The Support Unit structure enables a strong bond to be developed between the staff, students and their families. Your child will have a home class teacher for English and Maths. Students could have different teachers for other subjects such as Technology Mandatory, PDHPE, History, Geography, Art, Music and Science.
Home Class Teacher: Your home class teacher is the teacher who will be meeting with you and your child to talk about learning goals. It is important to communicate with your home class teacher regularly. Changes in medication, wellbeing concerns, general questions and successes that need celebrating should all be directed to the home class teacher.
Subject Teacher: Your child will have more than one subject teacher. You should contact the subject teacher to discuss any concerns you have with your child in each subject. Subject teachers will be in contact with you to talk about how your child is going in their subject.
Year Advisor: Can be contacted about your child’s general progress and welfare. The Year Adviser is aware of whole cohort information and is the person to contact about your child’s specific year group information such as vaccinations, school camps etc.
Head Teacher: All Support Unit staff communicate on a regular and daily basis. Concerns are passed on to the Head Teacher by your child’s home class and subject teachers. If you have questions or concerns that you have not been able to find solutions to with the home class or subject teachers, you can contact the Head Teacher to discuss them.
The Support Unit can also provide learning opportunities that support students to engage with mainstream courses and outcomes, opportunities for students to participate in special events or programs that are of interest to them and opportunities for students to celebrate and be recognised for their contributions, efforts and achievements.
Each class has a Student Learning Support Officer (SLSO). We have a sensational SLSO team within our Support Unit. SLSOs are there to work closely with our students to support them to access the curriculum, support their social and emotional needs and to make the most of their learning experience at Airds High School.
Individual Education Planning
Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings generally take place during Term 1 and Term 4. The purpose of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) is to discuss, review and co--ordinate:
• Child strengths and areas where development is needed
• Functioning levels and adaptive behaviours at home and school
• Recreational activities and opportunities in the community
• Personal care and presentation
• Post School Planning
These meetings are Department of Education and Communities requirements necessary for the ongoing placement of your child in the Support Unit at Airds High School. Your Home Class Teacher will be in contact with you to arrange your IEP meeting time. The IEP is developed by a team of individuals that includes key school staff and you as parents or carers. The team meets, reviews the assessment information available about your child and then designs an educational program to address your child’s educational needs. It is important that you are able to attend this meeting. As part of this meeting a formal review and reappraisal of your child’s placement in our Support Unit will take place. All students are entitled to participate in and progress through the curriculum. Life Skills courses provide course options for students with special education needs in Years 7–12 who cannot access the regular course outcomes, particularly students with an intellectual disability. Collaborative curriculum planning is the process to determine the most appropriate curriculum options and adjustments for a child with special education needs.
Assisted School Travel Program (ASTP)
Transport Taxis drop students off in the morning at our Kiss ’n’ Ride drop off point out the front of our school in Briar Rd. Transport drop off starts at 8.00am. An SLSO is there to mark students off a roll as they arrive at school. Please make sure if your child is away that you notify the driver of the transport service. Of an afternoon, Support Unit Teachers supervise the ASTP students at the same Kiss ‘n’ Ride drop off point.
The ASTP is only available to eligible students and their families. To find out more information please go: https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/astp/parents
Leaving School Grounds
Once students arrive at school they are not allowed to leave school grounds unless they have been collected and signed out by a parent or carer. If students are transported to and from school with the ASTP, leaving school grounds could mean that the child loses access to this service. This involves a team who have significant knowledge and understanding of the child. The team comprises parents/carers, teachers and other significant individuals in the student’s life. It also includes the child themselves.
Behaviour Rewards Program
Purpose
The purpose of the behaviour management system is to reward students for the positive behaviour they are displaying when taking responsibility for their learning. It also tracks their behaviour and allows for teachers to see what areas need to be addressed in IEPs in order for your child to be successful at school.
Overview
Each child has a points sheet each week. It begins on a Friday and continues to the following Thursday.
Points are allocated for 4 criteria. They are:
• Being Safe
• Being Respectful
• Being a Learner
• Personal behaviour goal
Points are allocated throughout the day, totalled up for each of the goals and then totalled for the day. These points then accumulate to determine which level a child has achieved for the week. Points are amended for partial attendance and absences. If a child is suspended then they receive zero for the day.
The levels are:
90--100% = Level 1
80--89% = Level 2
70--79% = Level 3
≤ 69% = Level 4
The students can attend different reward excursions and opportunities based on their levels.
Allocation of points:
3 points= no need for reminders
2 points = 2 reminders or less
1 point = 3 reminders
0 points = 4 or more reminders
Playground and Calm Spaces
An alternative playground program is arranged for your child if they aren’t coping in the school wide playground during recess and lunch times breaks. The focus of this program is to develop social skills between students in a supported and supervised environment. Both Homework and Games clubs run during Wednesday afternoons after school. Calm Spaces are provided in each one of our Support Unit classes. For some students who require it, there is a “calm space” outside of our Support Unit block for students to get some fresh air and to calm down.
Excitingly, 2021 will see the official opening of our sensory room! Watch this space
Current Staff
Ms Kate Hoffensetz (Head Teacher, Classroom Teacher - red Hot Chili Peppers)
Mr Roy Marks (Classroom Teacher - Pink Floyd)
Mr Matt Hill (Classroom Teacher - The Rolling Stones)
Mr Liam Phillips (Classroom Teacher the Beatles
Mr Cameron Baillie (Classroom Teacher - The Ramones)
Mrs Jaz Kumaran (Classroom Teacher - AC/DC)
Mrs Debbie Tailby SLSO
Mrs Hopwood SLSO
Mrs Williams SLSO
Mrs Kearns SLSO
Mrs Murry SLSO
Mrs Fansa SLSO
Mrs Smith SLSO