Welcome Back to term 4. This year is really flying by. I know for some children and families, it feels like that they have just arrived at school and now we're looking towards Christmas. As I joined online classes yesterday for a welcome back chat, I was so happy to see our boys and girls looking so well and happy. The certainly have grown over the break. Thank you to parents for your support in having your child ready for learning on our first day back in term 4.
During the holidays Mr Ward and our cleaners spent a lot of time in various places within our school doing some deep maintenance and repairs. I'd like to thank Mr Ward and our cleaners for their diligence and commitment as our school is looking spectacular. I know that students will love to see the new A block COLA, the air conditioners in the classrooms and the rearrangement of the library whilst they have been learning from home.
Talking about learning from home (LFH), a reminder that in weeks one and two our students are still in the LFH mode. This means that they have their daily check-ins with their teachers which is a ‘must do’ online activity. This is our roll call and marks students present for the day. This term we have some higher expectations for students with their on screen work and handing tasks in. There will not be any daily themes like last term, we ask students to dress in their regular school uniform be ready for learning, hair brushed, breakfast eaten, teeth brushed, sitting up at a screen at a table or bench ready for learning. I know that this may cause some discomfort in homes where kids are slowly coming back to the routines of a school day and online learning. An addition to the daily schedule will be Miss Squire and Mrs Harvey teaching their lessons and the normal RFF days. Keep a close eye on your child stage/class Team channels for details and times. We are preparing our students for returning to school and the rigors of the day for attentive learning and meaningful work.
DoE have a roadmap for return to school. Our school will be returning under what the DoE label as a level 3 plus operational guidelines. The NSW Health advice is that it is safest for students to return in stages rather than all at once. Students in Kindergarten and Year 1 will return first, given the importance of developing their foundational learning in the early years and their disrupted experience to date.
Students will return to face-to-face learning with NSW Health-approved COVID-safe settings on Level 3 plus school sites in the following order:
• from 18 October (week 3) – Kindergarten and Year 1
• from 25 October (week 4) – Years 2 and 6
• from 1 November (week 5)– Years 3, 4 and 5.
The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff whilst onsite is paramount and therefore we ask parents to hold the line and follow these recommendations as much as possible. Not long now. Please where possible continue to use the LFH model and send your child to school only if you are unable to have them at home. Of course, as always, school is open and operational for those students who need to be here.
When coming to school, we ask for all parents at drop off and pick up times to remain in or near their car wherever practical to avoid congregating at the gate. Masks must be worn by parents during this time. During weeks 1 and 2, only gate 1 will be open for entry and exit. Once the onsite numbers start to increase - 18 October with Kinder and year 1 onsite, we will open gates 1, 2 and 5 as per our normal entry and exit of school. We hope this gives parents enough space to not group together at school gates.
Kinder Orientation for term 4: Mrs Ward as the Early Stage 1 Assistant Principal has information further on in this Newsletter. Please be sure to read this carefully. A reminder, if you know of any child in our school zone who is eligible for Kinder in 2022, please remind them contact the school for enrolment.
As new information comes to hand regarding any changes from the DoE regarding COVID safe operational guidelines, I will communicate these to parents and carers in a clear and timely manner.
Again, stay safe and well and look forward to seeing our children back on site with our staggered return to school.
Mrs Maxworthy
Principal
