We are all very excited to have our students returning next week and plans are in place to amke the transition back to school as enjoyable and smooth as possible.

As we prepare for our final term, I would like to share our three main priorities for the remainder of the year and the plans for the first week back next week.

Priority 1 – Wellbeing and Equity 

The wellbeing, and particularly the mental health, of every student and member of staff is the highest priority. This means encouraging and sustaining motivation for learning, re-engaging students and families where needed, and supporting the social and emotional learning of children alongside curriculum-based learning. This also means ensuring support for school staff, who have sustained their efforts through multiple transitions in modes of teaching and learning delivery. 

Priority 2 – Learning and Excellence

Some students have been better able to progress in their learning in the remote and flexible learning environment, others have maintained their rate of progress, and some have, despite their best efforts and those of their families and teachers, have not progressed as well as we would have liked. It has always been critical at St Peter’s that we meet each child at their point of need and we will continue to work across the school to support every child as they return to on site learning. Literacy and numeracy across the curriculum remain a focus, while also adapting the teaching and learning program in Term 4 to be responsive to student needs.

Priority 3 - Transitions

Term 4 is a critical period, particularly for the children moving from Kindergarten into Prep, from Year 6 into Year 7 and students in other year levels will also prepare for a change of teachers. A key focus of Term 4 will be to make every effort to ensure each of these end-of-year and beginning-of-year transitions occurs as successfully as possible. This includes finding contextually appropriate ways to conduct orientations and end-of-year celebrations and ensuring transition information captures additional details as necessary. We have begun to look at what can be done in Term four to provide students with a time at school that is safe, engaging and fun.

GETTING READY TO RETURN

There are dozens of resources currently out there all with the intent of assisting families as they prepare for the return to school. At the end of my section of this newsletter I have included some information shared with me by Catholic Education Melbourne that I believe covers some good advice for a range of feelings students and families may have. I have also provided a link to a youtube clip prepared by Alex Parker from Victoria University who covers many of the same suggestions in a different format. If your child or you have any concerns about coming back to the classroom your child’s teacher is the best contact. You should all have their email address but if you don’t email Trish in the office tticca@spbentleigheast.catholic.edu.au and she will provide it for you.

IF UNWELL STUDENTS MUST STAY AT HOME

The Department of Health has made it very clear that perhaps the most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is to ensure that any unwell staff, children and young people remain at home. For this reason ALL unwell students must stay home.

DROP OFF IN THE MORNING

Drop off in the morning is normal apart from the fact that adults cannot enter school grounds.

Parents are asked not to congregate outside the gate areas. Social distancing of 1.5 metres is required for adults and any adult out of their car or walking to school must be wearing a mask.

The drop off at school will be between 8:30am and 8:45am. There will be the normal four entry points. The two gates on Florence street, the gate in Kaniva Court and the breezeway entrance off the front car park. 

The entry point will be up to what works best for your  family. Any year level can enter from any gate. What worked very well when we last returned  is that the drop off point will be the same point for pick up. This will continue and be reinforced with the children.

Once your child has left you it is essential that you move away from the gates and depart the school vicinity. The children will be heading straight into their classrooms ready to begin classes at 8:45am.

PICK UP

As adults are not permitted on site at pick up time it is important that the following is understood and followed. 

Children will be leaving school via the same point they came in by. All children will have to remember which gate they entered school in the morning. To alleviate congregation of numbers of students we will have a staggered dismissal time and we ask parents to arrive close to the pick up time for your children. Once you have picked up your child it is essential that you depart the area immediately.

At 3:05 the Year Two and Year Six students will be dismissed. The children will  go to the gate that they were dropped off at in the morning. Younger siblings in other grades will also be sent to the relevant gate at this time.

At 3:10 the Year Five students will be dismissed. The children will  go to the gate that they were dropped off at in the morning. Younger siblings in other grades will also be sent to the relevant gate at this time.

At 3:15 the Year One and Year Four students will be dismissed. The children will  go to the gate that they were dropped off at in the morning. Younger siblings in other grades will also be sent to the relevant gate at this time.

At 3:20 the Year Three students will be dismissed. The children will  go to the gate that they were dropped off at in the morning. Younger siblings in other grades will also be sent to the relevant gate at this time.

At 3:25 the Prep children will be dismissed. They will be escorted by Prep teachers to the gate they were dropped off at in the morning. 

