Palm Island

Community Attendance Plan 2021

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School name: Bwgcolman Community School and St Michael’s Catholic School

School Contact: Beresford Domic – Principal, Bwgcolman Community School Tess Fong – Principal, St Michael’s Catholic School

RSAS contact: Beresford Domic – RSAS Manager

What is RSAS?

The Remote School Attendance Strategy (RSAS) brings together families, schools, communities and other services to find local solutions to get kids to school.

Families are at the centre of everything RSAS does. Local RSAS teams work with families to take a lead role in their children’s education. They support students to attend school, fulfil their potential and have access to more opportunities.

RSAS teams help schools to work with families and learn more about local cultures and communities. They also offer a range of activities to help families and schools in their community to work together.

What does our community want to achieve (GOALS)?

• In 2020 attendance was 64.68% (average across both schools). By the end of 2021 we want to grow and improve it to reach 80% across both schools.

• We want school to be a fun, safe, valuable place, that provides our children with a quality education and a place children want to go to learn and grow.

• We want lower primary students to develop positive “habits” in relation to attending school.

• We want to strengthen relationships with families/Community to enhance opportunities for students and inspire improved attendance at school

• We want to identify and support strong leadership for students – the future leaders of this Community.

School attendance will improve when local people are involved in the solution

and their knowledge and expertise is respected. Change will happen

when everyone plans and works together.

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What will RSAS do to help achieve these goals?

Local employment RSAS employs a team of 10 people. The team is made of up people who work with families and students and with a focus on getting kids to school every day. The team, at 17 February 2021 are: Coordinator: Raymond Sibley (Snr) School Attendance Superviser: Lynn Watson (St. Michael’s Catholic School) School Attendance Officer: Ruby Sibley School Attendance Supervisor: Vacant (Bwgcolman Community School) School Attendance Officer: Evitza Pearson School Attendance Officer: Gillian Baira School Attendance Officer: Lollina Castors School Attendance Officer: Derri Burns School Attendance Officer: Raymond Hughes School Attendance Officer: Lorraine Kennedy School Attendance Officer: Vacant

Attendance Governance Committee The RSAS Attendance Governance Committee provides advice about how best to deliver RSAS activities/services and supports everyone to work together. Families, schools and other service providers are invited to participate in the Governance committee. The Attendance Governance Committee meets once each term. If you want to get involved, raise an issue or learn more about RSAS, contact Raymond Sibley (Snr) on 0488 153 367, or Lyn Watson on 0459 873 076.

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Community mapping The RSAS team reviewed community mapping in 2021 which was initially undertaken in 2020 to learn more about school attendance patterns and issues affecting families. In 2021 the RSAS team will undertake further mapping to understand the current attendance and enrolment situation, and what services and stakeholders the school could and should work with to develop a strategy to support kids not enrolled or with very low attendance (mentioned below). The team will work with the Youth Justice, Department of Education representatives and use local knowledge to building this mapping, and understanding the drivers of poor attendance. During RSAS morning and afternoon bus service runs and through following up with parents, the team were able collect valuble information to identify issues being faced by families and children which affect their school attendance. The team have identified a range of factors which are attributed to poor school attendance including:

• children not listening to parents

• children sleeping in or running away in the morning

• children not having clean clothes

• no school stationary

• children staying over relatives

• no money

• parents or carer off Palm Island and parents or carer travelling of Palm Island on Thursday or Friday (for long weekend) and return Monday afternoon.

The team provides support to families and the schools to support increased school attendance through providing information and referrals to support services including:

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• Information in relation to breakfast and lunch programs at both schools.

• Referrals to the guidance officers, cultural educators, community education counsellor and health services.

• Engaging with families and children through the Bwgcolman Strong program and Back To The Bush Program.

• Recording contacts and sending notifications to the Principals in relation to student welfare.

The team will utilise the information they have gathered with the Attendance Governance Commttee to keep key stakeholders informed, to identify trends in the data, and consider strategies on how best to work with the community to address the identified issues. Community Service Mapping Across 2021, the RSAS team will map the Palm Island youth service sector to identify services across the lifecycle of a child. This work will provide the team with knowledge of key people in the sector who can support the schools and families to lift school attendance. The future goal is that a Case Management panel (Social Justice Committee as an extension of school specialist support team) is established to support the work and students of Palm Island. The role of the RSAS team in the Case Management Panel is to provide support through sharing their community knowledge and levering off their relationships with students and their families.

