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The Marella Muse
| York Rd, Kellyville NSW 2155 | (P) +61 2 8824 5955 | (F) +61 2 8824 9755| |www.kellyville.h-schools.nsw.edu.au | (E) [email protected] |
| www.twitter.com/KellyvilleHS | www.facebook.com/KellyvilleHS |www.instagram.com/KellyvilleHS | Kellyville High School Learning | Excellence | Integrity VOLUME 16 – EDITION 6 5 July 2019
Kellyville HS We are a vibrant and innovative learning community that is committed to delivering excellence within a rich and diverse learning environment. Every student has the opportunity to achieve their personal
best through engaged, active learning in a safe, respectful and supportive school. Page 1 | 7
CALENDAR CHECK
2019 | Term 2 _________________________________________________________________________________________________
W8B 19 - 21 June Y9 Camp _________________________________________________________________________________________________
W9A Tue 25 June Subject Selection Night (Y8 5pm Y10 7pm) Wed 26 June Captains Speeches Thu 27 June Y10 Vaccinations Fri 28 June Musical Trivia Night Y10/11/12 Career Expo _________________________________________________________________________________________________
W10B Mon 1 July Y7/8/9/10 Reports Published Tue 2 July Y8/9/10 Parent-Teacher Night (3.30pm – 7.30pm) Wed 3 July Trial HSC – Drama Thu 4 July Leadership Induction Fri 5 July Last day of term 2 _____________________________________________________________________________________p____________
CALENDAR CHECK
2019 | Term 3 _________________________________________________________________________________________________
W1A Mon 22 July School Development Day (Staff only) Mon 22 July Y12 Trial HSC commences 23 – 26 July Y12 Trial HSC Exams continue 23 - 24 July #Second2Days _________________________________________________________________________________________________
W2B 29 - 02 Aug Y12 Trial HSC Exams continue 31 - 02 Aug Y11 Urban Challenge _________________________________________________________________________________________________
W3A Tue 06 Aug P&C Meet 7pm 08 Aug School Musical “Grease” 7.00pm 09 Aug School Musical “Grease” 7.00pm 10 Aug School Musical “Grease” 7.00pm
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
W4B 10 - 15 Aug Shisui HS (Japan) visit 15 - 16 Aug Duke of Ed (Brz – Slvr) Thu 15 Aug Year Assemblies HSC Ind Tech Projects due Fri 16 Aug SEC Fundraiser – Pyjama Day _________________________________________________________________________________________________
2019 – 2020 STUDENT LEADERS
Captains Khhushi Kundra
Suhaasini Jeyasothy
Vice Captains Daniel Schwartzel
Xander Papadopoulos
IEF Captain James Habkouk
CONGRATULATIONS!
REMINDER TO YEAR 12 YEAR 12 TRIAL HSC COMMENCES ON MONDAY 22 JULY
The Marella Muse Vol 16 | Ed 5 05/06/19
Kellyville HS We are a vibrant and innovative learning community that is committed to delivering excellence within
a rich and diverse learning environment. Every student has the opportunity to achieve their personal best through engaged, active learning in a safe, respectful and supportive school. Page 2 | 7
Principal Points
Thank you to KHS staff for another amazing term! Whether it is our feeder school transition days, Year 9 camp, musical rehearsals, Y11 Drama night, Subject selection night, Careers Expo, Parent Teacher night, Leadership selection and induction, Homework centre, the Gym, and all of the other opportunities that our school provides for students it has clearly been another busy and amazing term. I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of the staff at Kellyville HS. They collectively do an amazing job at ensuring that student safety and happiness is at the core of student wellbeing alongside their dedication and expertise with curriculum delivery and innovation. Thank you!
Executive recognition I would especially like to acknowledge the work of Mrs H Ruys as she has relieved in the position of Deputy Principal. while Mrs Roberti has been on leave. She has provided sound advice to the Senior Executive team and worked closely with many students and families during this term.
I would also like to acknowledge Ms K Oakley who has relieved as Head Teacher (English) during this period. Her leadership of the faculty as they work through new curriculum changes has been highly valued.
