Our Learning Engagement and Acceleration Program, affectionately known as LEAP, is the overarching model of support that oversees the diverse learning needs and well-being of every student enrolled at Emu Park State School. Every teacher works diligently every day to ensure improved learning outcomes for all students. Through participation in LEAP projects and courses, our school provides students with uniquely targeted learning opportunities to engage, accelerate and support student learning for individuals, small groups and whole class contexts.
Emu Park State School prides itself in providing a multi-disciplinary team approach to support all students. The LEAP team consists of Head of LEAP, LEAP teachers and teacher-aides, Guidance Officer, Chaplain, and access to departmental therapists. Please be advised that visiting therapists do not provided individual therapy for students.
LEAP team members work alongside classroom teachers in a collaborative role to identify barriers to learning and reasonable adjustments to support students with disabilities to access the curriculum and the social and physical learning environments in the school context alongside their same age peers.
National Consistent Collection Of Data (NCCD):
In August each year all schools participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) census and this process identifies four broad categories of disability: Cognitive, Social and Emotional, Physical and Sensory. Classroom teachers with the support of LEAP staff, identify, implement and record adjustments provided to students with disability according to four levels of support: Supplementary, Substantial, Extensive and Extensive Plus. RAR funding is allocated to the school not individual students to employ special education program staff, LEAP Teachers and teacher-aides, to implement reasonable adjustments for students with disability and supporting students to achieve success.
Student Advancement Forum (SAF):
At Emu Park State School, we believe open dialogue between a diverse range of professionals is the key to better supporting all students to achieve improved outcomes. This collegiality is prioritised in our Student Advancement Forum (SAF). SAF is a whole school approach to student management. The SAF committee consists of The Head of LEAP, Deputy Principal and Guidance Officer. The SAF committee meets weekly with teachers and specialised therapists to discuss the needs of individuals and groups of students, review medical and therapy reports and then make informed decisions about LEAP courses and projects. The school values the input from external therapists and medical professionals and considers implementation of recommended adjustments suitable within the school context. Teachers refer students to SAF via completion of a referral form in consultation with LEAP teachers and parents. All requests for GO or Chaplain support are processed through SAF.
External Requests for Medical Practitioners or Therapists
All external requests for completion of reports, questionnaires and medical referral letters are to be handed in to the school office. These requests will be forwarded to the SAF committee. Requests will be discussed at the upcoming SAF meeting and teachers notified if they have an action to complete. We ask parents to be mindful of providing enough time for the committee to discuss and action requests. Timelines for completing requests is approximately two weeks depending on a teacher's current workload. Parents may email requests to: leapadmin@emuparkss.eq.edu.au
LEAP Projects and Lapel Pins:
Our Learning, Engagement and Acceleration Program (LEAP) offers innovative, exciting and challenging opportunities for our students. LEAP projects are offered to small groups of carefully selected students.
Certain LEAP programs will attract LEAP points as students strive to achieve their LEAP lapel pins as detailed below. Students are awarded points on the completion of certain courses and these points are tallied throughout their schooling here with us. Our four levels of awards are reflective of our school colours and are named after gem stones. Each gem has certain properties that Students are progressing towards.
- Citrine - success, self esteem, open mindedness and calm conduct
- Aquamarine - intellectual reasoning, communication and persistency
- Emerald - unity and harmony, clear vision, memory and clear assurance
- Sapphire - loyalty, truth and sincerity
Our LEAP points are continually tallied and certificates and lapel pins are presented at the end of each semester at assembly. Letters are sent home to Parents when their child is due to receive an award.