Student Engagement & Wellbeing Officer – ES1-2
Commencement date 27 January 2023 – 28 January 2024
Location Profile
Saltwater P-9 College is a new co-educational Prep to Year 9 school that opened its doors to the first intake of Prep-Six students in 2019. In 2022, the school welcomed its first intake of Year 7 students. The Year 8 cohort will commence their journey at Saltwater College in 2023. By 2024 the College will house students from Years P-9.
Saltwater P-9 College is positioned within a thriving bayside community, located only 20kms from the city. Situated in tranquil Point Cook, it’s surrounded by the Point Cook Coastal Park, a protected marine sanctuary and the Cheetham Wetlands.
Saltwater P-9 College aims to build a school culture that demonstrates a strong belief in and a commitment to providing a rich and rigorous curriculum within a safe, secure and enriched learning environment for our children. We will have a clear focus on catering for the diverse range of students at their point of need. We will strive to be internationally minded, and provide a supportive, nurturing and challenging learning environment, with high expectations for student success.
The school’s values will be aligned with the Department of Education’s philosophy: ‘We support students to reach their potential, regardless of their background, postcode or circumstance, and to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to participate and thrive in a complex economy and society’.
Saltwater P-9 College will not just be a school committed to high academic standards, it will also be a school that prepares students to be curious, critical and creative thinkers and problem solvers who are technologically literate and capable of bringing about positive change in the world in which we live. This will be underpinned by our school motto: ‘Wisdom Begins with Wonder.’
Another major feature of our school’s curriculum will also be around the establishment of an exclusive Performing Arts and Sporting Program which will foster student’s intellectual, social and physical development.
VISION
We provide more than just an education to prepare students for success in an ever changing world.
MISSION
To educate and guide Intelligence and character in order to live creatively, ethically and productively.
OBJECTIVE
Offer high quality education within a supportive and understanding environment
Provide evidence based Literacy and Numeracy Instruction, Teaching and Learning
Offer an exclusive Performing Arts, Visual Communications and Sporting program that develops students’ intellectual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing
Provide a safe and secure one to one Digital Technology platform that supports student learning and develops a culture of Digital Agency
Offer production based learning such as Robotics and Coding and STEM to increase students’ creativity, innovation and problem solving skills
Offer a Personalised Learning model through goal setting which promotes a sense of self mastery allowing each individual to reach their full potential
Offer an Inquiry Based Learning model that develop critical and creative learners who actively engage in the learning process to acquire knowledge, skills, concepts and attitudes in order to promote student voice, agency and student-led action
Encourage cultural understanding and acceptance of diversity
Selection Criteria
1. Highly developed capacity to assess, conceptualise and analyse student wellbeing issues impacting on student social emotional wellbeing and educational engagement.
2. Demonstrated broad understanding of mental health, including general understanding of early intervention, health promotion and community development approaches.
3. Strong communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage with a diverse range of students and staff in formal and informal contexts.
4. A proven passion for improving the wellbeing and experience of students in a primary and secondary environment.
5. Demonstrated organisational skills and time management skills, with the ability to work with supervision according to defined priorities, meet deadlines and take initiative as required.
6. Demonstrated student centred approach and ability to respond to and follow up on day to day requests and/ or priorities as appropriate.
7. Proven ability to conduct research and analyse data to inform student wellbeing strategies.
Role
The Student Wellbeing Officer is responsible for meeting with students that have been identified by relevant parties (including classroom/tutor group teachers, Year Level Coordinators, Heads of School, Counsellors, Psychologists, etc.) for specific issues detrimentally affecting their emotional wellbeing, academic achievement, and social functioning at school.
The Student Wellbeing Officer’s role is:
To listen to identified issues from professionals
Provide appropriate advice/strategies relative to the expertise of the position, assess whether further/external assistance is required, and refer to outside agencies where required
Compiling specific and detailed case-notes, summary notes for relevant stakeholders
Assist in the creation of preventative programs aimed at larger student cohort.
Attendance May be required during the holiday breaks. Notice will be given if attendance is required.
Responsibilities
This position is responsible for:
Oversee the engagement and wellbeing students in a specific year level
Provide an effective support service to the school community that positively influences student behaviour
Provide consultation and expert advice on serious matters involving risk arising from mental health and complex issues arising within a school context, including child protection concerns.
Respond to referrals to and from the Student Wellbeing Team.
KEY DUTIES AND TASKS
Liaise with relevant Assistant Principals, Leading Teachers, Wellbeing Team members, Classroom Teachers and Psychologists to identify issues which are detrimentally affecting students’ emotional wellbeing, academic achievement and social functioning at the school.
Assess whether further/external assistance is required.
Refer students who require additional needs to the Wellbeing Team who will then seek support from external support agencies or health care professionals where required.
Create summary notes for relevant external support where appropriate/required.
Draw upon knowledge and understanding of mental health conditions to support student wellbeing.
Provide feedback and support to parents, caregivers, and staff with overall pastoral responsibilities for students.
Work with the Student Wellbeing Team to build staff capacity around student wellbeing issues.
Maintain accurate and confidential student files on an online student management platform.
Record contact and intervention strategies on the school’s online student management platform.
Provide written reports as required for referral and support of funding applications.
Provide group support and interventions when required.
Be familiar with and comply with the school’s child-safe policy, code of conduct and any other polices or procedures relating to child safety.
Liaise with relevant staff members regarding students’ individual emotional and learning needs and work in collaboration with teaching staff to create Individual Education Plans and Behaviour Management Plans.
Support the development of Social and Emotional Learning Programs.
Develop and deliver evidence-based group programs for mental health issues and resilience building.
Adhere to and comply with Child Safe Standards regulations and Child Safe Code of Conduct.
Who May Apply
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.
EEO AND OHS Commitment
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.
Child Safe Standards
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
DET Values
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
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://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
Vaccination Requirement
For positions in special settings, a person is not eligible for employment unless they meet the vaccination requirements on commencement in the position.