Mrs D Maloney will continue in her role as Relieving HT TAS, and Mrs A Yurkowski will continue as Relieving HT Welfare throughout the next term. I appreciate the way they have both supported and developed their faculty team members and look forward to their ongoing leadership contribution.
I wish you all a happy and safe semester break.
Ms J Barnier Principal
Deputy Diary
Subject Selection Night It was wonderful to see so many Year 8 & Year 10 parents attend with students to seek advice on the process and faculty experts on the subject selection evening. Year 8 forms are due on Friday 5 July. Year 10 forms will be submitted when the final interview is held. Please direct all further inquiries about subject selection to the Year Adviser concerned.
Parent Teacher Night (8/9/10) Thank you to those parents who attended to support our students in discussions about their academic progress. Parents are reminded that if they wish to make further appointments they should contact the appropriate teacher or Head Teacher as appropriate. Year Advisers can be contacted at any time to seek a student profile if parents have any concerns.
Safe Driver behaviour in the school zone for OUR kids We have received numerous community reports recently about poor driver behaviour in our school zone. In particular drivers are performing dangerous turns around Galvin Avenue. We ask that all parents who are involved in morning drop-off safely obey road rules. This means pulling out safely from the drop zones and continuing along Queensbury Ave to return to President Rd. This is a timely reminder to our community that RMS and Police do random and regular checks to support our school and our kid’s safety. Student Leadership It was our pleasure for us to attend the recent student Leadership Induction ceremony on Thursday. Our SEC and HC were inducted to office for 2019-2020 and the School Captains were announced. A huge thank you also goes to Mrs A Bridger who was the founding mentor for our House Council and who has shown outstanding leadership and enthusiasm for the role. Ms T Mitai takes over that role and is just as keen. Thank you also to Mrs J Gentle who continues her amazing service with our Student Executive Council. Anthony and Sarah, Jace and Liam you have continued to shape and define the role of the Leadership and Student Voice at our school, representing student ideas and opinions, but above all, upholding your office with distinction. Congratulations and a warm thank you for your service to our school.
Mr D Wanstall / Mrs H Ruys (Rel) Deputy Principals
High School Transition – Sherwood Ridge
Over the last few weeks students in year 5 and 6 from Sherwood Ridge PS have participated in a transition to High School initiative.
The students walked to Kellyville High School and participated in a range of lessons taught by Kellyville HS staff and students. On Tuesday 21/5, year 6 students participated in a variety of activities in science, PE, French, Visual Arts, STEM and IT.
On Thursday 30th May, year 5 students participated in French, science, PE and STEM. A big thank you to all of the teachers who taught the lessons and the staff from Sherwood Ridge for their consistent support and collegiality.
A huge thank you and congratulations to Xander P and Jake M of year 11 for teaching the STEM lessons to the students.
Ms K. Graham HT Teaching & Learning | LOTE
The Marella Muse Vol 16| Ed 6 05/07/19
Kellyville HS We are a vibrant and innovative learning community that is committed to delivering excellence within
a rich and diverse learning environment. Every student has the opportunity to achieve their personal best through engaged, active learning in a safe, respectful and supportive school. Page 3 | 7
NRL YOUTH ADVOCATE PROGRAM
Congratulations to Ana L! Congratulations to Ana L of year 12, who is the newest member of the NRL Youth Advocate Program. Ana has been inducted to this leadership program in 2019 and her first initiative was to MC an event for several schools in the region. Congratulations to Ana on this outstanding success and we look forward to watching your leadership skills and NRL talents grow.
Ms K. Graham HT Teaching & Learning | LOTE
2ND HAND UNIFORM SHOP
Opening – Thursdays every 1st & 3rd week of month during school term.
Hours – 8.15am – 9.00am
Location – Meeting room left of the School Office Entry
Donations – Always needed and can be left at the school office if we are not open.
Prices start from $10 to $25 for new items. No returns or exchanges. Cash only.
All the money raised goes back to supporting our school.
YES program!
The Youth Engagement Strategy (YES) program provides high school students who are 15+ years the opportunity to learn employability and foundation skills in a vocational context at TAFE. They provide educational support, pathways and individual learning plans. the programs aim to help students reengage with formal schooling, access further education or training options, or realise successful employment pathways. Congratulations to Humphrey C, Jack P and Dylan W.
