Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Stephanie Di Salvo
Assistant Principal
Student Attitudes to School Survey
WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!
We value student voice as a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing, and quality instruction, and are conducting a survey to find out what your child thinks of our school.
The AtoSS is an annual student survey offered by the Department of Education and Training to assist our school to gain an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. Students will be asked about their thoughts and feelings in relation to their school, their learning, peer relationships, bullying and life in general.
Students from Jacana School for Autism in Year 4 to 12, will participate in the survey. Your child will complete the survey online during school hours using a purpose built secure online survey tool. It is important to note that we are not in any way “testing” your child. Your child has the right to refuse or withdraw from the survey at any time.
This year the Attitudes to School survey will be conducted at our school over the period Friday 7 May to Friday 11 June. The survey takes around 20-45 minutes to complete and occurs during your child's class time.
The survey has been designed to facilitate participation in the survey amongst students who may have difficulty completing the longer version. This will include reduced questions, simplified language, simplified 3-point scale and visual aids.
All survey data that is made available in reports are for groups of students only so that no individual student can be identified. Data suppression rules are used for schools with low student numbers per year level.
The survey results will be communicated to the school community through the Annual Implementation Plan in Term 4.
Parent/Guardian information and consent letter will be provided by your classroom teacher.
School Improvement Team Updates
School Improvement Team (SIT) members for both Reading & Viewing and Student, Voice, Agency & Leadership, referred to the FISO Improvement Cycle to move the focus from 'Evaluate and Diagnose' to 'Develop and Plan' stages of the cycle. Using multiple forms of whole-school data including the FISO Continua of Practice, teachers and leadership members prioritised and set goals on Term 2 Professional Learning topics that would be presented every Thursday afternoon to teacher and therapy staff. The following areas of improvement were prioritised for both 'Excellence in Teaching and Learning' and 'Positive Climate for Learning':
The following Professional Learning Session topics were prioritised and planned:
Professional Practice 1 (Week 2):
Moderation of Reading & Viewing Assessment: to ensure that assessments align with established criteria and standards and are equitable, fair, and valid and that judgments are consistent, reliable, and based on evidence within the task response or assessed work.
Professional Practice 2 (Week 7):
Exploring Questioning and Critical and Creative Thinking skills during reflection before, during and after work sessions.
Professional Practice 3 (Week 8):
Including all students to engage in authentic co-design of learning opportunities; unpacking how metacognitive skills and knowledge support active student participation.
Professional Practice 4 (Week 9):
Exploring what student reflection looks and sounds like across the school day; breaking down metacognitive skills into concrete observable actions, that can be observed and measured.
Tutor Learning Initiative
Thank you to Shirley Yip, who has been supporting the implementation of the Tutoring Learning initiative which commenced in Term 1 this year!
Referral Process
Identified cohorts are selected per term, based on absenteeism data and engagement before, during and after Flexible and Remote Learning in 2020.
If your child meets the referral process criteria, you will receive a letter of consent and further information from your classroom teacher.
Rationale
The primary focus of the tutor is to provide onsite school support for students to participate in a range of individualised programs that support the achievement of Personal and Social Capability learning goals; focused on building emotional literacy skills in knowledge to support onsite school engagement.
Time Fraction and Case Load
Selected students each term will participate in the tutoring program once a week for a 30 minute session over 8 weeks.