Information For Schools
REFERRING STUDENTS TO THE CENTRE
The Auckland Secondary Schools’ Centre caters for students who need "time out" from their regular high school. Referral usually follows failure to respond to in-school programmes and procedures set up to eliminate inappropriate social behaviour, school refusal, or the inability to work in large schools. The major aims of the Centre are:
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to facilitate such changes as may be necessary to enable students to move successfully back into the regular education system at the referring school.
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to increase self-esteem and to provide an academic, social, vocational and practical education to meet the needs of individual students.
INFORMATION CONCERNING REFERRAL PROCESS
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Initial contact is made by any party concerned with the student and a preliminary interview is arranged.
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Following the first meeting, the student must initiate the referral process by asking for a formal interview and also requesting their school to forward a completed referral form to the Centre. (This process satisfies the requirements of the 1993 Privacy Act.) A current psychological report may also be required.
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Referral does not mean automatic acceptance of a student as selection will be according to need, space and gender balance. Each student accepted remains on the referring school's roll for the time they are at the Centre.
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Placement at the Centre will be for such time as necessary to effect change. Students will not be carried over from one year to another.
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A review of progress will take place after 4 weeks. Strategies as outlined in the Guidelines will be implemented.
CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE :
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That a fully completed referral form be received by the Centre prior to the interview.
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That the referring school agrees to take the student back: after a period of time at the Centre and after an integration programme, or if the student fails to meet the goals and requirements of the Centre.
Note: Once the integration process has been completed, the student will not be able to return to the Centre as a full time enrolment. However, the Centre will continue to be available as a resource.
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That the student is prepared to make the changes that will lead to successful reintegration with the referring school and is able to get to and from the Centre alone.
GUIDELINES
During both the look round process and the final interview, students will be informed that, if accepted, they are to be at the Centre on a time out basis. In the fifth week a meeting will be held at the Centre to determine their continued future placement. At that meeting the following individuals are required to attend:
Ø student and parent/caregiver
Ø 1 or 2 representatives from the referring school
Ø Centre staff
Ø other interested parties
The meeting will assess the student’s progress with regard to the referring school’s goals for improvement. A report from the Centre on the student’s initial 4 weeks will be given to the meeting and all other parties will be encouraged to comment. At the conclusion of the meeting a recommendation will be made regarding the future placement of the student. The final decision will be up to the Centre staff after due consideration of all points of view.
Options open to staff are:
Ø continued placement at the Centre until the student is ready to move back to school or on to a course
Ø continued placement at the Centre but with special conditions attached such as an extended trial period or a specific behaviour contract in order to improve on certain behaviours, counselling or attending other outside agencies
Ø return to the referring school if placement at the Centre is deemed to be not suitable to meet the student’s needs
Ø a return to the Centre after receiving assistance for specific problems from an outside agency
Once the integration process is completed, the student will not be able to return to the Centre. However, the Centre will be available as a resource.
For a referral form click here
NB Please contact the Centre by phone before you fill out or send the referral form.