KHS Concert Band Update
The KHS Concert Band had their debut performance at Recognition Assemblies in the hall on Tuesday 4th June. They performed really well – I was SO proud of them all! They fought back the nerves of playing for the first time in front of their peers.
We are looking forward to playing as part of the Hawkesbury Eisteddfod next term and have been entered into the small instrumental ensemble category, as I think this will be a better section for us to compete in.
If you are interested in joining the Concert Band or know someone who might be, come and speak to me. We’d love for our ensemble to continue to grow!
Mrs B. Smith Music Faculty
The Marella Muse Vol 16| Ed 6 05/07/19
Kellyville HS We are a vibrant and innovative learning community that is committed to delivering excellence within
a rich and diverse learning environment. Every student has the opportunity to achieve their personal best through engaged, active learning in a safe, respectful and supportive school. Page 4 | 7
1ST Place @ Speaking 4 the Planet Comp
On Thursday 30th of April, five Year 11 students and one Year 10 student travelled to the Hills Shire Council for the ‘Speaking 4 the Planet’ competition.
Suhaasini J and Khhushi K were tasked with presenting a prepared speech, an impromptu speech and a 30 word written piece about the dangers of Food Waste. It was tough competition, but both girls presented insightful views on the importance of Sustainability, with Suhaasini receiving a Special Mention for her amazing prepared speech from the judges.
Phoebe T, Joshua H, Lachlan H and Willow A represented KHS in the Impromptu Drama section. The group presented a moving piece that had the entire room speechless, which landed them FIRST PLACE in their category. All those lunch time rehearsals paid off so congratulations! Overall, we left the competition inspired and more informed about the war on waste. It’s time to Think, Eat and Save.
Mrs K. Oakley & Mrs C. De Mellow English Faculty
Off to State Drama Camp!
Phoebe T., Lachlan H. and Joshua H. have been selected to represent KHS at the NSW State Drama Camp in Week 10. They will be learning and collaborating with Year 11 students from all over the state in preparation for next year’s Drama HSC. Congratulations!
We will also be holding a fundraiser for these students on the 27th of June, 2019 at 6:30pm. The Winter Drama Festival will have performances from Year 9-12 Drama and there will be a $5 entry fee, which will go towards the Year 11’s Drama camp fees. We would love to see you there!
Mrs C. De Mellow CAPA Faculty
KHS Junior Dance Ensemble
On Sunday 16th June the KHS Junior Dance Ensemble competed in their first dance competition.
They performed the dance work 'Ebony and Ivory', a piece about the delicate balance between challenge and success.
Their outstanding technique and graceful performance quality resulted in them achieving 1st place. Congratulations to all the junior dancers!
A well-deserved result.
Miss T Richardss PDHPE Faculty
Back row (pictured): Jasmine L, Hayley K, Sienna L, Madeline L, Georgia P & Charlize R. Front row (pictured): Chloe F, Olivia F, Jessica G, Chloe W, Thea C, Hayley J & Sierra S.
The Marella Muse Vol 16| Ed 6 05/07/19
Kellyville HS We are a vibrant and innovative learning community that is committed to delivering excellence within
a rich and diverse learning environment. Every student has the opportunity to achieve their personal best through engaged, active learning in a safe, respectful and supportive school. Page 5 | 7
Bunnings BBQ Fundraiser for ‘Grease’
On Sunday the 2nd June, we had a very successful Bunnings
BBQ fundraiser at Rouse Hill for the musical Grease.
We raised $669 and the P&C have kindly offered to round up
the fundraising to $1,000 to support us.
Thank you to the students, staff and P&C for their time on the
day and the organisation beforehand.
It was all very much appreciated and a successful day.
Mrs B. Smith
Music Faculty
TWILIGHT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Staff recently attended the fourth twilight TPL session to enhance their skills. The STEM and FLAME faculty met to work through the programs and a session on ‘Design Thinking’ was run by Mr Wanstall.
Staff were taken through the design thinking process, Empathise, Refine/Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test as they designed projects to support the 2030 United Nations Sustainability Goals.