Any students attending after school care will remain with their teachers until 3:25pm when they will be sent to OSHClub.

I do want all families to be aware that these plans will be in place as we transition back to on site learning. This will change as the restrictions we all live under are changed. We are working to provide the least stressful way for our students to depart the school and staying calm will be essential to their wellbeing and their approach to attending school the next day. 

RETURNING DEVICES (IPADS etc)

With all students returning to school we will need to start placing devices back into classes. If you borrowed a device and charger from the school can this please be returned on Monday, 12th October when the students start back at school. The device and the charger can be placed into your child's bag (we ask that you wrap it up safely). Chris Joplin will visit  classes on Monday morning to collect the devices from students. If there has been any damage can you please let him know by emailing him at: cjoplin@spbentleigheast.catholic.edu.au   With senior students spending a lot of time on devices over the last ten weeks, next week will be a device free week which will also allow time for devices to be sanitised before being put back in use.

DRINK BOTTLES COMPULSORY FOR EVERY STUDENT

When students return to school they will not be able to access drink bubblers at recess and lunch time. Students will need to bring a drink bottle that can be filled at school. If children forget their drink bottles then plastic cups will be made available for them to use during the day.

HAND SANITISER / WASHING OF HANDS

Students will be given hand sanitiser on entering the classrooms at the beginning of the day, before and after recess and before and after lunch. Hands will be washed or hand sanitiser applied before eating. We do have school supplies but also recommend students having their own bottle to be able to be used at other times.

RECESS / LUNCH BREAKS

We are not staggering recess or lunch times. Students will have specific areas to play in to restrict interaction of students from different levels.

STUDENTS NOT AT SCHOOL

Online learning will not be provided while students are able to attend school. If families choose to keep their child at home then no school lessons will be provided.

CLEANING

To ensure that we are being proactive and thorough in all our cleaning, considerable time has been spent in completing a cleaning plan for St Peter’s. We have used the Department of Health, Department of Education and CECV guidelines to work with our cleaning contractor.

I can advise that all areas that will be used by students and staff from the 12th of October will be sanitised this weekend. Moving forward we will have a cleaner onsite each day. This is on top of added cleaning to our normal clean after school each day.

CLASSROOM REFURBISHMENT STAGE TWO AND THREE  COMPLETED 

During this period of lockdown we have been able to complete the refurbishment of the Senior Building. All our Year Four, Five and Six students will be returning to their new classroom spaces and all students will be using our new Art Room at some time this term. Details of the “Official” Opening and Blessing of these spaces will follow later in the term. Our Parents and Friends donation of $20,000 made it possible for each classroom to have a new interactive large Television. For this our students and staff are very grateful.

FRONT PLAYGROUND UPDATE

With students not at school we took the opportunity to update the front area of the school. We have repainted the front fence, repainted the line marking, replaced the basketball backboards and rings and replenished the garden areas. Our Parents and Friends donation of $8,250 covered the cost of the Basketball Boards and Rings and the cost of the line marking. For this our students and school community are very grateful. 

SCHOOL OFFICE STILL OPEN

While we are restricted in the number of parents and visitors we can have on site the front office is still open for up to five adults at a time if you need to drop children off late or pick up children early. It is also open for any other reasons you may have to visit. 

CANTEEN INFORMATION

Our Canteen reopens on Thursday, 15th October. Full details of the steps and processes they have in place are included further down this newsletter. Initially families will only be able to order online. Over the counter sales will be reintroduced later in the term. 

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Details of how the online Parent Teacher Interviews will take place this Thursday will be shared with you by Mick Schinck this afternoon. Please read the information carefully and if you have any queries email Mick, mschinck@spbentleigheast.catholic.edu.au Bookings for the interviews have been extended and will close at 9:00am tomorrow morning, Wednesday, 7th October. 

MICHELLE TANKARD RESIGNATION

Michelle Tankard was visiting family in NSW when we moved to the stage three restrictions of learning from home.  During this time Michelle has been teaching online from NSW. With a return to face to face teaching Michelle has decided to remain in NSW and will not be returning to St Peter’s. Michelle who currently teaches 6VCT two days a week while on family leave from her full time position will be sadly missed by our community. Since arriving at St Peter’s in 2015 Michelle has held a number of positions of leadership including Wellbeing Leader,  Teaching and Learning Leader and Deputy Principal as well as being a highly respected classroom teacher. We wish Michelle and her family all the best for the future.

