Student Services Leader - Ed Support Level 1-Range 4

Eltham High School is a large secondary school on the urban rural fringe of north eastern Melbourne. The
school¿s primary focus has always been to enhance student outcomes through the provision of high quality
teaching and learning strategies.

Eltham High School is highly regarded as an educational institution. Its reputation as an outstanding academic
school is well recognised within the community and education circles. The co-curricular opportunities offered to
our students across a range of areas including the performing and visual arts programs and the elite sports
program are outstanding. Engagement with student leadership initiatives is sustained across all areas and
levels of the school.

Eltham High School has established a tradition through its strong commitment to the areas of:
¿ Inspiring through excellence
¿ Creativity
¿ Individuality
¿ Social Justice.

Eltham High School is a school with high expectations where you feel safe to be yourself and challenged to
think critically, to work independently and in teams, to show leadership and to achieve success along many
pathways.

We believe that the ¿Deeds that Count¿ are:
¿ Respect
¿ Integrity
¿ Respect for diversity
¿ Environmental and social responsibility.

Further information is available at www.elthamhs.vic.edu.au 

Applicants must be able to satisfy the following Key Selection Criteria.

 Applicants are reminded to address the dot points under each of the following criteria within no more than one A4 page for each criterion.

• Demonstrated experience in the coordination and delivery of positive, proactive, and preventative programs or groups to promote positive health and wellbeing.
• Demonstrated experience in the delivery of professional therapeutic interventions for students in response to an identified need.
• Demonstrated ability to provide professional leadership, collaboration with, and guidance for a team of wellbeing professionals.
• Demonstrated understanding of common approaches, policies, and research relating to student mental health, wellbeing, and engagement.
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and network with the wide range of people within the education and wider community.

The Student Services Leader will be part of a dynamic team of people with major responsibilities across one of a range of areas of the School's ongoing development.

Primarily, the Student Services Leader will lead and co-ordinate the work of the Student Services Team who, together work to assist students who are experiencing varying degrees of difficulty with their academic, social and/or personal life. A crucial aspect of this role is the building of positive relationships with students, staff and parents and with personnel in other educational institutions as well as with a range of external support agencies. The Student Services Leader will facilitate, either personally or through the team, appropriate strategies and the support as required, in order to assist any young person to overcome the difficulties that are preventing them from fully engaging with their learning. The end goal is that all students are supported to achieve success within their educational aspirations. The Student Services Leader will have leadership responsibilities in the enhancement of a student engagement and well-being culture, aligned with the Eltham High School Principles of Teaching and Learning, Core Values and the Deeds that Count.                                                                

The successful applicant will be accountable to and report to the Assistant Principal (Empowering Students and Building School Pride) and ultimately to the Principal.

The Student Services Leader will work closely with students, staff, the Executive Leadership team, parents, and the local and wider communities. They will have skilled knowledge of and contribute to system-wide preventative and intervention strategies to support student well-being. To ensure improved learning outcomes, the role will be proactive in the development and implementation of innovative ideas and approaches to student engagement and well-being and respond to identified needs of students, staff, and the school community.

The focus of the role is the provision of outstanding leadership in supporting student well-being within the school. This will be achieved by ensuring that assistance beyond the classroom is available to all students and that where difficulties arise, a coordinated approach to support is employed.

The Student Services Leader will lead the Student Services Team that is responsible for:

• effective monitoring of the progress of individual students
• developing proactive strategies to support student attendance
• maintaining clear and open communication with parents and support personnel
• high level knowledge of and engagement where appropriate, with external agencies
• providing key support in student welfare
• promoting student involvement in a range of activities to enhance student connectedness with peers and the school
• enhancing the involvement of parents in their child¿s education
• attracting support through the involvement of both the local and wider communities in the school.

The Student Services Leader will exercise judgement and initiative in the delivery of support to resolve problems identified or referred by students (both self-referral and/or by other students), parents and staff to ensure the best possible learning outcomes for the individual.  This would be exercised within the broad policy of the school and under the broad supervision of the Assistant Principal (Empowering Students and Building School Pride). 

In collaboration with other members of the School Leadership Team, the Student Services Leader will develop and manage a range of strategies in line with the School Strategic Plan, to support students to actively engage with learning irrespective of the difficulties that may confront them, consistent with the school's purpose, values and beliefs.

