Black Mountain School

Annual School Board Report

2017

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This report supports the work being done in the ACT Education Directorate, as outlined in the ‘Education Capital: Leading the Nation Strategic Plan 2014-17’.

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© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, 2017

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Contents

School Board Chair Report	1

School Context	2

Student Information	3

Student enrolment	3

Student attendance	3

Staff Information	4

Teacher qualifications	4

Workforce composition	4

School Review and Development	5

School Satisfaction	5

Overall Satisfaction	5

Learning and Assessment	7

NAPLAN	7

Outcomes for College Students	7

Performance in Other Areas of the Curriculum	8

Financial Summary	9

Professional Learning	10

Voluntary Contributions	10

Reserves	10

Endorsement Page	11

Members of the School Board	11

School Board Chair Report

School board report 2017

Thank you for taking the time to read the Black Mountain School Board Annual Report for 2017. The report presents the key metrics that have been used to evaluate Black Mountain School’s performance against its strategic plan priorities and annual action plan goals for 2017. In doing this, it demonstrates the School’s commitment to rigorous evaluation of its performance and presenting this in an open and transparent way.

Beyond these direct measures, I am pleased to report that in 2017 Black Mountain School continued to provide engaging, tailored learning experiences to meet the diverse needs of its student population.

Some of the highlights of 2017 were:

Six Degrees Café Garden and Gallery was officially opened in May. Since then, it has established itself as one of Canberra’s most innovative classrooms and a source of great coffee and food for the local community. Its success was acknowledged at the 2017 Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards in December where it won the Inclusion in Education and Training category. On the same night, one of the School’s students, Mitchell McDermott, was awarded joint winner of the Emerging Young Leader category for his inspiring work within Six Degrees and other community endeavours.

Once again, the performance of Black Mountain School students at Dancefest demonstrated the wonderful abilities within the school community.

The School Board initiated ‘in-school board meetings’ so that the student members of the Board could participate in board meetings. It was wonderful to listen to the student reports, in particular, the success of their charity fundraising initiatives.

The Compass program continues to flourish and this year’s camp created marvellous opportunities for students to exercise meaningful choices and develop practical life skills.

2017 was a year of significant transition at Black Mountain School. Mr Frank Fogliati retired after many years of service to Black Mountain School. Frank’s leadership of the school over many years reflected his personal drive to see all students have meaningful, purposeful lives beyond school. He championed genuine, individual learning plans for each student that led to realistic and worthwhile goals. He sought to build and sustain meaningful and supportive relationships for the school with the broader community that have not only provided practical support but have engaged others in his vision. I wish Frank and his family all the best for the next stage of their lives.

Ms Lara Coman acted in the principal’s position for most of 2017 and in December was confirmed as the next principal of Black Mountain School. Lara brings to the position many years of teaching and leadership experience and a deep personal and professional commitment to educating students with complex needs. I congratulate Lara on her appointment and wish her success in this new role.

School Context

Black Mountain School (BMS) fulfils an important role within the ACT public education system, providing students and their families with a unique and specialised placement. BMS is a secondary specialist school located in O’Connor. The school specifically caters for year 7 to year 12 students with learning needs, requiring a special education program and facilities. Throughout a student’s placement at BMS the focus remains steadfastly on successful transition to post-school life. Over the past few years the school has been operating at capacity with 17 full-time classes in operation in 2017. Parent choice has a great deal to do with this. The school believes that the quality of its staff, programs, and facilities are key features that attract potential and future enrolments.

As a secondary school which graduates students directly into their post-school life, BMS is focussed on ‘capacity-building for independence, maximum participation, and quality of life’. The general capabilities of the Australian Curriculum provide the standards for this personalised academic and social learning which is both challenging and enriching. Educational priorities are established which assist students to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century. It is essential for young people with a disability to have a strong sense of identity and wellbeing, to feel connected with and contribute to their world, and be confident and involved learners and effective communicators.

In 2017 there was continued growth of Compass as it entered its fifth year. Compass is a relatively new placement program that increases options for families with children with moderate to mild intellectual impairment and/or AS (Autism Spectrum) living in northern Canberra.

