THE Connected Communities Initiative has now been in for two years and has shown successful results with the National Assessment Program- Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).
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Connected Communities Initiative is in place throughout 16 disadvantaged or isolated Indigenous communities in NSW.
Its aim is to break the gap between Indigenous and Non Indigenous students for literacy, numeracy, school attendance and enrolment in higher education.
Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall visited Boggabilla Central School last week and thinks that the initiative is wonderful.
“It targets schools that are traditionally are well below the state standard for academic results and attendance,” Mr Marshall said.
“More resources are being provided to teachers and students to turn around these trends.
“The main purpose is to make sure no student falls through the cracks.”
Teachers in the region are also receiving funding and resources for Student Learning Plans which help engage students in learning.
“I have four Connected Community Initiative schools in my region.
All of the programs are working for each school to engage students. The schools now have resources to back up their strategies.
“Trends are already starting to turn, attendance rates are improving and so are the academic results.
“The children have a huge opportunity to achieve what they want to achieve in life,” Mr Marshall said.
Boggabilla Central School, executive principal, Gavin Khan, said one of the measures of success this year was with NAPLAN but internal measures as well.
“Particularly with year five their had been increases with results in grammar, literacy, numeracy and spelling,” Mr Khan said.
“Their had also been improvements with year three, one success is early action which concentrates on students in kindergarten to year 3 in literacy and numeracy.
“We understand our students better; we know where they are at and where they need to be. This provides teachers with the ability to help.
“As staff we have emphasis how we can improve and what we can to get better results and be the best teachers and students that we can be.
“Connected community is helping us connect with our students so we can work in partnership.
“Parents and the community have them for their rest of their lives, we try to do the best we can with the little time we have.”
