Concord Connect

Acting Principal's Report

School Return

The Victorian Government made the decision on 12 May that Concord School would fully reopen. This decision is based on their understanding that Special Schools along with Prep to Grade 2 & Year 11/12 students at mainstream schools had the greatest need, required the highest support and were the most impacted by remote teaching and learning. We are very pleased to welcome all our students back.

 

It was never our choice to have students learning from home and the past five weeks have been a challenge for students, parents and staff. The response from the community, parents, families, external professionals and staff has been wonderful and I thank all those who have been impacted by our closure for your understanding, support and stamina.

 

Most of all I want to acknowledge our fantastic students for the way they have coped, learnt in a different way, developed new skills and independence. We look forward to seeing them all.

 

Thank you for your support for me during this term, my most used line has been “I’ve never been an Acting Principal in a pandemic before …… let me think about it”.

 

Some key messages for the coming weeks:

 

 

  • All unwell staff and students must stay home. Students experiencing compatible symptoms with coronavirus (COVID-19), such as fever, cough or sore throat, will be isolated in an appropriate space with suitable supervision and are required to be collected by a parent/carer as soon as possible.

 

  • As the main risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the school environment is between adults, we will be limiting parents and visitors to school grounds.

 

  • The proposed Curriculum Day set for Friday 5th of June will NOT go ahead and may be rescheduled for later in the year

 

We ask that parents and carers are vigilant with observing the 1.5 metre distance when picking up or dropping of their child at school. Please be aware that there will be no more than two adults permitted in the foyer at any one time at either the  Bundoora or  Watsonia Campus.

 

Parents of Lower Primary and Upper Primary will be required to wait at the school gates and we will make arrangements to have your child safely taken to class or their yard area. Similarly at the end of the day students will be taken to the gate for pick up. Specific details of times will be provided to parents concerned. 

A reminder, not park in the driveways of either campuses during bus pick up and collection times.

 

  • From Monday 25 May if you choose to keep your child at home we can no longer support their learning from home and no remote teaching will be provided. This does not apply to children who need to be absent for health or medical reasons and are at high risk due to COVID-19

 

  • Environmental cleaning, coupled with regular hand hygiene, remains important to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission. Progressive cleaning throughout the day will take place to ensure that risks of transmission are reduced for high-touch services. This includes the playground

 

  • All staff and students will be strongly encouraged (and students may be directed) to undertake regular hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet. Where soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitiser will be provided in every occupied room

 

  • Canteen will NOT be running until further notice

 

 

  • Students will not be able to drink directly from drinking fountains at this time. Instead they should bring their own water bottle for use (and refilling) at school

 

  • We do recognise that not all children and young people will be able to manage optimal hand washing and cough and sneeze etiquette. However all students will be encouraged and may be directed, to continue to adopt good hygiene as this is important for reducing overall risks

 

  • The Student Transport Program will continue operation with enhanced cleaning and physical distancing from adults (driver and supervisor) where practical. Usual timetables will apply.Bus staff will not be temperature checking students. Physical distancing should be continued for parents at bus stops

 

Please contact  the Section Leader or me should you have any concerns or questions about our return to full operation. 

Other News

We are in the process of purchasing a new Toyota Coaster school bus. This bus will be primarily for our Watsonia Campus students and it should arrive for the beginning of Term 3. Their existing bus will be relocated to Bundoora Campus where it will be additional to our current fleet

New Building

 

The building works are in full swing and are on target to be completed by late June. The brick work is all done, scaffolding will come down next week, on both levels plastering and painting is underway, joinery is being installed on lower floors and food tech room, vinyl flooring going down, the elevator has arrived from China and landscaping is commencing. 

 

Handover is likely to be in time for the commencement of Term 3.

 

We are beginning discussions on who will be based in this new facility. It is likely that for the remainder of this year, classes who have had to double up or are located in staff rooms and other less than ideal locations, will be moved to the new building. 

 

The SRC have the task of coming up with a name for the building and rooms.

 

 

 

Principal Award-Rin Okamoto  

Since remote and flexible learning has taken place, Rin has continuously gone above and beyond with her home learning tasks. She not only works extremely hard to complete all daily tasks, but continues to extend her learning via educational websites like Mathletics. 

She has engaged in all WebEx class meetings and has shared the fantastic work she has completed each time. Every week, her writing tasks have been outstanding. Last week, she was required to make a paper chain snake and then write a story about a jungle. Her story was very descriptive and she even made the effort to type up her work, decorate it with pictures, coloured writing and a fancy font.

Principal Award-Charlie Dowsett

Charlie Dowsett has really shone during this remote and flexible learning period. She has settled into new and different routines and is finding the daily learning experiences fun and exciting. She loved introducing all her cats and her pet rat to our class on our WebEx chats! Charlie has sent in photos and videos of her work each day. She has displayed excellent effort and dedication to learning! Well done Charlie!

 

Acting Principal

Colin Simpson