We continue to undertake further steps in diversifying and evolving our workforce. Our school adheres to the philosophy of the ‘right person for the right job at the right time’, leading a shift in school staffing from a one-dimensional model to a responsive flexible model that focuses on student improvement. Our dynamic high-achieving workforce is committed to the school community, working collaboratively to improve student outcomes. In 2017 we continued to support students from other schools in an Australian School Based Apprentice (ASBA) placement. This wonderful program supports students seeking a career in the disability sector and supports the school to recruit high quality staff upon completion an ASBA.

Student Information

Student enrolment

In 2017 there were a total of 103 students enrolled at this school.

Table: 2017 Student enrolment

Student type	Number of students
Male	70
Female	33
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander	5
LBOTE*	17

*Language Background Other Than English

Source: Planning and Analytics, December 2017

Student attendance

The following table identifies the attendance rate of students by year level during 2017. Student attendance rate is the percentage of school days attended by students in each year level at the school. Student attendance is measured over two school terms; that is from the first day of the school year for students in term 1 to the last day of term 2.

Table: 2017 Attendance rates in percentages

Year level	Attendance rate
7	93.0
8	91.0
9	87.0
10	84.0
11	88.0
12	85.0

Source: Planning and Analytics, December 2017

The school experiences very high levels of student engagement in their learning. Non-attendance issues are with few exceptions, usually a result of illness, both chronic and acute. The school manages student non-attendance through regular contact with parents and a unified approach to pastoral care and health. This occurs formally at the Personal Future Planning Process (PFPP) and In-school Review (ISR) meetings and informally, via phone calls and communication books. A designated school-based pastoral care team, as well as staff from ACT Health, is always available to discuss non-attendance issues.

Staff Information

Teacher qualifications

All teachers meet the professional requirements for teaching in an ACT public school. The ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) has provided the following data based on teachers registered as at 16 December 2017.

The proportion of teaching staff with certificates/degrees/diplomas and a postgraduate qualification is shown below.

Table: 2017 Qualification of teaching staff in percentages

Qualifications	Proportion of staff
Certificate/ Diploma/ Degree	100
Postgraduate	53

Source: Teacher Quality Institute, 16 December 2017

Workforce composition

The 2017 workforce composition of [INSERT SCHOOL NAME] is highlighted in the following table. The data is taken from the school’s term 4 staff report. For reporting purposes it incorporates all school-based staff.

Table: 2017 Workforce composition numbers

Staff employment category	TOTAL
Teaching Staff: Head Count	27
Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent Permanent	19.00
Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent Temporary	5.40
Non Teaching Staff: Head Count	43
Non Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent	33.70

Source: This data is from the school’s term 4 2017 staff report. Data provided in previous years was sourced from the August census date and was calculated using the parameters provided by the ABS. As such, pre-2017 staffing figures may differ significantly from the above.

There is one Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff member at this school.

School Review and Development

In 2017, the ACT Education Directorate’s Strategic Plan 2014-2017 provided the framework and strategic direction for the school’s Strategic Plan. This is supported by the school performance and accountability framework, ‘People, Practice and Performance: School Improvement in Canberra Public Schools, A Framework for Performance and Accountability’. This framework has school improvement at its centre, with the National School Improvement Tool (NSIT) as its core feature, providing support to achieve high standards in student learning, innovation and best practice in ACT public schools.

Prior to 2016 all ACT public schools participated in a four-year cycle of school review and development. In the fourth year schools underwent an external validation process. In 2016 this changed to a five-year cycle with an External School Review at the end.

Black Mountain School will be reviewed in 2021. A copy of the most recent validation report can be found on the school website.

School Satisfaction

Schools use a range of data collection tools to gain an understanding of the satisfaction levels of their parents and carers, staff and students. In August/ September 2017 the school undertook a survey to gain an understanding of school satisfaction at that time. Staff, parents and students from year 5 and above (with the exception of students in special schools) took part in an online survey.

Overall Satisfaction

In 2017, 93% of parents and carers, 92% of staff, and 86% of students at this school indicated they were satisfied with the education provided by the school.

Included in the survey were 14 national parent survey items and 12 national student survey items. These items were approved by the then Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood (SCSEEC) for use from 2015. The following tables show the percentage of parents and carers and students who agreed with each of the national items at this school.

A total of 26 staff responded to the survey. Please note that not all responders answered every question.

