Principal Report

A message from the Principal

Ms Nerina Pretlove

Welcome to Term 4.

We have held off publishing this newsletter as the health regulations relating to the Covid-19 pandemic and education have been rapidly changing and that has meant that we have not been able to provide you with up-to-date information until now.

Thank you for your incredible patience and the support that you have given to the learning from home processes. It has been a challenging time for all concerned. We are aware that not all of our students have engaged fully with their studies and we will implement a testing regime to assess where they are at and put supports in place which will include one on one support, in class increased assistance and additional targeted programs.

NAPLAN results will be sent to Year 7 and 9 students towards the end of the week.

As of Monday 18 October, Year 12 students who will be undertaking HSC exams will have the opportunity to meet with their teachers on a limited basis on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the next three weeks. Please see the timetable below for the access times.

On Thursdays, they may access the Counsellors and Careers Adviser on an appointment basis only. We have put in place enhanced hygiene practices which include segregating Year 12 to the IEC demountable classroom area with sign in processes and the provision of sanitiser, masks and antiseptic wipes. Year 12 students will undertake their HSC exams in this space as well. In order to keep the movement of other students on their return to school to a minimum in this space, the back gate will be closed until the end of the HSC exams in December.

HSC exams commence on the 9 November.

Students can access their exam timetable on the NESA website.

Years 7-11 will return to school on the 25 October. On this date, school buses will return to their normal timetables (please consult the Busways website). In order to our protect students, we will be limiting the mixing of students and teachers as much as possible. Initially, each year group will be assigned an area for recess and lunch. Years 7-10 students will be allocated a classroom and teachers will come to them. Year 11 students, who have already commenced their Year 12 studies, will move between rooms to meet their curriculum needs. We intend to move to normal routines as soon as possible.

Students must not come to school if they are ill or have had a Covid test and have not received clearance to return irrespective of the number of doses of vaccinations or if they are in isolation for being a close contact. We want to keep everyone safe – students and their families as well as staff and their families. Parents and anyone else will not be able to come onto school grounds unless they have had double vaccinations. Please ring the school for alternate meeting arrangements where possible.

Returning to school will be challenging after such a long absence. Students will have to find their uniforms, school shoes, bus passes, pack their bags, return to regular sleeping pattern. Whilst it will be great to catch up with friends and teachers, initially, there could be periods of stress as they settle into new routines. Our Year Advisers, Counsellors and Deputy Principals are there to support this transition. Please contact them with any concerns that you may have.

Students may have had a growth spurt during the past few months and their uniforms may no longer fit. The uniform shop is operating online and will deliver orders to be picked up at school.

Further information regarding the return to school can be found on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. A letter will be going out early this week to all parents and carers covering student returns.

Reminder that all high school students are required to wear masks on transport, in the community and at school. This is MANDATORY. Students can access masks in their classrooms.

We are really looking forward to having our students back!