WULUNGARRA COMMUNITY SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT
2015
P.O. Box 383
Fitzroy Crossing,
Western Australia, 6765
Phone: (08) 91917402
E-Mail:
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Wulungarra Community School. The Annual Report for 2015 outlines the following aspects in relation to the school’s operations:
Context
Progress
Staff
Students
Finances
Our school community, students, parents, friends and staff along with Kadjina Community Incorporated and Wulungarra Community School are presented with fair, reliable and objective information about school performance measures and policies. The report demonstrates accountability to the Federal and State Government regulatory bodies, and the school community.
Please contact the school on (08) 91917402 or visit the School Administration Office if you wish further information about the school or this Report.
CONTEXT
Wulungarra Community School is an Aboriginal Independent Community School (AICS.) It is a small community school in the Fitzroy Valley located in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia.The school is based on Millijiddee Cattle Station situated south east of Fitzroy Crossing on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert and surrounded by the Saint George Ranges. The cattle station and the school are owned and run by Kadjina Community Incorporated.
Kadjina Community located at Millijiddee was originally an out-station serviced by Kulkarriya Aboriginal Independent Community School (AICS.) Through the leadership of the School Founder, Ms. Madeleine (Yangkana) Laurel, a local educator, linguist and artist, the community gained independent status for their school in 1997. The school has a strong commitment to maintaining and strengthening children's knowledge and use of cultural practices.
English is a second language in the school, with Kriol being the dominant dialect. On average 20 children attend school. Wulungarra Community School places a high priority on teaching Standard Australian English (SAE) literacy and numeracy recognising the students' status as speakers of other languages. Attendance rates are high when children are in the community. Transiency and cultural obligations do impact on attendance at times.
PROGRESS
January 2015 commenced with appointment of a new Principal and new Classroom Teacher. Due to unseasonable conditions, Wulungarra Community School held classes and activities in Fitzroy Crossing for two weeks supported by these local community services; Nindilingarri Health, Garnduwa Sport and Recreation, Mangkaja Arts and Fitzroy Crossing Library and Swimming Pool. Aboriginal Education Workers, parents, students and staff attended school on a daily basis coordinating the teaching program, health/ hygiene practiceswith mobilecatering.
Term One progressed well. Students and the Kadjina Community participated in a three day Cultural Arts Festival where Mangkaja Arts, Ngurrara Rangers, Hanson Boxer and Nindlingarri’ Spiritual Health and Cultural Advisor held art making, wood carving, land and animal management and music events. These visitors camped for three days at the school using available facilities; the School Kitchen and the Community Officewere busy and all enjoyedthe well-tended school grounds. Approximately 30 adults and children participated in this event. The high rate of engagement displayed that parents, children and community members were satisfied with Aboriginal culture and learning taking place. A report and photographs of the Cultural Arts Festival can be found under the heading Special Events on the school website.
Term Two saw the advent of community organisations visiting the school providing resources and teaching programs to the students. The Royal Flying Doctor Service together with Allied Health professionals arrived regularly and immunisations, skin, eye, ear health were prioritized. A Visiting Artist in Residence Program engaged students and workers in art making and these community paintings are displayed in the administration office.Seven students enrolled in NAPLAN testing, however, due to school transience and family bereavement obligations, the participation was low and achievement below national benchmarks.Parents have been requested by the Principal toplan their commitments so that an improvement in NAPLAN student’ participation and achievement rates can occur in 2016. Explaining that NAPLAN tests support and do not threaten student learning and that boarding school applications request NAPLAN test scores has proved motivational.
In Term Three, a second classroom was re-opened and a Teacher specifically employed for teaching children in the Early Years. A second Visiting Artist in Residence Program brought music making, juggling and circus skills to the school and a concert was performed by the students to the local community. Parents attended the children’s performance and expressed satisfaction seeing the children’s confidence in music making and circus skills Derby Men’s Outreach Program contributed twelve reconditioned bicycles to the school after parents expressed a willingness to engage in this pursuit with students and the communitybecame very active with after- school sport learning how to handle these new bikes.
In the classroom, students have engaged in Literacy activities supported by explicit daily teaching of phonics through digital technology assisted with SHARP reading techniques managed by Teachers and AEWs. Numeracy, aided by shortexplicit teaching on the board and targeted work sheetscreated specifically. An incentives scheme was introduced for positive behaviour and helping the students complete each level of work before moving onwards to higher achievement tasks formed part of the progress in rewards. Science curriculum focused on hydro-geology concepts, the treatment of water at the local community level, weather patterning,and the production of an annual calendar to give to parents and the proposed project to resurrect the school garden. Parents were especially pleased to receive an annual calendar which described the changing seasons in community language. History remains a strong interest with local community members recounting pastoral events from the pastat the cattle stations in the Fitzroy Valley.Constant reference is made to literature published by Magabala Publishing Company, Broome as they involve stories about the past lives and memories ofKadjina residents’immediate and extended families. It is pleasing to note that preparations are underway for a Family Fun Day and Cultural Camp in 2016.
