Learning Support Centre
The Learning Support Centre at Holy Cross, staffed by dedicated and experienced teachers and teacher aides, provides a comprehensive range of valuable learning support services for students with special needs at Holy Cross.
Special Education
Our Goals
Students at Holy Cross may have special education needs arising from a range of disabilities which can have minimal to profound impact on their learning.
To fully support our students with special needs or learning disabilities, the Learning Support Centre has the following goals:
- To work with parents, other agencies and departments to provide coordinated services at all levels for students with special teaching and learning needs.
- To include students with special education needs in an integrated mainstream education setting. This implies that the whole school will share the responsibility for educating students with special needs.
- To implement programs that will focus on meeting individual needs of students resulting in successful educational outcomes.
- To regularly review students' placement, progress and the provision of resources to ensure the best possible outcomes for them.
- To ensure the successful transition of students from primary school to secondary and from secondary school to post school opportunities such as training and employment.
- To apply strategies to maximise students' social, interpersonal and communication skills.
Services Provided
Individualised and Small Group Instruction in Key Curriculum Areas (KLAs).
Students who have been identified as needing extra help are withdrawn from class and provided with intensive support by our Teacher Aides using the lessons provided by the classroom teacher. Withdrawal from class and the undivided attention of the Teacher Aide enable the students to receive maximum help away from the distractions of the class.
Individual and Group Ability Testing.
Screening tests are undertaken in both literacy and mathematics to determine ability levels and support requirements. If considered necessary, psychometric testing can be organised to find out any specific learning disability which will then aid in devising the appropriate support.
Individual Education Programs (IEP) and Transition Programs (ITP) for Commonwealth Funded students.
Our Special Education teacher organises meetings with parents, teachers, students and Catholic Education Officers to develop an individual program for each student, discussing each student's special needs and requirements. Appropriate support is organised to help the student achieve the best possible outcomes at school in both learning and personal development. These programs are updated on an ongoing basis.
Special Provisions.
Identification of students who could benefit from Special Examination Provisions in School Certificate and Higher School Certificate Examinations. The applications for Special Provisions are prepared and sent to the NSW Board of Studies. Preparation involves administering individual reading and spelling tests, two essays written by the students and teacher comments supporting each application. Special Provisions are also provided for the Trial School Certificate and Trial Higher School Certificate examinations.
Mathematics Program
We are able to provide support for students struggling with mathematics. Year 7, 9 & 10 students are withdrawn regularly and Maths/literacy support is an ongoing program for Year 8.
Assignment and Assessment Support
Assistance with assignments and assessments is provided on an as needed basis to students requesting help. This includes help to understand the requirements of the assignment, research and compiling and writing up the assignment.
Professional Consultation.
Ongoing liaison with the students' teachers is carried out to ensure that the requirements and programs outlined during the IEP/ITP process are put in place and followed up. In addition, there is continuing consultation with parents and where necessary referral of students to therapists and health professionals in the community.
Literacy
At Holy Cross College literacy is seen as the ability to listen, speak, view, read and write, integrating both cultural knowledge and critical thinking skills in order to use language appropriate to the audience and context.
Our Literacy Goals
- The provision of a range of programs across all KLAs to enable an improvement in literacy for all students.
- The targeting of specific ?at risk? groups, for support in reading and literacy.
- The provision of ongoing staff support in literacy in all KLAs.
Services Provided
Reading Program.
Our reading program, staffed by volunteer parents is a very successful program which has been running at Holy Cross for a number of years. Volunteer parents come to the school to help with reading programs individually designed for the students who need assistance with reading. Work covered includes the MULTILIT /Making up for Lost Time in Literacy/ program, reading, comprehension, and spelling.
Peer Support Reading Program.
In 2005 we are introducing a peer support reading program which will operate in Term 3. Able readers in Year 9 are trained to work on a one to one basis with boys in Year 7 who need reading support. The boys involved meet in the library every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning during Homeroom time. The materials used aim to improve the boys? levels of comprehension. Emphasis is placed on the three levels of comprehension: on the line, between the lines and beyond the lines.
Reading and Writing Screening.
At the beginning of each school year, the Year 7 students are giving a reading and writing screening test to determine which students need help early in the year before the ELLA results become available.
Close Analysis of ELLA Results.
This helps us identify those students in need of further testing to determine the appropriate support. The analysis also enables us to make recommendations to staff regarding literacy areas which need immediate and long term focus.
Special Literacy Support.
Literacy support is provided for small classes in Years 7-10 for 10 weeks each across each term. During these classes intensive literacy teaching is provided to boost the students? skills and knowledge so they have the ability to cope in all their subjects.
MULTILIT.
Testing and placement of students who have difficulty reading in our MULTILIT reading program, comprehension and/or spelling and vocabulary program (1.1 tutor/student ratio).
Wide Reading.
Assistance in wide reading classes is offered by both staff and parent volunteers, as needed.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
At Holy Cross College, Ryde, E.S.L. students are those who have language backgrounds other than English and who are learning English as their second or additional language at school.
Our E.S.L Goals:
- The provision of support networks for targeted E.S.L. students.
- The recognition and affirmation of the social and cultural diversity of our students? backgrounds.
- The provision of specific learning programs for targeted E.S.L. students.
Services Provided
Early Identification.
The Year 7 reading and writing screening test helps us identify very early in the year any E.S.L. students requiring support with English to progress in their studies.
Small Group E.S.L. Classes.
Small group classes for Years 7-10 are organised to provide specialised assistance to help the students with their class work.
Individualised Assistance with Assignments.
This involves helping the students to interpret what is required, understand the research and assist with the compilation and writing of the assignment tasks.
Services for Hearing Impaired
Available upon arrangement with Catholic Education Office, Leichhardt. For further information, contact Anne Linnane at Holy Cross College.
School Counsellor Services
Available upon appointment with Mrs Sue Hogg.
Learning Support Team
The members of the Learning Support Team work together and meet regularly to discuss a range of student needs and strategies to support these needs. The Learning Support Team Members are:
- Ms Virginia Reeves: Special Educatio
- Ms Jen Collins Pope: Literacy and Special Education Support
- Ms Veronica Anthony: Specialist Maths Teacher
- Ms Monica Caly: English as a Second Language (ESL)
- Mrs Alison Donnelly: Teaching Assistant
- Mrs Kerry Lake: Teaching Assistant
- Mrs Anne Linnane: Hearing Impaired (Itinerant Teacher)
and many volunteer parents who give up their personal time to help our students with their reading and other skills.
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