The Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is seeking an accomplished and visionary strategic leader for the role of Head of Student Learning & Support.
Reporting directly to the Head of Catholic Schools, this position provides system wide leadership of specialist learning and support services. This senior leadership position is integral to ensuring that every student is known, valued, and supported.
The successful candidate will provide strategic direction and system-wide leadership across specialist learning services, student wellbeing frameworks, and targeted programs for students with disabilities, EAL/D learners and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students.
The Diocese
For more than 180 years, Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle have offered families a nurturing, encouraging and safe environment for their children to learn, achieve and grow. Our Schools educate more than 21,000 students across primary schools, secondary schools, and two K–12 schools in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, ensuring that each and every student receives a quality education in a supportive environment and has the opportunity to grow academically, spiritually, physically and emotionally.
This role offers an opportunity to make a significant impact on the delivery of inclusive education and the enhancement of student outcomes across the Diocese.
The Position
This senior leadership position is responsible for providing system wide leadership of specialist learning and support services, with a focus on students with disability captured under Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD), English as a second language or dialect (EAL/D) and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander funding.
The role is also responsible for the Student Wellbeing framework system wide initiatives, positive behaviour programs and student counselling services and allied health professional services offered to our schools.
This position sits on the CSO Leadership team and creates a culture of belonging and acceptance for all, ensuring:
1. Every student is known as a person and a learner, and they demonstrate growth in their learning every year.
2. Maximises learning opportunities for students by understanding their individual needs, individual characteristics and the impact of those factors on their learning.
3. Strategic leadership in the management, facilitation, development, delivery and evaluation of services and specialist programs to support student engagement and opportunities.
4. Support for students with disabilities, mental health and complex needs, aligned with the Diocesan’s student outcome priorities.
5. Development of adaptive, innovative, and continuous improvement strategies for funded student support programs.
6. Collaboration with the Head of Data and Analytics to ensure accuracy in specialist support and wellbeing data that informs the schools in their progress.
Experience/Criteria
A full list of selection criteria can be obtained by requesting an applicant information pack, however it would be expected the successful applicant can provide evidence of:
1. A clear understanding of contemporary issues in the Catholic Church and a personal commitment to Catholic education and the mission of Catholic schools.
2. Demonstrated experience in establishing and sustaining collaborative multidisciplinary teams to provide integrated support to school staff in achieving quality student learning outcomes.
3. Demonstrated capacity to think and act strategically, to plan and evaluate collaboratively with multiple stakeholders in leading specialist funded programs.
4. Expertise in current curriculum and wellbeing as well as familiarity with state and national developments in specialist education.
5. Leading a commitment to student needs through the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) frameworks, such as Response To Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L).
6. Sound knowledge of all relevant legislation and legal frameworks including child protection, work health and safety, equity and diversity and performance management principles.
7. Capacity to lead staff in implementing funded student support programs.
8. Leading a team that has familiarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pedagogical approaches and learning styles and the ability to guide school staff in adopting practices that acknowledge and respect cultural perspectives in teaching and learning.
9. Senior Allied Health experience (desirable).
Qualifications
In addition to experience and criteria, it would be expected that the successful applicant can provide evidence of:
1. Postgraduate qualifications in specialist education, educational leadership with demonstrated teaching experience and experience as a senior educator or an equivalent combination of experience, training, and achievement.
2. NESA Teacher Accreditation.
3. Current paid NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) number.
Salary and Conditions
1. Salary starting from $232,875 + superannuation.
2. Provision of a vehicle or personal car allowance of approx. $20,000.
3. Relocation costs.
4. 2 weeks compensatory leave in addition to 4 weeks annual leave (6 weeks total).
5. Access to long service leave after just five years for eligible employees.
The role is due to commence for Term 2, 2025. A flexible start date may be discussed with the successful applicant.
What is next?
Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has engaged ANZUK Executive to support the search and appointment process for this position.
If you are interested in this position, would like further information or wish to request an Applicant Information Pack, please contact Mitch Jones from ANZUK Executive:
1. mitch.j@anzuk.education
2. 02 8029 6955 // 0417652970
Submissions must address the criteria within the Applicant Information Pack in order to be considered.
Expressions of interest close on Monday 3rd March at 5:00pm.
Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle reserves the right to interview and appoint at any stage during the search process.
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