Our Lady of La Vang Performance Report



4706620-952500Our Lady of La VangSpecialist educational facility for students with intellectual disability 11 Malcolm StreetFlinders Park SA 5025p: 08 8159 2500 e: info@lavang.catholic.edu.aulavang.catholic.edu.auSCHOOL PERFORMANCE REPORT 2018CONTEXTOur Lady of La Vang is a Catholic special school that provides a specialised educational environment and facility for students aged between 5 and 20 years. The school has the capacity for a FTE enrolment of 63 students. All students have an intellectual disability, many also have an autism spectrum disorder, or multiple disabilities and complex medical conditions. Our Lady of La Vang is a division of Catholic Special Schools Incorporated. The other division is St Patrick’s Special School. Our Lady of La Vang and St Patrick’s Special School have a joint Board. Our Lady of La Vang is responsible to a Board of Management. Membership of the Catholic Special Schools Board is comprised of a Chairperson, Deputy Chair and community member with disability expertise appointed by the Director of Catholic Education, South Australia, (CESA), a secretary, a finance officer, the two Principals, and one staff and one parent representative staff from each school. The school receives support and funding from the Australian and State Government, via the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS). Funding is indexed and adjusted annually, based on student enrolment numbers. This financial security has enabled the school to operate with the necessary staffing levels and enabled students to access a curriculum specifically designed to meet the needs of the cohort of students. The leadership structure consists of the Principal and an Assistant to the Principal. Staffing consists of teachers, a Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist and Education Support Officers.The school owns and operates four buses, which transport students to and from school and enable students to access the community during the school day. Students come from various areas around Adelaide and from a range of socio-economic backgrounds.The school is organised around three clusters: Early Years (5-10 years old), Middle Years (10-15 years old), and Senior Years Cluster (15-20 years old). STAFFINGBased on the August 2018 Census: staff employed NumberFull-Time EquivalentPrincipal11.0Assistant Principal10.9Teaching Staff1311Education Support Officers, Bus Drivers & Bus Support Staff3210.5Speech Pathologist10.8Occupational Therapist11.0Administration (Including Finance Officer)31.6Maintenance10.5Total5327.3Our school, as for all Catholic schools, is required to have structures that support Catholic Identity, i.e. a position of Deputy Principal/ APRIM (Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission). The school leadership was restructured to reflect this requirement and a new position created. This position was advertised and Tanya Stott appointed to the position of Deputy Principal. As a consequence, the position of Assistant to the Principal was made redundant. Carol Lindner (Assistant to the Principal) was offered an alternate teaching position and declined, a redundancy was offered and accepted.Chris Wenham retired from the position Maintenance and Grounds. The position was advertised and following interviews, Kerrie Irving (gardening and curriculum ESO) was appointed and commenced in Term 3. Jo Cox, Occupational Therapist, resigned at the end of Term 2. The position was advertised and Kim Harding, who was working 0.4 FTE in the role has been appointed full-time in the role. Denise Marshall (ESO) retired at the end of the year, Denise had given the school 25 years of service as an ESO Curriculum, bus support and bus driver. Sandy Quirk (teacher) has retired from her permanent position of teacher (0.6) and provided TRT during Terms 3 and 4.ENROLMENTS57 students (max. enrolment – 63)22 primary and 35 secondary studentsCLUSTERMALEFEMALETOTAL3 Junior Classes 5-10 Years124163 Middle Classes 10-15 Years175223 Senior Classes 12-20 Years91019TOTAL381957The students are grouped into 9 classes as follows:CURRICULUM‘Being, Belonging and Becoming’, the Early Years Framework (EYLF) is used to construct the curriculum and to provide meaningful and relevant learning experiences. To support this, professional staff have engaged in ongoing professional learning about the planning cycles of the EYLF, play-based approaches to teaching and learning, child development, positive programming and Intensive Interaction. Teacher’s programmes reflect a clear planning, evaluation and review cycle, including intentionality of teaching, the use of provocations for learning. Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) was a focus in the Junior Cluster. Child protection and MITIOG curriculum were embedded in all students IEPs under Outcome 3 ‘Children have a Strong Sense of Wellbeing’. A self-review was completed for the Educational Standards Board (EBS) as part of the new review process implemented by the EBS. The school’s speech pathologist and occupational therapist enable a multidisciplinary approach to support the delivery of the curriculum. The therapists work across the school to assist professional staff in the development of programs and practices designed to meet the individual needs of students rather than providing clinical services to individual students.Intensive Interaction is embedded across the school to support students to learn the fundamentals of communication which include eye contact, sharing space, taking turns and initiating communication with others. The Intensive Interaction Coordinator, Jackie Brett, videos each new student engaging in Intensive Interaction and shared this with parents/carers as part of the development of the Individual Education Plan. Jackie facilitated regular meetings of practitioners and provided school-based training for beginner and advanced Intensive Interaction practitioners in 2018. She facilitated an Intensive Interaction Network to bring practitioners from other schools together to share their practice. Intensive Interaction newsletters were circulated to all staff. Stephanie Williams continued to be employed 0.2 FTE (one day per week) to implement a music program for students. This was in part funded by a small grant from Catholic Charities. Stephanie visited each cluster weekly and also some individual students. Music has encouraged the students to explore sound through singing, moving, listening and playing percussion instruments. Stephanie also introduced new songs to the students in preparation for a visit from Andrew Chinn, to celebrate ‘Book Week’ and to share with parents at ‘Christmas at La Vang’. The students from Senior East established and ran Eastbank Café, which offered staff the opportunity to buy their lunch each Thursday. The students decided on the weekly menu, took orders, shopped prepared and delivered the food, issued receipts and collected money. The café provided a meal for an average of 25 staff each week for a cost of $4 each.Additional Programs include:Gross Motor: Marion Gym, Seacliff Kinder Gym, YMCA Gym Glengowrie, Bowling & SwimmingPost-school preparations: Work Experience for Senior students, Transport trainingCommunity Access: Minda Café, Findon Library, Findon Shopping CentreArtist in ResidenceSTAFF RETENTION91% of staff continued service into 2018. In July, one teacher and the speech pathologist took maternity leave. Teacher Attendance: 1919 days out of 2255 days per year 336 days absent85.09% attendance rate TEACHER QUALIFICATIONSUndergraduate Degrees 1 Diploma (6.25%)8 Bachelor degrees (50%)Postgraduate Degrees7 Master’s degrees (43.73%)PROFESSIONAL LEARNING & EXPENDITUREIn 2018, all teaching, curriculum support and ancillary staff (100%) participated in professional learning. The school staff were informed of professional learning during 2018 via a Professional Learning booklet, regular emails and the professional learning opportunities pin-board. Professional learning had three integrated components designed to develop the professional and personal capacities of individual staff members and the culture of learning at La Vang, these were:School-based programs involving all staff, facilitated by staff or by external facilitators, this includes mandatory WHS training, face to face and onlineIndividual professional learning focus – staff have access to individual professional learning budgets to use in ways individually identified and relevant to their workPersonal development -performance development reviewWhole Staff Professional Learning:The Magic of Relationships and how to Create them’‘Learning Through Play’Planning and Programming for Learning Sensory MenuRAN –EC Online Training, updateMuscular DystrophyLiving, Learning, Leading Framework, combined with St PatricksOrientation to Management of Actual or Potential Aggression (MAPA) Intensive Interaction sessions, Jackie Brett, II Coordinator.Australian Curriculum General Capabilities.Mandatory WHS training:WHS Yearly induction to all staffWHS Online Learning, Preparing for Fire and Other EmergenciesManual Handling TrainingFire Warden TrainingWHS Online Learning, Australian Privacy LawsIndividual professional learning:Small group coaching sessions, Ivone Kirkpatrick, 6 sessions x 2 hoursCircle of Security 2-day workshop, Kent Hoffman (3 staff) Beginners Intensive Interaction (6 staff)Advanced Intensive Interaction (6 staff)Three day certification training in MAPAZone of Self-RegulationLittle Scientist ProgramHappiness and its CausesPositive Behaviour SupportUnderstanding and Working through Difficult Emotions in LearningA whole school approach to a happy resilient and connected learning environmentImagine, Create, Belong, a new