Mount Isa Special School is set amongst the beautiful rugged red rolling hills with the industrial backdrop of a major Queensland mine operation. We are the most remote and rural special school in Queensland. Our school provides highly individualised programs based on the Australian Curriculum, for all students who are diagnosed with an intellectual disability and or multiple disabilities including physical, visual and hearing impairments and autistic spectrum disorders.
Mount Isa Special School is committed to ensuring all of our students have the opportunity to learn and achieve the highest outcomes they can in a personalised learning program drawn from all areas of the school curriculum. Our school delivers personalised curriculum and support for Prep – Year 12 students. Our students in Prep to Year 10 students access the Australian Curriculum at a different year level partial, or a highly individualised curriculum with support of the General Capabilities to access the curriculum. For our Year 11 and 12 students, they access learning via our Senior Schooling program that draws from the Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement.
Students at M.I.S.S are highly respected, valued and capable of achieving positive learning and social outcomes. M.I.S.S strives to implement a culture of belief, understanding and practices that meet the obligations of the Disability Standards for Education 2005 & Disability Discrimination Act 1992 to ensure that all students regardless of their disabilities are entitled to engage, explore, manipulate and investigate a school curriculum that is of high quality, is rigorous, relevant and engaging, whilst being inclusive and offer all of our students educational opportunities on the 'same basis' as their peers. Our staff fully support and endorse this approach throughout our school community so that we can all work collaboratively to ensure we are "Preparing our students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate effectively in our community."
Our Mission at Mount Isa Special School:
Is to prepare our students for positive and productive futures. Through strong connections with families and a safe supportive learning environment.
Our Beliefs & Values
- Inclusion: All students can learn & all teachers can teach
- Challenging: High expectations for all
- Respect: Cultural, Diversity & Uniqueness
- Honesty: Equitable & Ethical
- Positive learning environment: Safe & Supportive
- Positive community partnerships: Connected and engaged
- Celebrate: As a whole school community
School Data (as of 2020):
Total enrolments:
34 students
80% male (27)
20% female (7)
50% Indigenous (17)
Breakdown of Disabilities:
Intellectual disability: 100% (34)
Autistic Spectrum Disorder: 50% (17)
Physical impairment: 20% (6)
Hearing impairment: 5% (2)
Visual impairment: 5% (2)
Staffing:
Number of teaching staff: 9 FTE (1 x Principal / 8 Teachers)
Number of teacher aides: 7
1 FTE BM A04
Chaplain: 0.4 FTE (Mon & Wed)
Indigenous Support Teacher: 0.2 FTE (Wed)
Grounds Officer: 1 FTE
School Officers: 1.5 FTE