Cressy District High aims to be an educational centre of excellence that is able to adapt to the changing needs and aspirations of its community.
We aim to foster the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of individual students in a collaborative and supportive environment within the school community.
We value:
- An environment which is non-threatening, caring and supportive;
- A process of collaborative planning and decision making with parent and community involvement;
- The active involvement of the school and its students in the local community;
- The participation of parents in school life and the education process;
- The right of parents to be informed about education generally and their children's progress at school in particular;
- The need for students to take responsibility for their behaviour and accept the consequences of their behaviour; and
- The rights of students to learn.
- Establish aims and goals for their future;
- Access services and information relevant to everyday life;
- Know how to interact positively with others;
- Continue their education beyond their school life; and
- Be functionally literate and numerate.
The school has annual reviews of the school's aims and targets, clear objectives for progress and rigorous monitoring and evaluation of -teaching and learning. We can only achieve our aims and objectives if we establish a close, three-way partnership between -parents/carers, staff and students.
During 2003 a school review and evaluation was conducted after careful analysis of student, staff and parent surveys. A collaborative process was used to then decide on target outcomes for the future. A strategic plan will be devised early in 2004. This plan is for 2004, 2005 and 2006. This process is referred to as the School Improvement Review.
We have an open door policy and hope that you will contact us if you have any concerns. Personnel in the school office are able to direct you to the best person. Your child's class teacher is, however, the best person for initial contact.
Cressy District High School is a co-educational school serving the Northern Midlands areas. About 300 students attend our friendly, well-established school and we offer a vibrant curriculum to meet individual needs.
There are approximately 200 students in the Primary school and 100 secondary students. We have 22 teachers and 20 support staff including a Laboratory Technician, Library Technician, Kitchen Assistant, MDT Assistant, Kindergarten Aide, Learning Support Aides, Guidance Officer, Social Worker, School Nurse, Speech Pathologist, clerical and caretaking staff.
While we seek to cultivate academic and career success, we are interested in the development of the whole child. We encourage our young people to aspire to high personal standards and to show respect for others and for their environment.
Our students benefit from belonging to a well ordered, purposeful community. Close co-operation between parents and teachers is encouraged because we recognise that home and school share a common purpose - the academic progress and personal development of each individual child.
Cressy District High School offers students wonderful facilities and resources for learning.
These include:
- A self contained Kindergarten
- Fully equipped kitchen and needlework area
- A new Science Laboratory
- Modern and well equipped MDT and Art areas with facilities for computer aided design
- Local area network providing intranet and internet access to all classrooms and the central computer laboratory
- Over 90 free standing computers, 5 laptop computers
- A recently refurbished Music and Drama Suite
- ANTA funded Skill Centre for VET (Vocational Education and Training) and community based training
- A well resourced library facility
- A school farm
- A Learning Support room
- A large gymnasium
- A football oval and two netball courts
- State of the art media and technology resources including digital cameras, video recording cameras, computer editing equipment, portable public address systems.
At Cressy District High School we strive to provide an atmosphere that will encourage, inspire and motivate students to fully explore and develop their skills. Our great facilities and resources provide excellent opportunities for all students to appreciate the full range of their talents. Our concern for each individual student along with positive staff-student relationships mean that students are well supported. Each student's achievements are monitored carefully to ensure that they are able to make the appropriate progress through and beyond the school
Active partnerships with parents are important in enabling students to achieve to their full capacity. We therefore welcome contact with parents over any aspect of their child's progress. We also need your support. For example, we regard homework as an important part of every student's education. We want our young people to benefit from developing good study habits. Parents are asked to assist the school by providing a quiet area in which homework can be completed and by checking homework regularly. They are also asked to sign their child's diary every week.
A highly valued and successful program that operates for kinder students and all grades is the Buddies Program . It enables the older students to be appropriate role models and mentors and, through interaction, enable the younger children to feel safe and secure in the school environment, knowing that the older children as well as our teachers, are there to support them.
One of the many advantages of a District High School is that staff develop a detailed knowledge of your child and beginning high school does not mean making a new start. Teachers throughout the school will have gained important insights into their strengths and weaknesses, and an understanding of their personality. Equally important, these young people will have had opportunities to get to know us. All of this helps to build confidence and helps to ease the transition from primary to high school.
Continuing to develop a sense of self-worth in all our students is instrumental in helping them to achieve well. Students become more self-confident and successful through feeling secure and happy in their environment and through knowing that others have high expectations of them as well as faith in their capabilities. Our staff are totally committed towards the young people in their care. We give praise where it is due, encouragement where it is needed and constructive criticism where it will be helpful.
