hours.
2. A specific response to each of the five selection criteria of no more than one page per criterion.
3. A separate curriculum vitae that is a summary of experience and qualifications.
4. The names of three referees including contact details, work and mobile phone numbers, email address, current position and relationship to the applicant, and a short explanation as to which selection criteria each referee can best comment on
Late applications will not be considered.