Wahgunyah Primary School is a small school in north east Victoria located on the Murray River. It is a beautiful place to live and is close to the Rutherglen wine region and the regional cities of Albury, Wodonga and Wangaratta. The school first received the number 644 in 1863 under the newly established Board of Education's Common School System. In 1878, a new school building was erected on the current site which still stands today.
The school is comprised of the original school building, which has recently been renovated. It includes a library, kitchen/breakfast club and our 3/4 classroom. Our remaining four classrooms are accommodated in our BER building which was built in 2011. The office is in another separate building which houses the general office, principal's office and staffroom. The grounds include a small synthetic turf oval, basketball court, two modular playgrounds, monkey bars, a mud kitchen, sandpit, and vegetable garden.
Enrolments are currently 93 students. Over the past four years, enrolments have remained stable.
We are a school that values and includes all people. Our aim is to establish:
- A school community that promotes mental health and wellbeing
- Respectful relationships, belonging and inclusion
- An effective social and emotional learning curriculum for all students
- Opportunities for students to practice and transfer their social and emotional skills
- Collaborative working relationships with parents and carers
- Parent and carer support networks
- Understanding mental health difficulties and improving help-seeking
- Responding to students experiencing mental health difficulties
We are passionate about what we do at Wahgunyah Primary School. Through hard work, we have created an environment where students are valued as individuals.
Wahgunyah Primary School¿s curriculum is based on the Victorian Curriculum. Students are offered French as a language. Wahgunyah Primary School is part of a small schools cluster and regularly participates in cluster sporting and cultural events. A daily breakfast club is provided for all students by parents and school staff. The schools positive playground program is supported by a lunchtime wellbeing person.
SC1. Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based supports for a range of mental health issues
SC2. Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for primary aged students with complex needs
SC3. Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and strategies relating to mental health and wellbeing
SC4. Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people
SC5. Ability to provide leadership and professional learning that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people
The is a part-time position of 2 days per week (15.2 hours). Days and hours are negotiable to the suitable applicant.
The role with have the following functions:
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Hold a professional qualification with skills and expertise in mental health specialisation, providing services to people with mild, moderate and severe mental health conditions
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Provide assessments and therapy to students, eg. cognitive behaviour therapy
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Provide peer supervision, guidance and training to teachers and the wellbeing team
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Co-ordinate supports for students with additional wellbeing needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with other health professionals to engage further support as required
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Enhance promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school
Education Support Class Level 1 Range 4
The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with minimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.
As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).
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Deliver professional support services in a school setting, including direct counselling of students with a range of mental health issues, applying sound theoretical knowledge and practical expertise
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Plan and implement evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and agencies when appropriate to effectively manage risk
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Working collaboratively with the school to contribute to policies and operational practices that will guide the work of others, including other school staff and teachers
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Provide leadership and professional learning to other school staff, including teachers, to build the capacity of schools to improve student learning and development outcomes
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Liaise with other department areas (eg. student support services) and external service providers where necessary to provide appropriate supports to students
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Maintain professional competence and continued professional learning, including attending professional development activities throughout the year
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Meet relevant policies and legislative requirements in relation to student health information, privacy and consent
Required
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Applicants must be qualified as a psychologist, social worker, mental health nurse, occupational therapist or counsellor of a prescribed class. Specifically:
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For Psychologists, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
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For Mental Health Nurses, applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA and hold a postgraduate qualification in mental health
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For Social Workers, applicants must be eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers
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For Occupational Therapists applicants must hold full registration with AHPRA
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For Counsellors applicants must have completed a Bachelor or Master of Counselling and be a practising member of either the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
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Demonstrated direct counselling experience
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A current Working With Children Check.
Desirable
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For Psychology applicants, specialisation in educational and/or developmental psychology.
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For Mental Health Nurse applicants, holding a Mental Health Nurse Credential and membership with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
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For Social Work applicants, membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers and an Accredited Social Worker Trade Mark.
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For Occupational Therapy applicants, a Better Access to Mental Health Endorsement.
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For Counselling applicants, Level 3-4 registration (ACA) or a Registered Clinical Counsellor endorsement (PACFA).
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via
[email protected]
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
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:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department'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 department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
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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
Please ensure that your application includes:
- A resume including relevant experience as well as personal details (name, address and contact numbers, business and home)
- A section addressing the selection criteria and the requirements for application under the Who May Apply section
- Names and contact numbers (telephone and email if possible) of two referees who are able to attest to the claims made in your application.
Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.