Table: Proportion of staff in agreement with each national opinion item

National opinion item	Proportion of staff
Teachers at this school expect students to do their best.	100
Teachers at this school provide students with useful feedback about their school work.	96
Teachers at this school treat students fairly.	96
This school is well maintained.	77
Students feel safe at this school.	88
Students at this school can talk to their teachers about their concerns.	96
Parents at this school can talk to teachers about their concerns.	100
Student behaviour is well managed at this school.	92
Students like being at this school.	96
This school looks for ways to improve.	100
This school takes staff opinions seriously.	85
Teachers at this school motivate students to learn.	96
Students’ learning needs are being met at this school.	96
This school works with parents to support students' learning.	92
I receive useful feedback about my work at this school.	85
Staff are well supported at this school.	85

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

A total of 15 parents responded to the survey. Please note that not all responders answered every question.

Table: Proportion of parents and carers in agreement with each national opinion item

National opinion item	Proportion of parents and carers
Teachers at this school expect my child to do his or her best.	93
Teachers at this school provide my child with useful feedback about his/her school work.	73
Teachers at this school treat students fairly.	93
This school is well maintained.	87
My child feels safe at this school.	93
I can talk to my child’s teachers about my concerns.	93
Student behaviour is well managed at this school.	93
My child likes being at this school.	93
This school looks for ways to improve.	93
This school takes parents’ opinions seriously.	80
Teachers at this school motivate my child to learn.	86
My child is making good progress at this school.	87
My child's learning needs are being met at this school.	87
This school works with me to support my child's learning.	87

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

A total of 7 students responded to the survey. Please note that not all responders answered every question.

Table: Proportion of students in years 7 to 12 in agreement with each national opinion item

National opinion item	Proportion of students
My teachers expect me to do my best.	100
My teachers provide me with useful feedback about my school work.	83
Teachers at my school treat students fairly.	71
My school is well maintained.	83
I feel safe at my school.	86
I can talk to my teachers about my concerns.	86
Student behaviour is well managed at my school.	86
I like being at my school.	100
My school looks for ways to improve.	86
My school takes students’ opinions seriously.	71
My teachers motivate me to learn.	71
My school gives me opportunities to do interesting things.	100

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

This information can be considered alongside information available on the My School website (http://www.myschool.edu.au).

These results, as well as the continual review of school performance, contributed to the evaluation of our Strategic Plan and the development of Annual Action Plans. The Strategic Plan is available on the school website.

Learning and Assessment

NAPLAN

Students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in all ACT schools participate in the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). This program assesses skills in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

In 2017, 94.00 % of year 7 students and 100.00 % of year 9 students were exempt from testing based on nationally agreed criteria.

Outcomes for College Students

Year 12 outcomes are shown in the following table. The Board of Senior Secondary Studies has provided this data as it relates to the percentage of students receiving an ACT Senior Secondary Certificate (ACT SSC) and the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). It will not include data for those students who were successful in an equivalent pathway organised by the school. The proportion of students is based on the college’s February census enrolment data.

Table: Year 12 outcomes for students by percentage

Outcome	Proportion of students
Receiving an ACT Senior Secondary Certificate	0.00
Receiving a year 12 or equivalent VET Certificate (without duplicates) within the school setting	0.00
Receiving an ATAR	0.00

Source: Board of Senior Secondary Studies 2017

Performance in Other Areas of the Curriculum

Within the guidelines of the school’s curriculum, and specifically addressing the areas of academic learning, social skills, independent living skills, and leisure and recreation options, the school seeks to maximise the successful transition to post-school life for every student. Additionally many of our students are engaged in authentic work education programs both on-site and out in the community, targeting genuine long-term employment opportunities.

As a secondary school which graduates students directly into their post-school life, BMS is focussed on ‘capacity-building for independence, maximum participation, and quality of life’.

As part of its drive for continual school improvement, BMS is focussed on building effective community, corporate, and academic partnerships. One example of this is the development of ‘social capital’ focussing on social relations that have productive benefits and the value of social networks, bonding similar people and bridging between diverse people. For example the school contributes to the productivity of the territory through our long-standing weekly horticulture crew at the Yarralumla Nursery, and annually renewed employment pathways into organisations such as Greening Australia. BMS believes this provides tangible and public evidence of the importance of schools and community in partnership. In 2017 the continuation of Six Degrees enabled us to showcase how our programs integrate the seven general capabilities of the Australian Curriculum. These general capabilities play a significant role in equipping young Australians to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century. They encompass knowledge, skills, behaviours, and dispositions. Students of Black Mountain School can develop capability within Six Degrees, a training and certification facility where they apply knowledge and skills confidently, effectively and appropriately in complex and changing circumstances, in their learning at school and in their lives outside school.

