Other initiatives
(Extracts from Port Augusta Secondary School Annual Report, 2002)

INDIGENOUS UMPIRING PROGRAM
We have engaged a number of Aboriginal students in a weekly Australian Rules Football Umpiring training program. Last year 20 students took part in this program which was supported by the Australian Football League (AFL), Sth . Australian Football League ( SANFL) and the Spencer Gulf Football Leagues. Outcomes of the program have included : increased attendance at school, increased achievement in school curriculum, students have been employed and appointed to weekend football matches supplementing their income, increase in their self esteem, increased health benefits through the regular exercise program and students attended an AFL match as the guest and were taken down into the rooms before the game to meet the umpires. AFL umpires and SANFL representatives have attended several umpiring workshops in Pt. Augusta. There was a feature article in the Advertiser 9th Feb 2003 on this program.

CROCFEST
The Pt. Augusta Secondary School has implemented a range of strategies during last years Crocfest to increase the participation of senior secondary students in this event. This has been recognised nationally and by organisers of the event who flew PASS staff to Sydney for a planning meeting for this years event. We have also featured prominently in their promotional video for 2003. Students were involved in a range of initiatives such as : traineeships in lighting and sound engineering, traineeships in event management, were involved in a range of community studies units as part of their SACE ( South Australian Certificate of Education) - Sport and Recreation, Food and Hospitality, Dance Performance, Video Production and the Trades skills expo (Crocskills).. This years initiatives will involve those from last year but also involve student trainees working with the professional photographers, catering students preparing 600+ lunches a day, 12 students getting their form lift licenses, students working with Aboriginal songwriters to write and record a number of songs in our recording studio, senior students working with artists in residence in producing a 20m by 6m mural on the main teaching block wall and students working running the mobile radio station setup in the Croc village in association with Umeewarra radio station.

CULTURAL FIELD TRIPS
As an integral part of our curriculum all students in years 8 & 9 participated in a series of cultural field trips throughout 2002. A large number of Aboriginal community people have been engage in this initiative which involved finding and cooking bush tucker, story telling and bushskills and crafts. Teaching staff have implemented this into the SOSE ( Studies of Society and Environment) programs and students have enjoyed these field trips immensely.

ATTENDANCE STRATEGIES
At PASS last year we implemented a number of strategies to improve attendance. Weekly home visits to students at risk, daily phone calls home for all absent students, initiated a students at risk committee, re-aligning curriculum to be more inclusive and relevant to students and awarded certificates for positive attendances at assemblies for public recognition. In term one 2001 we had students attend more than 2000 more school days than they had done the previous year.

RETENTION
This is a National Indigenous Literacy and Numeracy Strategy Initiative project. This is the second year of a three-year project to address attendance and retention of Aboriginal students. We are focusing on the retention of Year 10 students.
Strategies we have implemented include:

• Employment of an Aboriginal Mentor
• Conducting Cultural Field trips with community Elders
• Involving locally employed Aboriginal leaders to in programs with students to provide guidance to students.

INDIGENOUS SCHOOL TO WORK PROJECT
This is a Department of Education, Science and Training, Vocational Education and Guidance for Aboriginal Students scheme. The redevelopment of this project has been funded for a second year due to the significant outcomes for students. The Indigenous School to Work Project targets students in Secondary School to assist with their development of career paths and transition to work.
The S to W team is:

• Developing relationships with local, regional, state and federal organisations in the local community to assist them in the implementation of their Indigenous Employment policies
• Organising industry visits and work placement for Senior students
• Implementing a Career Education Program with the Student Counsellors for Middle Years students
• Developing and designing a Job Ready Skills program with Senior students
• Supporting students to access part time work opportunities
• Promoting alternative learning pathways to careers
• Implementation of a Case Management model for students leaving in the next 12 months

CASE MANAGEMENT AND SACE FLEXIBILITY
The Aboriginal Education Team has developed a Case Management model for SACE students. AEWs and Ab Ed Coordinator work in collaboration with subject teachers, Counsellors and Year Level Coordinators to monitor and support student attendance, participation and retention. Outcomes of our model have resulted in students staying at school longer, having a SACE pattern that enables them to achieve all requirements, completion of WBLA, higher achievement in assignments, flexibility in the delivery of subjects, utilising VET, TAFE and Community Studies pathways for SACE achievement, and introduction of Compact Courses.

INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT
Our school has made a commitment to the employment of Aboriginal people at the school. This includes 7 staff on 12 month or longer appointments as 3 Aboriginal Education Workers, 1 Mentor, 1 School to Work Case Worker, 1 Working Together For Indigenous Case Worker, 1 Sport and Recreation Trainee. We also employ a number of Aboriginal people on an as needed basis throughout the year.

ASSPA
We had a very strong ASSPA in 2002. 10 meetings were held with 8 to 16 Aboriginal people attending on each occasion. It was a very positively focussed group who sought to ensure allocation of money and delivery of programs were working towards learning outcomes for their children. A commitment by the Ab Ed team and Principal to present reports a every meeting detailing activities supporting students was significant in the provision of information to the Aboriginal community about the school's commitment to Aboriginal students. There was also much evidence in the school programs that the wishes and concerns of parents who attended the meetings were supported and addressed.

MAINSTREAMING ABORIGINALITY
With the leadership of the Ab Ed Team we are developing a school culture that encompasses an Aboriginal Perspective in all of our school business. This is reflected in the School priorities and strategy implementation. Awareness raising with staff and support provided to them in curriculum planning and implementation has encouraged the increased inclusion of Aboriginal content in learning programs. The adoption of processes and practices that enables all students to participate includes financial support, emergency meals, promotion of school uniform, employment of Aboriginal people, use of preferred Aboriginal learning methodologies, cultural field trips for all students, whole school participation in community events eg. Croc Festival, and support for participation in Student Voice.