Glenroy College Staff Handbook

Code of Practice

The Staff Code of Practice sets out the professional expectations of all staff employed at Glenroy College. Certain expectations are common for all staff at the College while others apply specifically to either teaching or education support staff.

 

Principles

 

The Staff Code of Practice is based on a clear set of principles:

  • All teaching staff are to be guided by the Professional Standards developed by the Standards Council of the Teaching Profession
  • Teaching staff are subject to conditions of employment as described in the Education Act/s
  • Teaching staff will be guided by the conditions established in the current Victorian Government Schools Agreement 
  • Support staff are guided by relevant statutory provisions and by the conditions of their employment agreement and job descriptions established by the Glenroy College Council.

All staff are expected to:

  • dress in a clean, neat and professional manner at all times when in the employ of the College
  • demonstrate commitment to the College Values-Achievement, Integrity, Respect and Teamwork
  • work together in inclusive and cohesive teams to implement the goals of the Annual Implementation Plan 
  • be committed to a process of ongoing development in their own areas of responsibility and in the College 
  • develop a personal Professional Development Plan and participate in appropriate and approved Professional Learning to improve knowledge, skills and performance
  • be informed about College activities and assist where possible
  • provide an appropriate role model for students in relation to work ethic, work practices, positive behavior/ dress
  • be punctual in attendance to class, required meetings and other timetabled duties
  • maintain a clean, safe, respectful and orderly workplace
  • respect the rights of all students through equitable and just treatment and the valuing of cultural and other forms of diversity
  • treat each other and members of the community with respect
  • develop and maintain positive, cooperative and effective relationships with other staff and share expertise with them
  • contribute towards the provision of a safe, secure, supportive and harassment-free educational environment
  • promote friendly, cooperative and constructive dealings with students and encourage them to strive for the highest achievable standards

Teaching staff are expected to support and positively work towards the implementation of the college’s Vision and Values which aim to create a learning community where everyone continually learns and grows. To achieve this for all students, teachers need to:

  • believe that all students have the ability to learn and to progress
  • provide a learning environment in which students experience success and develop an increasing responsibility for their own learning, is safe, inclusive and challenging
  • recognise that students learn in different ways and use a wide range of effective teaching strategies which allows for those differences
  • be well-prepared for each and every class and additional duties, including extras and yard duties
  • possess and maintain a high level of knowledge in their subject area, keeping abreast of change/s and initiative/s
  • develop content and processes consistent with guidelines as provided by DET and VCAA
  • structure learning tasks which motivate, engage and challenge all students
  • engage students in cooperative learning practices that foster trust, cooperation, tolerance and respect
  • make use of relevant, current Information Technologies (IT), resources and ideas in order to maximize student learning
  • set out what is expected of the students in terms of work requirements and deadline dates
  • regularly monitor the progress of student learning and achievement and provide regular and meaningful feedback to students and parents and to work with parents whenever possible to help maximise this progress
  • recognise student achievement, effort and exemplary behaviour through College Wide Positive Behaviour Support (CW-PBS) or PBS in short
  • reflect critically on their professional practice to continually improve the quality of their teaching
  • be effective communicators who strive to ensure that their expectations are clear and achievable at all times
  • develop an effective personal classroom management plan consistent with the College Student Code of Conduct
  • actively contribute to College program

Education Support staff are expected to support and positively work towards the implementation of the College Vision and Values which aim to create a learning community where everyone continually learns and grows.

To achieve this support staff need to:

  • strive to facilitate and enhance the work of teachers in providing the best possible learning experiences for students
  • ensure that they develop and maintain the skill levels necessary to perform their responsibilities as effectively as possible
  • be willing to change the nature of their duties within their areas of expertise to meet the changing needs of the College and students
  • respect the rights of all other members of staff, students and their parents
  • work with each person of the College community in a helpful and friendly manner

These expectations are also articulated in Ministerial Order #199, of which an excerpt is provided below: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/employcond/Pages/tso.aspx