John Monash Science School

Peter Corkill


Principal

Dear parents, students and staff,

 

Melbourne and several areas of Regional Victoria certainly copped a hammering with wild weather of recent days. We are aware that some families and staff members in our community have suffered significant damage to their properties, and we hope the clean-up goes as smoothly and as quickly as possible. In any cases where this damage is likely to cause disruption and difficulty regarding your son or daughter’s education, please contact the school so any necessary arrangements can be made. You can contact any of the Principal Class Officers, the Student Wellbeing team or the VCE team as you feel appropriate.

 

Semester Two Begins on Tuesday 15th June

All staff and students will return onsite to JMSS on Tuesday 15th June, following the long weekend, for the beginning of Semester Two. Please check your Compass timetables for any changes to schedules, rooms and so on.

 

Year 10 Work Experience for Year 10 Students

In-line with public health advice, all face to face onsite work experience placements in Metropolitan Melbourne have been cancelled. Any student who has a placement organised for onsite participation in June or July will not be able to go ahead. Students who are scheduled to complete their work experience virtually (online) from home can still go ahead with these placements. This is the only exception to participating in work experience at the moment.

 

Students who have a face to face onsite placement scheduled from August onwards may still be able to participate in their work placement but this will depend on government advice. We suggest these students do not cancel their placements until further notice. 

 

As a result of work experience being cancelled all Year 10 students are expected to attend school as normal for the week of the 21st – 25th June. This is with the exception of students participating in virtual work experience from home.

 

Arrangements for Tuesday Next Week, June 15th

Semester Two begins for all year levels on Tuesday June 15th. On that day, the following arrangements will apply:

  • Year 10 students will undertake their Core Science exam in Periods 1 and 2. Year 10 students not required for either the French or Japanese exam in the afternoon may go home when their Core Science exam is finished;
  • Year 10 students undertaking Japanese or French will undertake these exams in Periods 5 and 6. They must stay onsite for Periods 3, 4 and lunchtime, and can undertake private study or preparation for their language exams during this time;
  • Periods 1 to 4 will run as scheduled for all Years 11 and 12 students;
  • The Year 12 Mathematical Methods SAC will begin after lunch. Any Year 11 or Year 12 students NOT required for this SAC may go home at the end of Period 4.

Reef and Rainforest Trip

 

At the time of writing, we are still planning for this trip to go ahead. The key to this will be the opening of the Queensland border to people travelling from metropolitan Melbourne. We are currently negotiating with our travel agent and the provider in Cairns, and hope to be able inform you all of a final decision in the near future. Should the Queensland border open up to metropolitan Melbourne, the final decision regarding the trip will rest with the NEVR Regional Director. If the border remains closed, unfortunately the trip will have to be cancelled and moneys returned. We are obviously hoping that this will not be necessary, following on from the disappointment of 2020’s cancellation of the same trip.

 

The Wearing of Masks Continues onsite at JMSS, and on Public Transport

  • School staff and secondary school students aged 12 or older must always wear a face mask at school (both indoors and outdoors), including when attending an Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program, unless a lawful exception applies;
  • Children under 12 years of age and students at primary school are not required to wear face masks when at school, or when attending an OSHC program;
  • For communication purposes, teachers and education support staff are not required to wear face masks while teaching, but those who wish to do so, can;
  • Face masks are mandatory for all school staff and school students aged 12 or older when travelling to and from school on public transport and when in taxis or ride share vehicles.

Finally, masks MUST also be worn by students and staff inside any buildings on the Monash campus. This will include libraries, the Learning and Teaching Building, and the Campus Centre.

Density Limits

  • The density limit of 1 person per 4 square metre applies in spaces used only by staff and to publicly accessible areas. It does not apply in classrooms or other areas used by students.
  • Interschool Sport can resume in regional Victoria but is not permitted in metropolitan Melbourne.

Physical Education and Intra School Support

  • Metropolitan Melbourne: Outdoor contact and non-contact physical activity is permitted.

Interschool Sport

  • Interschool sport is NOT permitted in metropolitan Melbourne at this time, including metro schools who compete in a competition with regional schools.

Singing, brass, woodwind classes and groups

  • Singing and playing wind and brass instruments can occur if Department of Health recommendations to reduce transmission risk are followed;
  • Recommendations include moving outdoors, increasing ventilation, physical distancing of 2 metres between performers, reducing the number of people, or reducing the length of time an activity is conducted.Further advice on ways to reduce risk can be found in DH guidance: COVID-19 transmission from air-circulating, wind-blowing devices and activities.

I will continue to update you all as any further changes come to hand or information becomes available. In the meantime, please stay safe, stay compliant with the current restrictions and medical advice.

 

Mental Health and Wellbeing

The mental health and wellbeing of students remains a priority.

  • The Mental Health Toolkit has advice and resources to support student mental health and wellbeing. This includes advice on positive mental health promotion, curriculum support, how to identify and access support as well as parent and student-specific pages;
  • In addition, the Quick Guide to Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources highlights the most relevant evidence-based resources for teachers, parents and students;

Any JMSS students needing extra support should email Mrs Cheah-Johnston or Mr. McCormack for assistance.

 

My congratulations to all students for their co-operation in the recent exam period. Despite the daily challenges of the movement between venues, your behaviour and attendance were both excellent – I hope you are all happy with the outcome of your endeavours.

 

It is great that all schools and students are working back onsite, but of course the appropriate wearing of masks, both indoors and outdoors, will be the key to keeping everyone safe and well. And again this especially applies to all users of public transport.

 

Enjoy the long weekend

 

Peter Corkill

Principal