Learning Support
& Enrichment

FREE entry: Autism information afternoon - Friday 24th November
Thank you Mrs Bradford and Ms Porteous
Is your son eligible for exam and assessment provisions?
Head to Health: Australia’s new digital mental health gateway to government-approved publicly-funded services, resources and programs
Could your son benefit from Handwriting improvement or Touch typing lessons at school?
Thursday Enrichment Club
After-school Study Program
Maths Drop-in Centre

Free entry: Autism information afternoon at Gordon Friday 24th November

For the interest of parents, students and educators, this after-school expo-style event provides presentations on transitioning from school to work, how to access community networks, as well as workshops on music therapy and Lego therapy. This one day event will be held at the Gordon Uniting Church Hall, Pacific Highway Gordon, from 3.30pm until 7.00pm. For more information see the flyer below.

Autism Expo - Flyer V10.pdf

Thank you Mrs Bradford and Ms Porteous

During the recent Year 7-9 Exam block, two very generous parents volunteered their time and patience, to be provisions parent-helpers, and undertake the role of reader or scribe, for the benefit of our eligible boys with support needs: Mrs Kathy Bradford (Mum to Andrew Bradford, Year 6, 2017) and Ms Kate Porteous (Mum to Keegan Aikin, Year 9, and Brendan Aikin, Year 11, 2017). The LSE staff and the boys involved, were very grateful for your expert help, which made all the difference to the boys at such a stressful time. We look forward to your assistance again in future.

For all parents and carers, who are interested in becoming an occasional provisions parent-helper in future, please contact Joanne, Coordinator of LSE for details, at JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Is your son eligible for exam and assessment provisions?

At St Pius X College our Provisions Program is managed by the Learning Support and Enrichment (LSE) Department, and includes all years from 5-12. It involves a formal in-school approval process in which provisions are granted to your son for all his whole-grade tests, exam blocks and timed written in-class assessment tasks. Exam blocks are those listed on the school calendar, and they include the NAPLAN test week. However, for other tests such as competitions (eg. the UNSW ICAS tests), students are not given provisions on these occasions.

Provisions are administered by LSE teachers, our LSE teacher’s aide, and by trained parent-helpers who assist as readers or scribes, from time to time. The most needed provisions include: small group supervision, extra time to write (2.5 minutes per half hour of working time), rest breaks (5 minutes per half hour of working time), use of a computer, reader, support person (eg. to fill in multiple choice items on a test paper, for a student with a hand injury), or writer/scribe.

Interested parents and carers, wishing to volunteer as provisions parent-helpers may enquire about assisting for each of the various exam blocks throughout the school year, by contacting the LSE Coordinator: JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au. As little as 2 hours of your time, during an exam block of your choice, will be most appreciated.

In accordance with NESA (formerly, the NSW Board of Studies) guidelines on the granting of provisions, medical documentation is required to confirm the presence and impact of a current condition or disability, including all mental health related conditions, which may be negatively affecting your son’s ability to perform to his true ability in an exam or assessment situation. Only those students whose medical or clinical documents have been processed through the LSE Department, can be approved and granted provisions. LSE staff are obliged to take into account the recommendations of your son’s doctors, in addition to functional evidence which we gather from your son’s teachers who are the closest observers on how your son is performing in the classroom and in test situations.

To maintain or amend your son’s provisions from the start of next semester, all continuing approvals for exam and assessment provisions will require updated documentation (no older than 12-14 months in general). This documentation may include medical reports, diagnostic assessments, reviews and letters regarding medication changes, and we prefer PDF scanned copies emailed to the relevant staff member (see below).

Alternatively, if your son has a new diagnosis for a current and ongoing condition or disability, which you believe is impacting on his learning and exam performance, and you wish to inquire about provisions for him, then please contact the LSE teacher-in-charge and IP Convenor, on the LSE staff, as follows:

Bridie Barrett: Years 5-6. BBarrett@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Amanda Fileman: Years 7-8. AFileman@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Carla Leonardi: Year 9. CLeonardi@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Joanne Raheb-Mol: Years 10-12. JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au