DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Teaching, Learning and Innovation

I’d like to start by thanking our college community for the ease with which we pivoted to the online teaching and learning world last week. This has been an undeniably stressful time for students, staff and parents and I know this has created particular difficulty for parents trying to work from home whilst embracing the challenge of also monitoring their children’s learning. My core message here is that this is online learning, not online schooling, and we are not expecting anyone to try and replicate the ‘normal’ experience of their child at school. If we can maintain some learning momentum whilst keeping everyone well and engaged, then we will all have done our job well!

I’d like to reiterate some basic elements of the Continuity of Learning document (Continuity of Learning) I sent to all parents, students, and staff last week. This is the core of the online plan, and I think there are elements here that parents and students should find liberating. Whilst the learning does not stop, this is a flexible approach that encourages students to get away from their laptop and the online environment at times during the day. Increasingly I am also grateful that we are moving into Spring and outside is looking (generally) pretty attractive! This online strategy was designed to be as effective and flexible as possible, as trying to replicate the average school day is neither possible or desirable.

The key points regarding teaching and learning are:

For Junior School, Google Meets will take place at least twice a day. A morning and afternoon meeting will be facilitated by the classroom teacher. Classroom teachers will provide a weekly timetable that outlines the video conferencing sessions.
For Secondary School, Google Meets for most classes will take place 4-5 times a fortnightly cycle, pro rata, depending on how many timetabled periods they would normally see their teacher. This is designed to manage student and staff workflow and allow time for students to complete their learning activities. Lessons will be provided for all students via Google Classroom. These lessons will be supplemented by staff contact via the Google Meet platform and will coincide with the Secondary School timetable.
Google Meets must contain more than two people.
Attendance will be monitored by teachers based on the work completed in the Google Classroom and attendance at Google Meets. The work that students upload to the learning platform will be indicative of their engagement with the lessons provided.
Secondary School Staff will schedule their lessons to upload to the Google Classroom at 8:30am each morning that there is a scheduled Google Meet. Students are required to check their Google classrooms and Compass for notices and their emails to help plan their day.
For the wellbeing of all members of the college community, staff and students should not send emails outside of the normal school hours of 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday. This is designed to ensure students and staff remain able to remove themselves from both work and their devices for their own wellbeing.
All Google Meets are recorded, so students are able to revisit content at any time following the lesson - teachers may not be able to upload these until the end of the day.
Normal behavioural expectations of students, as per the Student Code of Conduct are applied to the Google Meet environment and all interactions between members of the College community.
Secondary School students should not spend the equivalent of 6x50 minute periods on their computers between 9am and 3pm. Flexible learning means that students should take regular breaks, eat well and socialise with family and friends (safely of course). They are required to attend all Google Meets as these are vital connections to staff and other students. Students need to ensure that they submit and complete all work on the due date specified by the teacher and should communicate in advance if they believe that this will not be possible.
Junior School students have support staff available if they need assistance with their work. If you would like to access learning support sessions, please email JSOffice@trac.nsw.edu.au.

Illness and Misadventure

If students are ill and are absent from online classes, please go to the Compass App and click “Add Attendance Note”. Complete as usual with the reason and dates. No medical certificate is needed for self-isolation.

All Junior School students are required to attend Class Meet (Community Time) every morning. If unable to attend the Meet, their parent must email their Classroom Teacher prior to 9am to let them know they are ‘present’ and able to continue their learning for the day. If a student is unwell a parent/carer should contact the College via Compass so that they are acknowledged as sick in College and NESA records. If there is no communication with the Classroom teacher, an SMS will be sent as per normal processes.

For Secondary School students, assessment tasks must be submitted as instructed online, and on time. Late penalties will apply as normal, and appeal, extension and illness and misadventure processes will still need to apply. These processes are accessible to the College community via the website.

In the event of an absence due to illness, a student is expected to catch up on work when they are well again. Years 10-12 students must provide documentation if unable to complete an assessment task due to illness or misadventure.

My apologies at the sheer volume of information here, there is a lot to digest. If I can just make one summary statement regarding all this - the college really appreciates the role you are playing as parents in the current circumstances. We will all continue to do our best in these imperfect times.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or concerns regarding The Riverina Anglican College's approach to online learning.

Stay well - Anthony.Heffer@trac.nsw.edu.au

Anthony Heffer | Deputy Principal - Teaching, Learning and Innovation