A Warm Welcome to our Weeden Heights Community

Welcome back for Term Four! Who would have ever thought that we would have been remote learning for the first few weeks of term. I trust that you all had a lovely break with your family and took the opportunity to enjoy some time together. Teachers have reported a smooth start to the term which is awesome….we know what to do!

As of next week, students will begin to return to onsite learning. The government has decided on a staggered and part time return which would definitely not be my option for Weeden Heights. However, we will work with it. I did send out key details in an email to you all so I hope you have read it carefully.

Term Four is always an extremely busy term so please stay tuned to the School Stream app, the newsletter, Facebook and the school calendar. Be prepared that events will be conducted differently due to Covid restrictions. With only 30 guests expected in homes by Christmas, you have to think about the effect this has on Graduations and Christmas Concerts etc. and the participation of parents and the community. We are considering all alternative arrangements to ensure these events will be able to happen remotely.

Return to School Plan

Next week we welcome back to school our prep/1 class on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday and then our Grade 1 and 2 will return on Thursday and Friday.

Students are strongly recommended to wear masks at all times
Wear warm clothes as doors and windows will be open
Parents are not to enter the grounds and say good bye at the gate. Please don’t stand around at the entrance and we must socially distance at all times
Drop off at 9 am and pick up at 3.30pm is from the front gate

Students in the supervision room:

Enter through front gate and go straight to the basketball court. They are not to mix with the students in the returning grades
These students will be taken to the front gate after the grades have been exited
These students will not mix with the classes at play and lunch and will be kept separate

Week 4 (October 25 – 29) – Return of the Year 3 – 6 students

Prep/1 class to maintain attendance on site from Monday to Wednesday
Years 1 and 2 will continue to attend on a Thursday and Friday
Grade 3 and Grade 3/4 will work onsite for Tuesday and Wednesday only
Grades 4/5 and 5/6 will work onsite for Thursday and Friday only

All other learning will be completed remotely under the instruction of their classroom teacher. There will be the same expectations and workload administered but now with a combination of onsite and offsite learning.

A few things:

Weeden Heights PS has a Covid Safe Plan as in line with DET and DHHS. I have been briefed this week on close contacts, contact tracing and closing a school for deep cleaning
Increased cleaning of surfaces by our cleaners. Classroom teachers will also have access to cleaning materials for use during the day
All year levels will play and be supervised in separate play spaces
Prep - 2 will enter from the front of the school. Years 3 - 6 will enter from the back of the school. If students walk to school, they pick the closest exit to their home and collect their siblings.
All Weeden Heights staff are vaccinated and will be wearing masks at all times except for key instruction times
Movement around the school is limited and classes will be kept in grades in their rooms. Specialist classes will be held in classrooms. The library is out of bounds as well.
Students will be encouraged to have a mask break. As usual, they will be expected to wear their hat outside and can have their water bottles with them inside and outside the classroom.

Advice for schools continues to change and I will keep you updated as much as possible. Just today, mandated mask wearing for years 3 – 6 has been downgraded to only inside the school building. It could be different in a week or so when they begin to return. Please be patient and keep checking your emails as this is how I will communicate with you.

There is a pop up vaccination centre at Forest Hill SC. The information was put up on Facebook yesterday. Vaccinations are available for 12 year olds. This may be important information for a couple of our year 6 students who are eligible.

We’ve got this everyone! These are challenging times and we all want our new ‘normality’ to include being able to socialise with each other. It is very similar to our return last year at this point so we do know what to do.

School Production – We’re All Going on an Aussie Holiday

A massive thank you to all of our supportive parents and especially Mrs Watts for participating in the filming sessions at school over the last week of term and the start of this term. Students have been working against the green screen to deliver their key parts and we did feature a few in assembly this week. They have done an exceptional job without all of the onsite rehearsal they have usually been involved in. Mrs Watts has had to conduct rehearsals online in the Google Classroom. I am so proud of what we are achieving and there is no way our children will miss out on this major event. It is shaping up to be awesome!

Our production will be delivered to you all online and you will be able to view it in the comfort of your own home. There will be a charge as we would have usually sold tickets and any profit we make directly funds our performing Arts Program. We do rely on this every second year. The timeline for release is dictated by our return to school. We will be filming class items when a grade has returned to school.

There has already been hundreds of hours spent on this production and at least a hundred more to come. Filming makes things far more complex but it will be worth it. There is not date for release yet but we are crossing our fingers for late November/early December.

UV (Sun Smart Policy)

Just a reminder that all students are required to wear their Weeden Heights PS broad brim hats as per school policy. The students have been reminded that they need to pack their hats and bring them to school. Students not wearing a hat are required to stay under the sails during recess and lunch times.

We do not have a specific time for students to move from their winter uniform to their summer uniform

It is also a great idea to apply sunscreen at home before school. Your child is responsible for applying and supplying their own sunscreen if you require them to wear it at school.

We are fortunate to have lovely school grounds with shady trees but we still need to maintain excellent practices to ensure that we stay safe at all times.

Classes for 2022

Planning for next year has started and the grade structure will be based around student enrollments. Thank you to the few parents who have let me know about changing situations. All this has been accommodated for in our planning and teachers will be allocated to 2022 classes soon. You will be notified the school structure and classroom allocations for 2022 and teachers via the newsletter in late December this year.

The formation of classes for 2022 is progressing. Many factors are taken into account when placing students in class groups. We devote an enormous number of hours considering the educational, social, emotional and physical wellbeing of each child at Weeden Heights before final placement.

Please remember that all communication from parents regarding their child’s placement in 2022 (educational, social, emotional or physical considerations only) should be forwarded in writing addressed ‘To the Principal’ by Friday 5 November 2021 to weeden.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Thank-you for your co-operation in this process.

Until next time…… continue to be optimistic, safe and strong

Kylie Campbell

Proud Principal

Futures are Bright at Weeden Heights!

PFA