Dear Parents/Carers,

The children have returned to school ready to learn.  Their teachers have been impressed with their settled demeanour and it seems like being back with their teachers and friends has been welcomed by the children after a long stretch at home. I know my own children were busting to get back to school!  We are all enjoying the new top oval and our emphasis has been on outdoor play being the healthiest option at the moment hence we haven’t opened the Kubbi, Library and Hall for playtime use as yet.

We are awaiting the Department of Education School Operational Guidelines for Term 3 before making final decisions around Canberra, Year 5 Camp, assemblies and other school events that are scheduled for Term 3 and beyond.  The decisions around Canberra and Year 5 Camp will be made to ensure financial certainty for parents and the school. We cannot have the situation where we plough ahead and things change at the last minute leaving the school and parents significantly out of pocket. We also have to weigh up if Canberra and Year 5 camp change/close the venues and activities so significantly that it wouldn’t be worth going.  

In the Week 9 newsletter, we will return to Classroom Capers, Junior and Senior Awards. These awards will be given out in Week 10 during a virtual assembly. We will send the link to parents whose children are receiving awards. We can’t wait until we can have assemblies again and are awaiting this advice from the Department of Education.

PICK UP AND DROP OFF

We thank everyone for their patience and cooperation during the time that parents haven’t been able to walk their children into school or use the carparks. I also have to say that unlike other schools I have led, parents have responded to staff instructions to stop, wait etc and have greeted us with a smile graciously even if something didn’t go according to plan.   This has been a mammoth task to organise and I have to acknowledge the efforts of teachers, teacher-aides and the other members of the leadership team for making this work.

Many parents and neighbours to the school have asked whether we intend to continue this strategy once it is announced that parents/carers can once again access school grounds.   I think parents find it convenient, neighbours are saying that our parents and carers are driving more safely and being more considerate.  However, it is a significant amount of time at key times of the day for teachers and the leadership team so would be difficult for us to continue in this way on our own long-term.  Any strategy we have going forward would require the assistance of parents and carers to support our staff. In my previous schools that have used this strategy, parents would volunteer to do a 15 minute duty once or twice a week under the direction of staff.  

Additionally, once parents/carers can access school-grounds:

• We would no longer put staff for pick up or drop off at Buran Street or Kittabilla Street. Parents and students can still use these gates for drop off by car or walking. Legal parking would need to occur as we would no longer have council permission to stop on the yellow line in Kittabilla.
  
  
• A drop-off area could only be staffed from 8.40-8.55am in the morning at the most. We would do Ballinger Street for Prep and 1 and Hamilton Rd for Prep to 6. The Parent
  carpark on Hamilton Rd would be open but the Prep carpark would be closed between 8.35 and 8.55am. Parents who want to use the Prep carpark just need to be inside the gates by 8.35 and can’t leave until after 8.55am until the gate is open.  We would hold the Prep and 1 children at the gate and take them to class when the bell rings. Years 2 to 6 would proceed to outside their classroom areas until the 8.55am bell rings.
  
  
• Pickup would not commence until 3.00pm with the zone operating until 3.15/3.20. We would do Ballinger Street for Prep and 1 and Hamilton Rd for Prep to 6. The Parent
  carpark would be open and the Prep carpark would be closed from 2.55 until 3.20pm. Parents wouldn’t be able to come and go from the Prep carpark inside those times.
  
  
• As this is outside of teacher’s rostered hours we would not be utilising teachers to assist so if parents choose to use the pick-up and drop-off, we wouldn’t be marking children on and off rolls and the children would need to know their pick up spot in the afternoon. We'd obviously advise Prep and Year 1 parents to use the Ballinger St gate where possible. 
  
  
• Parents would need to park the car and walk their child into school if their children arrive after 8.55am and if the staff are gone from the gate as they will need to organise a late slip. 
  
  
• If parents do not arrive by 3.20pm and the staff have departed from the gate, their child will be walked to the office and parents will then be phoned to come into the office and collect their child. We recommend parents explore the possibility of an OSH placement with OSH staff if with some regularity you will be arriving after 3.20pm. I think parents don't realise how well-priced Out of School Hours Care is with government subsidies.

Please email me on kcana2@eq.edu.au if you are interested in volunteering for 15-20 minutes once or twice a week to assist us with pick up and drop off.  If you have any other ideas or feedback on our pick-up/drop-off system going forward as described above please let me know. Remember the above arrangements will not start until the Department of Education allows parents on school grounds again so we have plenty of time to come up with a good system.

PREP INFORMATION SESSIONS 2021

Have a good week,

Kathy

If you would like your child to participate in any of the subjects listed above, please visit the new online Parent Payment System to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. The Parent Payment System is a simple and secure online payment service specifically for parents to purchase ICAS Assessments.

The web link is: https://shop.unswglobal.com.au/pages/pps

Our school’s unique access code is:  KMH390

Online payment closes Friday, 17 July 2020.

IMPORTANT:  Please enter your child’s name accurately into the System as it will appear on their ICAS certificate.

2020
Each subject will be open for a 5-day sitting window period (see dates below)

 
Narelle

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Instrumental music is now back into the swing of things and it is so nice to see students who have kept up their practise.

Please take note of the following:

• String Orchestra practices are on Tuesday mornings 8:00am
• Band Practice starts back on Friday 12 June (Please note this change) at 7:45am
• Performance Choir practices are on Tuesday at second break.
• Inclusive Choir has not started yet due to current restrictions.

Please ensure the your child has all equipment, music and instrument for their lesson.

Congratulations to Charleigh and Saduni who won the dance challenge the last week of our online learning.

Pauline Stockill

BOOK CLUB

Next week Book Club Issue 4 catalogues will be sent home and can also be accessed digitally https://www.scholastic.com.au/media/5608/bc_420.pdf. All ordering and payments can be completed online using the Scholastic Book Club LOOP Platform. Register at http://www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP and place your Book Club order by June 12.

PREMIER'S READING CHALLENGE

Tess Bryce