Warilla High School Student Services Faculty 2006 – Student Services Programs, Initiatives & Structures
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Warilla High School: Student Services Faculty WARILLA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SERVICES FACULTY 2006 – STUDENT SERVICES PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES & STRUCTURES Warilla High School Student Services Faculty has actively sought to develop strong collaborative partnerships with local community, business and training organizations and utilize existing school based resources more effectively. The outcomes have resulted in the students from Warilla High School being offered a variety of exciting, innovative, challenging and successful student services programs and initiatives in 2006. These include: Encouraging Programs (DEVELOPMENTAL) • The Merit System (Bob Pastor, Program Coordinator) – at Warilla High School we are strongly committed to a policy of encouraging and rewarding achievement in all aspects of school life. For achievement within the classroom, teachers are able to award class Merit Certificates to deserving students. These certificates can be awarded for achievements such as: ~ significant improvement/excellence in class work ~ diligent and active participation in learning ~ significant improvement/excellence in an assessment task ~ significant improvement/excellence in tests/exams ~ significant improvement/excellence in research, assignments, information skills, technology, or employment related skills ~ cooperative sharing/behavioural improvements Students are encouraged to collect and hand in awards for upgrading through the Merit System: o 10 Classroom Merit Certificates = 1 Bronze Merit Award Certificate o 2 Bronze Merit Award Certificates = 1 Silver Merit Award Certificate plus $10 CD Gift Voucher o 2 Silver Merit Award Certificates = 1 Gold Merit Award Certificate plus engraved Medallion (both of these Awards are presented at the end of each Semester at a Special Gold Merit Award Presentation/Luncheon with parents. Each student is also given a complimentary individual Gold Merit Award Certificate presentation photograph of the student/parent/s o New Award 3 Gold Merit award Certificates = 1 Platinum Merit Award Certificate www.warilla-h.schools.nsw.edu.au Warilla High School: Student Services Faculty • Other Positive Initiatives/Practices include: ~ 100% Attendance Certificates ~ certificate of Commendation (for students who have not been placed on a Level in any Calendar year) ~ good Report Certificates ~ certificate for Achievement in being First in Individual Courses which are presented at the Annual Presentation Night at the end of the Year School Performance Achievement Letters/Phone Calls in academic, sporting, visual/performing arts, citizenship and community service ~ monthly Quiet Achievers’ Awards (includes 2 x Quiet Achievers Merit Certificates and $5 Canteen Gift Voucher). Practices to Recognise Student Achievement – Student achievement is recognised and reinforced by: ~ awarding Merit Certificates in the classroom ~ achievement ceremonies to recognise achievement and present awards. These celebration ceremonies include: o Graduation Presentation Celebrations o Presentation Night o Year Assemblies and Formal Whole School Assembly o Special Induction Ceremonies for School Leaders and SRC and other groups o Promoting student achievement in the School’s Newsletter and Local Media Outlets: newspapers, radio and television ~ providing regular reporting to parents regarding student achievement and behaviour ~ rewarding groups and whole years with appropriate BBQ’s excursions, activities …. ~ involvement in sporting, debating and academic tournaments and competitions ~ regular contributions on the school website to show the positive aspects of school life. • Special Focus Teams – six cross-faculty teams were established in 2004 to support effective learning at Warilla High. These include: ~ Curriculum ~ Welfare ~ Teaching and Learning ~ Technology ~ Assessment and Reporting ~ Community Partnerships These teams meet at least twice a term to plan and implement approved strategies. • Personal/Social and Living Skills Program (Maria Prudente, Facilitator) using a 1:1 and/or small group approach Maria works to encourage the development of ‘hands on’ skills that will enable them to be more successful at school. Often this involves students better understanding themselves (both www.warilla-h.schools.nsw.edu.au Warilla High School: Student Services Faculty the positives/negatives) and encouraging teamwork, initiative, organizational, communicative, conflict resolution, stress management ….. • Wollongong Hawks ‘Dare2Dream’ Program (Bob Pastor, Facilitator) – targets all Yr9 students. This program has been developed to provide young people with Life Skills training and assists them to consider: the impact of