intervention for adolescents with social difficultiesIn 2018, a total of approximately $13,840.00 was spent on professional learning for professional staff. In addition to this, Catholic Education SA provides professional development and consultancy services to our school. The teaching and support staff have been involved in training and development supported and funded by CESA. Year LevelTerm 1Term 2Term 3Term 4RE90.20%92.71%90.82%88.24%186.27%84.03%87.07%91.38%293.87%96.88%94.13%98.71%396.57%82.27%79.59%83.91%484.80%83.85%87.76%72.31%569.61%76.33%82.65%79.31%686.64%90.49%90.43%89.85%794.90%82.08%66.33%66.21%895.42%84.38%92.86%93.10%992.55%83.59%88.52%89.22%1088.24%97.92%94.90%87.93%1173.53%75.21%72.45%82.03%1291.86%87.18%91.69%93.60%1388.24%88.54&82.65%81.03%Average88.05%86.10%85.85%85.49%STUDENT ATTENDANCE RETENTIONSTUDENT NON-ATTENDANCE Parents/carers are encouraged to contact the school via email, Skoolbag or phone if their child is not attending school, and are asked to provide an explanation. This is documented each day. If a student has not arrived by 9.15am, school personnel make contact with the parents/carers by phone.STUDENTSNew studentsThirteen new students were enrolled during 2018. Seven students commenced in Term 1, (3 in Junior Cluster and 4 in Middle Cluster). Three students enrolled in Term 3 and three students transitioned during Term 4. Two students left school during 2018. One student transferred interstate and one student under the Guardianship of the Minister and aged over 17 moved into a Department for Education FLO program. One student experienced significant absences from school due to hospitalisation and a change in his family situation and from June onwards was exempted due to medical/psychological needs. GraduatesFour students completed their schooling in 2018. Their graduation was celebrated with family, friends, staff and students in November 2018.Post School DestinationsOne hundred per cent (100%) of students who graduated in 2018 were successfully placed in either supported employment or a Day Options program. Two students are working part time in supported employment and two students are accessing Day Options programs. PLANS TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNINGA range of plans to support student learning and wellbeing are incorporated into the school’s practice. These include Individualised Education Plans (IEP), Positive Programming, Moving and Handling, Personal Care, Continence Care and Oral Eating and Drinking Plans. The Speech Pathologist and Occupational Therapist develop the specialised Oral Eating and Drinking Care plans and Movement and Handling Plans. These are reviewed annually and updated with collaboration between home and school.BENCHMARK RESULTS AND ASSESSMENT AND REPORTINGWith parental consent, all eligible students were exempted from participating in the NAPLAN testing program. During 2018, individual student progress was reported via two school reports and through the development and review of Individual Education Plans (IEPs). IEP’s were developed for all students in Term 1 of the school year.Teachers used Learning Stories to provide information to parents about the student’s learning. Learning Stories (at least 4 per student) are produced in the Terms 1 and 2 for all students. All parent/carers were invited to a Learning Conversation with their child’s class teacher in Term 3. Parents/carers were encouraged to meet with teachers throughout the year. A formal written report based on the student’s IEP was provided to all parents/carers in December. PROPORTION OF YEAR 9 STUDENTS RETAINED TO Year 12 or EQUIVALENTThe secondary aged students are grouped as class and cluster groupings rather than year levels. Our Lady of La Vang had a retention rate in 2018 of 100 % of the students who were in the equivalent of Year 12 were enrolled at the school since the equivalent of Year 9. SCHOOL BUILDING & GROUNDS IMPROVEMENT Commuter Purple BusA commuter bus, funded through a five year bequest from Catholic Charities, was delivered in February. The bus accommodates 2 wheelchairs and has extended our bus run capability. It was utilised for weekly shopping, excursions for small groups and café excursions. Donations towards the running of the bus was received from Catholic Charities, SAGE Engineering and Blackwell’s Funerals. Their logos are displayed on the bus. Three companies tendered for the installation of an audible fire alarm system, RNW Fire Services was appointed and installed the new system during the December- January holidays. Painting of the Administration Building and Student Hub was planned. SATISFACTION LEVELSStaffStaff met with leadership throughout the year to share ideas, provide feedback on events, processes and practices. ParentsFollowing on from the previous parent survey which was completed in 2017, the school improvement plan focussed