Principal Report - GRATITUDE

Dear families,

Term 4: 

It is with a heavy heart that we know that we will begin Term 4 without students on site. We were certainly hopeful that Victoria would be in the position where we could have resumed face to face learning in the first week, this is sadly not the case. 

October 5th-9th (The first week of Term 4)

All students will continue with Remote Learning. On-site supervision will be available under the same guidelines that we are currently in. Only students of permitted workers or with vulnerability can be on site. If you feel you meet the criteria please use the link here: Survey.

This was also the week that our Years 5 and 6 students were due to head off to camp and our re-scheduled STOMP program would start. We are sad to know that this is another experience that we are not able to offer to students this year. We are working hard in the background to create an end of year camp program that we can run at school. 

From October 12th: Students in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 will resume face to face learning on site. I am currently waiting for the Term 4 operations guide from DET, due out sometime over the holidays, which will provide me with some information around the expectation for how this will look. I would predict it will be similar to when we last returned back to school, however, I will let families know once I have more information. 

Students in Years 3-6 will continue with remote learning. Their return to face to face teaching is dependent on the health advice and we do not know when we will be welcoming these students on-site for face to face learning - we hope it is the 26th of October. 

From October 12th, students in these year levels who are in the vulnerable category or where there is not an adult working from home can be on site. Again, this is similar to the arrangements from Term 2 where if no other care arrangements are able to be made then you can apply to have your child/ren on site. Once I have the operations guide, I feel there will be more details around this process and I will let families know the more detailed parameters around this closer to the time. 

Sunsmart

Term 4 also sees the return of the  SunSmart policy. Please slip, slop, slap before school. Hats are required to play out in the sun. 

Graduation

We are aiming to make sure our grade 6 graduation is as special as we can make it under the current restrictions. The team are seeking support from the School Captains and families. We hope to have a few options ready at the start of term that will take into account whatever scenario we have in December. I am sure whatever we offer it will be amazing. 

Transition

Our transition program has been shared today with  our 2021 prep families.  We have pushed dates back as far as we can. We may start on Zoom but we hope to have those new little people into school as quickly as possible. We have grown from 2 prep classes in 2020 to 4 prep classes. I am a big believer in word of mouth. Thank you for up-selling our school out there in the community. 

Curriculum Days 

We have not accessed many curriculum days this year, just the one. There have been so many days missed at school already and our planned days always seem to fall just as children returned to school. 

We will have a curriculum day on Monday 2nd November, the day before the Cup Day public holiday. I think this may be a time when it is safe for families to connect with those loved ones outside of Metro Melbourne. We will also have a report writing day on Friday 4th December. The last remaining curriculum day for the year will not happen in 2020. 

Term 4 Events: Our P&F recently ran some activities for the children online. I attended and we had lots of fun. I love an excuse to put on a wig. We will be running some fun games again after the holidays. Thank you, Jacinta and the team!

There will be school events over Term 4 and I would encourage everyone to join in where they can. The P&F are hoping to run a Christmas stall. I hope you support us by buying your cards and gifts from school this rather than K-mart. Our play equipment plans need help! See their page for more details. 

Goodbye Peta - but not goodbye

All of you will have been helped and supported in our office area by Peta Ryan over the years. Peta has decided that she will not return to our office area and will continue her training for her next career as a nurse. An amazing profession you will all agree. Peta is kind, organised, professional, and always works hard. All attributes that will contribute to her being a wonderful caring nurse. It is not the last goodbye as Peta will continue to be a parent here at school. I wish her well in the future. 

A message from Peta Ryan:

Dear Families,

Thank you! I would like to express my gratitude to you for the part you have played in my role at Rolling Hills.  Without families, I would not have had the amazing job that I have enjoyed for the past 15 years.  I have seen a complete cycle of students that have now started to come back to enrol their own children!  I do not feel that being in administration is just about answering phones and doing paperwork – it is so much more about connecting with students and their families. I have had the privilege of doing this and I am so grateful that you have allowed me to be part of your family’s educational journey.  The times I have spent with your children have often been when they have needed something; a bandaid, a form, an announcement made…but there have been so many other times that I have been able to connect with them (and you, as families) on a personal level and these opportunities are what I will treasure most. The relationships, the fun, the laughs and the tears! I will miss these.

I have begun a new journey in nursing.  It has long been an interest of mine and I am enjoying everything about it.  I will graduate with my Diploma in June 2021 and am already looking forward to the adventures that are ahead. 

I will still be part of the RHPS family – Luke still has 3 years of primary school left!  It’s not goodbye, just thank you.  See you around the school yard!

Warm regards,

Peta 

Thank you: I want to finish off with a few messages of gratitude. 

To our families, we are so grateful for your work over Term 3. Who knew at the start of the year that our students would be guided and taught too heavily by their families for so much of the year. What you are accomplishing at home is nothing short of extraordinary and we know that families are under an enormous amount of pressure juggling expectations from school, work, and family. 

To our staff, I am so grateful for your dedication to our community and each other. We have an amazing team at Rolling Hills and our students and families have been supported by you over this year like never before. 

Finally, and most importantly, our students. I am so proud of the way you have approached your learning in 2020. This year has been so challenging for you and there have been many things that you have missed out on at school. In thinking about what you have lost from school, I want you to know that you have also gained a lot. You are developing independence in your learning, you are developing relationships with your family that are closer and more connected than ever, you are developing an appreciation for things that you are longing for and you are developing a sense of who you are. These are all BIG positives to take away from this year. 

Remember, when you come back to school (we cannot wait!) we will be here for you just as we always have been and we will continue to support you in every way possible.