From the Principal's Desk

Return to School 

Only 5 more sleeps to go before all our children return to face-to-face teaching. I wonder who is happier: staff, children or parents?

On behalf of our school, I want to say a huge thank you to all our students, parents and carers for your continued resilience and support throughout this year. I know remote and flexible learning has not always been easy, but through our collective efforts, our students have continued to make valuable progress in their learning. You can be confident that our school will support any student who has fallen behind to catch up.

Term 4 is important for every student, and our teachers will strive to deliver high-quality learning for everyone.  Our focus for Term 4 is on making sure that every student is supported in their wellbeing, learning and transition needs.

Following the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer, the Victorian Government has released a staged approach for students to return to on-site schooling. 

The purpose of the plan is to get students back in the classroom as soon and as safely as possible without putting at risk all that has been achieved through the period of restrictions to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

For our school, the following arrangements apply:

5–9 October (first week of Term 4) 

• Remote and flexible learning will continue for all students
• On-site supervision for children of permitted workers and vulnerable students will continue to be provided, consistent with existing guidelines

From 12 October (second week of Term 4)

• Students in Prep to Year 6 will return to on-site schooling. The existing remote learning program will not continue for these year levels

Health and safety measures.

As on-site schooling resumes, we will continue to have in place strong measures to protect the health and safety of students, staff, families and the community. This includes staggering our  start and finish times, restricting parent access to school grounds and continued emphasis on hand hygiene and physical distancing where possible. 

Morning Drop Off

To stagger the morning 'drop off', children can be dropped off from 8:30am (as usual), however parents are not permitted past the front office gate or the Ormond Road entrance gate. Please observe the 'Stop, Kiss and Drop' signs placed at each entrance to remind families.

Please be on time for school! 

Afternoon Pick-Up

Afternoon 'pick-up' is a little different and will be staggered-

3:15pm: Years 3-6 Dismissed

• Years 3-6 children will be taken to either the Central playground or the Ormond Road playground for dismissal where parents will be permitted to wait to collect their child.
• Children who walk home or walk to alternative collection points can do so independently

NOTE: Any child with a sibling in Years P-2 will collect their brother/sister from their classroom and depart together

3:30pm: Dismissal for Years Prep - 2 

• Years P-2 Children will be taken to either the Central playground or the Ormond Road Playground for dismissal where parents will be permitted to wait to collect their child
• Children who walk home or walk to alternative collection points can do so independently

Parents collecting children are to space out in either the Ormond Road playground or on the Basketball court.   This is in an attempt to avoid congestion around the gate exits.

We would all love to stay around and have a chat to you all but at this stage on the 'roadmap' it is not appropriate at this time. Hopefully, this is not too far away. Families must leave the school grounds promptly.

Please avoid multiple members of families coming onsite to collect children and please DO NOT GATHER AROUND CLASSROOM DOORWAYS .

Please give particular attention to reducing the risks associated with congregation at school gates and please remember the 1.5m social distancing rule!  

Key Priorities

As our children return to school please be assured we will be focused on three key priorities in Term 4:

Mental health and wellbeing 

Our highest priority will be the wellbeing, particularly the mental health, of every student and member of staff. This means effectively mobilising all available resources to support our most vulnerable students and enabling staff to access the relevant support services.

Learning and excellence

Some of our students have thrived in the remote and flexible learning environment, others have maintained their learning progress, and some may have fallen behind, despite their best efforts and those of their families and teachers. Our priority will be supporting both those who need it to catch up and those who have progressed to continue to extend their learning particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

Transitions

We will make every effort to ensure successful transitions for children moving from kindergarten into Prep and  Year 6 moving into Year 7. 

We know some families are worried that their child may have to repeat a year due to the disruptions of coronavirus (COVID-19). There is little evidence to support the benefits of repeating a year to catch up. Instead we will use teaching strategies that draw on the best evidence available to help students meet their learning needs.  

Parents, families and carers can be confident that the best option for almost every child is NOT TO REPEAT A LEVEL and to stay with their peer group, whether that is moving from kindergarten into Prep, Prep to Year 1, moving from Year 6 into Year 7 at secondary school, or students moving up any year level in between.

Our school, working with you, has shown it can be flexible and adaptable in responding to the challenges of coronavirus (COVID-19). We have put into place a number of intervention programs and targeted strategies, along with additional staff to continue to meet student needs as we look towards the end of the 2020 school year and ahead to 2021. 

Outside School Hours Care: OSHClub

OSHClub will be available to students attending for on-site supervision and for students in all year levels returning to on-site schooling from 12th October.

Return of Devices

It is important that all families who have borrowed devices throughout this remote learning period, return them on Monday so that they can be re-distributed to classes.

There will be a collection point outside the school office on Monday morning to accept returns.

Please make sure the device has been cleaned (with disinfectant wipes) and is returned with its power cord.

Important Notice!

While there has been so much effort being placed into our 'Return to School Plan' we are also well into planning preparations for 2021. So, to assist with staffing and class groupings we really need to know ASAP if there are any families who are NOT returning to Corpus Christi School next year. 

Please contact me directly if your child/ren will not be returning in 2021.

Office  Closure & Payments

A reminder to all that as we are not permitted to have visitors (other than essential services and maintenance) come on site the office will remain closed unless for emergency situations.

Therefore it would be preferred that ALL PAYMENTS  be made via direct deposit or over the phone via your credit card. If these aren't a viable option we will accept debit cards via EFTPOS. Please call the office to arrange a time.

Summer Uniform

You wouldn't think it (if you looked outside) but it's time for our students to move into their Summer Uniform. That's right, its time to pull out the shorts and/or summer dresses (let's hope the kids haven't grown) give them a wash and an iron ready for the first day back next week! 

If you need to purchase items, these are your options:

• 'Click and Collect': Fill out the attached order form, enter your credit card details and return via email to info@cckingsville.catholic.edu.au.
• Phone order:  Call the office directly to place your order. Have your credit card details ready to pay over the phone

Once your order is packed and ready we will contact you to make a time for collection. 

AND REMEMBER NO HAT NO PLAY!

Have a wonderful week

Stay safe and God Bless

Anthony Hyde

(Principal)