There are many ways in which our school fosters and develops positive relationships within our community and especially between students, parents, carers and all teaching staff.
Our Learning and Support Team prides itself on a whole school approach. We have developed a process to guide teachers through various steps prior to making a referral and parent communication is recommended in the initial stage when a teacher has identified a potential student need. Early contact between parent and teacher is vital to ensure that communication is open and parents feel valued and included. Our staff respects that parents have the greatest knowledge of their child and so are a valuable resource when setting goals and making important decisions for a student. Our school often makes use of case conferences involving the Learning Support Team, parents and other agents such as speech pathologists, as a great way for all parties to communicate knowledge and achieve positive outcomes.
One of our major learning support programs is the Macquarie Reading Program, which is a good example of an initiative that creates strong relationships in our school. This program is an intervention for a targeted group of Stage one students who have been identified by the Learning Support Team as requiring specialised individual instruction in Literacy, with a reading focus. Ten students participate each semester. Each student spends 30 minutes, four times per week with a trained volunteer (usually a parent, grandparent or community member) practising and consolidating the skills required to be a proficient reader. Apart from the strong gains students make in reading, the positive relationships that develop from this program are confidence-boosting for each student and rewarding for each tutor. Tutors feel valued and have the opportunity to extend their knowledge of the curriculum, assisting them with their own children's home reading and also to make deeper connections within the school community. As LaST in charge of the program, we keep in contact with the parents of students on the program, informing them as we monitor their progress. We also have the opportunity to develop relationships with our volunteers, firstly through the training session and as the program continues.
Each class in our school values and encourages the contribution parents and carers can make, whether it is through assistance at various sporting carnivals, special days, such as 'Grandparents Day', helping at the school fair, in guided reading groups, on excursions, at school discos, at fund-raising events and through the P & C. Special information evenings are scheduled when new aspects of the curriculum such as the 'Bring Your Own Device' policy are introduced, to keep parents informed from the outset.
Reflecting on the way we combine as a school community, we would say that our school strives to develop the best possible relationships to support student well being. The common bond we share is the aim of providing an environment which not only fosters a love of learning but also seeks to nurture and support our students to be happy, rise to their potential and grow as caring and responsible citizens of the future. This unites us all as a team.