The Marella Muse Vol 16| Ed 6 05/07/19
Kellyville HS We are a vibrant and innovative learning community that is committed to delivering excellence within
a rich and diverse learning environment. Every student has the opportunity to achieve their personal best through engaged, active learning in a safe, respectful and supportive school. Page 6 | 7
TRIVIA NIGHT DONORS & SPONSORS
Please take some time to recognise the businesses that are the 2019 Trivia Night Donors.
• Edge Rock Climbing
Website: http://www.edgerockclimbing.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theedgerockclimbing/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edgerockclimbing/
• Bernie Mullane • Metro Hotels • J.R. Auto Care
Mobile Car Wash & Detailing Service
Offering 3 x $60 exterior detail gift vouchers as trivia night prizes.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0457 171 882
• Maxx Music • Jim’s Mowing • Belgravia Leisure
Maxx Music have a great program with activities that students may be interested in.
They have a couple of band workshops – one for musicians who play but have not had the experience of playing as part of a band and the other is a 3-day experience which includes song writing.
They also have a song writing workshop for young people in years’ 7 – 10, and a field recording/digital music composition workshop called Sounds of Rouse Hill which may interest some older students.
All information can be found on their website:
www.maxxmusic.com.au/school-holiday-music-activities
• Sydney Side Furniture • Dengate Leather • Robert Cliff Master Jewellers • The Candle Cave • Learn to Drive • Sydney Art School • Made in Italy
Mrs T. Moy Maths/Science Faculty
Inner Wheel Musical Evening
On Wednesday the 19th of June, two HSC dance students, Imogen L and Samantha H performed at the Inner Wheel Musical Evening in support of Stewart House. They performed two of their HSC dance works impeccably and should be extremely proud of their hard work and dedication.
Well done to you both!
MissT. Richards PHDPE Faculty
High School Transition – KPS & BHPS
Over the last few weeks students in Year 5 from Kellyville PS and Beaumont Hills PS have been invited to KHS to participate in a transition program that offers primary school students the opportunity to participate in an array of High School experiences.
On each of the transition days, students attended a variety of lessons covering an array of subject areas. Our visitors were engaged by KHS staff and students across both practical and theory based lessons throughout the day.
On Thursday 13th June, year 5 students from Kellyville PS participated in a variety of activities such as science, STEM, French and Visual Arts. On Thursday 25th June, year 5 students from Beaumont Hills PS participated in French, HSIE, PE and Woodwork. A big thank you to all of the teachers who taught the lessons and the staff from Kellyville PS and Beaumont Hills PS for their consistent support and collegiality.
A huge thank you and congratulations to Myuran K and Zac O of year 9 for teaching the STEM lessons to the year 5 students from Kellyville PS.
Ms K. Graham HT Teaching & Learning | LOTE
The Marella Muse Vol 16| Ed 6 05/07/19
Kellyville HS We are a vibrant and innovative learning community that is committed to delivering excellence within
a rich and diverse learning environment. Every student has the opportunity to achieve their personal best through engaged, active learning in a safe, respectful and supportive school. Page 7 | 7
P&C SPONSORSHIP
Settle a home or car loan with me before the end of the school year, and mention this ad, and I’ll donate to the Parents and Citizens’ fund of Kellyville High School.
With access to a panel of lenders, there is a #FreeThinking solution for all your finance needs.
Contact me today: www.liberty.com.au/sandra-zalud
#GetFinancial Please see the attached PDF under Community News for more information. Sandra Zalud Liberty Adviser
COMMUNITY NEWS
… … … Musical Trivia Night 2019 Donors & Sponsors … … … Parent Fact Sheet NCCD … … … Engaging Adolescents Program … … … Parenting Ideas: Introducing a traffic light wellbeing plan to students … … … Parenting Ideas: Managing your child’s anxiety
EENNGGAAGGIINNGG AADDOOLLEESSCCEENNTTSS™™
PPAARREENNTT CCOOUURRSSEE
This course is being run by a Parentshop® licensed practitioner. www.parentshop.com.au
• An end to the arguing and yelling! • It saved our lives • Simple, sane, effective •
What you will learn:
Some common ground shared by parents & reasonable expectations to hold about adolescents
New understandings of adolescence
A three-option model & flow chart for decision-making
Self check-in, first - for parents.