choices they make in their lives, consequences of these choices, the influence of peer pressure, goal setting for success, dealing with setbacks. Support networks required to achieve life goals…. • Shellharbour City Council Youth Services ‘Transition to Teens’ Program (Nick Higgins/Megan Lee, Program coordinators) – an off-shoot to the Youth Worker in Schools Program where contact is made with all feeder primary schools to introduce and familiarise Yr6 students going to the Youth Worker in High Schools Project eg meeting staff, understanding their roles, promotion of activities in schools/outside of schools, facilitate workshops on self-esteem, circus skills, drama, BBQ .. during the year leading up to their move to High school • Warilla High School Year 7 ‘Job of a Student’ Program (Bob Pastor, Coordinator) - this is a part of a school based transition program targeting all Year 7 students. The whole school program commences at the start of Term 2 and has been very successful in encouraging all Year 7 students to continue to develop good school habits by reinforcing the 8 student focus areas on a week by week basis at school. These focus areas include: ~ Be On Time ~ Bring Equipment ~ Wear School Uniform ~ Listen ~ Follow Instructions ~ Stay on Task ~ Work Quietly ~ Do your best Year 7 teachers nominate students weekly for a ‘Job of a Student’ Merit Certificate for best meeting each week’s focus area. At the completion of the 8 week period, students who have been awarded a “Job of a Student’ Merit Certificate in all 8 focus areas are presented with a Gold Commendation Certificate, in 7/6 focus areas a Silver and in 6 focus areas a Bronze. These Special Awards are presented at a Formal School Assembly • Yr10 and Yr12 Mentoring Program (Bruce Tapp/Bob Pastor, Facilitators) – Targets the top 10-14 students in Yr10 and Yr12 with 1:1 teacher mentoring support with the view of moving the Top Band 5 students into the Band 6 range at both the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate levels • ‘Dare to Lead’ Indigenous Education Program and Initiatives (Bob Pastor, Ron Ashby and Sharon Maher, Program Coordinators) – Warilla High School have been a foundation participating school since 2004. The ‘Dare to www.warilla-h.schools.nsw.edu.au Warilla High School: Student Services Faculty Lead’ Program is a National Commonwealth initiative that aims to improve Indigenous academic, retention and completion rates for Indigenous students. The School has implemented a number of successful programs including the development of the 2005 WHS Indigenous Education Plan which has set the school agenda for the next three years at our school. The establishment of a Koori Homework Centre, and successful Koori Sports/Cultural Days. Staff Awareness Raising in Aboriginal Education as part of a School Development Day has proved successful. In 2006 the School established a Koori Management Group whose membership includes Koori students, parents, staff and community members and also WHS teachers, Principal and executive staff. The brief of this group is to establish a strategic direction for Koori Education at WHS and to gather information on the perceived state of Koori Education at Warilla High from our community • Introduction of Scripture lessons in Yrs7/8 - Matthew Bartlett has been appointed as the on-site Scripture teacher. Parents in Yr 7 and Yr8 have the choice of their son/daughter being taught Scripture as part of the Schools Curriculum (values education) • Links to Learning (LOTE) Program (Illawarra Ethnic Communities Council Inc) – Michael Marino (Program Facilitator) – targets Yr9 LOTE students who are considered ‘at risk’ of not completing Yr12 and leaving school early. Students are provided with a range of highly sought out experiences and skills. Students are referred to and participate every Wednesday for the year • Community Justice Centre (CJC)/Warilla High School Peer Mediation Program (John Berry/Sue Connell Program Coordinators) – in partnership with CJC since 2004, CJC have provided a highly successful Peer Mediation training for over 70 Yr8/9/10 students. Not all students meet the rigorous standards to become a School Based Peer Mediator. The Peer Mediation Program is very much a preventative arm that the school wishes to build on to deal with issues of school bullying, harassment, aggression and conflict. The Program includes highly sought after employable skills of conflict resolution, mediation, stress/anger management, leadership, initiative, teamwork, negotiation, communication and goal setting. Peer Mediation involves bringing two parties in a dispute together for the central issue to be discussed and hopefully, an agreement between both parties can be reached • Senior Assisted Independent Learning Sessions (SAILS) (Bob Ashby Program Coordinator) – this program targets Yr12 and is designed to give them the opportunity