Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,

Well........ welcome back to school wherever it finds you! Such a different start to Term 2 in the world we currently live in. Usually we are straight back celebrating the spirit of Easter with an Alleluia Day and some fun to celebrate the risen Christ. We are going to have to look a bit harder and closer to home to see the risen Christ in those around us.

Our Victorian Premier has demanded "students must stay home if they can". What a challenge that has been to everyone- not least our students who so much look forward to returning to their friends and the daily structure that school provides after a school holiday break.

Firstly thanks to the parents who are supporting their children at home. As I said to the staff via a Zoom online meeting on Wednesday you can bet not one parent in our community will have not felt some level of anxiety about how they would manage at home. I do not doubt that for every request for support received at school for device issue, log in difficulties or understanding where the work is online for the children to access that this has been only the tip of the iceberg. Equally I am sure that when we have heard about issues they have only been after each family has tried to solve the issue as best they can at home. I hope things are generally beginning to settle down at home into a routine as we iron out the little difficulties that have challenged all of us so far.

I also want to acknowledge the staff. Probably like many industries the change has been enormous for teachers and aides who have operated in a school environment that changes little over time. I am now regularly online looking at the students' work and have been part of the preparation of a curriculum to be delivered at home that, as best we can, mirrors what we would have delivered at school. There are challenges with this but we will continue to seek to improve this for all involved. It was never going to start perfectly but then again I struggle to think of ever having a perfect day at school either. That said, I have many wonderful days at school and equally I feel your children will continue to learn at home with the direction from school and some support at home.

We continue at school with a 'skeleton' staff for the handful of students who must attend due to having no adult at home. It is a very strange place to be with so few children.

Regarding attendance, schools are still required to monitor this. Once your child has engaged in the learning each day then they will be counted as attending on the day. If for some reason your child/ren will not be participating in learning due to illness or needing a break please advise your child's class teacher and we will mark them as absent. If we have no engagement with work or no message from home they will also be noted as absent on the day.

I guess, at this stage take the opportunity as it arises, for the board games and cards to come out, the wetlands and beach provide beautiful places to walk in Seaford and families can spend time together over meals a little more. I have two sons who are 18 and 20 who now want to have a game of "Battleships" rather than coming home and spending all night in their own rooms. I remain convinced there will be some 'silver linings' to this epidemic.

Please know that we are very aware of how stressful this time is for many families regarding health and financial circumstances. As a school community we will continue to do our best to support your family in ensuring an ongoing education for our students. Please let us know if there is something we may be able to do to support you.

God is with us - let your light shine!

God Bless

Rod

School Attendance and Unexplained Absence

Please ensure you contact the school before 9:30am if your child is going to be absent or late by leaving a message on 9786 4736 and press #1.

If you are running late (after 9:00 am ) please attend the office to sign your child into school.

As per our policy this will be our morning routine for absences:

Parents will be contacted as soon as practicable on the morning a student is absent via a phone call or text message.

If parent does not reply or is unreachable the emergency contacts will be contacted by the school.

If there is still no response, and the school feels that the child is in danger, the police will be contacted.

Ongoing unexplained absences or lack of cooperation regarding student attendance will result in

a formal conference being organized. Unresolved attendance issues will be referred to D.H.H.S.

This is a legal requirement.