Building relationship with your teenager and making the best of your non-crisis conversations with them
Skills for tough conversations for handling those problems you just can’t ignore
Registration Fee – This is a free course.
To register for this course please complete the referral form and email to Christian San Juan at High Street:
Email: [email protected]
Prior to the group each participant will need to agree to and sign a participant agreement.
What parents have said…
A step dad recalled an incident at the weekend with his 12
year old step daughter. He said that the input he had
received the previous week from the course helped him
keep his cool and brought a more favourable outcome.
A single Mum who had presented as quite anxious on the
first night told the group in week 2 that she had made an
appointment with her 15 year old son during the week
and had had a far more favourable discussion with him
than would previously have been the case.
Who’s running it?
The trainers for this course are Christian and Nina who
completed Parentshop’s Engaging Adolescents training
on 10th February 2016.
Christian and Nina work within Youth Health for Western
Sydney Local Health District.
For more information please contact Christian San Juan on:
(02) 8860-2500 at High Street Youth Health Service.
PPaarreennttiinngg sskkiillllss ffoorr aaddddrreessssiinngg tteeeennaaggee bbeehhaavviioouurr pprroobblleemmss
A program for parents and carers at High Street Youth Health Service (HSYHS)
65 High Street Harris Park on Friday 5th July at 10:00am – 4:00pm.
\
If your child feels anxious reassure them that these feelings are a normal response to new people, events or potentially challenging situations. Help your child understand that there is a great deal they can do to manage their anxious feelings, so they can get on with the activities they enjoy.
Explain anxietyIf your child is anxious they may struggle to explain how they feel. An important first step in anxiety self-management is explaining to your child how anxiety works.
Teach your child that the amygdala, the part of the brain that protects them, is always on high alert when they are anxious.
Explain that the amygdala sees danger where there is none, but the body prepares to fight for life or flee from danger as if it’s protecting them from a hungry lion.
Talk about the changes that happen in their body to power them up to fight or flee including; increased heart and breathing rates and the pumping of the blood from the stomach to the arms and legs, which can cause nausea and even vomiting for some.
Help recognise anxiety-inducing eventsHelp your child to recognise the specific situations and events that make them feel anxious such as meeting new friends, sitting tests and fear of rejection. In this way you can help your child manage and minimise his feelings of anxiety.
Respond with empathyWhen your child feels anxious, the part of the brain that controls rational thinking, decision-making and concentration temporarily goes offline. They can feel easily overwhelmed by simple, everyday events and situations. Rather than protecting your child by allowing them to avoid meeting these challenges, or dismissing them as trivial, validate their feelings with statements such as “I can see you’re feeling worried about going to camp without your brother.”
Managing anxious momentsHelp your child develop the tools to regulate and push their anxious feelings to the background. Practise these anxiety management tools when your child is feeling calm, and it will be easier for them to practise when they are
We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au/schools
Managing your child’s anxietyby Michael Grose
insightsWELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH
nervous. These include:
Taking some deep breaths: Deep belly breathing from the diaphragm calms the amygdala, reducing feelings of anxiousness
Bringing their attention back to the present: Use their senses to bring their attention to the present moment and away from their worries – “Tell me five things you see, four things you hear and something you smell”
Getting them moving: Physical exercise is not only a great distraction but it releases feel-good endorphins that help children and young people feel better and more optimistic about the future
Defusing their thoughts: Help your child to distance themselves from their thoughts by using distancing statements. Replace “I’m going to fail the test” with “I had a thought that I’m going to fail the test.” Rather than changing their thinking, assist your child to distance themselves from unhelpful thoughts
There’s a great deal you can do to help your child manage their anxiety. Start by assisting your child to understand the fundamentals of anxiety, show your understanding of their feelings and be ready to support them emotionally to push their anxiety to the background.
As your school has a membership with Parenting Ideas, you can attend the upcoming webinar – Managing your child’s anxiety – at no cost!About the webinarJoin Michael Grose in this webinar where he will help parents better understand the nature of anxiety, equip them to recognise it in children, and provide practical tools to help children and young people manage and minimise their anxious states.
WhenTuesday 25 June 2019 8:00pm AEST.