We also recognise students' achievements through a system of commendations called Credits. This is a reward system which was introduced in 2003 and was carefully developed from our previous system. The focus is the development of a positive climate and celebrating success for the whole school and each student. The students receive a credit for special effort. For example, a credit may be gained for great school work, helping the class teacher or assisting in the playground.
When a student reaches these significant levels, certificates are awarded in our whole school assemblies:
100 - Bronze
250 - Silver
350 - Gold
The most outstanding achievement is receiving 500 credits. A medallion is presented for this amazing effort. As the credits are accumulated from year to year, this system sets an achievable goal in both the short term and long term. It ensures that the efforts of all students are recognised and celebrated.
School assemblies are held regularly for the primary and secondary sectors as well as the whole school. Self-esteem, self-discipline and high standards of achievement are all values that are stressed through school assemblies. They are occasions of positive reinforcement, the celebration of success and school spirit building and reinforcement.
Making decisions, using initiative and taking increasing responsibility for their own actions and progress are all everyday aspects of school life for Cressy District High School students, and will help to equip our young people for life through and beyond their formative school years.
Learning Support at Cressy extends from Kindergarten right through to Grade 10. It offers a wide range of support for students who are having difficulties and need some extra support both academically and socially at school.
At the beginning of the school year we conduct benchmark testing in literacy and numeracy to identify which students need extra support.
Learning Support offers a range of literacy and numeracy programs for individuals and small groups with trained assistants, volunteers or teachers.
Learning Support also offers assistance to students with specific learning or social difficulties. We offer modified curriculum, life and social skills and the support of teacher assistants.
Flying Start
Flying Start involves all children from Prep to Grade 2. It offers intensive literacy experiences in a small group situation. Flying Start gives extra support to children who are having difficulties, children who need an extra boost or children who need extension work. Experiences include:
- Guided reading
- Guided writing
- Alphabet work
- Literacy games
- Spelling activities
and much, much more!!
At Cressy District High School there is an emphasis on creating and maintaining a supportive school community. This involves encouraging all students to accept responsibility for their actions and making appropriate choices in relation to their behaviour. We want to provide a caring environment that ensures physical and emotional safety to optimise learning for all age groups. We want to build positive self esteem and personal growth and to protect the rights of students and staff.
The majority of our students are very well behaved, work hard and help each other in the spirit of expected code of conduct, which urges the need for courtesy and consideration. It is preferred that our emphasis is on rewarding positive, exemplary behaviour and efforts to improve.
One difficulty is that misbehaviour by one or two individuals may distract a teacher to the detriment of the rest of the class. Very rarely do we have to resort to the sanction of suspension from school. Serious incidents are investigated by a senior member of staff. This would result in notification of the incident to parents, internal suspension or other forms of appropriate sanctions.
However, there are a small number of students who, at some stage of their career, find difficulty in concentrating on their work. Some have emotional and social difficulties and our policy here is for class teachers, the Social Worker and Guidance Officer and senior staff to liaise as closely as possible with the family and any external agencies to help the young person to help themselves, whilst giving support and counseling.
Our influence on students may be great but cannot compare with the importance of their parent/s, guardians, carers and family. We expect that home will help us by fostering a positive attitude to study and encouraging our young people to aim high.
Above all, we expect that we will be contacted if there are any concerns about the progress being made.
Please do not wait while the problem grows - we want to hear from you.
Anti Bullying and Harassment
We want to develop life-long learning skills to deal with bullying.
Definitions
Bullying is a behaviour by an individual or group of individuals, which affects others by hurting, injuring, intimidating, embarrassing, frightening, threatening or causing discomfort to them. Bullying is an unjustifiable action that involves one person or group of persons unfairly using their power over another person. It can be planned and organised or it may be unintentional. This doesn't include arguments or disagreements that involve exerting equal amounts of power against each other.
Guiding Principles
Our approach will be to identify and act on bullying behaviours.
- As a school community we will not allow incidents to go unreported or unresolved.
- We will speak up and encourage and support others to speak up.
- We will be vigilant in recognising signs that someone may be being bullied.
- We will encourage a free flow of information between staff and parents in relation to bullying concerns.
- We will keep adequate records.
- We believe everyone in the community needs educating about bullying.
- Parents and teachers will listen and support people who believe they are being bullied.
- We need to assist and support victims and their families.
- We need to assist those who use bullying behaviour.
- Bullying needs to be dealt with sensitively and privately.
- There needs to be clear strategies to identify different bullying types and deal with it.
- Clear consequences need to be in place for repeated bullying.
Bullying may take a variety of forms.
Teasing:
This is when the person believes that the other person/persons are giving them a hard time. They are being teased if they believe themselves to be teased.
Harassment:
This can be a one off or non-intentional form of harm from one person or group to another. Harassment can also be continual and intentional teasing or bullying.
