The Newlands Times

              Covid-19 Update

                                                                       Day 2/10/2020

 

Dear Families & Carers, 

Firstly welcome back to our new term 4. The purpose of this newsletter is to inform parents and carers of the "Remote Learning" & "Return to On-Site Learning" and the relevant  arrangements. It has certainly been a while since kids and teachers have been on-site, and I know by the phone calls and emails that everybody is itching to get. 

What we know:

  • Remote off-site learning for ALL students will commence on Monday 5/10/2020.
  • On-Site learning will still be available for families who require support and who are considered ‘vulnerable’, and for those parents/carers with permits.
  • On-Site learning will commence as of the week starting Monday 12/10/2020. Student returns will be staggered over this week, with all students being on site by Friday 16/10/2020.
  • Students will return to school staggered over the second week of term 4. 
  • Details will be published in the first week of term, on the Wednesday 7/10/2020. This will allow families to make the relevant adjustments to their drop off and pick-up responsibilities for that week.
  • The staff at Newlands Primary School will continue to provide remote learning during the first week of term four-only.
  • When on-site learning is permitted, schools are not expected to provide remote and flexible learning, where parents or carers of students elect to keep their child at home, except where this is based on medical advice.
  • Students absent for an extended period will be able to submit their learning exercises and work for comment and feedback if learning materials have been provided, according to the same timelines set for those participating in on-site learning. Teachers can provide comment and feedback in the same way that they would for students participating in on-site provision.
  • Teachers, and, where relevant, education support staff, will not be expected and should not be requested by parents/carers or students to provide additional advice or support, including for the learning materials provided, to students whose parents/carers make a choice for them not to attend on-site learning and where this decision is not based on medical advice.
  • Schools must take steps to ensure that all vulnerable students are able to attend on-site where the school identifies that is in the best interests of the child.

What are the arrangements Week 1, Term 4 - 5/10/2020 to Friday 9/10/2020?

  • Those students of families requiring on-site supervision must drop-off and pickup from the basketball court.
  • Temperature will be taken before your child can enter the school. All children must be in the company of an adult in case the child needs return home. Daily temperature (37.5) will continue until advised otherwise.
  • All parents/carers will wear facemasks, as will staff during drop off and pick up times.
  • Entry to the school will be restricted to specific gates/entry points for students enter school.
  • Access to the office will be by appointment only, and parents will not enter classrooms at all.
  • Our OOSHC program will be operating for those families where there child is at school for the first week and needs this service.

Week 2, Term 4 - 12/10/2020

  • Further details around week 2 and beyond will be published in the newsletter on Wednesday 7/10/2020.
  • Students will return to school in staggered year levels (F/1, 2/3 &4-6) over the second week of term 4.
  • Details of how we will stagger the start and pick-up will be published in a special newsletter, on the Wednesday 7/10/2020. This will allow families to make the relevant adjustments to their drop off and pick-up responsibilities for that week.
  • If for any reason a child is not at school for more than two days, we will insist that a medical certificate is presented before the child can access school. If there is no medical certificate presented then access to school maybe refused.

While these arrangements may present individual families as difficult, we do understand. We ask for your patience so all students, and staff can stay at school, and enjoy those many aspects of school we have all missed during this very all long absence from school life. 

We encourage families to please contact the school if they would like support. We will do all that we can to ensure that we get through this together.

 

Finally if there are any changes to these arrangements as deemed by DHHS & DET we will certainly implement as soon as possible.

 

Please stay safe and look after each other. 

 

Ross Dudgeon

Principal