A note from Mr Jackson
Welcome Back!
Our buildings, parents, students and teachers all heaved a sigh of relief as students entered school on Monday. These initial days have seen laughter, a few tears, grazed knees, and many more signs of everyday school life. What has been most exciting is the manner in which students have welcomed each other and begun settling into classes.
Thanks to parents for supporting this transition back to face to face (or mask to mask) learning. Without the flexibility and collaboration of our whole community we would not have been able to return.
Literacy, Numeracy and Physical Education – Term 4 Foci
As we settle into Term 4 we have made several decisions that seek to support our students who have been learning from home for so long. We are continuing to support students who live in families where English is an Additional Language (EAL) with targeted, individual and small group lessons. Our Literacy Support program targets students who have had the greatest difficulty in their learning. While our Physical Education lessons continue, classes will also participate in daily physical activities. Visual Arts and Music will be taught through a literacy or numeracy lens and Leeann, our Italian teacher, will provide an added layer of wellbeing and social education across the school.
We look forward to hearing more about recent announcements from the Victorian Government, that committed $250 million for tutors to support every student who has missed learning due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This is the largest initiative to support individual student learning in the history of the state.
First Orientation a Virtual Success
It was wonderful to host the virtual visit of our 2021 Prep students on Wednesday. Resource packs were prepared and picked up earlier in the week. Full of orientation resources, they will enable lots of fun over the coming sessions. Our Prep teaching team joined small groups of students to read, discuss and get to know each other. We are looking forward to having them onsite and getting to know them, but can celebrate the beginnings of significant relationships with our staff and each other after Wednesdays first session.
Parent Opinion Survey
This week, letters were sent home to each family inviting them to contribute to a survey. Letters were sent home on Wednesday and had a personalised PIN along with instructions. It aims to give us a clearer understanding of life at school and learning from a carer’s perspective. This year it includes some particularly relevant COVID-19 questions. If you have misplaced the letter please let Ally know in the office so she can reissue you with the letter.
Footy Frenzy Day
While we have had to cancel many events, it will be great to celebrate the AFL Grand Final with a Public Holiday (I can assure nervous students and parents, there will be no remote learning on this day!). On Thursday, students are invited to wear the jersey or sports outfit of a favourite team or their own team’s uniform to mark Footy Frenzy Day. Students may wish to wear their AFL team, netball club, fencing gear, etc. They will still need their broad rimmed hat. There will be a range of fun and physical activities to celebrate the day! Don’t forget to return your sausage order form found in this newsletter! All funds raised go to support the viability of our canteen.
Yard Supervision Times
Supervision in the playground begins at 8:45am and concludes at 3:45pm. A number of students, perhaps with the excitement of the return are arriving early each day and concern has been expressed for their safety. No student should be onsite prior to 8:45am unless they are enrolled in OSHClub. Parents are asked to contact OSHClub and make a booking if they require students to be onsite prior to 8:45am.
Staying Healthy
Thanks to all those who are thoughtfully avoiding congestion at our gates in the morning and afternoon. While these catch-ups are refreshing glimpses of normalcy, we ask that everyone ensure their visit to schools at this time are as brief as possible. All are encouraged to ensure physical distancing behaviours are in place at these times.
Students who are experiencing flu like symptoms should be tested and stay at home until the results of the tests are known. COVID-19 symptoms include fever/chills, coughs, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of taste/smell, headache, muscle pain, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhoea. While a number of these symptoms might have been considered insignificant in the past, the current climate requires us all to be alert and act to ensure possible outbreaks are prevented.
Asthma Season
It is that time of year again for our asthma sufferers. There’s an increased risk of seasonal asthma, hay fever and epidemic thunderstorm asthma during this time. People with a history of asthma, undiagnosed asthma or hay fever are at an increased risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma during this time. Having both hay fever and asthma that are poorly managed increases the risk further.
More than ever before, this year it’s important for staff and students to manage any hay fever or asthma symptoms, as these conditions can produce symptoms that are similar to coronavirus (COVID-19) such as runny nose, cough or shortness of breath. The best way to reduce and prevent symptoms of asthma or hay fever and reduce unnecessary absences from school is to follow an up-to-date asthma action plan or hay fever treatment plan. Please ensure your child’s plan is up to date. If you have any questions please contact the office.
RPSTV Assembly on Friday at 2:40
Students will take on the assembly this week which will start a little earlier at 2:40pm. Parents and carers are invited to attend and can access the meeting in the following manner.
Meeting https://eduvic.webex.com/eduvic/j.php?MTID=m23cb9561b5d0defa3a910e918b9e9918
Meeting number: 165 769 8318
Password: FGmYsfPp572
A reminder from last week’s newsletter …
Preparing for 2021
One of the significant priorities for term four will be to support students’ to ensure a smooth transition into 2021. These processes place students at the centre as many decisions around staffing, learning spaces, budgets and a range of other areas are made. In order that resources at our school are allocated efficiently, we need to know if your family is leaving the school and will not be present in 2021 as soon as possible. Thanks to those families who have already informed us. Please let your classroom teacher know or give me a call. I would appreciate a conversation with you even if you are unsure about your plans.
Planning for our new 2021 Prep students is well underway with the orientation sessions. Although this start a little differently this year with small group activities planned to take place online we are very hopeful there will be an opportunity for students to come onsite later in the term. If you have a child who will turn five before April 30 next year and intend for them to start school, could you please ensure that you have completed an official enrolment form. We are eager to plan for a positive start to their first year of primary education and are eager to have them involved in the orientation process. If you know of others who are eager to enrol their child please remind them to phone us or send through an email to the office.
2021 Student Class Placement
Once we are clear on the students who will be with us in 2021 we will put a school structure in place to support teaching and learning. Teachers will then be able to thoughtfully consider each students’ needs in allocating them to a class. During this decision making process, staff consider a range of factors including social, emotional and academic needs along with creating balanced class groups.
Each year at this time we invite parents to share their thoughts and information which may affect their child’s class placement for the following year. We will work hard to consider all factors presented, although we cannot guarantee that all requests will be accommodated. It is important to note that requests for particular teachers cannot be accepted.
Any parent requests should be made to me in writing by Friday, 23rd October. Any correspondence received after this date cannot be considered.
Students will have an opportunity to nominate 2021 learning partners later in the term. This information will also ensure students are connected into supportive networks.