Unfortunately, in line with the Premier's announcement regarding the the COVID-19 restrictions for Greater Sydney, the following events have been cancelled for this term:
- All Friday winter PSSA sport competitions
- The SCPSSA Athletics Carnival
As we come the end of our fourth week of lock down I wish to express my appreciation to parents who have been able to support their children's learning from home either everyday or for most days of the week. We also thank our essential workers who are out there keeping our towns and cities running and safe and especially health care workers, many of whom are exposing themselves and their families to risk everyday. For these families or for children at risk, the school remains open.
We have seen a small increase in the number of children attending this week so I must reiterate the NSW Health and Education position that students MUST stay at home where there is an adult available to ensure care and supervision of learning.
I have heard comments that children may be attending school to catch up with friends or parental respite. Greater Sydney is not in a position where we can support the extra numbers or travel this entails. We do not want Randwick to become the next totally locked down LGA or contribute to that. Our skeleton staff on site is not adequate for any increase in students. Please contact the school executive first if you need to speak about support for your situation. If your child is missing friends perhaps try a Zoom catch up with close friends. The chat may be a little silly but that’s children.
Please also remember that a child showing even the mildest symptoms of sickness must remain at home and have a COVID test as the DELTA variant is also putting children at risk. Today there was a case in the Hunter of primary children being positive and the school shut down, a practical demonstration of how far and how quickly Delta can spread. We've completed an analysis of the comments you have provided to us regarding home learning in an effort to provide better support:
Style of work: Most families appreciate us keeping it simple, allowing students to develop their independence or complete with the minimum of assistance. Where children can be identified by teachers and quality of work as needing more challenging work, further extension activities may be offered by Ms Hughes Clapp, Instructional Leader.
Children needing additional support have continued to receive this through either F2F or Zoom by our wonderful Learning Support and EAL/D team.
Quantity of Work: The school is abiding by the DoE guidelines for the work provided and families should do so too which means for younger children core work can be completed by morning tea time. If it takes longer than this or your child is struggling with a task let the teacher know and they will help. One parent shared their simple strategy of a 'scratch and sniff' sticker for work completed!
We have asked that each child now submit a Literacy and Numeracy task each day but our expectations for students particularly in Y3-6 is that they complete a normal day's school work. Again let the teacher know if this is a struggle for your family.
Using Technology: Zoom sessions with teachers: Zoom sessions will increasingly focus on teaching strategies in Literacy or Numeracy and will be followed up by instructional videos each day.
A couple of people have asked to have teachers on F2F devices all day. This is neither desirable nor possible. Teachers have to do their share of supervising students at school as well as scheduled Zooms, preparing the learning tasks and resources and providing feedback and support on Seesaw or Google Classroom.
Best practice means that children should be engaged in tasks both on and off devices and we don't want to be contributing to IT addiction by making them a child minding device. Young children also need to be up and moving and engaged in non structured active and creative play, and even an opportunity for a little boredom, the source of many highly creative ideas. Please resist the temptation to entertain your child all day, particularly with a device.
We are working with families who need support either with devices or how to manage this. Please contact the school if you have missed out on this offer.
My overriding message however is wherever you need help or clarification, the class teacher is there to help, so please contact them, as many families are doing. We have received lovely emails praising teachers’ response when help has been sought. You just need to ask.
We will all need to manage our mental health day, before lock downs ends. If this is a real struggle for you, try to get a structure where the essentials, literacy and numeracy, and your online work are completed each morning. Where it is all getting a bit much, take advantage of our sunny days and take a long walk, away from the busiest spots and just enjoy each other's company. Our counsellor Jess has been responding to families to support and sending out community contacts.
Teaching is very much a relational process, the child forming close links with the teacher and the teacher and child working as one. This is an opportunity for you to make that link as well - that you are in it together. Get to know your children better and that is what you will gain and remember most about the lock down.
Regards
Susan Allen
Principal
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