From the Head of Senior School

Our staff are awesome! 

Today’s message is quite simply an appreciation post for our outstanding Kinross Wolaroi staff.  

Whilst I acknowledge that this year has been a challenge for us all, it is only with my current lens as acting Head of Senior School that I have seen the impacts of this pandemic first-hand on our School staff. 

If only it was as simple as teaching staff being absent due to COVID-19.  Whilst this is challenging with the current large numbers away, it would be achievable and manageable if it wasn't that in reality it spreads itself so much further.

In order to support our students who are learning remotely or ill, our teaching staff have provided both in-person and at-home learning experiences for all of their classes.  This has not been for just a week or two, it has been for the duration of the term and it looks likely to be the norm for the immediate future. This means an allocation of extra time and resources to ensure this expectation is delivered. When our students are away and have missed assessment tasks, you will often see staff supervising these online tasks in their lunch break so that the integrity of the task is not compromised and so that the absent student, or the students at school for that matter, are not disadvantaged as a result of being away. Staff are recording key explanations or experiments outside of their class time to make sure that students can gain access to the lessons in their own time, when they are feeling better.  

Of course, our staff have not been immune from the need for increased absences as well. This is where the appreciation and respect are truly warranted. Our teachers have been online delivering lessons remotely to their classes when they themselves have been sick and unable to attend.  We of course have no expectations for our staff to do this, but the concern for their classes and their desire to ensure that their students are ‘not missing out’ whilst they are absent is a paradoxical dilemma that our profession faces constantly. 

Thank you to all our teachers who have worked from home in such trying circumstances this term.  Whilst many teachers are still delivering learning online it doesn’t mean that their class at school can operate without another staff member to supervise. Those teachers who may not have been impacted directly by their own need to be absent have certainly felt the brunt of managing this pandemic at School. Five-period days have turned into six periods plus a playground supervision and ‘light days’ have been a thing of the past. Staff have volunteered to combine classes to lessen the load on their colleagues and have freely offered their services in time slots which have been allocated to other areas of responsibility.  They have stepped in on short notice to take on excursions or to supervise overnight events to ensure that our students did not miss out on planned opportunities.  

A big thank you to the Junior School staff for allowing the Senior School full access to the library and its staff to oversee multiple lessons of supervision in each period to lessen the load.  This of course meant that the load on our Junior School staff was increased to accommodate their lost library lessons and that the library staff were responsible for the collection and supervision of over twenty classes a day. Thank you! 

Our Boarding staff have been hit hard across both sites.  Staff have been on duty for days on end to cover for and support other staff who have been impacted. Staff have maintained the outstanding support and care of our boarders, ensuring that students are isolated when required, household contacts are identified and transport home is organised, hospital and medical visits prioritised, COVID-19 requirements implemented; and all whilst creating and fostering amazing opportunities for our boarders. 

It is not only our teaching staff that have risen to the challenges, but staff from every area of our School. Grounds, Maintenance, Cleaning and Kitchen have delivered on every occasion despite being understaffed. It simply meant that those left standing have taken on more, completed more, given more; they have simply been more. Events such as Open Day, Athletics Carnivals and sporting fixtures require the same deliverables regardless of the staff available.  

Our staff in Finance, Engagement, Administration, Transport and Canteen have all managed the unknowns and intricacies of staff and student absences.  They have supported with communication and facilitated the movement of our students based on ever changing plans. They have liaised with parents for leave, sickness and patiently outlined and explained the nuances that are our ever-changing NSW Health COVID-19 restrictions and regulations. They have been tireless in their efforts to maintain the standards we as a School community demand. 

Thank you to everyone for going above and beyond for the students, whose learning, we all value so much.