Principal News

Dear Sacred Heart School Community

Our newsletter this week is of a "special bulletin" format, without the usual features such Classroom News, because of the need to address the offsite learning that will continue for our students next week until at least Friday.

Our teachers meet virtually last night, to plan for the next five days. If the lockdown continues past next Thursday, then we will evaluate our programs and make any necessary adjustments as we did in 2020 with our students learning evolving online.  

Detailed below, is an outline of how the learning will look in your child's class as of Monday. Parents of our students in Years Prep to Year Four will notice that online learning will be introduced as of Monday. All classes will meet at least twice a day, once in the morning to start the day and as a check in later in the day. These times are most important, as we found in 2020, the thing our students missed most was a connection to their class. Depending on your child's class, there may be other times when they will be online with their teacher.

Our I/T coordinator Denise will be in the school tomorrow, to organise hardware for students who do not have the necessary equipment at home. It is anticipated that those families who indicate the need for hardware, will be asked to come to the school to collect it tomorrow afternoon or early Monday. 

Can I reiterate two things that were a common theme in 2020. Your children will continue to learn. It will look different and may focus on the utilisation of different skills, but it will continue. In 2020 they continued to learn because of the invaluable role you played.

Year Prep and Year One

As of next week, Grade Prep and Year 1 will be moving to an online platform. We will be using Google Slides to deliver the weekly content to you and your child. The content will include a Literacy task, a Numeracy task and some additional learning activities to be completed each day. There will also be links for your child to access Whole Class and ability Reading group sessions. (Bethany, Alexandra and Ann)

Year Two/Three

Students will have two (2) Google meets each day, Monday to Thursday. They will be at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

Smaller Google meets will be organised for reading and maths at different times across the week. You will receive an email the day before letting you know when your child is scheduled for an extra meeting. 

Students will be using the Google Apps for Education (GAFE) platform and will receive their instructions from the classroom page. Each day I will put a Google slide on the Classroom page with more detailed instructions for the students on that day's activities. The instructions might include videos, pictures or written instructions. 

Each day they will have reading, writing and maths activities, which may need to be accessed online through Sunshine Online, My Numeracy or Studyladder. They will also be given other activities for art, music, religion and sport. 

Thank you for your ongoing support. (Denise)

Year Three/Four

The 3/4 students will be getting a daily grid via the Classroom page that tells them about the activities for the day. They are not expected to do the activities in any particular order, except if it is a google meet with myself or the whole class, whereby they will be expected to be online at that time. (Marie)

Year Five/Six

The Year 5 / 6 students will continue their online learning with minimal disruption next week. All students have the technology to access their G suite, including Google classroom, our main portal for work and communication. Our weekly timetable will be made available to the students by tomorrow and will include Literacy and Numeracy activities, RE, Inquiry and Specialists. There will also be an opportunity for your child to participate in Social Meets each afternoon, designed to support student connection and wellbeing. Teachers will again be available for support for your child through emails, the live stream and through Google Meets.(Marty, Amanda, Claudia and Rose Lee)

I would ask our parents and guardians to be aware that we have staff rostered on each day to supervise the children whose parents are permitted workers and cannot work from home. On these days they will be responsible for the students at school.

Staff onsite Friday and next week 

Friday (tomorrow) Marty, James (Denise I/T)

Monday - Ann, Marie, Kartia, Demi

Tuesday - Bethany, Liz, Kartia

Wednesday- James, Maria P,  

Thursday: Claudia K, Kate

Friday: Marty, Denise (If required)

Kartia may be working online on Wed, Thurs and Friday

Rose Lee online Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday

Finally if you are a permitted worker and are unable to work from home, I ask that you email me (as you did before this current week's lockdown) by Sunday evening to inform me of the need for your child/children to come to school next week and on which days.

Thank you for your continued cooperation.

Please stay safe.

Regards

Mark Tierney

Principal