PriceThis webinar is $37 per person to attend, and is free of charge to families at schools that have a membership.
How parents can redeem the voucher1. Click this link: https://www.parentingideas.com.au/parent-resources/parent-webinars/webinar-managing-your-childs-anxiety2. Click ‘Add to cart’3. Click ‘View cart’4. Enter the voucher code ANXIETY and click ‘Apply Coupon’ (valid until 25 July 2019). Your discount of $37 will be applied.5. Click ‘Proceed to checkout’6. Fill in your account details. These details are used to login to your account and access your parenting material7. Click ‘Place Order’
Michael Grose
Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation and the best-selling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It. His latest release Anxious Kids, was co-authored with Dr Jodi Richardson.
We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au/schools
A simple, effective tool teachers can use to raise student awareness of their wellbeing is the traffic light wellbeing plan. Used in hospital settings, nutrition, aged-care and mental health, the traffic light system is an almost universally understood approach for making evaluations. With a personal traffic light wellbeing plan, students can enter details into each section to describe how they feel and what they do when they’re feeling good, when they’re beginning to struggle and when they are indeed struggling and need help.
This wellbeing plan builds student awareness about the positive factors that impact their wellbeing while helping them recognise the warning signs when their wellbeing takes a dive. The plan can be used with a whole class or on an individual basis with students who may be at risk or who need assistance maintaining healthy emotional wellbeing.
Here’s how to introduce a well being plan to the whole class
1. Open a conversation with students about feelings. All feelings are natural, they come and they go; some feel good and some don’t. There are no wrong feelings, and it’s natural to experience a range of feelings every day. You could extend this activity to include a class (or pairs or small group) brainstorm of feelings and then list or collate them on the board.
2. Ask students to contribute to a group discussion about their thoughts, feelings and behaviour when they’re feeling good. Prompt students to think about their sleep, their mood, how much they exercise, how sociable they feel, what they do for fun, how they feel during class and completing homework, who they like to spend time with, their participation in after-school activities, how they feel, the content of their thoughts and self-talk, choices related to their health and how much time they spend on screens. Note all of these on a whiteboard under the heading ‘Feeling good’, written in green if possible. Anxious students may find a group discussion challenging; tweak this activity as needed to meet the needs of your students.
3. Distribute a wellbeing plan to each student and ask them to complete the green ‘Feeling good’ section using some of the class examples they relate to and others that are unique to their experiences. Allow time for items to be included by each student. Students can then include details of what supports them to continue to feel good, helping them stay in the green zone of their wellbeing plan.
We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au/schools
Introducing a traffic light wellbeing plan to studentsby Michael Grose
Professional Learning
STUDENT WELLBEING
4. Repeat step 2 for the next (amber) section ‘Beginning to struggle’, compiling class answers on the whiteboard under that same heading, preferably written in orange.
5. Ask students to complete the amber section of their personal plan. This section has a space for them to also include the action(s) they can take to help move them from the amber zone towards the green zone. They can note the names of people they can turn to for support if they’re beginning to struggle. This list could include parents, other family members, a particular teacher or even their family doctor. Encourage them to be specific.
6. The ‘Red flags’ zone of the wellbeing plan can be completed in the same manner as the amber zone. This is an opportunity to chat with the class about symptoms of declining wellbeing, including social withdrawal, low mood most of the time, heightened anxiety, difficulty falling or staying asleep, making poor food choices or spending a lot of time in front of a screen. They might feel irritable, sad, stressed or angry a lot of the time, they might feel guilty, miserable, frustrated, unhappy or disappointed most of the time. They might have an upset stomach, feel shaky or overwhelmed, they might worry about school, friendships, family or their future; they may avoid activities they usually enjoy or find it difficult to concentrate. Use age-appropriate examples during each step to ensure you’re facilitating discussions at the right level for the students in your class.
7. Create a regular opportunity for students to reflect on their plan and to choose which colour best represents their level of wellbeing at that time. Encourage students to put their plan into action by undertaking the actions they listed that will support them to move towards the green zone when needed.
Michael Grose
Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation and the best-selling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It. His latest release Anxious Kids, was co-authored with Dr Jodi Richardson.
