Education Learning Support “I don’t know. Sometimes I can’t really get what I’m supposed to do. Here, I can get help to understand. It’s at my pace and the aides make it make sense.”
This year also saw the launch of the small reading groups designed to provide extra literacy support for Year 7 students. Seventy-seven boys and seven ESOs took part, meeting three times a week.
This, from student in Year 11, sums up the aim of education support at St Joseph’s. In what has become the fastest growing In 2016 we have continued with the popular horse-riding department at the school, 111 students are funded through program through RDA Barwon Centre, at Wallington, and the Catholic Education Office for education the breakfast clubs offering literacy and numeracy support. As well as those funded, approximately support for the Year 7s. Special thanks to the VITA in action 200 students fall just outside the funding criteria teachers involved for their early starts each week. but still benefit from having an extra person in the In another first, Year 8 student Caleb Neyenhuis, classroom. spent three weeks in America at Space Camp. Our Edmund Rice philosophy centres around Below is a reflection of his experience. inclusiveness and respect for all students, Over the September school holidays I was fortunate regardless of their background, ability or to attend Space Camp in Huntsville Alabama. Space disability. From the youngest to the most senior, camp is a camp for the vision impaired and the blind each student contributes to make SJC a richer, to experience what it is like to do missions and to more accepting place. The education support operate simulators that they use to train astronauts. team, which includes 27 part-time and full-time Around 200 vision impaired students from around the education support officers and four specialist VITA in action world attended the camp.We were divided into teams teachers, aims to foster a safe, supportive and which meant we were able to meet new friends. Over respectful environment where each student can the week we did some cool activities, including space develop his potential and learn skills to take missions, and space simulators. My favourite thing beyond school. was a hover chair that you can control yourself, you 2016 has been an exciting year of firsts. It was the can go side to side, forwards and backwards and left first year in our new home as part of the newly and right. opened Paul Tobias Centre and students and staff - Caleb Neyenhuis, 8C are loving the purpose-built rooms, and the light, This life-changing experience for Caleb would airy space is a hive of activity each recess and not have been possible without the generosity of lunchtime. the wider school community, particularly the P&F. It was also the first year of the VITA Program, Thank you. a life-skills based certificate course which Our sincere thanks, again, goes to the Josephines delivers individual support for senior students for their unfailing support of our area and interest outside the general VCE and VCAL programs. in our programs. Funds from the Josephines have The new program focuses on providing realallowed for the purchase of essential resources world opportunities for learning aimed at and educational games to support a number of helping students transition into life after school. learning areas, particularly literacy, numeracy and Among the many highlights for the VITA crew, Caleb at Space Camp life skills. led by teachers Pete Adams, Hannah Smith, and ESO Ange Wilson, were the Bike Ed program, And to our boys who graduate with the Class mentoring St Thomas Aquinas primary school of 2016, we say thank you. We have so many wonderful students at the Gordon, visits to the RSPCA and the Amazing memories of your time here and wish you every success as Race in Melbourne. Congratulations to Year 12 student Joey you take your place in the world. Giacomazzo, who is the first student to graduate from the Mark Turner - Coordinator Education Support Services program – and celebrated with the cohort by organising and starring in a memorable soccer match. Break time in the Wellness Centre
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Joey’s farewell soccer match
Senior students hard at work
