ROLE STATEMENT: SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT OFFICER

BROOKE AVENUE PS (Revised 2009)

Roles and responsibilities:

Together with the classroom teacher, parents, principal, other staff and support personnel, a School Learning Support Officer is a member of a school learning support team, to support students with special needs. Each SLSO has a particular role within this team that may vary.

BELIEFS:

·  The SLSO is one valuable avenue of support for some students with special education needs.

·  Responsibility for all students must remain with the class teacher.

·  SLSOs should be assigned to support a teacher and all students within that particular classroom.

·  It is not the role of the SLSO to take responsibility for decisions about curriculum or teaching strategies.

·  Professional development should be provided for a SLSO to enable him/her to work as part of a Learning Support Team.

Under the supervision and direction of a teacher, a School Learning Support Officer is responsible to the principal or the supervisor for:

·  providing assistance in school routines

·  classroom and playground activities (including library, sport, assemblies, RFF etc),

·  the care and management of students with disabilities and behaviour disorders,

·  the implementation of individual education programs and individual transition programs,

·  providing opportunities for students to develop personal, social, independent living and pre-vocational skills,

·  providing daily personal health care according to the level of need,

·  direct food preparation and assisting students with eating and drinking,

·  supervision of students on excursions ,

·  taking performance data during the implementation of individual educational programs ,

·  toileting and personal care needs of students at all age and dependency levels, to include washing, bathing, showering and changing,

·  washing of soiled items of clothing and nappies and the disposal of used sanitary items,

·  physical support of students with severe and/or multiple, physical and/or intellectual disabilities, including lifting/moving students, therapy, minor maintenance of electronic equipment used by students,

·  following support programs provided by therapists,

·  promoting independence in the students supported and

·  being part of a multi-disciplinary team developing IEPs.

Administration

·  operating audio-visual aids, computers and other teaching equipment,

·  duplicating and recording,

·  issuing learning materials from resource rooms,

·  arranging furniture within classrooms where required,

·  managing lost property,

·  performing minor clerical duties that increase teacher instruction time and

·  caring for sick students and, when in receipt of a first aid allowance, administering minor first aid.

Other Duties

·  undertaking other related duties as determined by the principal or the supervisor.

Professional requirements of a School Learning Support Officer:

·  support the design of an individual student’s program by being involved in creation of IEPs,

·  work within programs designed with the teacher,

·  work effectively, in partnership, as a member of a team,

·  be well prepared, communicate regularly about a child’s progress,

·  attend necessary meetings including the option to attend relevant staff meetings,

·  work within the framework of the school’s policies and procedures,

·  maintain discretion and confidentiality (about students and their programs),

·  be flexible and

·  participate in the wider life of the school.