The Student Services Leader will:

• respond to student needs in crisis situations.
• develop and implement preventative social and emotional learning programs.
• through case work and/or counselling or referral, support students who are experiencing difficulty academically, socially or in their personal life e.g., school refusers; students who are habitually late; students with behaviour issues; students unable to cope with the demands of the academic program, etc.
• work specifically with students who live independently of their families.  These students are at high risk of exiting from school and require regular contact and support.
• coordinate requirements for Out of Home Care and Koorie students including Individual Education Plans, allocation of learning mentors, lead and document Student Support Group meetings every term, and liaison with LOOKOUT.
• provide leadership, direction and support to the Student Services Team, including the Mental Health Practitioner, the Art Therapist, the Student Support Worker, SSSO staff, Visiting Teachers, Careers/Pathways Co-ordinator, Sub-School Teams.
• provide leadership, direction and support to the Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator, classroom teachers, First Aid attendant and other support staff.
• lead the Student Services Team in overseeing the implementation of School policies in relation to student engagement, learning and well-being to ensure the effective operation of student support structures across the school.
• provide opportunities for regular dialogue amongst relevant groups, including sub-school team members, class teachers, support agencies, parents, students, and a dynamic mix of these.
• liaise with the Assistant Principal (Empowering Students and Building School Pride) regarding the support of staff in student management and restorative practices.
• provide advice to the School Principal and the Leadership Team where appropriate, regarding requirements and strategies for improvement in student learning/engagement.
• co-ordinate student transition across alternative education options e.g. Heidelberg Teaching Unit, Coburg/Brunswick Learning Space, Operation New Start to name a few.
• engage with external organisations including (but not limited to) - Austin and Maroondah CYMHS, Royal Children's Hospital, Headspace, Berry Street, Navigator, Mental Health Services Health Ability, Anglicare, Banyule/Nillumbik Youth Services, Youth Support and Advisory Service (YSAS), local psychologists, youth refuges; Family Planning Australia, Centrelink, Dept. of Health and Human Services, Mandatory Reporting, Child First, Orange Door, drug counselling services and other services as necessary.
• manage the triage system of support (SOCS) and in so doing co-ordinate the appointments of and the referrals to the educational psychologists and the social workers as required.
• co-ordinate the breakfast/lunch program for students in need and maintain regular contact with providers.
• be an active member of local Student Services/Well-being Networks and demonstrate leadership in local initiatives e.g. research on local youth needs, the development of strategies to further support youth in such areas as mental health and well-being, education, accommodation, etc.
• be an active member of a range of teams including Leadership and others as relevant.
• report on student engagement and well-being matters to staff and the school community, as necessary.
• lead the Student Services Team in a range of initiatives to support parents to engage with their child¿s development and education.
• make a strong commitment to their own professional growth.
• lead the development of team members and facilitate the support of individual team members through the Performance and Development Process.
• have a responsibility for the training and development of the next generation of well-being workers. Supervise trainees in their practicums.
• other duties as required by the Principal.

Both relevant professionals and teachers with a strong background in student welfare and well-being.

• Applicants must possess Tertiary level qualifications in Counselling or equivalent.
• Have demonstrated direct counselling experience.
• Have a current Working With Children Check.
   

Desirable:

• Experience working in a secondary school setting.
• Knowledge of some of the well-being needs of students in secondary schools.

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

This vacancy is to replace an employee on parental absence and is for a period of seven years or until the employee absent on leave returns to duty at the school.

Both relevant professionals and teachers with a strong background in student welfare and well-being are encouraged to apply for the Eltham High School Student Services Leader - Education Support Level 1 Range 4 position.

• Applicants must possess Tertiary level qualifications in Counselling or equivalent.
• Have demonstrated direct counselling experience.
• Have a current Working With Children Check.
   
  Desirable:
• Experience working in a secondary school setting.
• Knowledge of some of the well-being needs of students in secondary schools.

All applicants are to refer to the Student Services Leader - Full Information Package on the Eltham High School web page via the Employment link.

https://www.elthamhs.vic.edu.au/employment-opportunities/ 

This vacancy is to replace an employee on parental absence and is for a period of seven years or until the employee absent on leave returns to duty at the school.