BHCS NEWSLETTER

General Information (1 of 2) 

UPCOMING PARENT TEACHER- INTERVIEWS 

Save the date - Parent teacher interviews will be held on August 17 (whole school) and August 23 (Years 7-12).  Please note that due to an increase in COVID cases in the BHCS and wider community, both nights will be held on Zoom.  More information will be sent out next week.

THE PONG IS COMING!

Get ready for all the fun of BHCS getting involved with the Ping Ping-A-Thon again this year on Thursday 15th September.

Like our special Facebook Page to stay updated on what's happening!

https://www.facebook.com/bhcspongon

PARENT/CARER SATISFACTION SURVEY

The School would like to make families aware that we are participating in Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) LEAD surveys this year.

 

This survey will be launched to all school families on Monday, August 1, 2022.

 

Your participation allows the School to:

  • Gather and evaluate families’ opinions
  • Provide a better understanding of families’ perceptions regarding the quality of their children’s education experience with the school
  • Improve the quality of education for students

A weekly reminder will be sent to families until the close of the survey on August 26, 2022.

 

When completing the surveys:

  • Either or both parents/carers may elect to answer the questions
  • It should be done thinking about the eldest child at the school
  • They can be re-done for siblings who attend the school
  • You will be asked for your opinion on a range of aspects related to the school
  • You will be asked to agree or disagree with various statements

Participation in the survey is anonymous and all information is treated confidentially. This means that participants cannot be identified (however, open-ended comments are reported back to the school verbatim).

The survey will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

CHAPLAIN COMPETITION WINNER

Chaplaincy program had a competition during their two week DC display on Wellbeing.  Students practiced calming down techniques while watching sand pass through the hour glass and guessing how long it took to complete.  Congratulations to Marli D for guessing the closest.

WE ARE HIRING 

A few opportunities to join our enthusiastic team here at BHCS have been placed on our website!  We're currently looking for:

  • Deputy Principal - 2023
  • Teaching Staff - 2023
  • Learning Assistant - Integration Aide 
  • Psychologist

If you, or someone you know, are interested in knowing more about these positions, read more by visiting https://www.bhcs.vic.edu.au/careers

All enquiries about these positions should be directed to applications@bhcs.vic.edu.au

BHCS CREATIVE SHOWCASE

Come join us on Tuesday, 2 August for the BHCS Creative Showcase. This evening event will be exhibiting artworks from Kinder up to Year 12. There will be hot drinks and some snacks for you to enjoy while you view the artworks along with some live music from our school band. All are welcome, so come along and join us as we celebrate creativity in our community.

CHANGES TO THE KINDER PROGRAM FROM 2023

With recent announcements made by the Victorian Government there will be some changes to our Kinder Program from 2023. We are excited about a number of these upcoming changes and what this will mean for Belgrave Heights Christian School’s ELC. 

3-Year-Old Kinder in 2023

  • 3-Year-Old-Kinder program will increase from 6 to 12 hours a week
  • Sessions will be Wednesday and Friday 9.00am to 3.00pm
  • 3-Year-Old-Kinder class sizes will remain at 22 students

4-Year-Old Kinder in 2023

  • 4-Year-Old-Kinder program will now operate three days a week with students being in one Kinder class with the same teachers
  • Sessions will be Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9.00am to 3.00pm
  • 4-Year-Old-Kinder class sizes will increase from 22 students to 30 students, with three staff members in the class at all times

Other exciting developments

We are pleased to announce that the Kinder playground will be enlarged and renovated.  As we are just entering the planning phase, please stay tuned for what this will look like. We are super excited about what this will provide.

Other things to note:

  • With the introduction of funded 3-Year-Old-Kinder, the Government has determined that students can no longer repeat 3-Year-Old-Kinder. 
  • A second year of 4-Year-Old-Kinder may be considered if a child shows delays in two or more learning and development outcomes as per the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. 
  • Due to The Department of Education and Training’s ‘Priority of Access Policy’ we are now no longer able to guarantee your child a position if they are currently attending our 3-Year-Old Kinder Program. Although we do not anticipate this to be problematic, we do need to flag this potential issue with you.

If you have any questions about these changes please speak to our Registrar.

COVID-19 INFORMATION 

Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs)

The Government has announced that three packs of RATs will be distributed in Term 3 and 4 for each student.

The ongoing supply of RATs to families in our school will ensure that parents and carers will have them should they need them if their child is a household contact or has symptoms.

 

If you have tested positive for COVID, but your child has not

Parents/carers are able to leave isolation if other arrangements cannot be made to transport their non-infectious child via private vehicle to and/or from school.

The person leaving self-isolation must travel directly to and from the location, making no stops, unless there is an emergency or as required by law. They must remain in the vehicle at all times, unless it is reasonably necessary to leave the vehicle to deliver the person to and from school, and must wear a face covering whilst outside the place of self-isolation.

 

If your child tests positive:

  • Your child will need to remain home for 7 days.
  • Notify the school of their child’s positive COVID test via covid@bhcs.vic.edu.au
  • Notify the Department of Health via https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/report
  • Students/Parents are requested to email teachers if they are well enough to complete school work during isolation.
  • Remember to advise us if your child has any siblings.

If one or both parents test positive:

  • Your child becomes a household contact. Refer to the section below.
  • You have an exemption to transport a household member to attend work, education or a health appointment, and/or to obtain essential food supplies. You must travel directly to and from the location, wear a face mask and not leave the vehicle unless you are required to take that person to the location, it is an emergency or it is required by law.

If your child is a household contact of a positive case you no longer need to isolate, however:

  • Parents/carers must notify the school that their child/ren are household contacts by emailing covid@bhcs.vic.edu.au
  • Students must take 5 x RATs over the 7 days of the household contacts isolation.
  • Students must wear a mask when indoors and on the bus (unless a valid exemption applies or your child is in Prep to Year 2).
  • Parents/carers should monitor for symptoms and keep their child home if unwell or has the slightest of symptoms.
  • Ensure the student commences isolation immediately if they test positive.
  • Students who are household contacts who present with symptoms while at school will be sent home.

You can collect a free pack of five rapid antigen tests at testing centres.

 

REVISED: If your child has previously tested positive for COVID:

  • They are exempt from further isolation requirements for 4 weeks after their positive diagnosis.

REVISED EXEMPTION ADVICE

In line with AHPPC advice, the period when someone is considered a recently confirmed case (and therefore exempt from testing and isolation/quarantine requirements) has been revised to 4 weeks (28 days from the end of their isolation date), down from 12 weeks. This reflects the emerging evidence that new variants of COVID-19 can evade prior immunity gained from infection.

Parents/carers visiting the school for meetings:

  • Parents, carers, and other adult visitors are no longer required to show evidence of a COVID-19 vaccination if visiting for meetings or attending school events.

Face Masks:

  • Students who are household contacts must wear masks at all times while indoors while they are attending school.
  • Students must continue wearing masks on all school buses, on public transport, and when on excursions, or in rideshare vehicles, as per government COVID requirements.
  • Staff and students who want to continue wearing face masks are able to do so, including those who are medically at risk.
  • If during this 4-week period symptoms do develop, your child should take a rapid antigen test and remain at home until symptoms resolve.

Illness during winter

A reminder that besides COVID-19, Influenza and RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) are also doing the rounds. To minimise the impact on staff and students and for the health and wellbeing of all, we ask that you please keep your child home if they are unwell in any way.