CASTLEMAINE SECONDARY COLLEGE
MENTOR HANDBOOK
2018
Table of Contents
Objectives for Mentor Group structure 5
Mentor Teacher Position Description 6
Job Purpose 6
Objectives 6
Key Tasks 6
PRECINCT LEAD TEACHER POSITION DESCRIPTION 7
PRECINCT MANAGER POSITION DESCRIPTION 8
Attendance Checking Procedures, Roles and Responsibilities 8
Mentor Teacher 8
Class Teacher 9
Instrumental Music Staff 10
Administration Staff 10
Student Support Staff (Student Wellbeing worker (formerly Chaplain), Guidance Counsellors and Nurse) 11
Precinct Lead Teacher 12
Principal Class 12
Instructions for Checking Mentor Attendance on XUNO 13
Absence Note Request Text Message Template (Available through XUNO) 14
Daily Mentor Group Sessions 15
Extended mentor group Sessions (each Wednesday) 15
2018 Mentor Group Staffing 16
Support Personnel for Mentors and Students 16
Precinct Lead Teacher 16
Guidance Counsellors– Melissa Laragy-Walker and Shera Blaise (Case Manager responsibility) 16
Student Wellbeing worker (formerly Chaplain) – Lisa Cochrane 17
School Nurse – Alli McMillan 17
Careers Advisor – Ian Cook 17
DET Psychologist 17
External support 18
Communicating with parents and guardians 18
Positive Call 18
Been Hurt Call 19
Uniform Call 19
Attendance Call 19
Six Tips for Providing Positive Feedback to Students 19
Mentor Responsibilities When Responding to Serious Incidents 20
Limits to confidentiality 20
Suicidal Threats 20
Self- Harm (at school) 20
Child Abuse (mandatory report) – police matter/ DHS 20
Neglect 28
Sexual Assault (police matter) 28
Sexting/Pornography 28
Bullying/Peer Issues 28
Student seems to be low of mood (possibly depressed) 28
Work Related Stress/Anxiety 29
Classroom Behaviour 29
School Refusal 29
Any Student Transferring or Leaving school 30
Suspected Drug Use 30
VCE Special Consideration 30
Wellbeing referral process 32
32
Staged Levels of Support for Student Engagement and Positive Behaviour at CSC 33
Level 0 33
Level One Support for Student Engagement and Positive Behaviour at Castlemaine Secondary College 34
Level Two Support for Student Engagement and Positive Behaviour at Castlemaine Secondary College 35
Level Three Support for Student Engagement and Positive Behaviour at Castlemaine Secondary College 36
Level Four Support for Student Engagement and Positive Behaviour at Castlemaine Secondary College 37
CASTLEMAINE SECONDARY COLLEGE ANTI-BULLYING AND HARASSMENT POLICY 39
Introduction 39
Preventative Approaches to Bullying and Harassment at CSC 40
Recommended responses for students when targeted by bullying and harassment 40
College Responses to Reports of Bullying and Harassment 41
What if I’m not satisfied with how a formal complaint has been dealt with or I have a complaint involving a student and staff member? 42
Advice to bystanders 42
Specific advice to students and parents about responding to cyber bullying 42
Advice about bullying and harassment to parents and guardians 43
Further information for students, parents and teachers 43
Bullying and Harassment: 43
Youth mental health support including information about bullying: 44
Cyber Bullying and Cyber Safety 44
Review, evaluation and communication of this policy 44
Uniform Checking Procedure 45
Self Care for STAFF 46
TuesDAY January 31st 48
50
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT LEARNING GOALS FOR 2018 50
Instructions for student input of learning goals via xuno 52
Objectives for Mentor Group structure
2011 marked the introduction of our new Mentor Group system at Castlemaine Secondary College. This initiative has been a key strategy for pursuing some of the most common objectives identified by staff in Term 3, 2010 when all staff were asked to envision their ideal Castlemaine Secondary College. Among the most important features of an ideal Castlemaine Secondary College were a more personalised and relationship based approach to working with our students. The Mentor Group system aims to provide an important basis from which to pursue this objective.
All CSC students belong to small Mentor Groups consisting of 8-15 students, and these students have daily contact with their Staff Mentor. The objectives for the Mentor Group system include:
· To create smaller staff-student ratios in Mentor Groups, thus allowing the Mentors to take a more personalised approach to their work.
