Language Assistant - Chinese

Reservoir High is a medium sized school of approximately 700 students that has proudly served the Reservoir, Preston, and Kingsbury communities since 1958. It is situated on the original Reservoir High School site on Plenty Road in Reservoir, with a mixture of original buildings and new purpose-built teaching and learning spaces. Reservoir High is a multi-campus school, hosting the Heidelberg Teaching Unit on its site. The school has state-of-the-art facilities including use of the Darebin Community Sports Stadium located on the school grounds, through a strategic partnership with Darebin Council. We have direct transport links to the CBD of Melbourne as well as to a wide range of tertiary education providers.

The school serves a richly diverse community and the multicultural nature of our community provides a depth and quality to the students¿ educational experiences.  The school has over 65 cultural, religious and language groups, a significant Koorie community and over 39% of our students have a language background other than English. Reservoir High School has a highly rigorous and academically stimulating Select Entry Accelerated Learning program and is an approved provider of education to International students, providing all learners with an enriched personalised program designed to ensure every individual reaches their full potential.We have been recognised as a top academically performing government and a `School that Excels¿ school due to our student achievement in both NAPLAN and VCE.

Reservoir High provides excellent educational outcomes for all students in a positive, caring and supportive learning environment where diversity is celebrated and valued, life-long learning is embraced and all students have the opportunity to develop as leaders in their community. Over the past few years, we have achieved exceptional NAPLAN results and strong VCE results. Reservoir High School has extensive tertiary and industry links and is involved in many programs that assist students as they transition from school to work or further education and training. The school also has a strong partnership with La Trobe university, which provides our students with opportunities to engage in programs with the university and pathways beyond school. Many students begin university study while enrolled at Reservoir High and this continues to be a focus to support the success of our students as they transition into further study. The school has an excellent Work Experience Program and opportunities for students to attend work placement. Reservoir High School is part of the Headstart Initiative that enables students to commence their apprenticeship or traineeship while completing their VCE.    

The school¿s vision is to build resilient and reflective learners who strive for excellence and value diversity through showing respect for self, others and the community. The school¿s mission is to ensure our students are successful learners, literate, numerate and empowered to be critical and creative thinkers in an ever-changing world. Reservoir High¿s objective is to create an engaging environment which enables all students to be able to achieve their personal best. The school's values of Diversity, Excellence, Respect and Success are evident in our actions and interactions.

Reservoir High provides a learning environment in which every student is known both as a person and learner. The curriculum is designed to empower students through discovery, inquiry and collaboration. The teaching is differentiated, responsive to the needs of every individual and informed through high-level assessment practices. We aim to empower students in their own learning, build engagement, self-efficacy and develop self-motivation to achieve success. We provide a safe and inclusive learning environment that promotes the wellbeing of all students and builds a partnership with parents and the wider community to ensure every learner thrives. Outstanding features which draw students to our school include opportunities in our Select Entry Accelerated Learning Program (SEAL Academy accredited), in addition to our Drama, Dance and Music program. Our Languages Other Than English program (LOTE) provides opportunities for students to study Mandarin and Italian and through the strong links we have fostered with our Chinese-sister school, can experience extensive cultural and language immersion.

Reservoir High School offers a broad range of opportunities to senior students, including VCE, the VCE-Vocational Major, VET and the Victorian Pathways Certificate. Our Senior Studies program provides all students with a tailored individualised pathway, allowing for informed student choice. The personalisation of learning across the school is intended to ensure every individual student is provided with the most appropriate pathway so as to ensure all achieve success.

Significant resources have been placed into programs across the school to further improve student outcomes. The school has developed a highly specialised Reading program, which provides targeted support to students with low-literacy skills. The Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (MYLNS) provides identified students with one-on-one tutoring to ensure they meet the national standard in Literacy and Numeracy skills before graduating. The Tutor Learning Initiative program has resulted in high-impact individual support for identified students, all of whom demonstrated significant learning growth over the year. The school employs Learning Specialists who are expert practioners in their specialism. The Learning Specialists provide targeted professional learning within the classroom to every teacher and one-on-one feedback based on observations during Learning Walks.

Our Student Support Team consists of a Wellbeing Coordinator, a Mental Health Practitioner, a Youth Worker and a school nurse. This team supports staff and students and they also deliver extensive peer mentor and wellbeing programs throughout the year for a range of student groups dependent on need. We also have a Doctor-in-School, which provides a full medical service to our students and families. Student leadership, voice and agency is highly valued and students have the opportunity to hold a range of formal leadership positions including School Captains and undertake membership on both the School Council and the Student Representative Council. Our Student Leaders have responsibility for shaping the strategic direction of the school.

To ensure all our students have the essential skills and knowledge relevant to 21st Century Learning, Reservoir High School has a one-to-one student laptop program, incorporating both a school-provisioned option in addition to a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach that provides all students in Years 9-12 with their own laptops. A technologically rich curriculum and innovative learning environment enables student learning to be transformed through the creation of real-life, meaningful and highly engaging learning experiences. Our teachers are increasingly adept users and creators of technology, with the `Flipped¿ or `Blended Classroom¿ approach used by many. This allows students to self-pace their learning when at home, provides rich extension and challenge and builds independent learners, a critical skill for life-long success beyond school.

SC1.  Demonstrated experience in Chinese Language and exceptional skills in supporting a Languages program.

SC2.  Demonstrated capacity to work and collaborate with others in a team environment.

SC3.  Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively in a team environment, including high level oral and written communication skills.

SC4.  Possess the technical knowledge and expertise relevant to the Language Assistant position.

SC5.  A commitment to professional learning and growth for both self and others.

We are seeking a dedicated and proficient Language Assistant (Chinese) to join Reservoir High School for the 2024 academic year. As a Language Assistant, you will play a crucial role in supporting our school's languages program, working closely with language teachers, coordinators, and other key staff members to enhance the learning experience for our students.

• Participate actively in classes and extracurricular activities as directed by the school's Language Assistant Coordinator.
• Collaborate with language teachers and faculty members in planning engaging and effective language learning activities.
• Provide valuable information and support to facilitate the delivery of the school's Chinese language program.
• Contribute to the development of resources, including teacher professional learning materials, to enrich the language learning experience.
• Work closely with the Language Assistant Coordinator, language teachers, and other school staff members to create a conducive learning environment for students.
• Participate in team meetings, as required.

Applicants with a bachelor's degree (majoring in Chinese language) OR have a first language proficiency in the Chinese language may apply.  To effectively work with the team an English proficiency equivalent to an IELTS score of no less than 6 is required.

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 (the department) 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:

 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

A valid Working with Children Check is required at the commencement of the role and the ability to work a minimum of 7.6 hours daily over four days a week.

Visa Requirements:

• Overseas Sourced Assistants: Must hold a Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) for the duration of the employment in 2023. The Department will provide the necessary supporting documentation.

• Locally Sourced Assistants: Must be a citizen, permanent resident, or temporary resident on a suitable visa allowing work privileges throughout the employment period.

• 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