Integration Aide - Wattle View Primary School

Wattleview Primary School was established in May 1971 and is centrally located in Ferntree Gully whilst being close to Mountain Gate, Boronia and Knox. Wattleview has seen many changes as the geographical landscape of the local area has developed and changed.

The school currently has a student enrolment of 257 students, with the largest cohort being in Year 6. We expect to see relatively stable student numbers over the next couple of years.

Wattleview is in the Knox Network and is part of the Eastern Metropolitan Region and enjoys a good relationship with neighbouring schools in our immediate area.

We offer specialist sessions in the areas of Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Physical Education. The Physical Education program sees students from Level 4 participate in Interschool Sports with schools within our network.

Our students have great successes in a variety of areas including Athletics, Cross Country, Interschool Sport and Swimming. Our weekly Performing Arts sessions are complemented by a ‘user pays’ Instrumental music program. Singing, Drums and Guitar are offered within this program and we also have a keyboard instructor who comes in weekly.

Both of these programs are extremely well run and provide opportunities for students who have a talent and passion in this area. We also have an excellent language program run by one of our Education Support Officers.

This program caters for up to 34 students each week, assisting them with the literacy skills needed to fully access the curriculum. We also have a teacher who runs an intervention program across a number of areas, including literacy, numeracy and ESL.

Wattleview Primary School’s purpose is to ‘educate learners for life’. This means providing a learning environment that :-

• Challenges and supports all students to achieve their individual learning goals through rigorous Teaching and Learning practices
• Encourages students to learn in an atmosphere of mutual respect, cooperation and participation
• Supports students in making informed decisions that prepare them for life in a global community
• Encourages friendship, connections with others and celebrates all successes
• Values socially competent students who are aware of their responsibility towards the wider community

The values that form the basis of the actions of the whole school community are based on the Social Competencies Program “You Can Do It” and incorporate the Tribes Agreements.

Getting Along

• Respecting the diversity (and individual differences) of our school community
• Demonstrating appropriate behaviour and standards of safety
• Showing care and concern for other people
• Establishing and maintaining friendships

Confidence

• Taking risks and attempting new and challenging things
• Being independent and working interdependently

Persistence

• Questioning and Posing problems
• Applying past knowledge to new situations
• Thinking flexibly

Organisation

• Setting Individual and Team Goals
• Planning time effectively
• Striving for accuracy

Resilience

• Remaining open to the notion of continuous learning
• Accepting the consequences of our actions
• Coping with and accepting of, change.

At Wattleview Primary School we are committed to student management and wellbeing. We are fortunate to have the services of a Chaplain who provides pastoral care for students, working in conjunction with the Social Competency programs that operate throughout the school.

We have high expectations of the behaviour of our students and staff work together to ensure that these expectations are met. Our students are given opportunities to have a voice through our Junior School Council and Student Representative Council bodies.

Our Level 4 students provide excellent school leadership and are role models for others. Their roles are varied, but a major responsibility for the group is to run all school assemblies and to manage the office during break times.

Wattleview is a ‘small’ school that encourages and promotes all students to be active and contributing members of our school community.

Selection Criteria

SC1 Capacity to undertake routine support tasks across a range of functions in one or more work areas within a school environment.

SC2 Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively with members of the school community including students and the capacity to provide support and/or attendant care to students where necessary.

SC3 Demonstrated proficiency in the use of office systems, software or technical equipment as relevant to the position.

SC4 Capacity to work cooperatively with a range of people including teachers, education support, students and parents.

SC5 A commitment to professional learning and growth.

Role
[Attendance requirement for this position]

Undertakes routine tasks that are usually carried out under close supervision and direction. Work that carries some degree of independence will generally involve a limited number of tasks performed on a regular basis where priorities are clear, procedures are well established and direction is readily available.

Work has little scope for deviation. Problems can usually be solved by reference to well documented procedures and instructions and clearly established practices. Deviation from established procedures will require reference to others for guidance and direction.

Assistance is readily available when problems arise. An experienced employee at range 1 will exercise limited judgement within clearly defined guidelines and well established practices that relate specifically to the tasks performed.

Does not carry responsibility for the work of others. More experienced employees will provide basic guidance and advice to others relating to tasks within the work area.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor.

Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee's position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Qualification requirements do not operate at range 1. Certification requirements may be required to legally perform specific tasks - e.g. driver's licence, first aid, safe food handling.

Responsibilities
The responsibilities of this position will be:

• Assist students on an individual or group basis in specific learning areas.
• Assist with the communication between students and teachers, particularly the interpretation of instructions.
• Provide basic physical and emotional care for students.
• Participate in team meetings.
• Assist with toileting, meals, lifting, and administration of medication to students requiring special care.
• Assist with the supervision of pupils in playgrounds, at camps, on excursions, in sporting activities, therapy activities and life skills.
• Assist in the preparation of student resources and equipment.
• Prepare basic curriculum support resources.
• Set up and put away equipment and materials in support of teaching programs.
• Observe students and draw the attention of the teacher to them where necessary.
• Participate in the monitoring and evaluation of programs and evaluation of individual student involvement and achievement.
• Assist with communication between teachers and non-English speaking parents/students.
• Assist in the translation of documents.
• Assist students with the preparation and service of meals.
• Ensure work areas and materials, equipment and appliances are maintained in a clean and ready to use condition.
• Assist in the preparation of equipment and purchasing of materials and supplies as required.

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.