Elevated Bushfire Risk

Dear Parents and Carers,

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your patience and understanding following the recent school closure due to the declaration of an Extreme Bushfire Risk day. Notification of this pre-emptive decision was received by the school very late, and I appreciate that this would have caused frustration and inconvenience as families were required to make last-minute supervision arrangements for their children.

Please be assured that I will always communicate any future announcements regarding school closures at the earliest possible time. Unfortunately, as was the case this week, confirmation may not occur until the day prior.

In response to this disruption, I have been working closely with colleagues at Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools to explore contingency options. I am pleased to advise that, should another school closure occur before the end of the bushfire season, our students will have the option of attending school at St Patrick’s Primary School, Lilydale. A dedicated space will be made available, and students will be supervised by St Joseph’s staff members.

We understand that, on days of extreme fire risk, some families may prefer to keep their children closer to home so that personal fire plans can be enacted quickly if required. We fully support families in making the decision that best suits their individual circumstances.

To ensure continuity of learning, a remote learning program will be offered via Zoom and Google Classroom. This option will be available to all students, whether they are learning from home or attending St Patrick’s. Students will engage in the same learning experiences regardless of location. While we sincerely hope this plan is rarely required, it provides a proactive and flexible approach when it is not possible for students to be on site at St Joseph’s.

It is important that families remain vigilant in the lead-up to days of elevated fire danger. Please regularly check your email, the N-Forma app, and our Facebook page, as all three platforms will be used to communicate any updates regarding school closures as quickly and clearly as possible.

An FAQ document is attached, addressing the most commonly asked questions. I draw your attention to the fact that St Joseph’s School is rated Level 2 on the Bushfire At-Risk Register, as outlined in this document.

Please be reassured that we are very mindful of the stress and pressure school closures place on families. We will always remain open whenever it is safe to do so, and the off-site option at St Patrick’s will be available to families on days of Extreme Fire Risk.

Kind regards,

Nick

Nicholas Boyhan

Principal