In our Community, RSAS will focus on delivering:

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Information for parents and families The RSAS team will develop processes to engage with

families about the events and learning occurring at

school. Support resources and an information

package will be developed to support families in

relation to attendance issues. In 2020 the team

developed an information package for parents

through a fridge magnet which provides information

on:

o Support services available for families.

o School bus times.

o Contact numbers

o Breakfast and lunch programs at schools.

o Tips for parents to help with school attendance.

In 2021 the team will expand on this work

including:

o Enrolment process if travelling to Townsville

o Referral forms/pathways to other service

providers including Family and Child Connect

The RSAS team will provide this information to families as part of their daily attendance activities.

Other service providers are encouraged to provide input.

Timeframe: Term 2

DAILY ATTENDANCE ACTIVITIES

Daily Bus Runs The RSAS team will provide transport children to both schools will operate before and after school. In addition Bwgcolman Community School will support families of children attending prep through a dedicated bus run for prep children. Each bus will have a dedicated driver and carry a safety supervisor in the back of each bus to ensure children board and depart the buses safely.

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St. Michaels Catholic School operates two buses each day and Bwgcolman Community School has three buses. Children can board any of the buses circulating the community in the morning with dedicated buses at each school in the afternoons. Morning bus runs operate from 7:30 to 9:30 am and 2.00 to 3.30 pm each day.

Yarning to families The RSAS team will deepen their engagement and yarning with families. One strategy will include each RSAS team member identifying eight children with low-medium attendance who they will work with specifically to increase attendance. The RSAS team member will build a rapport with the identified children and their families, and help them to address any barriers to school attendance. They will also work with teachers to support connection to families, and deepen their understanding of the specific issues faced by the children. All contacts with parent will be record on a engagement template, information will include, the identified issues, what support is needed for each family and what was the outcome. The RSAS team will contribute to the work of the school Case Management Committee by way of sharing knowledge, and identifying Community and/or service providers that can support.

Timeframe: Ongoing strategy

Family engagement activities The RSAS team will develop a calendar of family engagement events for 2021, including during school holidays. This may include bringing family in to the school for open afternoons, BBQs in the suburbs, dance nights, for cultural activities and/or State/National celebration days.

Families and other service providers can assist by promoting and actively participating in these activities.

Timeframe: Ongoing

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Mentoring The RSAS team and schools will work with the Attendance Governance Committee and Palm Island Youth Network in 2021 to explore how they can develop mentoring partnerships for young people.

This may involve engaging specialist staff to provide support and training to the RSAS team, for example, in communicating with young people affected by trauma.

Timeframe: Ongoing

Strategy on kids not enrolled or with very low school attendance The RSAS team will support the work of other services to identify children who are not enrolled or have low attendance by encouraging families to engage with support services.

Timeframe: Ongoing

Rewards and Recognition – 3% of budget ($20,000) Bwgcolman Community School and St. Michael’s Catholic School have budgeted to purchase of rewards in recognition of achievements by students. Rewards will be endorsed by the Governance Committee at the first meeting of 2021.

Recognitions may include – Deadly attenders of the week (most improved), Suburb Ambassadors, and Term/Year awards.

Recognition events and recipients will be celebrated on social media.

RSAS team will work with the Cathy Freeman Foundation to ensure no duplication in any recognition programs.

Incentives must meet the guidelines in the Operational Framework

Timeframe: Ongoing Strategy

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What will our Community do to help achieve these goals?

Community members: Actively encourage kids in the community to go to school every day, actively engage with the schools and the RSAS team. Community members are welcome to join the RSAS Attendance Governance Committee to guide the RSAS programme on Palm Island.

Schools: The schools provide day to day support to the RSAS team and support school attendance initiatives to encourage students to do their best and achieve 80% attendance across both schools.

Other community services: Actively encourage kids in the community to go to school every day. Work with the schools and RSAS team to share information and strengthen referral processes to provide wrap-around supports for families. Service providers are also are welcome to join the RSAS Attendance Governance Committee to guide the RSAS programme on Palm Island.

Families: Actively encourage kids to go to school every day, including by getting kids ready before the morning bus runs. Actively engage with the schools and RSAS team and participate in RSAS and school events.

Students: Attend school every day, actively engage with the schools and RSAS team.

Other information:

• The community is welcome to engage in the RSAS Attendance Governance Committee held once a Term, the monthly Youth Network meetings at the PCYC or the RSAS family engagement activities to check on progress toward goals.

