Principals Report

We are beginning Term 3 under unique circumstances that requires communities to rally together and keep each other healthy and safe. The Victorian Government has made some significant announcements in relation to arrangements for schools in Victoria for Term 3.  Based on advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer, Victorian Government schools in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will have specific arrangements in place for Week 1 of Term 3 as outlined below.

We will then move to remote and flexible learning for students in Prep to Year 10 from the start of Week 2. It is very important to note that the advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer is that schools can continue to operate. The Victorian Chief Health Officer has also provided advice about the health measures that should be taken by staff and students, and we will be following these.

The purpose of these changed arrangements is to reduce the number of these students – and their parents and guardians – moving across metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

It is, however, also important that face-to-face teaching be maintained for some students. This includes students in Years 11 and 12 (and Year 10 students who have VCE studies or VCAL strands in their learning program) because of the importance of enabling all students to continue or complete their senior secondary certificate, either VCE or VCAL.

It is important that students in specialist schools have full access to the expertise of the teachers and support staff in those schools in face-to-face settings. We also need to support families where parents and carers cannot work from home, and others who need the support that on-site provision enables.

To provide further assurance, our school, along with all other government schools in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, will be conducting temperature checks of all students at the start of the day. If your child does have a temperature, you will be asked to collect them from school.

The new arrangements are set out in detail below.

Monday 13 – Friday 17 July

Monday 13 – Friday 17 July are pupil free days for students Prep to Year 10. These pupil-free days will enable our staff to prepare for the change to remote and flexible learning from Monday 20 July.

We will provide an on-site supervision program for students who need it during this week. This program is available for students where parents/carers cannot work from home and no other arrangements can be made and for vulnerable students.

To assist our planning, if you need this program, please complete the attached form and return it to us as soon as possible.

Monday 20 July on

The following students are able to attend school for on-site supervision, but will also undertake the remote learning program:

• children of parents/carers who cannot make suitable arrangements to supervise children at home, including children of teachers in government schools who are required to return to work on-site
• vulnerable students
• students with disabilities who choose to attend on site.

We will follow similar arrangements to those we put in place for remote and flexible learning in Term 2.

The latest information about coronavirus (COVID-19) and schools is on the Department of Education and Training website: education.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

The Victorian Chief Health Officer has confirmed that the use of face masks or coverings by adults or children is not recommended in schools at this time. As has always been the case, students who wish to wear face masks in school and in going to and from school may do so.

And, finally, a reminder that if you, your child, or a family member develops symptoms of a fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell or taste, you should get tested at a coronavirus (COVID-19) testing facility and stay home.

This is vitally important to keeping our school community safe.

If you would like health information from the Department of Health and Human Services, you can visit dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

Additional operational details about remote learning will be sent out this week as well. We will continue to provide updated information as it becomes available.

Introducing New Staff

We are excited to welcome 2 new members of staff.  Below is a short introduction for each.

Mental Health Practitioner

"Hi I'm Rachel Felmingham and I am very excited to be commencing in the brand new Mental Health Practitioner role at Beaumaris Secondary College. I will be working one day a week with the aim of supporting the mental health and wellbeing needs of the students and school community as a whole. I have worked for 16 years predominantly in the child and adolescent mental health field and also currently coordinate a paediatric team within the public hospital setting. I have an undergraduate degree in nursing, a graduate certificate in developmental psychiatry and a post graduate diploma in mental health nursing. I love what I do and cannot wait to get started in this brand new role. Outside of work I love playing team sports and getting out and about exploring the local walking tracks and parks around the local Bayside area. I look forward to joining the wellbeing team when I commence as the new Mental Health Practitioner in Term 3.

Leading Teacher Senior Curriculum

My name is Deb Jarvis, I’m a PE/Health/Outdoor Education teacher and have been working at Mentone Girls’ Secondary for the last 12.5 years. During that time I have had the opportunity work in a variety of leadership roles including Head of Interschool Sport and Carnivals, Director of Staff Development, leading the Junior and Senior Sub Schools, and my most recent role has been the Director of Middle School. I really love working with young people and being able to provide them with pastoral support and guidance around their future pathways. I am really excited to be joining the Beaumaris Secondary College team and working to develop engaging Senior Curriculum pathways that support students to be confident and competent young adults as they complete their secondary education.