From the Principal's Desk
Welcome Back to Term 3
Welcome back to another period of remote learning! It is far from ideal but it has been so nice to see our children engaging with their teacher and class during their live Meets. It is only three days into Phase 4 of our Continuous Learning Program (Remote and Flexible Learning) but judging by how our children in our Onsite Learning Program have adjusted, children seem to have re-acquainted themselves back into a routine.
And with 178 devices connected to our first e-Assembly last Monday, it seems everyone is yearning for connection. Hence we have tried to cater to this need within each year level's learning plan.
Continuous Learning Program (Remote and Flexible Learning) Phase 4
Unlike last time when we began the journey into the unknown of remote learning and where there was almost a sense of adventure, this time around it is a very different feeling.
Children are so disheartened as to not be returning to school, to socially interact with their peers, and receive face-to-face teaching. Staff are equally disappointed not to have their students with them each day and there is a heightened sense of anxiety among all.
There has been extensive discussion, collaboration and planning amongst staff as to how we can best meet the needs of students and families moving forward; to ensure that we deliver a high quality curriculum and assessment learning program and student support program for all; and to ensure that students with diverse needs have access to specialist expertise and support where necessary. We need to build upon the good ‘online’ habits children developed while learning remotely and find a way to enhance rigour and routine as recaptured upon the return to school at the end of last term.
So, with this in mind and taking into consideration our learnings from the first period of ‘lockdown’, there are a number of adjustments we have made as we enter Phase 4 of our Continuous Learning Program (Remote and Flexible Learning).
We will continue to use G-Suite as our school’s preferred e-Learning pcanlatform of which Google Classrooms is an integral component. Children will need to log into their Google Classroom daily to view their schedule.
All students should be quite familiar with this by now and should require limited adult assistance.
As was the case last time you will notice that while you will be able to access a weekly timetable (so that you know what's on in the coming days) only one day’s learning will appear at a time. This is so students (and parents) don’t get lost in the array of learning experiences that will occur over any given week. As new tasks appear, they will be clearly dated for ease of navigation.
ALL children are required to be online at 9:00am sharp daily!
Children can access these meets by clicking on the Meet app (icon) via G-Suite. Children need to be dressed appropriately and ready to commence their day as they would a normal school day. We are very aware of the need to increase interactions between students and teachers. This is how we can maintain student connectedness and engagement.
At their morning ‘Meet’ children will engage with their teacher in regards to the timetable for the day, feedback from previous lessons, and answering any questions that children may have in regards to their learning and their day ahead.
Teachers will then conduct their Literacy ‘whole-class’ experience (Meet).
At the conclusion of the morning Meet, children will be directed to their independent activities.
As has been the case in the past, these activities will be detailed in each child's Google Classroom and will appear daily under the normal subject headings. Teachers will also meet with small groups of children throughout the morning.
Afternoon whole class Meets will be scheduled periodically throughout each week as a valuable opportunity to ‘check-in’ on the health and wellbeing of our students.
In the coming weeks we will introduce an 11:30am Meet for all students. This will generally be a Mathematics teaching session with independent activities and small group Meets to follow.
A weekly schedule of all Meets a child is required to attend will be published on the Google Classroom page on the Friday prior to the week ahead.
Meets will be recorded as required for children to refer back to (including those who could not initially attend).
We will provide a comprehensive curriculum for children to engage in. Throughout the term we will try to keep to our regular timetables. Days where children would normally have specialist classes will continue to operate in the virtual world.
Children will have the opportunity to engage with their specialist teachers each week either via ‘chat correspondence’ or online Meets.
Due to the diversity of our teaching and learning program, students may not receive the same content or receive direction from the same teacher as their peers. Please do not be alarmed if one child's learning is slightly different to that of another as we will endeavour to differentiate learning just as we would do in the regular classroom.
Students who would normally receive specialties instruction e.g. children receiving Numeracy or Literacy Intervention support will continue to do so to supplement or in lieu of regular classes. Contact will be made with these families to discuss individual arrangements.
School Operations
Over the past two weeks, I have sent out a number of communications to families, keeping everyone up-to-date with developments and information regarding our school's operation.
Please see details as et out below-
Masks
As of 11.59 pm tonight (Wednesday 22nd July )
Face coverings will be mandatory for people aged 12 except for any Year 6 child who is or is turning 12.
This means that students who are attending our Onsite Learning Program will NOT be required to wear a face covering including any children in Year 6 (who may be 12 years of age).
The Victorian Chief Health Officer has advised that it is not practical to require some primary school students to wear face coverings while others are not required to.
However, parents and carers will be required to wear face coverings whenever they leave the house, including for school drop-off, pick-up or any other time they need to be onsite.
School Office
Please be advised that while our office staff are on site, the school office will be closed to visitors in an effort to protect the health and wellbeing of each within our community.
Other than a parent needing to enter the office to collect an unwell child, all other times are by appointment only. Please phone the school office on 9314 7303 should an appointment need to be arranged.
Parents collecting children early from school are also asked to phone the office in advance so that we can have children ready for collection.
Take-Home Packs
Staff have put together Take-Home packs for each child to assist them in completing their home learning tasks. These are now available for collection from outside the Year 5/6 Learning Community at the front entrance of the school. Please avoid coming during recess and lunch times as the gates will be locked.
Welcome
This term we welcome Miss Naomi Cheney to our staff as our new Learning Support Officer. Naomi will be initially spending time working alongside our other Learning Support Officers in assisting our children attending the On-site Learning program.
We are very pleased to have someone of her skill-set join us and we trust she will enjoy her time with us.
Have a wonderful week
Stay safe and God Bless
Anthony Hyde
(Principal)