Inclusion Outreach Coach

Verney Road is a vibrant school of more than 245 students and 120 dedicated staff who work tirelessly to progress the whole child. The explicit teaching of Literacy and Numeracy are key priorities as are the development of independent living and learning skills. The Arts and Health & Physical Education are an integral part of the curriculum. Students attend VRS from 3 years of age in Early Education up to 18 years in VPC (Victorian Pathways Certificate).

Verney Road School is a modern facility which includes specially designed classrooms, along with a Art Room, Library, Sensory Room, Perceptual Motor Program Room, Multi-purpose Room, Home Crafts Room and large play areas.

Our student population comes from a wide geographical zone including Shepparton, Mooroopna, Numurkah, Murchison, Kyabram, Violet Town and Tatura Transport may be provided for all students who meet the criteria for our school.

Extra programs at the school include Riding for the Disabled (RDA), Swimming, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Massage Therapy, Speech Therapy, Integration, Home Crafts, Perceptual Motor Programs, Sensory Stimulation, Music Therapy.

Verney Road School is committed to providing an education for children and young people with a mild, moderate or severe intellectual disability from age 2.8 – 18 years.

Many students have multiple diagnoses of disability. These may include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Down Syndrome. Students can also present with sensory, physical impairment and challenging behaviours.

We have a strong learning ethos with a belief ‘that all children can learn.’ Individualised Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely, (SMART) goals and teaching strategies are developed with parents / carers using Individual Learning Plans, with high expectations for all learners.

Our goal is the promotion of positive student behaviour, communication skills, emotional wellbeing and maximising independence in daily life and learning.

Values

Be Safe – we are committed to the promotion of behaviours and creating environments that ensures the wellbeing of every member of the school community.

Be Respectful – we are committed to accepting each other as we are and valuing our strengths and differences.

Be Responsible – we are committed to supporting each other, for being accountable for our actions and encouraging all to achieve independence.

Be a Learner – we are committed to all members of our school community having a go at diverse learning opportunities and by reflecting on our mistakes and not giving up, we build success.

1. Demonstrated high level experience in inclusive education practice (teaching and learning), building school staff capability and developing processes for observation and feedback of teacher practice and peer collaboration.
2. Demonstrated experience planning, implementing and evaluating evidence-based intervention strategies for students with disabilities and providing feedback to teaching staff to inform their effectiveness and development.
3. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to teaching students with disability and diverse learning needs in a range of school settings.
4. Demonstrated ability to provide explicit advice to teaching staff to assess and monitor student achievement and learning progress in line with the Victorian curriculum, and support teaching staff with effective strategies to engage with parents and families, including reporting on student progress.
5. Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
6. Ability to provide leadership, professional learning and coaching that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people.

Context

The Disability Inclusion reform agenda announced in the 2020/21 State Budget will invest more than $1.5 billion into the Victorian Education system over four years. This investment will support the Department of Education (the Department) to further improve outcomes for schools and students with disability and diverse learning needs. A key initiative under the reform is the Inclusion Outreach Coaching initiative, which supports schools to implement inclusive practices, guided by Inclusion Outreach Coaches (Learning Specialists).

Classification

Teacher Class (Learning Specialist) - Range 3

The successful applicant will be a highly skilled classroom practitioner who continues to spend the majority of their time in schools and classrooms delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialist class employees are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons, and mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce.

For more information on the responsibilities of a Learning Specialist Range 3 employee, please visit:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/industrial-agreements/resources

Inclusion Outreach Coaches are based in specialist schools and partner with mainstream schools for defined periods, to provide coaching support to school leadership and staff aimed at strengthening inclusive practices. Coaches partner with the schools to increase their capability to implement preventative, evidence-based strategies that benefit all students. Together, the coach and school use data to identify a goal to work towards and plan and monitor for improvement and sustainability. Coaches collaborate with Departmental regional team members in a team-based response to the identified need. There is an emphasis on Tier 1 preventative, system change practices. Coaches do not work directly with students or provide individual student support. Coaches will undertake training to support schools in data-based decision making and using a Multi-tiered System of Supports. Coaches use a hybrid delivery model, so travel will be required.

1. Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice and modelling exemplary practice and values in inclusive education, to support the development of an inclusive school culture.
2. Delivering high quality, explicit technical advice and coaching support on best-practice for educators to effectively engage students in inclusive classrooms, so that they reach full participation.
3. Supporting the school-based leadership team to use whole-school data and establish processes and/or systems to help identify how to make and embed school-wide adjustments to develop a high performing, inclusive school culture that is conducive to delivering inclusive practices.
4. Playing a key role in implementing professional learning, including through coaching, and supporting schools to design, implement and monitor interventions delivered through a multi-tiered system of supports framework.
5. Modelling effective inclusive education whole school and classroom practices and supporting teachers to seek, analyse and act on feedback on their practice.
6. Providing leadership and professional learning to others, such as school leaders and teachers to help ensure quality inclusive practices are provided by schools to improve students’ learning and developmental outcomes.
7. Maintaining professional competence and attend ongoing professional learning, including attending professional development coaching activities throughout the year.
8. Maintaining active involvement in Inclusion Outreach Coaching Communities of Practice for educator and coaching workforces.
9. Collecting and analysing implementation and evaluation data of the Inclusion Outreach Coaching initiative and liaising with the Regional Inclusion Outreach Coordinator to respond to identified needs.

Additional Area Responsibilities

Operating in collaboration with the Department's Area teams, this role will also have the following Area responsibilities:

• Using rigorous problem-solving procedures to identify and respond to school and school-based staff need; and coaching others to do so.
• Delivering both inclusion in-reach and outreach models of support to ensure the adoption and effective implementation of inclusive practices across a range of school settings.
• Collecting, analysing and using data effectively to monitor and report the measurable impact of the inclusion in/outreach practices being implemented in collaboration with the Regional Inclusion Outreach Coordinator.
• Partnering and collaborating with other coaches and workforces within the Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion and School Improvement teams in a multidisciplinary approach.
• Maintaining connectedness and capability support within the hiring specialist school (equivalent to one day per week) through:

1. dedicated time to work with specialist school learning specialists and leadership teams
2. coaching educators in specialist school classrooms
3. attending specialist school meetings where appropriate
4. ensuring evidence-based inclusive education practices are embedded within the hiring specialist school.

Required

Applicants must:

• Currently hold registration or be 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.

Desirable

• A graduate or postgraduate qualification in special/inclusive education and/or disability.
• Experience in, or understanding across various school settings.
• Demonstrated experience in inclusive education.
• Demonstrated experience working with students with disabilities and diverse learning needs.

Other Relevant Information

• A current driver's licence is mandatory, and a capacity to access private transport with approved comprehensive insurance cover.
• Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New DE employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.

Please ensure that your application includes:

• A section that addresses the key selection criteria.
• A resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, email and telephone numbers.)  
• Names and contact details (telephone and email if possible) of two referees who are able to attest to the claims made in your application.

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.

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).

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants can contact Brett West, Yamatji man, in the Koorie Outcomes Division to talk about the recruitment process, the Department and supports for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the Department. Mobile: 0477 726 *** or email on: **********@education.vic.gov.au

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:

 Child Safe Standards: Policy | education.vic.gov.au

The Department’s employees commit to upholding DE’s Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. DE’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 DE values is available at:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/workm/Pages/Public-Sector-Values.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.