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Keeping Ourselves Safe During Covid-19

by | Apr 30, 2020

Dear families,

As we are seeing more students coming back to school, we are also seeing more adults in the yard. It is important that adults in our school remember to socially distance so that we can maintain a safe environment for all.

  • A reminder that this means that NO parents should be in classrooms.
  • We ask that all Year 3-7 students continue to be dropped at the school gate and make their own way to the classroom.
  • If necessary, students in R-2 can be escorted to classrooms but parents must say goodbye outside and MUST NOT enter the classroom. Many students R-2, are now quite capable of making their own way to the classroom with their bag.
  • We ask that parents who do enter the school grounds, in particular, do not linger on the school grounds. eg when collecting a learning pack from the front office area etc
  • We ask that parents continue to model social distancing when on school grounds.
  • If parents need to come to the front office, be mindful of the signage inside the office itself, restricting access past that point to students and staff only.
  • NB: If a child arrives at school unwell, parents will be contacted to collect them.
  • School staff will continue to advise students to:
    • wash their hands regularly, particularly after using the toilet and before eating
    • cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or elbow
  • We are providing sanitiser and/or soap in classrooms for students to use and ensuring that it is used at appropriate times.
  • Playgrounds are being cleaned and disinfected daily. Children are permitted to play at recess and lunch times on the equipment.
  • We continue to stress the importance of children (and staff) not attending school if they are unwell or are displaying flu like symptoms. All children, students and staff who are unwell with fever and/or respiratory infection should remain at home until symptoms resolve.
  • Canteen will continue to provide lunches only from a reduced menu for children who order.
  • There is no kitchen or garden program at this stage.
  • Teaching and Learning will continue to be delivered online to all students for our week two of this term.  We are reviewing that need on a daily basis.
  • Note that following medical advice, social distancing between students is not required, however as a learning exercise this is happening to various degrees in different classrooms, depending on what is feasible.

Thankyou to all who have given support to our teaching staff and SSO’s during this time.  I have been impressed by the quality of work, preparation and delivery of the lessons and activities which were designed in such a short period of time by each of our teachers.

We are all learning as we go and there will be elements of what we are doing that we will certainly take into the ‘normal’ teaching world when that does occur. At times we have had to fine tune delivery at short notice as we find difficulties or aspects of remote learning that we had not anticipated.

I have been impressed by parents who have been able to be flexible, patient, understanding and in particular resilient in the face of this online learning platform. Student work is being recorded and responded to by teachers. Phone calls are now a common occurrence and there have been many, many Zoom meetings between teachers and students.

The above dot points are written succinctly and aim to clearly state the expectations for all.  As a community, we can support the eradication of the Coronavirus by continuing the hygiene and distancing strategies as directed.

We have about a 60% attendance as of today and I anticipate that to increase next week as more children return to school.  That will make it even more important to follow the expectations about drop off and entry into the school in order to keep us all safe.

Thankyou again for your support,

Kind regards,

Steve Freeman
Principal