From the Principal's Desk

End of Term

This Friday marks the end of Term 3. A term like we have never experienced before. I hope the Learning Conferences currently taking place give you assurance of your child's achievements during a time in which learning has been presented very very differently.

I would like to thank our children for the persistence, resilience, and independence they have continued to demonstrate throughout this period of Remote and Flexible learning and for the way they have engaged in the various learning experiences presented to them.

Thank you to our parents who have been beside them every step of the way, guiding and encouraging, diffusing meltdowns, knowing when to push and when to back off and refraining from 'rescuing' and doing the work themselves.  Thank you for your confidence and trust placed in our systems and learning and teaching program.

And thank you to our staff... I know how much they want to be face-to-face teaching with your children. And I also know how much time and endeavor they have placed into creating learning opportunities to engage and suit the need of each and every child.

It has taken the collective effort of all and together we have been pioneers of learning in this  COVID online environment.

So... please take some time to recharge over the holiday period where kids can be kids and mums and dads can be just that. There is now light at the end of the tunnel !

Return to School Plan

This week has brought great hope to our regional friends and proves that we are on our way out of lockdown.

For metropolitan Melbourne, there has been NO change to what I published last week so here it is again: 

First week of Term 4, 5th–9th October

• Remote and flexible learning will continue for all students
• Onsite supervision for children of permitted workers and vulnerable students will continue to be provided consistent with existing guidelines

Week Beginning 12th October

• Students in Prep to Year 2 return to full-time onsite schooling (Yay!)  Procedures implemented last time regarding drop off and pick up will be re-introduced e.g. Stop, Kiss and Drop.
• The existing remote learning program will not continue for these year levels.
• Remote and flexible learning will continue for all students in Years 3 to 6, other than for children of permitted workers and vulnerable students

Dates to be confirmed, subject to health advice

• All students from Years 3 to Year 6 will continue with remote and flexible learning. A date for the return of these year levels to face-to-face learning will be subject to further health advice

Years  Prep - 6  Learning Conferences

Learning Conferences will continue to run tomorrow and Friday for some classes so remember to log onto Google Meet through your child's G-Suite account using their student number at the time of your Meet.

We hope these conferences are a time where we can celebrate the learning of all and set some achievable goals for the term to come.

School Photos

We have managed to re-book a new date for our school photos for Thursday 19th November.

In regards to the orders parents have already placed,  they will be held over to the new photography date. If by chance the world gets turned upside down again, they of course will be credited or refunded. 

SchoolPix have been in many meetings on how they will be able to fit all schools that have been scheduled from the end of March to the end of October into the last weeks of this school year. 

The decision has been made by management that to accommodate all school photography they will have to change the school's photography style to composite (headshot) style for this year only (similar to the picture below).

I will be able to provide you with more details next term.

My Absence Explained!

You may (or may not) have noticed my absence during the last few whole school assemblies. Unfortunately, I will be also missing a few more. As you are aware I am still receiving ongoing medical treatment from my recent surgery and to assist with the process I have been placed into a course of hyperbaric oxygen treatment.  I am currently in week two of an eight week (daily) treatment program, hence my absence. 

The program takes up the most part of the morning and as I have some time to go, I will be unavailable during that time (I will however be around in the afternoons). So,  moving forward, I ask that should you have any needs that need addressing, Miss Jane Wilkinson or Mrs Deborah Coutrney will be more than happy to assist.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the term break!

Stay safe and God Bless

Anthony Hyde

(Principal)