Classroom Teacher -Nurtja Program

Location Profile

`Nurtja' is an independent intensive learning and support program for Greater Shepparton Secondary College (GSSC) that operates on a separate campus. Nurtja is a specialist program that supports our most complex, challenging, vulnerable and disengaged students, designed to provide additional supports for students to engage them in school and learning. The program does not operate under a different philosophy or protocols, but rather is an extension of the school¿s broader values, expectations and systems, hence the Indigenous name Nurtja.  Nurtja meaning `forest¿ with students selected from the different neighbourhoods from the main campus to make up the  community.  The cohort consists of students from Years 8 -10 capped at 25 to ensure individual support and needs are met and meaningful relationships established.

Our way of doing things at GSSC

The saying goes at Greater Shepparton Secondary College (GSSC) that we are Greater Together! That is our families, staff and community all working together to support our young people, and our students leaning on these support networks to achieve their best.

Although we are a big school able to cater for more than 2,200 students, we have been able to retain a `small school¿ atmosphere through our House and Neighbourhood structure. Through this model, our students are able to feel a sense of Greater Belonging by having a house to call home. This provides students an opportunity to build relationships with key neighbourhood staff, as well as with their peers through our Vertical Home Groups.

Building relationships and nu…