Josie Gleeson will be replacing Michelle as the 6VCT teacher on Thursday and Friday starting on the 15th of October for the remainder of the year. Josie is an experienced teacher who has been teaching at St Peter's for eight years and has taught at every year level. Her knowledge and experience will assist us in ensuring the final term at school for the students in 6VCT is as smooth as possible.

PIP CAHILL FAMILY LEAVE

Pip Cahill who teaches Japanese in the Junior School on Thursday and 1GC on Friday will commence Family leave this Friday, 9th October. Liz Sibley will be teaching Japanese in the Junior School for the remainder of the term. Carmel Godino has moved to fulltime and will be teaching 1GC every day. We wish Pip and her family all the best in this exciting time in their lives and look forward to news of their new arrival in November.

NEXT CONTACT

My next whole school contact with you will be via an update this Friday, 9th October. If you have any queries or concerns please email me principal@spbentleigheast.catholic.edu.au

RETURNING TO SCHOOL RESOURCES

Alex Parker Victoria University Youtube 

VU Elevenses - Returning to School

7 tips for parents/carers to help Primary children cope with a return to school 

Adapted from: https://parentinfo.org/node/42

After months of remote learning and a range of COVID19 restrictions, children will be returning to school routines, classrooms, classmates, teachers, expectations and, in some cases, even new school settings. 

Amid the anticipation and excitement many children are feeling, for some, leaving the home learning routine and environment may create anxiety for a range of reasons including: the ongoing uncertainty of COVID19; social distancing and hygiene measures in place; family circumstances related to health; grief associated with a recent loss; or economic circumstances. 

To prepare and support students’ return to onsite learning and the school/classroom environment, consider the following tips: 

1. Talk to your children about how they feel  

• It is important to encourage children to discuss their feelings about returning to school.  
• If they feel anxious or worried, help them understand this is perfectly normal, and that you and their teachers are there to support them.  
• Although difficult, try not to share any anxiety you may be feeling with your children.  
• Bear in mind that your child may be returning to a pre-existing issue from before remote learning – for example, a bullying or relationship issue, or difficulty with school work or staff – or they may be preparing for the transition to Secondary School.  
• Try to give them a non-judgemental and supportive place to share any worries. Younger children, in particular, may not always have the words to express their feelings, so try to find a way of bringing up the conversation without putting pressure on them – for instance when you’re playing with them or going for a walk. This can help them to open up naturally and identify what they’re worried about. 

2. Pack right, pack light  

• St Peter’s has been in touch to let you know what your child should and shouldn’t bring on their return. Eg. bring an individual water bottle.  
• If you have any queries, email your child’s class teacher.

3. Support children to understand the school procedures  

• Read carefully the details around drop off and pick up, drink bottles hand sanitising  in the newsletter and share this with your child.

4. Familiarise yourself with school procedures  

• You’ll need to know where and when to drop children off and pick them up, as well as what parts of the school you can access.   
• Your child will be expecting you at the end of the day so make sure you, or whoever is collecting them, are there in the right place at the right time.  
• If your child travels home independently, make sure they are aware of what they should be doing. 

5. End of day emotions  

• For younger children in particular, a school day can require a lot of self-regulation or compressed behaviour, which can lead to tired and emotional outbursts later on in the day.  
• Given the length of remote learning and new school safety procedures in place, these emotions may be hard to cope with when they return home.  
• It is a good idea to keep this in mind, and allow some time for ‘letting off steam’ by encouraging children to unwind and play outdoors. 

6. Stay informed  

• Given the long absence from school, there may be a period of readjustment.  
• Discuss and affirm familiar routines and school expectations regarding uniform, grooming, attendance and participation to help your child reconnect with their school community.  
• There may be fresh challenges for your child, from working with new classmates and teachers, to coping with their work and school expectations / ‘rules’.  
• Try to stay informed about how they are getting on – but if you are concerned, contact your child’s teacher.

7. Sleep and Rest  

• Your children may have been getting used to some unusual hours during the remote learning period and that may have extended into the school holidays.  
• Make sure children are getting a good night’s sleep for their return to school.  
• It might mean introducing some earlier bedtimes than they have had recently and limiting screen time.  
• A good night’s rest will help them cope with the return to school and the new routines they will be adapting to.