In Term Four art-making continued.Local artists as volunteers sat under school verandas and drew, painted and carved many Boab Tree Nuts showing students how to do their own. Basketball continued to be a favourite before and after school with students participating in an inter-school basket ball competition held at Kulkarriya Community School at nearby Yungngora (Nookanbah) Community. School Reports in second semester included letter achievement grades (Year 3 –10) comments and a graphic table representing student progress with an annual photo of each student. Parents attended interviews and discussed reports followed by a community lunch.
SCHOOL STAFF
Aboriginal Education Worker / Indigenous Advancement Strategy / WWC / Full TimeAboriginal Education Worker / “ / “ / “
Aboriginal Education Worker / “ / “ / “
Groundsman/Maintenance / “ / “ / “
Kitchen Operator / “ / “ / “
Principal / M.Ed, B. Ed, Dip Y.W WA TRB / “ / “
Class Teacher / B.Ed (Hons) WA TRB / “ / “
Class Teacher / B.Ed WA TRB / “ / “
Chaplain / National Schools Chaplaincy / “ / Part Time 0.4
Chaplain / National Schools Chaplaincy / “ / Part Time 0.4
Principal1
Teaching Staff2
Full Time Equivalent Non Teaching Indigenous Staff5 Part time Chaplains - 2
Teaching staff work in a multi-age setting from Kindergarten to Year 10. Early Childhood Education remains a strong focus with parents/carers encouraged to work alongside Teachers. Two Teachers and one Principal are involved in lower, middle, upper primary and secondary education practices. There are five Aboriginal Education Worker positions with these staff employed in the classroom, office, kitchen and maintenance of school grounds. Two Chaplains fly into the community on a weekly basis to offer pastoral care and well-being to students and staff.
Each Teacher holds WA Teacher Registration Status. Employeeshave current WA Working with Children Checks (WA WWC) or are in the process of application.Each AEW has applied or is in possession of a WA WWC card. In this remote setting staff rely upon the Remote Alternate Lodgement process to gain WA WWC.Aboriginal Education Workers (AEW’s) are involved in ongoing training and provided with on the job training to assist.
In 2015 Semester One the Principal and one Teacher co- taught in a single setting from K – Year 10. This changed in Semester Two, where a dedicated classroom for K – Year 2 was re-introduced and an additional Teacher employed for Semester Two.
Principal – 30 years Teaching Experience, Pre-Primary – Year 12, Bachelor of Education (Language and Linguistics) Master of Education (Language Intervention/Hearing Impairment) Diploma in Youth Work, Team Leader Early Education, 0 – 4.5 years, Teacher of the Deaf, 0 – 18 years.
K – 10 Teachers
Teacher – 35 years Teaching Experience, Bachelor of Science/Mathematics/Statistics (Honours) Diploma in Education, Head of Department for Mathematics/ICT.
Teacher - 7 years Teaching Experience, Bachelor of Education, Certificate in Bi-Lingual Education.
STUDENTS
Each day student attendance information is electronically entered onto a school spreadsheet. Notes are made concerning students to accompany attendance records. The Principalregularly discusses children and family business with parents and support staff and makes home visits to talk to the family to support student attendance. The Principal and/or Teacher must speak with a member of the School Committee before approaching a family home to discuss a student issue in order to form a culturally appropriate perspective in which to respond. The Principal may request a member of the School Committee to talk to a parent to improve school attendance. An Attendance Officer position was allocated to a Committee member. An Incentives Scheme over a two-week cycle is held for positive behaviour and attendance is one of the categories for progress with rewards. In this Aboriginal Independent Community School trust is placed in the community members who work at the school and who are parents themselves. Teachers listen carefully to the parents whowork with the school community to improve school enrolment and encourage regular school attendance. Community Day activities are held where community are invited to join the school to share their teaching and learning and lunch with the children.
Total Enrolments: 20Indigenous Students:100%Language background other than English: 100%
Student Attendance / MaleIndigenous Students only / Female
Indigenous Students Only / Overall Attendance
%
Kindergarten / 3 / 0 / 44%
Pre-Primary / 0 / 1 / 98%
Year 1 / 1 / 1 / 57.29%
Year 2 / 1 / 2 / 92.98%
Year 3 / 0 / 3 / 90.43%
Year 4 / 2 / 1 / 62.84%
Year 5 / 2 / 1 / 81.25%
Year 6 / 1 / 0 / 50%
Year 7 / 1 / 0 / 47.92%
Year 8 / 0 / 0
Year 9 / 0 / 0
Year 10 / 0 / 0
Total / 11 / 9 / 69%
*Please note attendance is from the census periodAugust 7 2015. Attendance rates fluctuate termly; absence may be due to family/ travel/ cultural events.
ANNUAL REPORT: Wulungarra Community School – Dec 2015 – Principal; L. Algreen-Ussing 1