Assistant Principal Special Education

**Position Information**:
Highlands School is a School for Specific Purpose (SSP) which focuses on Positive Education and is located in Renwick, near Mittagong in the Southern Highlands. The school has a current enrolment capacity of 42 students (21 identified Behaviour Disorder (BD), 21 Multi-Categorical (MC)), from schools in Wingecarribee Shire and Wollondilly in Years 5-12 who exhibit challenging behaviours, emotional disturbance and/or autism spectrum disorders and the effects of adverse childhood experiences. Our students are placed at the school through a Regional Placement Panel. Parents/caregivers visit the school prior to the student's enrolment into one of our six classes, and a transition plan is devised collaboratively with the Home school.

The school is in a semi-rural setting and is well-resourced with a science laboratory, working industrial kitchen and cafe, basketball court, school hall, playing field, music room and art room.

The introduction of a wider range of school-based data sources is a major focus in order to support individual student growth in literacy and numeracy to address the lack of system-wide data collection through tests such as NAPLAN. This data is centralised and available to all staff so the individual learning plans are developed using a robust and effective data-driven decision making process. The data gathered also helps to inform the school's Situational Analysis within the four-year School Excellence cycle.

Our wellbeing programs, including Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL), are strongly based in whole-school trauma-informed practices and are regularly reviewed with enhancements implemented as required. Staff are all trained in the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) and adjust practice to ensure the five domains: body, stamina, engagement and character, all anchored by relationships, are the pedagogical lens through which daily classroom learning is informed.

Student goals for attendance and behaviour are set through a strong collaborative process that involves a positive relationship with parents/carers, culminating in a Personal Learning and Support Plan (PLSP) that is reviewed regularly. Parents attend a review meeting three times a year to set goals, discuss any adjustments that can be made, and changes to situations to inform learning and improve wellbeing outcomes.

Through a strong supportive relationship with Bowral, Moss Vale and Picton High Schools a successful transition program is in place that enables the development of healthy, happy, successful and productive individuals who contribute to their own wellbeing, and encourages a culture of realistic goal setting.

**Selection Criteria**:
In addition to the general selection criteria,
- Approval to teach special education and /or experience and expertise to improve learning outcomes for students with complex and challenging behaviours.
- Proven ability to lead evidence-based and evaluative practices to implement high quality differentiated and individualised curriculum including the development of student personalised learning plans, behaviour support plans and transition plans, that impact positively on student engagement, a culture of inclusion and whole school improvement.
- Evidence of a highly visible, approachable and collaborative leader with a capacity to build and maintain positive, inclusive, trusting relationships and partnerships with students, families, staff, external agencies and the wider community.

**General Selection Criteria**:
1. Successful teaching experience with capacity to initiate improvement in teaching, learning and classroom practice
2. Knowledge of curriculum, assessment and student welfare with the ability to lead and design quality, inclusive teaching and learning programs
3. Educational leadership skills to build the capacity and manage the performance of individuals and teams
4. Well developed communication and interpersonal skills with the capacity to build relationships and engage students, staff and parents
5. Ability to plan and manage resources effectively and equitably to support teaching and learning
6. Knowledge of and commitment to the Department's Aboriginal education policies

**Conditions**:
**Special Notes**:
**About the NSW Department of Education