Dear Parents and Carers,
I am writing to you again during the school holidays to update you around our arrangements for Term 2 as things continue to evolve.
I understand that there will be uncertainty around returning to school and that is why the State Government has given parents a choice about whether their children return to school for face-to-face teaching or learn from home. It is a personal decision influenced by each family’s individual circumstances.
What I can tell you is that there is a strong encouragement for our students to be in a face to face environment, if this is possible, so that they are supported by the daily routines of school.
For students that do attend:
- Teachers will teach a face-to-face program and timetable for students attending school
- These teachers will not be required to teach the online and distance education component
- Our approach to supporting learning will be determined by our student attendance rates and
- school community needs
- Please ensure that students are in good health
- Students with any illness should remain at home
- Students who attend sick will be sent home
- Reduce all physical contact; Avoid direct social contact (handshakes, hugs, etc.).
Parent survey update:
By the end of Friday 24th April, we will be sending a very short survey to parents/carers in an attempt to establish the number of students that will be returning to school. We would request that parents please respond so that we can plan with confidence for our curriculum delivery.
Updates from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) in relation to all of our senior school:
The encouragement for Year 11 and 12 students returning to school in Vocational Education and Training, General Studies and ATAR studies is supported by decisions being made by the appropriate authorities. Parents, students and teachers can use the link below to access information provided by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority to ensure that students are not disadvantaged.
https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/curriculum-assessment-covid-19/overview
For students involved in Vocational Training the following advice is in place:
The South Regional TAFE, Bunbury Campus:
Week 1 of this term will continue to be the blended delivery model that was in place prior to the School holidays. Lecturers will be in contact with students, over the course of the week as well as an individual notification being sent to all enrolled students. From Week 2, all campuses will return to face to face delivery of courses, when all recommendations will be in place as directed by the Department of Health.
The Bunbury Regional Trade Training Centre the following applies:
Lecturers will contact students as some courses return to a face to face delivery Week 1 and others certainly by Week 2.
Our Organisational Site Arrangements:
The Administration Office will be restricting foot traffic, and the area will only be accessible by appointment only. Parents will be informed of work collection processes once we have all survey returns.
Canteen Guidelines – Term 2
- To ensure our canteen is able to operate efficiently, and is able to follow COVID-19 hygiene guidelines, it is essential all families order online using the QuickCliq cashless system.
- Using the online service enables parents to order lunches online up to two weeks in advance, and also allows our Canteen staff to viably operate in uncertain times.
- We thank our school community for their assistance in ensuring this service remains available to our students.
- The physical picking up of food orders will be managed in a manner that is socially appropriate to our student numbers and will be reviewed on-going.
Cleaning and Hygiene:
- The State Government has provided additional funding to expand school cleaning, in line with the health advice.
- The school will follow the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) advice on reducing the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools.
- We have additional cleaning on site throughout the day and cleaners will work to ensure all high-use areas, such as benchtops, desks, doorknobs, taps, toilets and hand rails, are regularly cleaned and surfaces disinfected.
- We have hand sanitiser available for each classroom as well as wipes for desks.
- Students are still encouraged to have their own supply of soap and/or hand sanitiser for personal use.
Remote access other Learning from Home:
We have surveyed parents around access with on-line learning. It appears that the engagement and capture has been positive with most families having reasonable access.
A reminder that to log into the Department of Education Portal, students should use their user name as firstname.surname followed by their usual password, this same process should be used for the Connect log in. Please consider only using Firefox or Chrome as the preferred browser. Please Contact the school directly if you have any issue with your password or login.
For families that requires hard copy work formats they will be able to collect hard copy work packages including a USB with student work once we have the survey returns. Details to follow.
Student Attendance:
- Recorded for students that attend site as ‘Present’
- Recorded for students accessing on-line services and picking up packages as ‘An approved educational activity’
- An absence will be recorded where we do not have any engagement and we will discuss these engagement concerns with parents.
Our Term 2 Start-up timeline consists of:
- Monday 27thApril Anzac Day -– Public Holiday in lieu
- Tuesday 28thApril All school staff commence, School Development Day, students do not attend
- From the start of Term 2 the following staff will be moving into acting roles, namely;
Ben Lagana Acting Principal position (Term 2)
Michelle Kimpton Deputy Principal position (Term 2 and 3)
Verity Page Acting HoLA English position (Term 2 and 3)
- Wednesday 29thApril:
The first day of Term 2 curriculum activities:
The first 2 weeks of learning resources for student will be released through Connect, Hard Copy or USB resources to be picked up from the school by 1 family member by arrangement (collection times for each year group will be advised).
We hope that we are able to transition successfully to a full face to face program as soon as possible, to enable our community to begin to return to some form of a regular daily routine.
These arrangements will be in place and reviewed ahead of Week 4 commencing 18th May. As always, State Government decisions will be based on the best health advice.
We will continue to support and inform all families and students so that are supported and can make informed decisions during this time. Please speak with us by email or phone if you have any questions.
We look forward to safely and sensibly moving into a full face to face mode of delivery as soon as practical.
Yours sincerely,
Domenic Camera
PRINCIPAL
24 April 2020
