COVID-19: UPDATE REGARDING ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTINUING LEARNING
Dear Parents and Caregivers
As
you will know, the Prime Minister on Sunday announced that schools will
remain open at this point in time. He also clearly stated that it is
entirely reasonable for parents to elect to keep their children home
during this time if they are concerned, however has asked parents to
contact the school of their decision.
He
also stated that parents may wish to keep their children home if they
are concerned for their health and safety. We encourage you to do this
if you are at all concerned. Students who are absent and inform the
school will be marked as “Other – COVID-19 related” which is an approved
absence.
From
Wednesday 25 March, all Year 11 and 12 students will be taught as
online classes. This will be the same for those students that stay at
home and those that attend school. Students will continue learning
programs that have been set by their classroom teachers. We will not be offering practical lessons such as science laboratories, Industrial Design and Technologies or The Arts.
Class
teachers will use a range of IT platforms to deliver learning. It is
important that students continue to access their emails frequently to
check for messages from their teachers.
Year
10 students will begin online learning with Certificate II in Skills
for Work and Vocational Pathways lessons as their other subjects move
toward an online learning environment. Please refer to the letter sent
to Year 10 students yesterday for more information.
Year 10, 11 and 12 Assessment
Year
11 and 12 exams will go ahead as scheduled including the catch-up exam
day on Friday 27 March. On Friday, students who have been kept home by
parents are able to come to school to complete a missed exam. They are
to come in uniform, sit their exam and will then be able to sign
out and leave following the exam. We will inform you on a decision
about Year 10 exams soon. Assessment items other than exams can be
submitted to teachers directly via email.
Junior Students
Classes are currently being collapsed in response to low attendance rates. As attendance drops, the focus of lessons for Years 7 to 9 will
shift to online lessons in literacy and numeracy, modified physical
activity (provided we can maintain social distancing), and some creative
activities.
Class numbers, where possible, are being limited to allow for social distancing. Students are being directed to seating that meet
social distancing directives. Students who do not follow teacher
directions regarding this are being managed according to the school’s
Behaviour Management Policy.
Social distancing on the playground – we are constantly advising students to maintain a social distance from each other. Please understand that this is impossible to monitor. Students
continue to greet each other with hugs, sit very close to each other
and high five each other despite constant reminders and directions.
There will be no term 1 reports for 2020. If you would like information about your child’s academic program please email your child’s teacher directly and he/she will contact you back by Wednesday 6th May (date for traditional Parent-Teacher Interview night which has been cancelled).
School photos will not be distributed this term. A date for distribution will be determined next term.