Investing in Focus Schools – Action Plan

St James Catholic College

Sacred Heart Catholic School

Local Activity Plan – Investing in Focus Schools Project

Priorities

1. Engagement and Connections of Students
2. Attendance
3. Literacy & Numeracy
4. Partnerships with Families and Communities

1. Engagement and Connections of Students

Aim:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will be engaged in and benefiting from their schooling experience.

Targets:

• Increased number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students involved in personalised learning.

Activities & Strategies:

• develop personalised learning strategies for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
• continued focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Priority in the Australian Curriculum
• build on current work on explicitly valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and cultures
• develop a plan to facilitate smooth transition into senior secondary from St James to Guilford Young College through a shared culture of understanding of the needs of Aboriginal students and of best practice in Aboriginal Education.
• employ Dare to Lead to assist in the development of shared guidelines to underpin the schools; programs to address the Goals of the National Action Plan.

2. Attendance

Aim:

• To improve the attendance rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Targets:

• All compulsory school-aged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are enrolled. – I don’t think this is a realistic target
• Attendance rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are equivalent to non-Indigenous student attendance rates.

Activities and Strategies

• Provide appropriate support for ATSI children in the pre-Kindergarten Program.
• Continue to work in partnership with SETAC – the local Aboriginal Centre
• Promote the Catholic ethos and school offerings in the wider community
• Explore strategies to engage and support parents with their children’s learning.
• Ensure our curriculum and pedagogy is embedded with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural perspectives

3. Literacy and Numeracy

Aim:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ literacy and numeracy levels continue to improve.

Targets:

• reduce the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievement between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and non-Indigenous students;
• continue to improve results of ATSI students no matter where they are on the learning continuum;

Activities & Strategies

• employ a coach to work with all primary teams from St James and Sacred Heart. using the Co-Coaching model to work collaboratively with teaching staff within the teams, including one full day each term with secondary teachers;
• coach to work closely with the teams to lift the performance all students, particularly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students;
• coach would assist with planning, assessment, moderation and implementation of the curriculum;
• coach would visit classrooms regularly and provide support and feedback;
• use student data to inform and guide the teachers’ planning – NAPLAN, PAT Testing, PIPS, Numeracy growth points, etc..
• involve parents in the learning and teaching programs;
• build authentic networks between St James and Sacred Heart and the wider community;
• provide professional learning opportunities for staff that will continue to build their capacity as educators and leaders;

4. Partnerships with Families and Communities

Aim:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will be empowered through promotion of their identity, culture and Leadership in community partnerships.

Targets:

• Active school – community partnership agreements in place.
• involvement of Principals, leaders and staff in cultural and community activities will increase;
• authentic relationships with local Aboriginal community members will be developed;

Strategies and Activities:

• formation of Community Steering groups to guide the planning and implementation of the project.  Included in the committee will be the nucleus of the Lagrah Mabbyle [working together] committee
• continued involvement between SETAC and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden project and the VET certificate I in Horticulture;
• participation in a ‘cultural experience’ on Bruny Island for ATSI students and their families;
• an Aboriginal (Artist, Author, Musician, etc) in residence program will be established;
• Aboriginal people in the school communities will be involved at all levels of educational decision-making.