7-9 Disability Inclusion Leader

Point Cook College opened in January 2010 as the re-location of Point Cook Primary School. The College is located at 18-50 Ponsford Drive, Point Cook in the City of Wyndham.

As a College, we uphold high expectations of all and provide access to an education that is seamless from Prep right through to Year 9. Our College is divided into two sub schools, Junior School for Prep to Year 4 students, and Senior School for Year 5 to Year 9 students. Inspirational teaching and quality learning are the cornerstones of our school, and we have an outstanding team who support and challenge students to achieve their full potential. Staff provide a safe and stimulating learning environment for all students and work in collaborative teams to cater for the individual needs of all students. All teachers and support staff work hard to provide a teaching pedagogy reflective of 21st Century designs, including ICT rich environments and personalised learning for all students.

Point Cook College has exemplary programs and is seen as a prominent school in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy, STEM, and sport, together with Indonesian and Japanese languages, Visual Arts and Performing Arts. The curriculum and teaching strategies at our College encourage our students to have high expectations of themselves and their work, and to produce their best.

The Student Leadership systems at Point Cook College provide students from all year levels with leadership training and skill development, and there are many opportunities for students to experience positions of responsibility. Our students relish the opportunity to make decisions, take on responsibility and have an input into the direction of the College.

At Point Cook College we know that all students are different. We know that students thrive when provided with learning opportunities that recognise their needs and special abilities. Our High Achievers Program (HAP), offers Year 7-9 students a more advanced and challenging curriculum, which is closely aligned with their abilities. It emphasises higher-level thinking skills, problem-solving skills and academic achievement. The program allows students to progress through school with their peers, whilst ensuring they are provided with curriculum and extracurricular activities appropriate for their learning style that challenges them to further develop their talents and potential capacity.

The Point Cook College Athlete Development Program (ADP) is offered to students in Years 7-9. It is a complete sport education and training program that further develops students' physical and mental capacity both as athletes and learners. The program's key focus is development that inspires and challenges students to be the best they can be whilst exposing them to the requirements of an elite athlete. 

The wellbeing of our students and staff is of the utmost importance to us. We create a positive school climate, applying the philosophies of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) which allows us to respond positively to student behaviour. The high calibre Wellbeing team consists of social workers, counsellors, ES - Integration aides and DET SSSO staff who provide support and guidance for our students, staff and families.

Our state-of-the-art facility provides the very best in contemporary educational design and promotes active student-centered learning through the creation of adaptable, functional spaces. The school operates under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, as such the College has been financed, designed and constructed by the private sector to high contractual standards, allowing Principals and teachers to focus on student learning, rather than asset management.

The College is a designated Community Hub and we encourage community use. We offer programs through a partnership with the YMCA, Community Hub Australia and Cushman & Wakefield. The relationships between the staff, students, parents and the community are a fundamental strength of Point Cook College. Parent involvement and participation in a variety of College activities are a significant feature of our College life which we actively encourage and greatly value. There is a common community interest to work towards the provision of quality education for all students at Point Cook College.

SC1      Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to lead and manage the implementation of school priorities, and the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum.

SC2      Demonstrated ability to lead the planning and implementation of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.

SC3      Demonstrated exemplary ability to monitor and assess student learning at a class, cohort or whole-school level and use this data to lead improvement initiatives. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4      Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and leadership skills. Demonstrated ability to lead collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community focused on student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.

SC5      Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values and support colleagues to adopt these behaviours and attitudes. Demonstrated ability to reflect upon their own, others and whole-school practice and contribute to the provision of whole-school professional learning.

SC6      Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with students, families and services in the Program for Disability.

Leading teachers will be highly skilled classroom practitioners and undertake leadership and management roles commensurate with their salary range.  The role of leading teachers is to improve the skill, knowledge and performance of the teaching workforce in a school or group of schools and to improve the curriculum program of a school.

Typically, leading teachers are responsible for coordinating a number of staff to achieve improvements in teaching and learning which may involve the coordination and professional support of colleagues through modelling, collaborating and coaching and using processes that develop knowledge, practice and professional engagement in others.

Leading teachers are expected to lead and manage a significant area or function within the school with a high degree of independence to ensure the effective development, provision and evaluation of the school's education program.

Leading teachers will be expected to make a significant contribution to policy development relating to teaching and learning in the school. A leading teacher has a direct impact and influence on the achievement of the school goals.

