Maitland Grossmann High School Support Unit
MGHS Support Unit has 11 classes consisting of seven Multi-Categorical classes (MC), one class for students with ASD, one Hearing class, and Wyvern and Phoenix for specialised behaviour and wellbeing support for students. The process to gain a place in a Support Unit class is managed by Maitland Education Office through an Access Request.
The Support Unit does not utilise a home room model of education; instead it uses a high school model with students moving between different classrooms, class groupings taught by Support Unit teachers based on the teacher specialisation and being supported by different SLSO’s in each of their classes. Students can access at least one subject in mainstream classes from Year 9.
We operate from the grounds above the Western Oval, allowing our students a collaboratively-designed precinct that enhances students’ abilities to learn and develop in a space that is conducive and responsive to their particular needs. Our Support Unit continues to be a hub of inclusivity and is very much a part of MGHS.
STAFF
All permanent and most of our temporary teachers have both university qualifications and experience working with students with diverse learning and wellbeing needs. Our dedicated SLSOs are skilled in supporting students in all aspects of their learning and wellbeing.
INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (IEP)
All students in the Support Unit have an IEP. At the beginning of the year parents, students and staff meet to formulate goals in three main areas; Numeracy, Literacy and Social/Behavioural goals. Hearing students have an additional hearing goal and First Nations students have a learning/cultural goal. In Term 4 these goals are reviewed with parents/carers, students and staff meeting at the end of the year.
KLAs
Subjects taught within the Unit in Years 7-10 include English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, PDHPE and Food Technology. Students may access subjects in a mainstream class setting and the decision of whether students are taught a subject in either mainstream or the Support Unit is made after collaboration with the student, Support Unit teachers, parents/carers and mainstream Head Teachers as part of their IEP. Support Unit staff work closely with mainstream teachers to ensure differentiation occurs for each individual student in classwork and assessments.
In Year 11-12, the Support Unit offers Life Skills subjects; English, Math, Food Technology, Work & Community Skills, Community and Family Studies and PDHPE.
COMMUNICATION
Each student is allocated a case manager from the Support Unit Teaching staff. Case managers are responsible for communication with parents/carers, liaising with mainstream teachers and outside agencies. Parents/carers communicate with the Support Unit through a mobile phone which is dedicated for communication between parents/carers and staff. Parents/carers are given the opportunity to attend parents/teacher interviews twice a year not only with Support Unit staff but with mainstream teachers as well.
WHOLE SCHOOL EVENTS
Support Unit students participate in all whole school events including Tuesday afternoon sport, sports carnivals, and year specific excursions. Students can participate in programs such as SES, RFS, White card, First Aid, RYDA Driver day and many other school events.
GROSSMANN CAFE
Support Unit and mainstream students run Grossmann Cafe on Mon, Wed and Fri, before school and at Break 1 for students and staff. Students are responsible for all aspects of running a café including cooking slices and biscuits, setting up and cleaning tasks, serving, making hot and cold drinks, ordering groceries and making announcements on assemblies.
COMMUNITY ACCESS
All students participate in programs to access the community. This includes travel training, work sampling, recreational sampling, excursions within the local area and further afield to Newcastle. Each year all students go on at least one overnight camp: either an outdoor camp and/or to Sydney.