The Newlands Times

Leadership Report 

Pupil Free Day

Just a reminder, Monday 26th October is a Pupil Free Day. No students are to attend school. All staff will be attending a 'Berry Street' Professional Development Day.

Letter for Parents, carers and staff

 

Dear Parents, Carers and Staff,

 

I am writing about the situation in our local area after the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) identified some new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. 

 

We would like to reassure you that no cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have been detected on our school site and that our school remains open.

 

If you live in the areas of Dallas, Roxburgh Park, Broadmeadows, Preston, West Heidelberg or Heidelberg Heights, please make sure that you continue to follow health advice, including practicing physical distancing, regular hand hygiene and wearing face masks. 

 

Please be alert for any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), and get tested if you develop any of the following:

  • Loss or change in sense of smell or taste
  • Fever
  • Chills or sweats
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Runny nose
  • Getting tested

Getting Tested

More information on testing, including testing locations, is available on the DHHS Where to get tested webpage. 

Once you have been tested you should return home and await the results. 

 

While getting tested, please remember face masks are compulsory for all Victorians over the age of 12, with the exception of those who cannot wear a face mask due to a medical condition or disability. DHHS has more information about face masks. 

 

It is important we all continue to follow the health advice from the experts. Our school will continue to work closely with DHHS and the Department of Education and Training (DET) should any cases in our school community arise.

More information 

I am aware that this is a time of heightened anxiety for us all. For more information regarding coronavirus and schools, please visit the DET website or call the DET coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline on 1800 338 663,available 8am to 6pm, seven days a week.

 

For school information in your language, call TIS National on 131 450. Please ask them to call the DET coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline on 1800 338 663 and they will help interpret.

 

For health advice in other languages visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au. 

 

Yours sincerely,

Ross Dudgeon

Covid Update @ Newlands

Well, this week brought some great news for all of us. Just the thought of having a hair cut or travelling further than Northlands was music to my ears. However, we still need to be super vigilant and not become complacent. So as a reminder, the following will continue in place until we are otherwise informed by DET.

 

Due to the latest information around a local school and hotspot development, DET has provided the latest important information to school communities:

  • No parents or carers to be on in the school grounds for any extended period of time. Please abide by this condition: we don't want our wonderful teachers to be placed in awkward situations asking parents to move.
  • If your child displays any COVID symptoms please have them checked.
  • External music teachers are still unable to teach at school. We believe this may change soon.
  • Designated play areas for each learning cohort, until further notice.

School Photos - Wednesday 4th of November

School photos are now permitted to take place outdoors for metropolitan schools, and indoors and outdoors for regional and rural schools. We expect all children to be at school in their school uniform.

 

Masks can be removed for the short time that the photo is taken.

Allied Health Workers

Health and wellbeing staff can now return to on-site provision in all schools, in line with allied health services in the community. This includes students who have external allied health providers attending for therapy sessions can do so as of next week.

Transition Sessions - Kinder to School

Unfortunately we still cannot have 2021 families visiting school as part of the Kinder to school transition program. We do hope this will change very soon, so that special element of school connection can take place.

Prospective new families - Transfer in

The same applies for these visits to school. Likewise, we will inform the community when the restriction has been lifted: let's hope this Sunday will bring positive news.

Out of School Hours Care

At the last school council meeting we discussed a range of topics. These ranged from fee increases, accommodation into the future for an expanding service need, and what type of activities we could provide for children into the future. As an outcome of the discussion school council will be conducting a survey to those families who currently use the service. 

The new portable building

The new building will be operational very soon. When we have access to the building we will start filling the building with furniture in readiness for the two extra Foundation/Year 1 classes in 2021.

Teaching Staff for 2021

I'm very pleased to make the school community aware that we will be expanding our school structure in 2021 to include four further classes. This will see our expected structure see us with the following:

 

8 x Foundation/Year 1 classes

4 x Year 2/3 classes

4 x Year 4-6 classes

4 x Specialist teachers: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Music & Physical Education. 

 

This is a great outcome for the school and supports our ever growing reputation as we continue to be a school of choice.

Teacher requests

Our policy around parents requesting specific teachers for their child is one that comes up every year, and our reply is the same. We do not place children into classes because parents have a preference for one teacher over others. We place children into classes based on a range of valuable information provide at the school level.

 

If parents do make contact with the school with their individual concerns, they will be acknowledged as part of this process.