We are a faculty of many dimensions! Our brief is to support all Students with Additional Needs (SwAN). Within that framework, our team connects with students who benefit from receiving additional support in order to work towards their potential as a life- long learner in our school community - as well as an active member of our whole community.
Our faculty includes, Teacher Aides, Teachers, a Guidance Officer (GO – SEP) and a Head of Special Education Services (HOSES).We work hard to support the staff and students at our school.
As a team we focus on optimising opportunities for success for all our students. As a faculty of diversity, our success and effectiveness depends on our ability to identify our problems or issues, while ensuring we give power and energy to solutions. (Tony Robbins, 2010).
Gifted and Talented (G&T)
Toolooa celebrates success in its many forms. While our faculty coordinates some extra curricula activities for students identified as G&T, there are numerous school wide opportunities provided - enabling students to shine in many domains. Each department at our school encourages participation for these students in amazing activities, excursions, classes and competitions. Our staff appreciate that being gifted or talented presents itself in many forms. We acknowledge that it could be excellence in the sporting arena, academic achievement, demonstrating superior skills in manual arts or through a passion for public performances - in areas such as music or visual arts. As such, we strive to promote, recognise and celebrate achievements at every level.
Students With Special Needs
Toolooa has a commitment to inclusion in all school environments. We strive to achieve this through recognition and promotion that differences should be embraced and strength drawn from them. Our staff focuses on ensuring that all students achieve successful outcomes through individualised plans and strategies to ensure appropriate differentiation in classroom, small group and whole school settings. As an adjunct to this, external staff visit regularly to work with our students and staff. The focus of this is many and varied, and includes guidance on career pathways through work experience, and in providing support for students seeking casual employment. It also includes specific Advisory Visiting Teacher support in relation to planning for students with Hearing Impairment, Physical Impairment, and those from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background. In addition, we have the expertise of appropriate allied health professional support as required. Some of the specialists visiting are Speech Language Pathologists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and our school nurse.
Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds
Toolooa State High has had the privilege of welcoming international students and their families into our school community with increasing frequency during the last few years. In addition to a number of strategies designed to welcome, settle and integrate our new students; we also celebrate the richness that these students and their families bring to our school.
Improving student outcomes
Our faculty works collaboratively with and as part of the whole school staff to improve the learning of identified students who are experiencing difficulties achieving academic success independently. This includes providing assistance with planning preparation and delivery of effective teaching and learning programs. A strong focus is placed on success in the areas of literacy and numeracy with the goal of improved outcomes as the target. This is achieved through individual, classroom and whole school practices. This includes promotion of current evidence based teaching practices, regular review of data at all levels and options including ‘in and out’ of school hours tutorials, homework club and an ongoing commitment from staff to be available when required enhance opportunities for success.
Social/Emotional Support and Positive Behaviour
Our faculty staff understands the significance between positive self-esteem and success, and proactively work towards the promotion of these values in all our students. Toolooa staff are ensuring that they continue to observe the critical connection between a student’s academic success and feeling safe, accepted and valued within our school environment. Our approach reflects the need to be responsive to the individual, while acknowledging the rights of others. We believe that the time spent fostering a strong sense of self leads to successful outcomes that continue far beyond school.
As a faculty we feel highly privileged to be able to make close connections with staff, students and their families. We are very committed to ensuring that Toolooa State High is a school where everyone is encouraged to not only be self-motivated individuals, but also to be an important part of an amazing school community. We regard our students’ time at Toolooa to be an important preparation for success in the future they choose.