Principal's Report

Principal - Brea Terris 

Assistant Principal -Anthea Mathers 

Dear Families,

As I  write the newsletter this week, all the staff are busily preparing for the last week of Term 3. At the beginning of this term I did not think we would be back in remote learning and finishing Term 3 like this. It has been great to see the students continue to work so hard on their learning! The staff are always commenting on the quality of work students are uploading up onto Dojo.

After the announcements last Sunday we continue to plan to have the students back onsite Week 2 of Term 4. More information around this and our COVID safe plan will be emailed to families early next week. We are awaiting advice from DET  around what procedures we will need to put in for Term 4. 

Week 1 will continue as Remote/Flexible learning. 

Social Media 

This is a friendly reminder that access to most social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, What's App, Tik Toc etc. all require users to be 13 years of age or older. These social media platforms are not suitable for primary aged students.  Some material posted on these platforms can cause undue  emotional harm and distress on young children. If your child is under 13 years of age and accesses any of these sites, we would actively discourage their use. 

Transition

COVID-19 has impacted on the way transition works for our new Prep students in 2021. We are currently writing to all of our Prep families to update them and support them with the transition process. Early Term 4 we will host a Q and A session with staff and provide a special package for our new Preps. The package will contain some activities to support students engaging at school. We hope before the end of the year we can welcome our 2021 Prep students into the school. We will  be guided by the Department of Education and Training when this can happen. 

Planning for 2021

This time of year we begin to plan for the 2021 school year. If you have any requests related to your child's wellbeing please email them to echuca.twin.rivers.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Please note we do not take individual requests for teachers. 

We understand that at times families may move for a range of reasons. If you think you may not be attending ETRS next year please email us to support us in planning for 2021.

Assembly

Please keep an eye out for assembly today. We will also upload an end of Term assembly next Friday where we will announce Terrific Kid awards.

Onsite Attendance 

We understand that some families may require access to onsite attendance for children. There is a clear set of guidelines from the Department of Education and Training around this.

The most recent advice around students who can attend onsite attendance from DET states: 

-Where there are two parents/ carers, both must be working outside the home for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.

-Single parents/ carers must be working outside the home for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.

-Children deemed vulnerable by the school, a government agency, funded family or family violence service. These students are assessed as requiring education and care outside the family home. 

While school is open, we are running on a skeleton staff, trying to keep as many staff at home working remotely with your children.  To keep doing this we need your support.  Please, if you are working, only complete the onsite attendance forms if there is no other way your children can be supervised at home.

If you require onsite attendance at school, we ask that you contact the office and speak to Anthea or myself. 

If your child is eligible for onsite attendance, a form needs to be submitted online. 

If you are unable to complete the online form, please email a copy of the onsite attendance form to brea.terris@education.vic.gov.au

This form needs to be submitted by 12pm on a Thursday for the following week. If the form is submitted after this time, it may not be accepted. 

Please continue to remember that Echuca Twin Rivers School community has a responsibility to our wider Victorian friends, in helping to get the numbers down. If we all 'sanitize, social distance, wear masks, and stay home’ we are playing our part in helping to beat this virus.

We know this can be very challenging for you, but ‘We are all in this together’.   We are trying to minimise the interactions of people, and it is still recommended if you can learn from home, you must learn from home. The purpose of this is to stop people from moving around the community and ultimately to stop the spread of the virus. The Chief Health Officer says the best way to do this is to stay at home.

Foundation 2021 Enrolments

All enrolment documents are available to download from our website. You may also contact the school and we can send the information to you via email or the post. 

We are looking forward to running some activities/events for our 20201 Prep students early next term. 

If you know of any families who are interested in enrolling, please ask them to contact the school. Thank you to our families who are getting the good word out in the community about our school, word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising. 

Unfortunately, until the health advice changes, we are unable to do school tours. 

School Wide Positive Behaviour 

See our dedicated page later in the newsletter which includes updates, videos, and of course features Wally. 

Wishing everyone an enjoyable and safe weekend. Let's hope the sunshine remains around. 

Brea and Anthea