· To develop stronger emphases on wellbeing and personalised student learning through these smaller Mentor Groups.
· To develop a stronger emphasis on the Mentor as being the most significant staff member in each student’s school life.
· To create flatter, less hierarchical and more personalised student management structures.
· To create an expectation that all staff will serve as student Mentors, which means that developing relationships with students, communicating with parents and taking an interest in students’ wellbeing become central aspects of every teacher’s role.
· To create small teams of staff working together to support each other in their roles as Mentors, with each small team being supported by a Leading Teacher or Assistant Principal (Precinct Lead Teacher).
· To provide a structure that will assist and complement the more personalised, relationships focused approaches to teaching being implemented by the Teaching and Learning and Transitions and Pathways teams (e.g. Mentors will be well placed to assist with the development and review of Individual Learning Plans and to assist with subject selections for the following year).
· To add to the team-based approach to teaching that has been developed in recent years through the Professional Learning Teams.
· To reinforce the school’s commitment to Restorative Practices by replacing our previous hierarchical and under resourced student management system which has supported a “power over” approach to student discipline rather than a relationship focused approach to managing students.
Mentor Teacher Position Description
Castlemaine Secondary College
Status: Part of teaching allotment
Job Purpose
The Mentor is integral to the positive engagement of students at the College. It is the Mentor’s responsibility to ‘connect’ with the students in his or her Mentor Group. The Mentor should be the adult who knows the student best and is the prime caring adult for that student at school. Mentors should work towards developing harmonious group dynamics, a good work ethic, and an atmosphere of concern and care amongst the students in the Mentor Group (e.g. If a student has a long-term illness, arranging for the class to send card etc.) The Mentor should also encourage pride and a sense of ownership in the homeroom, and encourage interest and discussion about upcoming events and participation in sports, the Student Representative Council (SRC), special events, and projects.
The Mentor should be the primary link between home and school. Establishing the home/school link is vital. Parents need to be aware of your role and be confident about contacting you in the first instance when they have any concerns.
Objectives
· Improve student connectedness to peers, to teachers and to the College.
· Improve students’ wellbeing, engagement and transition from year to year.
· Improve the College’s ability to respond to each student as a unique individual.
· Minimize student absenteeism from school.
· Improve effective communication between school and parents.
· Ensure high levels of compliance with the College’s uniform and dress policy.
· Improve student organisational skills.
Key Tasks
1. Lead the Daily Mentor Group sessions, including the extended (30 minute) session each Wednesday.
2. Check daily student attendance and follow up unexplained absences.
3. Communicate persistent and/or unresolved attendance problems to parents and the relevant Precinct Lead Teacher.
4. Assist with the distribution of information, excursion forms and materials to students.
5. Support students in the development of useful learning strategies, desirable study habits and appropriate organisational skills. e.g. Punctuality, personal property security, personal tidiness & preparation for class.
6. Encourage students to use a form of organizer and promote its use as an effective organisational tool.
7. Assist students to set learning targets/goals.
8. Monitor and ensure that students wear full school uniform or appropriate clothing for Year 12 students.
9. Follow up with students out of uniform or in inappropriate dress as per Out of Uniform process.
10. Assist students to adhere with the College’s student Code of Cooperation.
11. Demonstrate interest in the pastoral care and wellbeing of students and arrange appropriate support for students experiencing difficulty.
12. Publicise and encourage maximum participation in Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences.
13. Support students in being their best and celebrating success.
14. Write End of Semester Mentor’s Report
14. Communicate with parents via XUNO, email, phone or in person and as appropriate.
15. Assist with the development of Career Action Plans and Individual Learning Plans.
16. Support colleagues in managing students via;ABC form (XUNO-incidents) and the staged level of response document.
17. Mentor teacher is part of the ‘Wellbeing Referral’ process (referral form found in XUNO (bulletin) and Moodle (Staff Resources).
18. Part of their mentor student’s Student Support Group (SSG) and/or Care Team if these support processes were found to be necessary for an individual student.
PRECINCT LEAD TEACHER POSITION DESCRIPTION
Job Purpose
The Precinct Lead Teacher is integral to the positive engagement of students at the College. It is the Precinct Lead Teacher’s responsibility to lead a Professional Learning Team (PLT) of staff. They will provide support to individuals and groups of staff in their work with students, families and in developing their craft as classroom and mentor teachers. The Precinct Lead Teacher will communicate with and meet regularly with each teacher in his or her team to support the provision of effective engagement and student learning outcomes.
