In 2017, our school
developed a new Response to Intervention framework aligned to our Strategic
Plan (2016-2019) which details a more streamlined and rigorous approach to
providing support for students. Response to Intervention is a framework for organising systems to guarantee that
every student receives the time and support they need to be successful. It is also
a process for ensuring higher levels of academic and behavioural success for
all students. It includes clear checkpoints to assess the extent to which all
students are learning. When these checkpoints suggest that students are not
responding to instruction, we begin a smooth process of determining what
supplemental time and support (interventions) may be necessary to ensure that
students begin responding as soon as possible. This approach involves every
staff member to help our students flourish in their academic studies and their
wellbeing.
Our teachers
deliver and differentiate instruction. They assess students frequently to ensure
they are mastering curriculum standards, help diagnose to determine specific
areas of need, monitor student progress to ensure that supports are working and
communicate this information to other staff.
- Paraprofessionals
help provide supplemental support to students and provide feedback
regarding observations and assessments of student progress.
- We work
collaboratively with clinicians when relevant to apply their recommendations to
enhance learning access and success.
- The
Leadership Team oversee the program to ensure we achieve our mission to support
every child to flourish and reach their full potential academically, socially
and emotionally, creating lifelong learners, critical thinkers and resilient
citizens.
Our school uses the big 4 PLC questions to drive
improvement and ensure we are focusing on the right work:
What is it we want all students to learn?
How will we know when each student has mastered the essential learning?
How will we respond when a student experiences initial difficulty in learning?
How will we deepen the learning for students who have already mastered essential knowledge and skills?
Response to
Intervention according to a 3 Tier Approach
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Tier
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Intervention Response
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Tier 1
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Collaborative
teams of educators providing high-quality differentiated instruction and then
analyse evidence of student learning. (Hierck & Weber 2014)
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Tier 2
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Allocation
of more time and support for students to master the missed Guaranteed and
Viable Curriculum concepts and skills by scheduled RTI squads of support.
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Tier 3
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Intensive intervention &
programs supported by skilled stakeholders to reduce the significant learning
gap or provide further extension of learning
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Launching Neuroscience at NVSS!
Our school is working with Sheryl Batchelor, the lead trainer from Stronger Brains which is a business focusing on improving brain health for individuals. In every classroom across our school from Prep – Year 6, we are incorporating the latest neuroscience to support our students to flourish both academically and in their wellbeing. Our students are explicitly taught the areas of the brain and strategies they can use to calm their Emotional Brain whilst strengthening their Thinking Brain. Through this work, our students develop strong Executive Function skills which are the foundation for learning. You can find out more about Executive Function skills by listening to Sheryl’s parent presentation from August 2017.
At NVSS we explicit teach our students to use their Thinking
Brains using the following visual:
Inclusion – Special Education Program (SEP)
Norfolk Village State School embraces inclusive
learning and celebrates difference. Our support programs for students with a
disability include:
- Disability specific reasonable adjustments (academic and social/emotional curriculum)
- In class support and differentiation
- Focused learning programs
- Intensive individualised programs
Special Education Program staff collaborate with our
Education Queensland Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist and Speech and
Language Pathologist to ensure students are able to access the curriculum and
school life. When needed, SEP staff seek guidance from Advisory Visiting Teachers
for Physical Impairments, Hearing Impairments, Vision Impairments, as well as
non- education Queensland disability specific organisations and specialists.
Each student has a current Personalised Learning Plan
and students who access a curriculum at a different year level also have an
Individual Curriculum Plan (ICP),that is developed in consultation with the
student’s key stakeholders, including parents/carers.
Our whole school staff strives to achieve an
environment that promotes inclusivity, in which all of our students feel safe
and welcome. We eendeavour to ensure all students at our school can flourish
academically, socially and emotionally, at their individual pace.