News

Part 04: School Psychologists

17 SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, SENIOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND LEAD SCHOOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

The provisions contained within this part apply only to persons employed as a school psychologist, senior school psychologist, and lead school psychologist.

Where a provision in this part is inconsistent with any other provision contained within this Agreement, the provisions of this part will apply.

Within the context of a changing environment and addressing more complex student needs, the employer will continue to examine practices with a view to determining the resourcing for the provision of student services.

17.1 School Psychologists

• (a) The parties acknowledge there is a need to retain experienced and competent school psychologists in duties directly associated with quality school psychology practice. To achieve this, a school psychologist career structure has been introduced to enhance career opportunities for school psychologists which recognises their professionalism and engagement in ongoing professional learning.
• (b) School Psychologists, Level 1 will progress to School Psychologist, Level 2 subject to the following requirements:
  • (i) full registration status with the Psychologists’ Board of Australia; and
  • (ii) twelve months (one year) on the maximum of school psychologists, Level 1.5 or the equivalent level of competency as determined by the employer.

17.2 Senior School Psychologists

• (a) A Senior School Psychologist classification has been introduced to enhance career opportunities for school psychologists and to recognise their professionalism and engagement in ongoing professional learning.
• (b) Progression from Senior School Psychologist Level 1 to Senior School Psychologist Level 2 will be by annual progression and subject to satisfactory performance.
• (c) Senior School Psychologists are required to perform duties and responsibilities including:
  • (i) an effective contribution to the leadership of developing, implementing and evaluating relevant areas of school psychology practice;
  • (ii) an effective contribution to leadership of the regions’ student services and/or schools including identification, development, planning and implementation of priorities and formal decision making processes;
  • (iii) overseeing the implementation and management of specialist programs or policies;
  • (iv) mentoring, supervision, peer support, counselling and guidance for school psychologists (including supervision of provisionally registered psychologists) concerning effective practice, psychological support for schools and resource development; and
  • (v) other duties as identified by the employer which arise out of the priorities identified by the Department.
    
    Allocation of duties will be negotiated with the line manager and take into consideration workload implications.
• (d) Criteria for Progression to Senior School Psychologist
  
  To progress to the Senior School Psychologist classification, school psychologists must:
  • (i) complete a minimum of twelve months (one year) full-time equivalent service at level 2.4 of the salary scale; and
  • (ii) undertake relevant professional learning or relevant study at a university or TAFE college or equivalent related to the Competency Framework for School Psychologists, including delivery of professional learning, as agreed between the Parties.
  • (iii) School psychologists may make application to commence required professional learning in the year at which they reach level 2.2 salary.

17.3 Advanced Skills School Psychologist Status and Lead School Psychologist

• (a) The Advanced Skills School Psychologist status has been developed to recognise school psychologists who demonstrate exemplary practice against Phase 3 of the Competency Framework for School Psychologists.
• (b) A selection process to attain the status of Advanced Skills School Psychologist will be developed by the parties and the calling of applications will commence during 2012.
• (c) The Competency Framework for School Psychologists will inform the development of criteria for the application process. The selection process will be accompanied with information and guidelines developed by the parties.
• (d) School psychologists who are appointed to a position of lead school psychologist will be required to deliver outcomes in accordance with the Advanced Skills School Psychologist guidelines.
• (e) The salary rate for Lead School Psychologist as contained in Schedule A – Salaries is only applicable when a school psychologist is appointed to a position of Lead School Psychologist.

17.4 Flexible working hours of school psychologists will continue to apply in accordance with the following guiding principles:

• (a) an improved service to schools and teachers in the delivery of support and professional development occurs;
• (b) the requirement for out of hours work by a school psychologist is the direct result of a request by teachers or a school for support or professional development or other reasonable requirements of the employer to participate in professional development activities;
• (c) time worked out of hours is to include the support of schools, liaison with schools, presentation of professional development and any travel which may directly occur as a result of these activities;
• (d) a consultative process between the school psychologist, his or her direct line manager and the group requiring out of hours support or professional development has occurred;
• (e) all time worked out of hours will be acknowledged in a time off in lieu arrangement on a one for one basis;
• (f) issues such as duty of care, health, safety and welfare, equity and other legislative requirements have been allowed for;
• (g) the workload, career aspirations and family circumstances of the school psychologist have been allowed for;
• (h) the individual circumstances of the school psychologist have been fairly and reasonably considered;
• (i) the distribution of hours is equitable with no school psychologist being required to work more than 10 days in a 14 day period; and
• (j) specifically excluded from these arrangements are double shifts. Split shifts are also excluded unless agreed to by the individual school psychologist, the consultative process outlined above has occurred, and an appropriate allowance determined and paid.

17.5 Laptops

School psychologists are entitled to enter the notebooks program under the same terms and conditions as teachers and administrators.

17.6 School psychologists’ Christmas/New Year closedown

• 17.6.1 The employer may observe a closedown over the Christmas/New Year period for school psychologists.
• 17.6.2 The dates/duration of the closedown will be at the discretion of the employer, but will not exceed five working days.
• 17.6.3 The employer will as soon as possible in each calendar year, but not later than 30 June, advise school psychologists of the dates of the closedown and the number of working days involved.
• 17.6.4 School psychologists may access any accrued time off in lieu to cover the closedown period.
• 17.6.5 In the absence of sufficient banked hours the following types of paid leave will be used to cover the Christmas closedown:
  • (a) annual leave; or
  • (b) accrued long service leave.
• 17.6.6 The days/hours may only be accrued up to the maximum of the number of hours necessary to cover the period of the closedown.
• 17.6.7 At the discretion of the employer the following school psychologists may be granted either leave without pay or annual leave in advance to cover the amount of leave required for the closedown:
  • (a) employees engaged during the calendar year immediately preceding the closedown who have not accrued sufficient banked hours to cover the period of the close down; or
  • (b) employees who have not accrued sufficient banked hours to cover the period of the close down and have exhausted their paid leave credits.
• 17.6.8 School psychologists who have gone into debit to cover the period of the closedown and whose employment is terminated prior to accrual of sufficient hours to cover the debit, will be required to refund an amount equivalent to the balance of hours outstanding on termination.
• 17.6.9 School psychologists who have accrued hours for the purposes of a closedown and subsequently resign, transfer to another agency or otherwise have their employment terminated without being afforded the opportunity to clear their credit and banked hours, will be paid for those unused hours that relate only to the closedown.