Key Tasks
1. To build the capacity of Classroom Teacher and support them in implementing Student Learning initiatives through
· Supporting the development and documentation of a Performance and Development Plan (PDP) for each member of a PLT.
· Leading professional learning activities within the PLT
· Providing individual coaching to support the implementation of PDPs
· Support teachers to build capacity to implement the teaching strategies that support a “Level Zero” classroom of the Staged Levels of Response policy
2. To build the capacity of Mentor Teachers and support them in
· Building the academic success and positive engagement of their mentees through the development of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), Managed Individual Pathways (MIPs) and the subject selection process
· Working with their mentees’ parents/guardians to promote students’ academic success, wellbeing and positive engagement
· Implementing levels 2 and 3 of the Staged Levels of Response student management policy
· Implementing the Extended Mentor curriculum to build resilience and promote student wellbeing
3. Other tasks as directed by the Principal.
PRECINCT MANAGER POSITION DESCRIPTION
Allowances: 6 periods per week and $2500 per year
Job Purpose
The Precinct Manager support the Precinct Lead Teacher in the positive engagement of students at the College. It is the Precinct Manager responsibility to support the development of positive relationships and support staff with maintaining consistent behaviour management processes. They will provide support to individuals and groups of staff in their work with students and families.
Key Tasks
· Develop a positive culture within the precinct (e.g. celebrating the successes of students, co-ordinating assemblies and assisting with care for the precinct’s physical environment)
• Work with Precinct’s Leading Teacher to develop an out-of-class support roster for the Precinct
• Support the development of positive relationships within the Precinct
• Implement and support staff to follow consistent behaviour management processes
• Liaise with mentors and classroom teachers to ensure that parents are kept well informed about any behavioural concerns at school
• Support classroom teachers to manage Level 2 and 3 behaviours with a primary focus on using a restorative practices approach
• Support staff to develop Individual Learning Plans
• Liaise with Leading Teachers, Wellbeing Staff, Assistant Principal and other teachers to help address Level 4 behaviours
• Attend case management meetings for students of concern
• Ensure that all behaviour concerns and follow-up are well documented on Xuno.
Please note: Consideration is currently being given to changing our learning communities from a precinct structure to a house system. In the event of this occurring the same responsibilities listed above will apply and the House Manager will still assume responsibility for working with a Leading Teacher to lead a similar sized community of staff and students within CSC.
Attendance Checking Procedures, Roles and Responsibilities
Mentor Teacher
· Accurately mark the Mentor Group roll every morning.
· Check the Mentor Group’s absence report for the previous day each morning. This is a quick and simple procedure, as shown on page 11.
· Unexplained absences must be followed up. This includes:
· Seeking absence notes from students and passing them on to the Front Office Staff (Note: the instructions on page 12 explain how Mentors can use XUNO to send a reminder as one way of seeking absence explanations from parents). The Front Office Staff will file absence explanation notes and change the absence reason on XUNO. Mentors may also change absence reasons on XUNO if they have received an absence explanation directly from a parent or guardian themselves (e.g. if a mentor receives a telephone message from a parent or carer explaining an absence, they can then change the unexplained absence on XUNO); however, details of this parent communication must be sent to the Front Office staff for filing.
· Following up with parents or carers and students when truancy occurs for more than one class in a day.
· Alerting the classroom teacher if a student appears to have truanted from just one specific class. In this case, the classroom teacher must follow-up with the student and parent, but the mentor should check to make sure that the classroom teacher has picked up on the truancy.
· Seeking support from the relevant Precinct Lead Teacher, Student wellbeing worker (formerly known as Student Wellbeing worker (formerly Chaplain)) or Guidance Counsellor if a pattern of truancy develops (i.e. student truants from the same class more than twice in any term).
Class Teacher
· Mark rolls accurately at the start of every lesson and quickly check the previous lesson’s attendance so that you are aware of any students who missed the previous class and that you are satisfied that any absences were legitimate. Note: checking the previous lesson’s attendance is a quick step as shown in instructions on page 11 for checking Mentor Group rolls (the same process can be used to check in class roll).