Buninyong PS Newsletter

Engagement and Wellbeing 

Keeping Adult Face-to-Face Meetings to a Minimum

We could not be more thankful to everyone for adhering to physical distancing guidelines and staying off our site for everyone’s safety, even when we know plenty of our community have things they wish to speak to us about.

 

As we have always maintained, our priorities are on student and staff safety at this time and as such, are only conducting minimal face-to-face meetings (including parent-teacher interviews) for issues of critical concern. Hopefully this situation will improve soon and we will be back to holding face-to-face meetings, which we know are a more effective way to communicate and solve problems.

 

Should you need to discuss an issue/concern with a staff member, we ask that parents/carers:

  • Try to organise a time on Webex with the staff member to discuss the issue through phone or email. * If the issue can be resolved quickly over the phone, please try to do so.
  • Hold off your meeting until Term 3 and when more advice is available from the Department of Education.

Should you feel that the query is of critical nature, please advise the teacher/staff member in your discussions. From there, the staff member will liaise with leadership to determine when and how the meeting will take place.

 

*** Please note that due to physical distancing guidelines and restricted access to classroom buildings (student work spaces), critical face-to-face meetings will only take place in the administration buildings at both campuses and shared spaces (such as the staff rooms) to enable adequate spacing of adults as per the 1 person per 4m² rule.

Managing Unwell Students and Staff Returning with Symptoms, but not COVID19

Over the past couple of weeks we have had more cases of families expressing concern with us sending their children home for symptoms associated with COVID19, but where they feel that the symptoms are related to another issue such as an allergy or asthma.

 

We know that sending a child home during a school day is a burden for those who we call, but we know that this is in the best interest of protecting the safety of all of our school during this time.

 

If your child is diagnosed with Asthma or Hay Fever (or any another medical condition which will show symptoms associated with COVID19), please get in touch with Mel in the office to make sure that we have a copy of your child’s:

* Both of the above are available online and from your GP and must be signed by a medical practitioner with your child’s photo attached.

 

Where we have not been provided with plans for diagnosed medical conditions that have ongoing symptoms associated with COVID19, we are asking parents to provide us with medical advice from a GP or medical practitioner clarifying that these symptoms are not related to COVID19.

 

As we know, children will become sick with common colds, etcetera and this is what has happened well before COVID19. In accordance with all of the medical and state advice, we ask parents to keep up the great work in keeping their child home, seek medical advice and then allow their child to rest until all symptoms are no longer. 

 

Upon returning to school when well, families are not required by the Department of Education and Training to provide a clearance certificate relating to your child being well again. If they are not, we will be sending them home again in the best interest of our community. * Please note that this same approach applies to staff members who have symptoms.

 

Again, we thank everyone for their efforts with this. We have had minimal situations which can naturally occur and all families have continued to remain responsive in collecting unwell children.

Year 6 Roles of Responsibility - Badges and Introductory Video

Over the past week we have had the opportunity to work with our Year 6 students with their roles of responsibility and provided them with badges associated with these. Of course, with COVID19, we have had a considerable break in this area and are now working to ensure the students have a meaningful role throughout the remainder of the year. 

 

At last week’s broadcast, we aired a video showcasing all of the students in their teams and you can take a look by clicking on the video below:

Over our upcoming broadcasts, we will feature each of the teams on a rotational basis to provide connectedness to the rest of the school and share updates on works completed and future directions. At this week’s broadcast we have the following teams speaking:

  • Art
  • Be Positive
  • Morning Announcements
  • Scotsburn

Broadcast Reminder - Friday, June 26 (2:00pm)

This week's live broadcast will take place at 2.00 pm on Friday to enable early departures from 2.24 pm - 2.30 pm for end of term.

 

To connect to this week’s broadcast, please follow the steps below:

  1. Make sure Webex Meetings is downloaded and installed prior to Friday.
  2. You can click on the link below to access the meeting at 2pm, but will be unable to do so until Scott starts the event. Alternatively, you can open up the Webex Meetings application on a device in your household and join a meeting. This is where you can enter the number listed below.
  3. If you are prompted to put in details, please do so and join. You can put in a false email address if need be: e.g. scott@mail.com
  4. If you are directed to ‘RUN A TEMPORARY APPLICATION’, please do so.

Meeting Link:

https://eduvic.webex.com/eduvic/onstage/g.php?MTID=eabfdc3f54a8a41439d4c2bc939893e2d 

 

Meeting Event Number:

165 403 9957

Password: 

bps

 

Please note:

* The above room number and web link changes each week due to a new event being created.

Creative Ballarat Podcast

During the term we were asked to participate in a City of Ballarat Podcast on ‘Creative Juices’. The podcast captured just how creative various segments across Ballarat have had to be during COVID19. The podcast aired on the 4th of June as part of the ‘Once Upon a Lockdown’ series. If you would like to listen to the podcast, please visit:

 

https://www.creativeballarat.com.au/podcast

ABC/ROCCH Award Winners from Last Week: June 19

Congratulations to our ABC and ROCCH Award winners from last week! We’re proud of the great work you have been doing in a difficult time. Keep it up and we can’t wait to see who receives the awards for this week.

 

Please click on the Powerpoint below to see the full list of winners from last week.

Award Winners June 19.pptx