Cluster eases transition
The Drouin and District Schools Cluster has developed a new community approach to ease student transitions from primary to secondary school.
The pilot project has resulted in a collaborative wrap around approach to ensure schools identify at-risk and vulnerable students in year six to maximise their positive school engagement and learning outcomes in secondary school.
The “Student Engagement Transition Program” was developed following funding from the Department of Education and Training. It was initiated by School Focus Youth Services and the Drouin and District Schools Cluster.
The cluster includes Drouin Secondary College, Drouin, Drouin West, Drouin South and Longwarry primary schools.
Drouin Secondary College established a Student at Risk Professional Panel (S@RPP) with key community service representatives from Baw Baw and Cardinia shires.
The purpose of S@RPP is to proactively and efficiently identify the most suitable community services available to a student at-risk and to then form a tailored care team to support that student’s successful transition into and throughout year seven.
Community organisations who will be actively involved in the S@RPP are Anglicare Victoria, Berry Street, Child First, Connections, Quantum Support Services, Gippsland Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Headspace Gippsland, West Gippsland Student Support Services and the Youth Support and Advocacy Service.
The Drouin and District Schools Cluster are currently working with the S@RPP to support students who will be enrolled in year seven at Drouin Secondary College in 2016.