Bullying:
When someone causes deliberate harmful and/or repeated hurt or threat to someone else.
When someone uses power over others.
When the victim feels weak and the bully feels strong.
Bullying can occur in a variety of ways:
- Physical Verbal
- Gesture
- Extortion
- Exclusion
- Racial
Rights, Responsibilities and Expectations
We acknowledge that every member of the school community has rights and with them go certain responsibilities. These include:
- The right to safety
- The right to fair treatment
- The right to learn
- The right to tell my side of the story
- The right to a secure environment
We agree that every student needs to meet specific expectations in relation to their behaviour. These include:
- Talking (hands up, working noise, use of hurtful language)
- Learning (the way we learn, getting teacher attention/assistance, co-operation)
- Movement (in and around the room, lining up outside, moving chairs and equipment)
- Treatment (the way we treat one another, manners)
- Conflict (how we fix problems between each other)
- Safety (use of equipment, safe behaviour)
Our agreed expectations are:
- Always do your best work
- Look after our school.
- Earn our school a good name.
- Treat others fairly and with respect.
- Come to school with the appropriate equipment.
- Co-operate with staff and students.
- Respect the property of others.
- Be honest and reliable.
By observing our rights and responsibilities, and by upholding the rights and responsibilities of members of the school community, we ensure that our school is a productive, orderly and happy place. Working together will allow us to reach upwards.
Campbell Town & Cressy District High Schools are running in concert the highly successful No Dole Program. This started in 2004 the program is embedded in the school curriculum at Cressy District High School it is also referred to as Personal Pathways.
The staff of both schools are passionate about providing our youth with authentic learning experiences that will prepare them for life after school. We care greatly for the welfare of all our students. We want to see them succeed in whichever area they choose.
We see the No Dole Program as a great tool in enabling us to provide our students with these experiences. This will help our communities to become vibrant, productive centres in which young people play a central role.
How can No Dole Help us ?
It is thought that a successful No Dole program, although not a miracle cure, would make a major contribution to re-dressing some of the disadvantages of rural youth.
It is envisaged at Campbell Town and Cressy that the program would encompass
- transition programs
- careers learning
- personal confidence and presentation
- future direction and motivation.
No Dole would become an umbrella for a number of programs and initiatives, some of which are already integral parts of both schools. No Dole gives an overall structure for these programs
Expected Outcomes of the Program
- Significant improvement in retention to Further Education
- Improved success in placing students into the workforce
- Improved relationship between the school and local businesses
- Improved public profile for the schools
- Improved attitude of students towards future employment and in the areas of self-esteem and confidence.
- Positive reactions from parents to the program.
- Increased student motivation and satisfaction with school.
The increased percentage of students who go on to further education, training or employment will do so with more purpose and more vocational direction. We are attempting to make these students more resilient , determined to succeed and more motivated .
Northern Midlands Council Support
We have been extremely lucky to obtain some fantastic support in various ways from the Northern Midlands Council. Through the council we have been able to access the business community and they have helped by providing some start-up funding for the program. We greatly appreciate their support and hope to continue this partnership throughout the No Dole journey.
Creating and sustaining strong community partnerships is a high priority of the school. We are proud of our reputation as a school with rich traditions of links with our local community.
Partnerships with the commercial and agricultural industries help to enrich the school's curriculum and assist in the decision making processes.
Our large, vibrant and energetic Parents & Friends Association provides for the monthly gathering of parents and community members. These regular meetings allow the Association to support the school in achieving its educational aims. Providing canteen food on a regular weekly basis, catering at major events and fundraising are the main activities of this well supported association.
Our newsletter is circulated widely and keeps the region informed about the school's work and progress. We are also pleased to make the school available for extensive community use. Please contact Teena O'Keefe on 63976281 for assistance in this area.
The sporting aims for our students are quite simple. We aim to offer the widest possible range of sporting experiences, and hope that our students will continue to take part in sport in the future.
Within the curriculum, the students undertake a program of Health and Physical Education. We offer many group (eg. team sports) and individual activities (eg. fishing), leadership opportunities (House Captains, Aussie Sport Leaders), and sport managerial opportunities (eg. Sport Education).
We are fortunate to have very good sporting facilities, including a gymnasium, tennis court, football ground, netball courts and a community swimming pool which is regularly used throughout the warmer months. The school farm is also accessed for our cross country, orienteering and hockey games.
The school is justly proud of its comprehensive extra-curricular sporting program. We have regular fixtures against local schools and good links with local sporting clubs. Our star performers are selected to play for area representative teams.
The school offers a dance program which is celebrated with the annual Bush Dance, which is a highly successful and enjoyable whole school community event.
Students from Kinder to Year 10 swim every day at the Cressy Pool during the final weeks each year. This activity really boosts student confidence, fitness and swimming abilities. Wonderful results at inter-school swimming carnivals reflect the benefits of this great community asset.
