What a wonderful week! The sound of children in our school has been delightful! The Foundation superheroes were so excited to be back at school on Monday as were their fabulous teachers. I can’t wait to see the Year 3/4s again who will be launching themselves to school on Tuesday. Staff are once again back doing what they do best in the place they wish to do it – lots of smiles from them too!

Thankyou to our families who have been superb during the last weeks of the lockdown period. Your support, positive outlook and willingness to take on the home learning challenges has been outstanding. For some families this will need to go on for a little longer, but we will soon have everyone back on site at CEPS. Let’s hope we have some more restrictions lifted during Sunday’s announcements.

The return to school plan for all students asks families to be part of the combined cooperative efforts to ensure the path back to onsite learning is positive and as safe as possible.

At this point we ask families to drop their children off at one of the school entry gates and make sure your child is onsite before 9.00 am. Learning starts at 9.00 am.

Staff will be on duty at each gate to answer questions and welcome our children back onsite.

Parents must remain outside the school gates and adhere to COVID health and safety protocols (while dropping their child/ren off at the school gates and picking up) including wearing a mask and social distancing.

Foundation classes will be dismissed at 3.20pm each day.

Onsite Learning will continue for Essential Workers and these children will use the bottom gate in Coolac St (Bike Shed path) to avoid any unnecessary gatherings.

Late students will need to be signed in at the front office.

Parents are asked not to come on site and if they need to be in contact with the Office, come via the main entrance, wear a mask and follow the QR code process, social distancing and COVID safe protocols.

Children from year 3-6 are asked to wear masks inside at school.

Classes will be well ventilated. Learning may occur outside across the school day. Please ensure your child brings a jacket, as windows/doors will be opened.

Hats are required in Term 4 - this is no different to any other year.

The most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is to ensure that any unwell staff, parents/carers and students remain at home and get tested, even with the mildest of symptoms, and that people who are unwell do not attend school sites.

Once again I would like to thank all parents, teachers and students for all their work and the support of our School Council throughout the challenges we have faced together.

Please note the bike shed does not open until after 8.30am and Yard Duty teachers are not present until 8.45am.

School should be vacated before 3.45pm daily.

Works Around the School

There has been a lot of work going on around the school grounds and to the school buildings recently.

The guttering has been repaired and old guttering replaced with new guttering around the art room, main school building and on the After Care building. There have also been new down pipes installed to ensure there are no leaks during downpours.

Our resident handyman Jon has been busy clearing shrubs and dead foliage away from the front of the hall as well as removing the old fence around the indigenous garden and preparing the eating area for the works which will be carried out in November.

Other work to be done is the re-staining of the stage areas, repainting the yellow line markings, updating the ground markings on the asphalt, painting the new guttering and planting in the front gardens of the main building. This will ensure the school is looking good for the future.

READING AT HOME

Reading is an extremely important part of a child’s gathering of skills for access to education. In our modern world it is more important than ever. Children learn about the importance of reading as they watch family members use reading and writing for everyday purposes.

Reading with your child at home will help your child in all learning areas of school. Children see you reading and writing in everyday life – reading for pleasure, sharing a story with your child, using a recipe, making a shopping list, writing a birthday card or reading street signs. This teaches them that reading and writing are useful skills in today’s world.

During the last months, conditions in the home saw many routines change and it is now that we ask you re-establish new patterns, which will assist in your child’s schooling. Listening to your child read at home daily is very important. It is a good way of supporting your child’s education and connecting to what they know and believe.

BORROWED SCHOOL DEVICES

The devices borrowed from school for remote learning need to be returned on or after the day when everyone is back at school, Tuesday November 5th. Please make sure they are returned to Mr Bourke at school on Tuesday November 5th.

NEW ENROLMENTS 2022

We are looking at grade structures and staffing for next year and it is vital that we are as accurate as possible.

If you know of anyone who is yet to enrol for Cheltenham East for 2022, please ask them to finalise enrolment procedures.

DEPARTURES

If you know your child will not be returning to us next year (apart from our Year 6s), please let us know as soon as possible so we can finalise planning for next year.

HATS, HAND SANITISER, DRINK BOTTLES

Hats are required during Term 4 and should be the school approved uniform variety. Students can bring sunscreen to school however roll on is preferred. Hand sanitiser will be provided by the school. Please ensure that your child has a drink bottle to limit the drinking from the school taps.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Wayne Bach

Principal

Cheltenham East Primary News and Events