Berry Street Web Docs BEST Centre Annual Report 2010 | Page 7

Domain 1 :
Focusing on engaging pedagogy and curriculum
including ICT and asessment
Domain 4 :
Ensuring and supporting high quality staffing
These two interconnected domains were
selected as the highest priority areas for
improvement.
A New Staffing Structure
A major task in the second half of 2010
was the development of a staffing model
for the campuses that would support the
implementation of the Education model.
Leadership positions were created with
a focus on senior staff with teaching
and learning expertise and specialist
knowledge in literacy and numeracy.
Expert teacher positions, charged
with responsibility for implementation
of Literacy and Numeracy programs
within each campus were also created,
and Student Well Being Coordinator
positions were created. This new model
will be implemented from the start of
the 2011 school year.
Professional Development for staff
With support from the National
Partnerships Program with Independent
Schools Victoria, a plan was developed
to provide staff with high quality
professional development that would
lead to improvements in curriculum
development and delivery. Of
significance was the inaugural two
day conference held for all education
staff at the end of term three of 2010.
This will become an annual event as
part of the professional development
program for education staff. Regular
professional development sessions were
established, and a calendar of weekly
professional development for staff will
be implemented in 2011.

During terms three and four, the Senior
Education Managers took part in a
series of workshops, sponsored by
Independent Schools Victoria through
the National Partnerships Program,
that focused on the E5 model developed
by DEECD. The workshops became the
springboard for a major professional
development program for BEST Centre
staff throughout 2011 that will build
staff expertise in the E5 model, and
support teachers in implementing best
practice teaching and learning in their
own classrooms.
A further significant event was the visit
by a group of teachers from the KIPP
School in Harlem, New York, as part of
Berry Street’s partnership with the
DEECD Pavilion School. The visit
allowed Berry Street to work with two
staff from the KIPP school, and to gain
many insights into the success of the
KIPP program in improving educational
outcomes for disadvantaged young
people. We are now planning for a KIPP
teacher to take up a position at Berry
Street in 2011, which will allow us to
work together on the development of
our own education model.

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