Purpose

Western Autistic School's vision is to provide a dedicated school for students with autism.

At Western Autistic School, we envision a nurturing environment for autistic students in grades Prep to Year 3. Through personalized support and collaborative teaching, we empower each child to thrive socially and academically. Our community celebrates diversity and fosters a commitment to building a strong educational foundation for our students that encourages lifelong learning and achievement.

Our school demonstrates commitment to the following values:

· Diversity

· Respect

· Learning as an ongoing process

· Sharing and growth of knowledge

· Collaboration

School Profile

The Western Autistic School is a large, vibrant and unique school in the western suburbs of Melbourne. We offer an early years program for 300+ young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Prep to Grades 3.

Our school caters to autistic students, and synthesises an evidence base drawn from student-centred, strengths-based approaches and contemporary research from the fields of autism and inclusive education to develop Individual Learning Programs for each student.

Key features of our program include:

-The individual student is the focus of our teaching

-Each student is provided with an Individual Learning Plan, in collaboration between the student, their family and the teaching team

-An emphasis on building foundational skills in social communication and functional areas, alongside academic skills particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy

-Small classes of approximately eight students with a teaching team of consisting of teachers, education support staff and allied health professionals

-Individualised transition program for children to move on to their local neighbourhood school

-Ongoing outreach supports.

As part of our school's mission, WAS is actively involved in research and training. It has a registered training provider The Autism Teaching Institute (ATI) which provides post graduate qualifications to educators working with autistic students.

Further information about WAS and its branches is available at:

www.westernautisticschool.vic.edu.au

www.autismteachinginstitute.org.au

Responsibilities

The Registered Nurse promotes the optimal health, wellbeing, and development of students in a school setting. Through a focus on one or more of the following, the Registered Nurse:

• Demonstrates high levels of autonomous and independent practice within the school setting
• Provides timely, high-quality and evidence-based primary health care to students
• Undertakes comprehensive health assessments, plans and evaluates ongoing care to promote the health, wellbeing, and development of individual students
• Develops, implements and evaluates health education and promotion programs in response to identified health priorities in schools and in collaboration with school community
• Actively promotes primary health care within the education curriculum
• Makes nursing interventions which promote optimal student health in the following areas: alcohol and other drugs; safe environments; mental health and wellbeing; sexual health and wellbeing; physical health and wellbeing, and healthy eating and wellbeing
• Makes early identification, timely intervention and referral for students and families at risk or experiencing vulnerability
• Where clinically indicated, conducts health and development assessments on all school entrants with the consent of parents or guardians
• Contributes as an integral member of the student health and wellbeing team to promote a social view of health
• Communicates effectively with students, their families, the school community and with other health practitioners and service providers
• Provides health advice and acts as a clinical resource to the school community
• Recognises where it is appropriate to make referrals to health practitioners, and to other service providers to meet the individual healthcare needs of students
• Facilitates links between the school community and relevant primary health care services
• Delivers individual health counselling to meet the health care needs of individual students and to promote their optimal health and wellbeing.

The daily duties include are not limited to:

• Ensure students attending First Aid are provided with first aid for accidents and illness;
• Ensure parents/guardian contact occurs when necessary;
• Ensure student medical alerts are all current and communicated effectively to staff working with students;
• Record and report first aid visits as outlined in the DET guidelines;
• Administer medication as directed by medical practitioners in accordance with the school policy;
• Liaise with the relevant camp/excursion staff and provide up-to-date medical information and summary documentation prior to all camps/excursions;
• Arrange the appropriate Professional Learning and maintain records for staff to update First Aid, CPR, asthma, anaphylaxis or other relevant qualifications;
• Review and update existing Anaphylaxis policy and practices in consultation with senior staff as per Ministerial Order 706, including conducting twice-yearly staff briefings, if required;
• Perform duties as requested by the principal class

Selection Criteria

KSC1. Demonstrated skills and expertise necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the position, including the appropriate qualifications, technical skills and expertise as relevant to the position

KSC2. Demonstrate a high level of written and verbal communication skills and a high level of interpersonal skills, including the capacity to provide advice and support to students, staff and parents in respect to the work area. Additionally possess the ability to maintain confidentiality and be entrusted with private and sensitive information.

KSC3. Demonstrated ability of working in a collaborative team environment.

KSC4. Experience in the delivery and coordination of student and family health and well-being services in a school setting.

KSC5. Basic computer literacy for the purpose of maintaining records and the ability to learn new systems quickly, if required.

The application process:

All applicants are required to apply via the Departments recruitment portal, Recruitment Online.

1. Go to: https://schooljobs.eduweb.vic.gov.au
2. Click on ‘Search School Jobs’ and enter the Job Number 1470483 in the Keyword search.
3. You will need to register a Profile in order to apply.
4. Applications MUST INCLUDE Key Selection Criteria responses: shortlisting is based on KSC responses. Please provide as specific examples as possible when addressing each criterion, for example, how you addressed a specific client’s needs.

For further information or if you would a tour of our school please contact:

[email protected] or call 03 9097 2000