Dandenong Valley SDS is a specialist school located in Narre Warren Victoria. We cater for students with significant intellectual disability. The school was built in 1990 with an addition of a purpose built BER building in 2012.  The school facilities include a PMP room, a Hydrotherapy pool which was refurbished in 2018 as a sensory space. We also have a sensory garden, horticulture centre, bike track, fitness room, engine room and sensory room, generous sized classrooms and stimulating play spaces. Our enrolment criteria are moderate to severe intellectual disability and students must reside within our transport zone.

Students at our school range in age from Foundation to year twelve and we also have an Early Education Program which caters for children from 2.8 -4.8 years. The three year olds attend one day a week and the four year olds come two days a week.

The senior transition program caters for students who are in their last two years of schooling. Its aim is to provide students with a diverse range of age appropriate learning experiences in preparation for post school options and adult life.

Our Vision for Dandenong Valley School is to achieve excellence in learning and teaching and provide the best outcomes for each of its students.

Our school also has a Mission Statement;

Dandenong Valley SDS endeavours to equip students with the capacities to manage themselves and their relations with others, understand their world and act effectively in that world.

Our Values are;

• Integrity
• Respect
• Responsibility

Dandenong valley SDS is a Schoolwide Positive Behaviour community. This Framework is fully embedded across the school and enables us to promote a happy positive learning environment for all. Our school rules are explicitly taught across all areas of the curriculum and the school. The rules are;

• Be responsible
• Be respectful
• Be a learner
• Be safe

Our Special Education programs are fully supported by a large therapy team which comprises three speech therapists, two occupational therapists, one physiotherapist and two music therapists. The role of the therapy team is to support the students to enable them to access their educational program. Therapists also work in close cooperation with teachers to ensure individual goals are achieved by all students.

Student Individual learning goals are based on our strategic plan priorities which are;

• The need to develop a functional communication system.
• The need to develop their independence skills
• The need to develop their social competencies.

These areas are the most important for our students and their families. Without these basic skills our students cannot engage in meaningful activities, nor reach their full potential.

Dandenong Valley SDS is committed to child safety. Our school actively promotes the safety and wellbeing of all students, including the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities and vulnerable children. All school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards.

At Dandenong Valley SDS we provide programs that cater for individual needs, interests and abilities of our students. The school¿s curriculum is based on The Victorian curriculum (levels A-D). In addition we offer a range of specialised programs that occur within the school environment or out in the local community.

These include;

Perceptual motor program, swimming (in our purpose built hydrotherapy pool), community access, personal safety, interschool sports, performing arts, STEM, visual arts, PE and camps.

SC1    Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.

SC2    Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth. 

SC3    Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4    Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.    

SC5    Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching. 

The primary focus of the range 1 classroom teacher is on further developing skills and competencies to become an effective classroom practitioner with structured support and guidance from teachers at higher levels and the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes.

These teachers teach a range of students/classes and are accountable for the effective delivery of their programs.  Range 1 classroom teachers are skilled teachers who operate under general direction within clear guidelines following established work practices and documented priorities and may have responsibility for the supervision and training of one or more student teachers.

At range 1, teachers participate in the development of school policies and programs and assist in the implementation of school priorities. 
The focus of a range 1 classroom teacher is on classroom management, subject content and teaching practice.  New entrants to the teaching profession in their initial teaching years receive structured support, mentoring and guidance from teachers at higher levels.

Under guidance, new entrants to the teaching profession will plan and teach student groups in one or more subjects and are expected to participate in induction programs and other professional learning activities that are designed to ensure the integration of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy across the school.

Teachers at range 1 are responsible for teaching their own classes and may also assist and participate in policy development, project teams and the organisation of co-curricula activities.

Core responsibilities include:

• Planning and implementing a range of teaching programs or courses of study
• Teaching an area of the curriculum or a general curriculum to a year level
• Monitoring, evaluating and reporting student progress in key learning areas
• Implementing strategies to achieve targets related to student learning outcomes
• Maintaining records of class attendance and recording student progress
• Implementing effective student management consistent with the school charter.
• Working with a mentor to participate in professional development planning, implementation and reflection developing a professional portfolio

Additional responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Supervising a range of student activities including support and welfare programs
• Contributing to a range of co-curricular programs

To be eligible to apply for a position advertised through the Teacher Graduate Recruitment program, a teacher must: 

• have completed their course requirements and graduated in the last 4 years, and
• not be employed as a teacher by the department at the time the advertised position is to commence

Applicants must also be currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via marrung@education.vic.gov.au

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.

Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.

A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.

Eligibility for incentive payments:

• The successful candidate is committing to a minimum of 1 year employment at this school
• The successful candidate will not be a Graduate Teacher Incentive recipient from a previous vacancy
• The successful candidate must not be employed as a teacher by the Department at the time the advertised position is to commence

Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.

This position may attract an incentive payment of $5,650 (pre-tax) for the successful candidate starting in 2024 who meets the eligibility criteria set out under conditions of employment.