Leading teachers are usually responsible for the implementation of one or more priorities contained in the school strategic plan.

In recognition of the importance of leadership and management combined with exemplary teaching practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the leading teachers may include but are not limited to:

• Leading and managing the implementation of whole-school improvement initiatives related to the school strategic plan and school priorities
• Leading and managing the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery;
• Leading and managing the provision of professional development and developing individual and team development plans for teaching staff within the priorities of the school;
• Leading and managing staff performance and development (review of staff);
• Teaching demonstration lessons;
• Leading and managing the development of the school's assessment and reporting policies and practices;
• Leading and managing the implementation of the school operations and policies related to student welfare and discipline;
• Leading the development of curriculum in a major learning area and participating in curriculum development in other areas;
• Responsibility for general discipline matters beyond the management of classroom teachers;
• Contributing to the overall leadership and management of the school;
• Contributing to the development of proposals for school council consideration;
• Developing and managing the school code of conduct.

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 of Education and Training 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.

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 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/protect/Pages/childsafestandards.aspx

The Department’s employees commit to upholding DET’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DET’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 DET values is available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.aspx

Position Description - Disability Inclusion Leader

Point Cook P-9 College is seeking to employ a 7-9 Disability Inclusion Leader (Leading Teacher). The 7-9 Disability Inclusion Leaders key role is to ensure students with disability and additional needs are engaged in education and meeting their learning goals. To do this they work collaboratively with the schools leadership, wellbeing staff and allied health team. They also work collaboratively with services/teams outside school, which may include Health and Wellbeing Inclusion Workforces, liaising with Student Support Services key contacts and external therapists. The 7-9 Disability Inclusion Leader plays a key role in coordinating the team around the learner.

The 7-9 Disability Inclusion Leader also plays a key role in the school¿s transition to Disability Inclusion, which will include supporting the organisation of Disability Inclusion Profile meetings, supporting teachers to identify students who may benefit from a profile meeting, and supporting school leadership to use Disability Inclusion funding to resource evidence based reasonable adjustments, for individual students and cohorts of students.

Disability Inclusion key responsibilities

• be an advocate and champion for students with disability and additional needs and work with school staff to implement strategies for supporting the education of these students
• play a key role in supporting students with disability and additional needs to make a smooth transition to school, ensuring there are effective arrangements in place for efficient transfer of information between services and school
• prioritise resources and time to identify and consider the needs of students with disability and additional needs
• have oversight of individual education plans (IEPs) across the school, and ensure the school meets obligations for students who are required to have an IEP
• ensure each student with disability and additional needs has a quality IEP, that meets at least level 2 of the IEP quality checklist rubric, through supporting/building capacity of teachers to develop quality IEPs
• ensure the student has a voice in setting learning targets during the IEP process
• determine whether other students with disability and additional needs could benefit from an IEP
• review school processes for student support groups, personalised goal setting and IEPs
• build staff capacity to understand, develop and implement IEPs
• collaborate with services working in the school to deliver adjustments to students
• promote a culture of high expectations and aspirations for the learning of students with disability or additional needs
• embed inclusion and disability expertise in strategic planning and recruitment practices of the school
• embed evidence-based inclusive education and human rights obligations into school policies and plans
• act as a source of advice for staff about differentiated teaching strategies appropriate for individual students with disability and with additional needs
• ensure full use of assessment for learning
• ensure parent(s)/carer(s) understand the importance of supporting learning at home 

Disability Inclusion specific process responsibilities

• lead contact for Disability Inclusion within years 7-9 at the school, for example for the Disability Inclusion Regional Implementation Team
• Manage the daily work of integration aides that work in classrooms supporting students
• promote the implementation of all elements of Disability Inclusion within years 7-9 at the school
• register students who require a profile meeting
• respond to any requests from facilitators for additional information
• ensure Disability Inclusion profile meetings are booked for all students who require profile meetings
• support school staff and the SSG to prepare and gather supporting information for Disability Inclusion profile meetings
• liaise with the school¿s Student Support Services key contact as required
• where required, support the most appropriate school staff to prepare the student and parent(s)/carer(s) to contribute to Disability Inclusion profile meetings
• ensure the establishment of student support groups (SSGs) for all students who may benefit from a Disability Inclusion profile meeting.

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• 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 be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.