From the Principal 

Dear Families,

De ja vu: It feels like I have said this too many times and I hope this is the last time, but welcome back again after yet another lockdown. No lockdown is easy but you can clearly see the advantage of doing them when other nearby states are grappling to get things under control. Again, I thank you for playing your role and sincerely look forward to re-establishing some normality as quickly and as safely as we can.

Operations Guide: The Department of Education and Training updated the Operations Guide late last night. As you are aware, I get the same information from the media as you do and then it takes some time for DET to synthesise the info and make it specific for schools. In the meantime, can I please ask you to only come on site if it is essential. The students can make their way to the classrooms after you drop them near the gate or better still, the other side of the crossings. 

As part of planned changes to keep our school safe and reduce the impact of any future outbreaks, we are required to implement COVID-safe behaviours. These include the following strategies to promote physical distancing, minimise mixing between groups and limit access to school grounds to only those providing essential services:

Non-Essential Visitors – including parents/carers: Non-essential visitors, including parents and carers, are not permitted onto school grounds. Foundation (Prep) staff, along with other staff, will be available at the Draper St (Top) Basketball court for students requiring additional support in transitioning back to onsite learning. Other teams will be sending a Seesaw message to let you know where they will be for drop off and pick up.

QR Code Sign In:  In the rare cases that parents, guardians and visitors are required to attend to a matter onsite, please sign in using the Service QR Codes available at each of the gates around the school.

Face Masks: Along with our staff, parents, guardians and visitors must wear a face mask at school at all times indoors and outdoors when onsite (unless a lawful exception applies).

Physical Distancing: Parents, guardians and visitors must observe physical distancing measures, including at ‘drop off’ and ‘pick up’ times.

School Gatherings: All school gatherings such as assemblies and school events are deferred at this time (will be updated via newsletter when possible).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

School Camps, Incursions and Excursions: School camps can take place across Victoria with no travel restrictions. Incursions are not permitted. Excursions can take place with students from single schools only.

Outside Hours School Care (OSHC) Camp Australia will resume full operations from Wednesday, 28th July.

Returning to on-site learning: Yesterday afternoon, Dr David Howes asked all schools to focus on these three major priorities over the next 2 weeks. 

1: Attendance 2: Wellbeing  3: Learning

If your child will be away, please notify us at school in the usual processes, reach out to your classroom teacher and/or Andy & Rhonda if you require wellbeing support and let’s continue to work together and get all our students achieving the best they can.

Attendance: it is critical that we draw on every resource available to re-engage those students who may have dis-engaged during this recent period of remote and flexible learning, and those students who may be reluctant to return to on-site learning. We cannot effectively support our students’ wellbeing or learning unless they are back and engaged on-site. Please contact your child’s teacher if your child requires support re-engaging to onsite learning.

Wellbeing: we know from previous experience that some of our students may be unsettled on their return. Identifying those students most at risk as early as possible is important not only in relation to addressing and supporting the wellbeing of those students but will contribute to quickly re-establishing a positive climate.

Learning Continuity: re-engaging students in a full learning program is important to maintaining and extending student learning but the re-establishment of structures, routines and positive classroom relationships will also strongly support student wellbeing.

The wellbeing of all our students is of our highest priority and our school staff and teachers are here to support your child/ren and your family. If you are concerned about the wellbeing of your child, please contact your child’s teacher, a member of our Wellbeing Team or a member of our Leadership Team so we can talk with you about how we can best assist (email: ocean.grove.ps@education.vic.gov.au or phone: 5255 1340).

Finally, a reminder that if you, your child, or a family member develops symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested at a COVID-19 testing facility and stay home.

Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or contact the school if you have any concerns.

Thanks: I’d like to thank Kristy Hannan-Cuthbertson for continuing to run the school while I was away on Long Service Leave. I was lucky to spend some extended quality time with my family. I know Kristy was well supported by Ann Miller, the amazing A team in the office and Andy as our MHAWC! 

Excursions & Camps: As Kristy has communicated, most of these extra curricula activities have been postponed and like we did last year, we rescheduled, planned and hardly missed out on anything as staff and families were so flexible and enabled it to happen. I am asking for your patience and flexibility to help us make as many of these activities as possible, happen again! We will continue to update the newsletter when things are either rescheduled or cancelled – all dependent on restrictions.

Tree Stump removal: Over the next two weekends we will have about 50 tree stumps removed from the playground at school. A letter via the VSBA (Victorian School Building Authority) about these works will also be sent out to other nearby neighbours but if you can help spread the word to keep people safe, it would be greatly appreciated. A copy of the letter is in the newsletter too. 

Devices and Apps: Just a reminder to keep your devices and apps updated. I had a few issues this week on MS teams and had to re-download to ensure I got all the updates on my laptop. 

Families: Thank you for supporting your children during these times. You know I empathise with you all as my three kids have been experiencing the same range of emotions and frustrations as your kids. Keep it up and stay strong. Model your resilience to your children and I hope your world begins to spin more normally as we transition back to school. Take care.

Thank you to our families for the smooth transition back to onsite learning today.

Staff observed minimal congestion at the school gates/entry points and everyone wearing masks – thank you for your support with this.

Staggered start times will be implemented if we are unable to maintain adequate social distancing requirements.

It’s great to have the students back, staff teaching and hopefully our community getting back into routine. Have a great week.

Scott McCumber

Principal