We're a Parenting Ideas school parentingideas.com.au/schools
National Parents/Carers Fact Sheet Version No. 4 as at March 2016
Information for parents and carers WHAT IS THE NATIONAL DATA COLLECTION?
The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (the national data collection) is an annual collection that counts the number of school students with disability and the level of reasonable educational adjustment they are provided with.
The national data collection counts students who have been identified by a school team as receiving an adjustment to address a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the DDA). The DDA can be accessed from the ComLaw website at www.comlaw.gov.au.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT FOR MY CHILD?
The aim of the national data collection is to collect quality information about school students with disability in Australia.
This information will help teachers, principals, education authorities and families to better support students with disability to take part in school on the same basis as students without disability.
The national data collection is an opportunity for schools to review their learning and support systems and processes to continually improve education outcomes for their students with disability.
WHY IS THIS DATA BEING COLLECTED?
All schools across Australia collect information about students with disability. But the type of information currently collected varies between each state and territory and across government, Catholic and independent school sectors.
When undertaking the national data collection, every school in Australia will use the same method to collect information. Therefore, a government school in suburban Sydney will collect and submit data in the same way as a Catholic school in country Victoria and an independent school in the Northern Territory.
The information provided through the national data collection will enable all Australian governments to
improve target support and resources to benefit students with disability.
WHAT ARE SCHOOLS REQUIRED TO DO FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY?
All students are entitled to a quality learning experience at school.
Schools are required to make reasonable adjustments, where needed, to assist students with disability to access and participate in education free from discrimination and on the same basis as other students.
These responsibilities are outlined in the DDA and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards). The Standards require educators, students, parents and others (e.g. allied health professionals) to work together so that students with disability can participate in education. The Standards can be accessed via the ComLaw website at www.comlaw.gov.au.
WHAT IS A REASONABLE ADJUSTMENT?
A reasonable adjustment is a measure or action taken to help a student with disability access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability. Reasonable adjustments reflect the assessed individual needs of the student, and are provided in consultation with the student and/or their parents and carers. Reasonable adjustments can be made across the whole school setting (e.g. ramps into school buildings), in the classroom (such as adapting class lessons) and at an individual student level (e.g. extra tuition for a student with learning difficulties).
WHAT INFORMATION WILL BE COLLECTED?
Every year your child’s school will collect the following information for each student with a disability:
• the student’s level of education (i.e. primary or secondary)
• the student’s level of adjustment • the student’s broad type of disability.
The information collected by schools will be provided to all governments to inform policy and
National Parents/Carers Fact Sheet Version No. 4 as at March 2016
programme improvement for students with disability.
WHO WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL DATA COLLECTION?
The definition of disability for the national data collection is based on the broad definition under the DDA.
For the purposes of the national data collection, students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia or auditory processing disorder as well as chronic health conditions like epilepsy, diabetes or asthma, that require active monitoring by the school, may be included.
WHO WILL COLLECT INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL DATA COLLECTION?
Teachers and school staff will count the number of students with disability in their school and the level of reasonable adjustment they are provided based on:
• consultation with parents and carers in the course of determining and providing reasonable adjustments
• the school team’s observations and professional judgments
• any medical or other professional diagnosis • other relevant information.
School principals are responsible for ensuring the information identified about each student is accurate.
HOW WILL MY CHILD’S PRIVACY BE PROTECTED? Protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all students and their families is essential. Personal details such as student names or other identifying information will not be provided to local or federal education authorities.
Further information about privacy is available from www.education.gov.au/notices.
IS THE NATIONAL DATA COLLECTION COMPULSORY?
All education ministers agreed to full implementation of the national data collection from 2015. This means that all schools must now collect and submit information annually on the number of students with disability in their care and the level of adjustment provided to them.
Information about the arrangements that may apply to your school in relation to this data collection is available from your child’s school principal and the relevant education authority.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact your child’s school if you have further questions about the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability.
You can also visit www.education.gov.au/nationally-consistent-collection-data-school-students-disability.
An e-learning resource about the Disability Standards for Education 2005 is freely available for the use of individuals, families and communities at http://resource.dse.theeducationinstitute.edu.au/.
