Helen Buyers- Learning Support Coordinator
Kia ora koutou,

Many of you will know me from school as I have been here as a foundation teacher since June 2010.

My previous role at Clearview, as well as Learning Support Teacher, has been as the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

In 2020, the government announced they would be funding 600 Learning Support Coordinators throughout NZ. Our Kāhui Ako schools cluster group was part of this allocation which resulted in our school being funded one full time LSC, which is my role.

As Learning Support Coordinator I work with the other LSC’s across our Kāhui Ako Cluster of schools (Ngā Peka O Tauwharekākaho). This includes LSC’s from 8 primary schools including Clearview, Rolleston school, Burnham, Weedons West Rolleston, Rolleston Christian school, West Melton and Rolleston College. Te Rōhutu Whio has just joined out group.  We meet at least twice a term to bounce ideas off each other and share new learning. We have previously worked with CORE Education to develop our team values, processes and strategies.

Our mission is to work together to pool resources and ideas for the students in our Kahui Ako.

Attached is our vision statement. Through much discussion, we decided the key aspects of our role are:

Advocate, Support and Partnerships

The role is focused on ensuring that children and young people with additional learning needs have access to the services they need.There is an action plan that the Ministry of Education is working on with LSC’s around the country:

Learning Support Action Plan 2019–2025

New Learning Support Delivery Model: six elements

My role is to work collaboratively with teachers, families/whānau and support agencies such as Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB), Resource Teacher of Literacy (RTLit), Mana Ake, Public Health Nurses and other community organisations.

If you have any concerns regarding your child's learning or emotional well-being, your first point of call is always your child's home base teacher so please contact them first.

I will often be involved in meetings with you or other agencies regarding your child's learning and I am available to support with advice and resources.

Ngā mihi,

Helen