Students are placed in houses: either Lake or Esk. High priority is given for participation at the sport carnivals and the students have a high regard for their house teams.
At the conclusion of the year, the Pierre de Coubertin Award is presented to a Grade 10 leaver, who has demonstrated tremendous sportsmanship and participation throughout their school life at Cressy. This award is held in high regard by the school community.
There is a expectation that all students demonstrate a high level of sportsmanship and commitment to the school sporting programs. The benefits of developing in these areas are enormous and hence are fully endorsed by the school.
A Parent/Child session for new Kindergarten students, is run mid year. These sessions allow students to become familiar with the teachers, the other children, the Kindergarten room and the play equipment. The emphasis is on the integration of the parent, the child being welcomed into the school, experiencing our open door policy and valuing parental input. To enrol in Kindergarten, children must have their fourth birthday before December 31st this year.
The Kindergarten at Cressy District High School works so well because it offers children two full days of education, minimising travel time. Students attend Monday and Wednesday.
The aims for the Kinder year are to nurture each child, value them as individuals and provide them with ample opportunity to develop a high level of social skills that prepare them for their future schooling by providing a balanced curriculum which incorporates all subject areas including Literacy, Numeracy, the Arts, Science, play and Physical Education.
Although the kindergarten is housed in a separate building located between the primary section and the school farm, the children are encouraged to be part of the larger school environment for sports days and other special occasions such as assemblies.
The children get to use a wide range of school facilities including the gymnasium, school farm and technology facilities. This reflects the Kindergarten to Grade 10/VET (Vocational Education & Training) culture, which has been developed at the school.
The School farm consists of 4.38 ha (10.8 acres) and is very easily accessed behind the school buildings. The main emphasis of the farm is on cattle, sheep, horticultural activities and animal and plant health and well being. There are extensive buildings and facilities to support programs, including a trout tank and hot house.
Agricultural Studies is an optional subject for Grades 9 & 10. These students study a TCE B syllabus. Their 4 periods a week amount to almost 3 hours per week. Students develop broad understandings of a range of Agricultural practices through a range of hands-on and theoretical experiences. Grade 7 & 8 students have 2 periods of Agricultural Studies per week, which amount to approximately 1.5 hours weekly. Students develop basic understanding of a range of agricultural practices. Safety is a major consideration in all aspects of programs.
Kindergarten to Grade 10 units have been developed to ensure a whole school curriculum focus on Agricultural Science and to ensure that farm resource usage is maximised.
Cattle and sheep handling skills are taught to interested students in upper primary and secondary. They compete against other schools during the agricultural show season. The school is very proud of their achievements and the support of parents, in these areas.
The Cressy District High School Farm Management Committee consists of 13 members representing the school and larger community. It endeavours to:
provide a sustainable agricultural educational program;
- provide a range of varied agricultural educational experiences;
- maintain and develop the school farm environment;
- encourage whole school involvement in school farm activities;
- foster community links within the Agricultural Studies programs and
- provide some practical involvement on the school farm.
A farm development plan is available for those wishing to receive more details in this area.
A Premier's Grant received in 2004 allowed for refencing of the farm. Also in 2004, generous community sponsorship and donations enabled significant rejuvenation and updating of the farm facilities. In particular, the support of Tasman Meats, Compass Recruitment and Websters/Elders, have been outstanding.
The three main goals of the School Association are to:
- Represent and reflect the needs of the whole school community
- Support the school in providing the highest quality education and
- Be an advocate of the school.
- The Council has 14 members, consisting of the Principal, Senior Executive Officer, 2 staff members, 5 parents, 3 community representatives and 2 students.
- The constitution states that the chairperson, deputy chair person and secretary must be parents. At least 6 meetings a year should be scheduled.
- Values, goals, priorities and objectives
- To determine school policies and to monitor the progress of the school plans and budget
- To make recommendations in relation to reports made by the principal
- For a parent or community member of the council, or a parent member of the association appointed by the council, to participate in the selection panel for the appointment of the principal to the school where there is an advertised vacancy for the position
- To provide a means of communication between the school and the community
- To advise the DoE secretary on any matter relating to policy
- To promote public awareness of and support for the school
- To report annually to the association and to the principal about its activities to make recommendations and
- To assist the principal in the SIR (School Improvement Review) process.
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This page been optimised for 1024 x 768 resolution and has been produced by Ben Manion. Its content has been authorised by Annette Hollingsworth. Questions concerning its content may be directed by email to annette.hollingsworth@education.tas.gov.au . This page was last modified on Tuesday, 21 June 2005 . The URL for this page is http://www.cressy.tased.edu.au/index.html. |
