Principal's Report

Acting Principal - Julie Hommelhoff 

Assistant Principal -Anthea Mathers 

Remote Learning thank you

We understand the pressure Remote Learning may place on families and are very aware of the stress and constraints it puts on us as schools. I do, however, thank our families and the community for your quick adjustment to the short lockdown last week. Everyone, including our staff, students, parents / carers and the community worked effectively and efficiently to ensure our students had access to programs and support immediately. It was very encouraging to see and hear the positive approach by all. 

The presence of COVID 19 does require us to put measures in place once again. The DET and Health Departments ask that parents / carers and the community (other than essential workers) remain off site. This means parents / carers are to drop off and pick up outside the schools grounds. Our staff will ask that adults remain at the gates and do not enter the school grounds. You are able to enter the school office – numbers of adults will be limited to the correct square metre requirements. Essential workers will be required to sign-in and QR Code upon entry. 

Unfortunately, School Council meetings will remain on Webex, assemblies remain school students and staff only (no visitors). 

Hand sanitising and washing throughout the day will occur vigilantly. 

Face coverings are to be worn at all times, inside and outside. 

We are unable to support school tours, however our website provides information, a virtual tour and Prep 2022 information to assist.

All excursions and incursions have been cancelled.

Staff are to sign in and out every day.

Please continue to communicate via ClassDojo, email, read our Facebook posts, make phone calls and or text if you require any assistance at all. Staff will get back to you in a timely fashion.

Thank you for your co-operation and understanding during this uncertain time for all of us. Stay warm, stay safe and we will continue to support your children here at school. 

COVID 19 and Illness

A number of students in P-6 have been unwell at school. The students have presented with either cold like symptoms or gastro symptoms. If your child presents unwell at school, unfortunately, we are required to call home and send home immediately. 

If children are presenting with gastro or cold like symptoms, please support us in not spreading it to other students or staff, by keeping children home. We thank you in advance for keeping students who are unwell at home.

Reports

Teachers are busy preparing reports for all students. Reports will be sent home in the last week of term. We will organise Student Led Conferences in Week 3 Term 3 to ensure students can showcase their learnings and teachers, parents / carers can communicate face to face about progress and any areas for improvement. Goals will be set for the second semester together. Further information will follow. 

SMILE SQUAD Dentist visit

The SMILE SQUAD Dentist service has been postponed until the end of Term 3. Due to demand and number of schools to service unfortunately, their visit to ETRS will be later than anticipated. Please, keep the permission forms coming in, if you wish for your child/ren to see the dentist when they are on-site. 

Dogs Connect Program

We are so excited to be participating in the Dogs Connect Program. If you haven’t heard of this amazing program, please search the Dogs Connect Program for the full details. I have included the Overview below to give you further insight. 

OVERVIEW: 

Dogs Connect is a mental health, wellbeing and resilience building program. It connects communities with a wellbeing dog through a proven approach that delivers sustainable planning and modelling to meet specific needs of each community, now and into the future.

Through building each program as a trauma informed approach to mental health and wellbeing we find opportunities to connect with individuals, groups, and broader communities so that a wide range of impacts are felt.

Through the recent impact on education in Australia as a result of COVID-19, the Dogs Connect team have been creative in finding solutions to support students and staff during online learning and working, as well as having reported significant positive outcomes related to transitioning back to school and work for staff and students after two consecutive lockdowns whereby many aspects of life were undertaken remotely and online.

The Dogs Connect Team have committed to building a business model in order to sustain growth, deliver results on a broader scale, and become a leader in the mental health and wellbeing field within not only the education sector, but extending reach into industries such health care, aged care, justice communities, and emergency services.

Our vision has always been about finding ways to have more wellbeing dogs in workplaces / communities. We have very recently invested in production of a high quality online training package in response to seeing the need for scaling Australia wide and eventually internationally with the intended outcome being that the program can be more easily accessible and cost effective.

I will keep everyone up to date with the progress on receiving our puppy, where he/she will be housed and what the puppy, our students and staff are up to. 

Bus Shelters

New bus shelters will be built inside the front and back gates of the school, over the next two weeks. The area will have temporary fencing / barriers in place. We are so excited to have cover for students / staff who may be waiting in the inclement weather. 

Playgrounds

The new 5/6 & 3/4 playground structures will be built later this month. You will notice temporary fencing around these areas in the coming weeks. Students are very excited to have more equipment to play on at break times. 

Farewell To Zara P

Farewell and Good Luck to Zara P as she embarks on a Study journey at University.

Zara will not return after the holidays. We wish Zara all the best with her future pursuits and thank her immensely for her contribution to Echuca Twin Rivers School. 

Zara has been teaching at this school for many years and has brought fun, warm relationships and comradery with both staff, students and parents. She will be sorely missed. Good luck Zara.

School Wide Positive Behaviour Update

This Week's Behaviour Focus

Our Value focus this week is Responsibility - I will use property correctly. 

Respect, Inclusion, Responsibility, Resilience, (Academic Excellence)  

Have a great weekend. 

Julie Hommelhoff

Acting Principal