The Black Mountain School curriculum aims to build student capacity for participation in society with independence and quality of life. Students need an ongoing, highly prioritised, and coordinated program to deliver the goals to be achieved by graduation as set by parents/carers and staff during the Individual Learning Plan (ILP) process. These goals are envisioned in the student’s Personal Futures Action Plan (PFAP) which is developed with parents/carers on enrolment and modified as required at successive annual ILP meetings.

Within the overarching framework of the general capabilities of the Australian Curriculum, BMS integrates all the school’s processes from the creation of the PFAP to the development of each student’s personalised curriculum. The PFAP provides the rationale for selecting ‘capacities’ from the BMS curriculum as the basis of long-term and short-term ILP goals. The framework for the PFAP includes the domains: Vocational Training; Community, Leisure and Recreation Options; Residential; Transport and Mobility; Finance; and Advocacy, Legal and Citizenship.

Our curriculum also incorporates programs such as week-long interstate camps, appropriate vocational placements, two-way peer support with local high schools and colleges, and engagement in sporting clinics.

Financial Summary

The school has provided the Directorate with an end of year financial statement that was approved by the school board. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school. The following summary covers use of funds for operating costs and does not include expenditure in areas such as permanent salaries, buildings and major maintenance.

Table: Financial Summary

INCOME	January-June	July-December	January-December
Self-management funds	257356.12	422135.96	679492.08
Contributions & donations	9800.00	-1512.00	8288.00
External income (including community use)	14810.80	7977.29	22788.09
Proceeds from sale of assets	0.00	0.00	0.00
Bank Interest	5622.04	5539.63	11161.67
TOTAL INCOME	287588.96	434140.88	721729.84
EXPENDITURE
Utilities and general overheads	63196.23	81724.28	144920.51
Cleaning	52364.82	55983.92	108348.74
Security	0.00	0.00	0.00
Maintenance	112306.19	101530.34	213836.53
Administration	16463.40	27347.61	43811.01
Staffing	0.00	0.00	0.00
Communication	12135.97	4495.09	16631.06
Assets	58699.40	32559.66	91259.06
Leases	0.00	0.00	0.00
General office expenditure	15238.14	24557.60	39795.74
Educational	29166.42	20388.95	49555.37
TOTAL EXPENDITURE	359570.57	348587.45	708158.02
OPERATING RESULT	-71981.61	85553.43	13571.82
Actual Accumulated Funds	388312.55	104616.18	104616.18
Outstanding commitments (minus)	-6197.04	0.00	-6197.04
BALANCE	310133.90	190169.61	111990.96

Professional Learning

The average professional learning expenditure at the school level per full time equivalent teacher was $1,550.49.

Voluntary Contributions

The funds listed were used to support the general operations of the school. The spending of voluntary contributions is in line with the approved budget for 2017.

Reserves

Name and Purpose	Amount	Expected Completion
Replacement Bus To enable the continuation of school wide Community Based Instruction (CBI) programs. This program is in line with best practice teaching for students with a disability.	100,000	2018 or lease option
BBQ/Sensory Area To change the BBQ are into an outdoor sensory space to meet the needs of a range of students at BMS. This upgrade has OT support and is in line with our PBL goal, ensuring an appropriate learning environment.	100,000	2018
Classroom Upgrades. To ensure that learning spaces remain functional and safe. This is in line with our PBL goal, ensuring appropriate learning spaces.	75,000	2019

Endorsement Page

Members of the School Board

Parent Representative(s):	Susie Kusetic,	Jackie Faraj.
Community Representative(s):	Theresa Perry,	Pieta Manning.
Teacher Representative(s):	Rebecca Mackay,	Jess Jennings.
Student Representative(s):	Lachlan Reardon,	Jeremy Barralet.
Board Chair:	Lyle Dahms
Principal:	Lara Coman

I approve the report, prepared in accordance with the provision of the ACT Education Act 2004, section 52.

Board Chair Signature:	___________________________	Date:	_____ / _____ / _____

I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief the data and information reported in this Annual School Board Report represents an accurate record of the school’s operations in 2017.

Principal Signature:	___________________________	Date:	_____ / _____ / _____