on communication with parents/carers and encouraging feedback throughout the year. This was provided by parents/carers via phone, email, skoolbag, and face-to-face meeting. Parent/carers are encouraged to meet with school leadership and invited to share their ideas regarding the strengths, challenges and possible improvements. StudentsThis is not obtainable in traditional ways with our students. FINANCECommonwealth Government$4,072,913State Government$685,664Fees$127,604Catholic Education Office$20,710Other ( LSL, CCI, WorkCover, Maternity Leave)$305,648Other Recurrent Income$59,109COMMUNITYThe Junior Cluster invited grandparents and special friends to a ‘Grandfriends’ morning, during which they shared music and songs and showed their special friend their classroom. A Family Picnic held on the school grounds in April. The Graduation of 4 students was celebrated in November and the Annual Christmas at La Vang saw the community enjoy a BBQ, desserts and Christmas singing.The Governor of South Australia, Hieu Van Le visited the school in October. Taylah and Aidan presented the Governor with some artwork and he visited an impromptu art exhibition, Junior Cluster and Big Yard. School Board members, Simone Cameron and Jo Coonan and the Connecting Up Parents representative Carol Neal welcomed him and talked with him about the NDIS during his visit.Two final year Flinders University students studying Education and Disability completed their 6-week teaching placement at the school. The Williams Syndrome Society held their annual picnic and BBQ on the school grounds in May. Our Lady of La Vang continued the arrangement with Catholic Health Safety and Welfare of hosting Continence Care training sessions. These sessions support ESOs in other Catholic schools, four sessions were held at the school during 2018. Participants who attend the sessions are provided with a tour of the school and feedback from CHS&W showed many participants really valued this as part of their training.The newsletter was revamped and distributed through email and skoolbag. The use of skoolbag has increased information sharing with parent/carers. Parental engagement was enhanced through inviting families to attend and providing a BBQ and pancake dinner. The administrative staff have fostered a sense of welcoming and belonging by following up parents new to the school, developing a parent handbook which is given to all new families and assisting in organising a parent dinner. SALA ExhibitionOpening night of the SALA Exhibition held 31 August to 2 September was attended by approximately 120 people, entertainment over the three days was provided by Nazareth Music students, items for sale included cushions, bags, birds, cards and paintings. The exhibition was made possible by the work of Bindi Amor, Artist in Residence, Bev Hocking (ESO & TRT) who curated the artworks and the friends of La Vang, Tracey Glover and Miriam McGregor who with Glenda Byrth did the administration, sales and marketing of the event. Almost 100 of the exhibition pieces were purchased and this enabled the SALA Exhibition to achieve a profit of approximately $5,000. CONNECTING UP PARENTS (CUPS)CUPS has continued to focus on organizing social events to facilitate opportunities for parents and families to come together. A ‘Fancy Breakfast was held each term and a parent dinner was held in August.SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2018 GoalsThe school uses the Continuous Improvement Framework (CIF) document provided by Catholic Education South Australia to self-assess and improve its performance. This document is part of a system-wide strategy to promote a culture and practice of continuous improvement in Catholic schools that have the students at its centre. Focus areas for 2018 were evidence-based practice, continuing to explore pedagogy and practice, fostering an increased awareness of our relationship with creation and our responsibility in sustaining it:A self review will be completed for the Educational Standards BoardA review of assessment and reporting policy and procedures commenced Revamp enrolment pack and process was completedTeachers programmes reflected a planning cycle, intentionality of teaching and monitoring of student learningAll the staff understand the role of play in promoting the development of ways that enhance student learning, literacy and numeracy and STEM are explored and articulated, and is evident in student learningEngagement with the broader community included groups of students attending the:Ladies of Variety Movie DayThe Special Olympics Sports Day, Nazareth College.Special Olympics Basketball Tournament Unity Day at Cabra Dominican College attended by students from St Patricks, Cabra, Cardijn, Thomas More and Mount Carmel Colleges. Stephanie Grant 28 June 2019 ................
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