Education Support Information and Communication

Education Support

The Mary Rice Centre is named in honour of Mary, Edmund and Mary Rice’s daughter. We know that their daughter was born in 1789. Little is known about Mary except that she was described as having a disability. It’s clear that she was a powerful catalyst in changing Edmund’s life direction and sense of purpose. It could be interpreted that in this social and spiritual context he grew compassion and groundedness because of Mary’s presence in his everyday life. The Mary Rice Centre is about bringing disability into the light. It is a place, but it is really more about an approach. It is part of Trinity’s objective to address not only some of the consequences of marginalization related to disability but some of the causes, by working with staff in developing an inclusive culture (inclusive curriculum, inclusive policies, inclusive teaching practices and inclusive activities.) Over the last five years our aim has been to build an inclusive approach to delivering curriculum throughout the school. This means support is dynamic and flexible so that it meets students and teachers changing needs wherever they are. Inclusion is not about making everyone the same; it’s about welcoming everyone with their differences. Similarly, equity is not about everyone getting the same but getting people what they need. This support can translate in a variety of ways in order to improve outcomes for all boys. Currently we have qualified education assistants who support teachers in classrooms throughout the school. We have trained volunteers who work individually with some students on school to work skills in particular. In 2004 we would like to thank Mrs Sue Walker, Mrs Patsy Colan and Mrs Loretta Tobin for the generous contribution of their time and talents to support our Trinity boys. We have a coordinator who directs and liaises with staff to target

these support needs in the mainstream. We also support the senior enterprise program which is an innovative, alternative learning pathway with a universally designed curriculum for Trinity boys, which means it caters for learner diversity. Including boys with disabilities means there is more support available for everyone. As an inclusive school community Trinity provides for the diversity of its students in the mainstream environment wherever possible. There is no “special education” group. For any boy diagnosed with a disability, Trinity Mrs Susan Prior Coordinator of Education Support staff work as a team and arrange case management. This is an individualized approach or an individualized education plan to ensure each boy has the opportunity to reach his potential. People’s attitudes are often the biggest obstacle contributing to marginalization. Disability is a normal part of society. So the Mary Rice Centre is about social justice for all students. It’s sometimes difficult to explain to people that our education support program is usually working at its most effective when the Centre is empty! That’s because the support is happening throughout the school where it is most needed and attitudes can be most challenged when people have to share the same space. The Mary Rice Centre is a school community facility and has hosted a range of functions for various learning areas and interest groups. It is a homeroom, a classroom, and a meeting place. The Centre also supports education of the wider community. This year we have been involved in the reference group process with the Curriculum Council in developing curriculum and guides for its implementation. Notre Dame University asked our staff to assist in the lecture component of the education assistants’ course. Mary Rice was born during the “age of enlightenment” at the end of the 18th century. Two centuries later we now see the reality and mystery of Mary’s role in contributing to Edmund’s and our own enlightenment.

Sue Prior

Coordinator Education Support

The start of 2004 saw the post-compulsory students introduced to a third educational pathway. Traditionally, Trinity College has offered students the choice of two options – TEE or Wholly School Assessed programs. This year signalled the birth of the Senior Enterprise Program, more fondly known as “Green Thumbs”. The aim of the Senior Enterprise Program is to help students gain and develop life skills and to graduate from Trinity College with a range of work related competencies and experiences needed to gain employment. It has been an extremely busy first year. In addition to the students working towards achieving a Certificate I or II in Business and participating in the INSTEP or a schoolbased work experience program, the boys have been practically involved in getting the program up and running. The program has been designed with a horticultural focus; however the students have been exposed to a much wider variety of experiences and activities to increase their self esteem and awareness of the world outside Trinity College. This year the boys were given the opportunity to design their own weight training and fitness program, practise Circus Skills, expand their swimming skills and water-safety knowledge, go fishing and surfing, improve their computing skills, practise basic woodworking skills, in addition to learning basic horticultural techniques. The boys in the Senior Enterprise Program have established some highly profitable businesses. Our latest business venture, called “Wee Wormy Juice”, involved setting up a worm farm and selling worm liquid waste to staff, parents and friends. “Wee Wormy Juice” is sold in two litre bottles for $2:50. (If you wish to purchase this wonderful, organic liquid fertiliser, order forms are available at the front desk). Throughout the year Senior Enterprise students have developed several fruitful partnerships. Firstly, we were extremely fortunate to be able to work with Professor Stan Kailis from the Agriculture Department at the University of Western Australia. The boys spent a day with Professor Kailis, learning the techniques of olive propagation and benefiting from his advice and expertise. Secondly, we

Mrs Marie Zwart are privileged to receive support from Br. Frank Senior Enterprise Program Coordinator O’Donohoe of Bindoon Catholic Agricultural College. On several occasions Br. Frank has freely given of his time to show us how to work in the College’s olive groves. These outings also provided the opportunity for the boys to meet students from Bindoon and experience other facets of farming life, such as fruit picking and working with animals. I don’t think we will ever forget the smell of the pigs! We have also been extremely fortunate to re-establish links with Mr Patrick Coward, ex-Trinity student and now proprietor of The Margaret River Chocolate Company. Mr Coward has generously offered to donate fifty olive trees each year for four years to establish the Trinity olive grove. This year has been a wonderful and exciting year for everyone involved in the program. However, it would not have been successful without a supportive teaching team. Special thanks to Tony Webb, Phil Jurjevich, Peter Duckett, Ruth Bott and Roger Blatchford for their expertise, vision and enthusiasm to become involved in this program. We are looking forward to 2005 as a challenging year in which we consolidate the Senior Enterprise Program and continue to equip our students with business and life skills essential to a productive and fulfilling life beyond school.

Marie Zwart

Senior Enterprise Program Co-ordinator

GREENTHUMBS SENIOR ENTERPRISE GROUP Back row: Ms Ruth Bott, Mr Phil Jurjevich, Mrs Marie Zwart, Mrs Christine Nash Second row: Mrs Gerri Van Praag,

Mr Tony Webb, Matthew Waters, Semesa Rogomaicake, Warrick Svendsen,

Mr Roger Blatchford, Mrs Susan Prior

Front row: Glenn Marinovich, Sam Angus, Earl Lambert, Mr Robert Marshall, Brian Breheny, Dwayne Sampi, Stefan Puertollano,

Absent: Mrs Karen Tyler, Mr Peter Duckett,

Tan Tran, Jeffrey Garlett

Education Support