Student Management & Welfare

Student Management at Lowanna centres on your child’s sub school. We have 3 Sub Schools:

Each Sub School is led by a mini school manager and a team of student advocates. These people have the responsibility for your child’s welfare, along with their Home Group Teacher.

You should feel free to contact the student advocates or mini school manager with any issues regarding such things as your child’s progress, discipline, health and welfare. Each sub-school has an administration officer, who will assist in arranging these contacts.

Communication is important. We can only act on something if we know about it. The best results are achieved when we work together as a team.

Wellbeing Team Leader

Lowanna College has identified student welfare and management as a major priority. The College employs a full-time Wellbeing Team Leader who provides a confidential service to all students and parents. The Wellbeing Team Leader and the team are responsible for helping students handle issues such as truancy, disengagement, bullying, drug use and social/emotional health.

The Wellbeing Team Leader works with other welfare professionals and agencies to address student needs. The College also has access to the District Support Staff of the Department of Education. From time to time the College employs other agencies to run programs to cater for the specific needs of students.

A large number of parents and students have used, and continue to use this service.

College Chaplain

The chaplain aims to encourage, equip and empower people in areas such as resilience, reconciliation, and personal growth. The school chaplain:

• is available for and offers confidential pastoral care to all members of the school community
• offers a spiritual dimension
• is involved in school processes relating to crisis intervention and trauma debriefing
• is an active and distinctive role in the student wellbeing team, providing input where appropriate to school processes and policies.

Although pastoral care and education occupy most of a chaplain’s time they are also actively involved in the general life of the school, participating in such things as lunch-time programs, camps, co- curricular activities, sport and curriculum development.

Koorie Education Centre

The Woolartbe (to take care) room is available to Students of indigenous heritage. We have a full program of support for student and families . Our Koorie educator works with these students to assist them in their attendance at a mainstream school. We also offer Koorie tutoring for our students as a means of supporting their success. Students are also able to use the room at recess and lunch to access resources for their schooling that they may not be able to get elsewhere.

Disability Support

Lowanna College strives to provide an inclusive educational opportunity for all students. The Hub of special programs is in the new Language Centre, which provides both small group working spaces as well as larger class areas for these students. The Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) is based here with access to aide time, special education consultation and planning. Other programs include Literacy Support, English as a Second Language and specialised group work. Students always feel welcome and comfortable knowing that support and understanding is available to help them manage in such a large school. Parents can easily contact the House by phone to speak to the coordinator about any of the following –

• Program for Students with Disability (PSD/integration) support and staff
• Special needs resources
• Literacy Support program for students with language disorders and literacy difficulties
• Access to computers
• Support groups
• Educational testing and screening for groups and individuals
• Time out support for student behavioural management
• Individually programmed sessions for students with Individual Learning Plans
• Access to consultation with District Staff psychologist, speech pathologist and special education services
• Effective linking with school welfare structure, including counselling.
• Direct access to Special Education teacher at parent request
• A safe, structured environment to assist in strengthening students’ sense of belonging.
• Volunteers in the Classroom

Parent participation in the life of the College is openly encouraged and various opportunities exist informally or through association with the Parents’ Club or Chaplaincy Committee.

First Aid

The College has a trained First Aid Officer to deal with ill or injured students and to dispense prescribed medications.

The college have a number of procedures which follow in the event of student injury. These may include first aid provided by the first aid officer, contact with parents, or other emergency contacts, and if necessary, calling an ambulance.

School Injuries & Insurance

Parents and guardians are generally responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including any transport costs. Most medical costs will be funded by Medicare. If you are a member of ambulance or health insurance fund, you may also be able to claim transport or other expenses from the fund.

The Department of Education does not hold accident insurance for school students. The Department is aware of two insurers, JUA Underwriting Agency Pty. Ltd. and Willis Australia Ltd. who provide accident insurance policies for students. These policies provide specific benefits for students who are injured in accidents for a reasonably low cost. Other insurance companies may also do so.

Adolescent Health Nurse

As part of a state-wide program the College has the services of a part-time qualified nurse who provides health education for the school community.