Furlong Park School for Deaf Children is a bilingual specialist school dedicated to educating deaf and hard‐of‐hearing children in a vibrant, inclusive, and engaging environment. Located on expansive grounds in Sunshine North, the school recently underwent a $10 million upgrade through the Victorian School Building Authority, enhancing its facilities to support high‐quality learning.
We have high expectations for all students to achieve their full potential. Our teaching is differentiated and guided by a commitment to excellence, with communication supported through both spoken English and Auslan (Australian Sign Language).
Our diverse and dedicated team includes:
* 13 teachers
* 12 Educational Support staff, including an NDIS Navigator.
* A Leadership Team comprising the Principal, Assistant Principal and two Learning Specialists
Our staff includes Deaf, hard‐of‐hearing, and hearing professionals who work collaboratively to create a warm and inclusive workplace culture.
Programs and Curriculum
* We offer both a Primary School Program and an Early Education Program for 3- and 4‐year‐old children.
* With a current enrolment of 68 students, we serve families across Melbourne's northern and western suburbs, as well as rural fringe areas.
* Our curriculum is based on the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and the Victorian Curriculum, supporting students working at Foundation to Year 10 levels, as well as Levels A-D Towards Foundation.
Staff actively participate in Professional Learning Teams (PLTs), with teachers engaging in inquiry cycles to enhance teaching and learning. Educational Support staff also benefit from tailored professional development to grow their expertise.
Our Values
Our school motto Empower, Enrich, Educate guides everything we do. We embed Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) values throughout our community:
* I am a Learner
* I Care for Others
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.
Selection Criteria
* SC1 `Content of teaching and learning'. Demonstrated ability to inform and influence the work of others involved in the engagement, mental health, wellbeing or learning of children and young people.
* SC2 `Teaching practice'. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to mental health, wellbeing or learning.
* SC3 `Assessment and reporting of student learning'. Demonstrated ability to support a student's mental health, wellbeing or learning by developing and maintaining connection with external services.
* SC4 `Interaction with the school community'. Demonstrated high level interpersonal skills and communication skills. Demonstrated high level of capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, other employees and the broader school community to focus on student learning, wellbeing and engagement.
* SC5 `Professional requirements'. Demonstrated ability to influence and negotiate by gaining buy‐in and ownership for ideas, gaining agreement to proposals, or involving experts or other third parties to strengthen a case.
Role
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is a qualified teacher who works across the school to implement a whole‐school approach to mental health and wellbeing for students, staff and families based on a broad knowledge of the needs of the school community.
The role of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader is to:
* build capability of the whole school with regard to mental health and wellbeing (identification, promotion and prevention),
* provide support to staff to better identify and support students with mental health needs,
* establish clear pathways for referral for students requiring assessment and intervention, and monitor and evaluate student progress.
The role provides a proactive focus for the promotion and prevention of mental health and wellbeing through assessment and implementation of context‐relevant programmes, approaches and initiatives based on a broad and extensive knowledge of the needs of the school.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader role is not a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention. The role is seen as a key conduit in creating referral pathways once a teacher or other staff member identifies a concern in the classroom.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders receive training in mental health literacy, supporting emerging needs, and building school capacity and ongoing support and professional development through structured and regular Learning Communities. Training is developed and facilitated by the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne, supported by Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
Responsibilities
* Promote a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing to students, staff and families.
* Support teachers and school staff to expand their capacity to embed evidence‐based mental health strategies, interventions and programmes and build mental health literacy to identify and support primary school students with mental health concerns.
* Collaborate with school staff to inform, influence and provide input into teaching and learning relating to mental health and wellbeing. Provide support to school staff and classroom teachers to build their capabilities to embed mental health into the classroom.
* Work with school leadership and wellbeing teams to embed whole school approaches to mental health into school planning and strategic processes. Coordinate clear referral pathways internally (within school) and externally (to community services) for students identified as requiring further assessment and intervention.
* Proactively work with and support regional staff, school wellbeing and leadership teams, teachers, parents/carers and other external agencies to coordinate targeted mental health support for primary school students.
* Contribute to the school's existing wellbeing team.
Who May Apply
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
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.
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) .
Conditions of Employment
* 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:///hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
Qualification Requirements
* The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and
* if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures';
* a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also 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 ITE program completed by the person).
Applications close Thursday 18 June pm #J-18808-Ljbffr