• The schools and RSAS team measure their progress by checking school attendance data regularly and will keep community members informed about school attendance through social media and the electronic noticeboards as well at community events. Community celebrations will also be held when key milestones are met on the pathway to achieving the goal of 80% school attendance.

• The Community Attendance Plan will be reviewed by the schools and RSAS team each Semester. It will also be a standing item on the Attendance Governance Committee agenda so that stakeholders can provide regular feedback on the plan.

Community Attendance Planner – St. Michael’s Catholic School

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

7:00 – 7:30 Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean

7:30 - 9:30 Bus Run

Bus Run Bus Run Bus Run Bus Run

St. Michael’s operates two buses with a driver and support person.

9:30 – 10:30 Check Attendance Lists and visit

parents of absent children

Check Attendance Lists and visit

parents of absent children

Check Attendance Lists and visit

parents of absent children

Check Attendance Lists and visit parents

of absent children

Check Attendance Lists and visit

parents of absent children

10:30 – 11:00

Teacher conversations Teacher conversations Teacher conversations Teacher conversations Teacher conversations

11:00 – 11:10 10-minute break 10-minute break 10-minute break 10-minute break 10-minute break

11:10-12:00 Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Enter attendance data into

school database

Student travel

Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Enter attendance data into school

database

Student travel/ teacher homevisits

Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Enter attendance data into school

database

Student travel/ teacher homevisits

Classroom visits/ student engagement

Enter attendance data into school

database

Student travel/ teacher homevisits

Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Enter attendance data into school

database

Student travel/ teacher homevisits

12:00-12:50 TEAM MEETING (GOAL SETTING) WHOLE TEAM MEETING (FORTNIGHTLY @BCS)

TEAM MEETING (DEADLY AWARDS)

1:00 – 1:30 Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break

1:30 – 2:00 Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Classroom visits/getting children back into class after lunch

Classroom visits/getting children back into class after lunch

Classroom visits/getting children back into class after lunch

Classroom visits/getting children back into class after lunch

2:00 – 3:30 Bus Run Bus Run Bus Run Bus Run Bus Run

Community Attendance Planner – Bwgcolman Commuynity School

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

7:00 – 7:30 Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean Team coordination & bus clean

7:30-9:30 Bus run & breakfast supervision

Bus run & breakfast supervision Bus run & breakfast supervision Bus run & breakfast supervision Bus run & breakfast supervision

Bwgcolman Community School operates three buses with a driver and support person

9:30 – 10:00 Classroom and absence checks,

prepare lists for home visits

Classroom and absence checks,

prepare lists for home visits

Classroom and absence checks,

prepare lists for home visits

Classroom and absence checks, prepare

lists for home visits

Classroom and absence checks, prepare

lists for home visits

10:00 – 10:30

TEAM MEETING (GOAL SETTING)

Home visits/ explain absences

Family/ Community engagement

work

TEAM MEETING (DEADLY AWARDS)

Family/ Community engagement work 10:40-11:00

Parade (incl. Deadly Awards)

10:50 – 11:00 10-minute break 10-minute break 10-minute break 10-minute break

11:00 – 11:40 Teacher conversations (SAO space) Student travel (e.g. half day)

Teacher conversations (SAO space) Student travel (e.g. half day)

Teacher conversations (SAO space) Student travel (e.g. half day)

Teacher conversations (SAO space) Student travel (e.g. half day)

Teacher conversations (SAO space) Student travel (e.g. half day)

11:40-12:00 Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Classroom visits/ student

engagement

Classroom visits/ student engagement Classroom visits/ student engagement

12:00-12:50 Home visits/ explain absences WHOLE TEAM MEETING (FORTNIGHTLY @BCS)

Home visits/ explain absences Home visits/ explain absences Home visits/ explain absences

12:50 – 1:20 Playground duty

Enter attendance data into school

database

Playground duty

Enter attendance data into school

database

Playground duty

Enter attendance data into school

database

Playground duty

Enter attendance data into school

database

Playground duty

Enter attendance data into school

database

1:30 – 2:00 Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break

2:00 – 3:30 Kindy and school bus runs Supervision of children

Kindy and school bus runs Supervision of children

Kindy and school bus runs Supervision of children

Kindy and school bus runs Supervision of children

Kindy and school bus runs Supervision of children

15:30 – 4:45 Cleaning and storing buses (1 SAO) Cleaning and storing buses (1 SAO) Cleaning and storing buses (1 SAO) Cleaning and storing buses (1 SAO) Cleaning and storing buses (1 SAO)