ENewsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

“Brave new world … and it’s working”.

Today represents the start of a new way to deliver teaching and learning for the immediate short term. It has had its challenges for both our staff and students but given the circumstances, we are extremely pleased with our online learning using the video conferencing facilities through Zoom, in combination with our Google Classroom and recently using Parents Portal.

I would like to acknowledge Mrs Bomelhem and Mrs Khoshaba for all the work they have done to ensure that we have been able to roll out this technology, through a powerful and robust network, across the entire school.

Below are some images of students learning from both home and school classrooms today.

We are very grateful for so many messages of support today. Thank you to all our parents for your words of encouragement to our staff. Here are a few quotes:

Please pass on to your staff my profound admiration for your team at Str Bishoy. From my desk I can hear (my daughter) in class for the first day of the many worrying days ahead, the lovely thing is they are all interacting, laughing and learning. (Year 11)

I want to thank the school for the updates, support and extra time and resources they have put into developing and offering an online option for their students amid this difficult situation.This is much appreciated, and reassuring, we will be praying for you all during this time. (Year 5)

A few matters to note please.

How to advise the School that your child is learning from home or sick. Please carefully note these new instructions to enable the School to manage attendance accurately.

Teachers will continue to mark the roll for those students who are present in their classroom.

If you child is sick, please email or call the office. This is regardless of whether they are learning from home or school.

If your child is learning online learning at home and at any point, they will physically return to school, please email to advise the School.

Students cannot opt to be at School for part of the day. They must attend all timetabled lessons either on-site or off-site, not a mix of both.

School Communication between home and school

All enquiries regarding teaching and learning matters should be directed to the class teacher, Head of Faculty or subject teachers using the all new Parents’ Portal or Via email.

Under the heading of My Students in the Parents’ Portal, click on your child’s name and you will see the class teacher or tutor details next to your child’s photo. In addition, if you scroll down, all other relevant contacts are listed, and you can click on the envelope on the right-hand side to email the person directly.

Assessment Tasks

In Primary, Students will not sit any examinations or tests but will be required to submit their tasks to their classroom teacher regularly. Please ensure your child is aware of all login details and submit all tasks on time.

In secondary, Teachers will also be using emails as the primary mode of communicating with students. All teachers are using Google Classroom as the main platform where students will receive teaching resources, worksheets, instruction and information about formal and informal tasks.

Some teacher may use ZOOM to connect with students for a live discussion or to demonstrate some practical skills in subjects like science and mathematics.

All assessment tasks that do not require a practical component will now be made a hand-in task. Where there is a practical component that must be conducted especially Year 12, the college may request students to come only for the practical and appropriate arrangements will be made for a small number to be present in the same room but adequate distance between students.

Task dates for Formal Assessment remain the same for now unless a teacher advises (in consultation with the Head of Academic Standards) of a change in advance. On the day of the task and the allocated period, students will complete the task as a shared Google docs. The teacher will allow for 25 minutes extra and tasks must be shared with the teacher as a completed document. This means that every task will be the allocated time + 25 minutes to compensate for slow typing. The task must be submitted immediately (as a shared Google document). Also, some teachers may conduct a supervised task using ZOOM. This means students must show that they do not have any material on them, on the table or nearby to assist them to complete the ZOOM enabled assessment task

Year 12 StudentsAfter NESA’s Board meeting on Tuesday 24 March, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Board confirmed that the Higher School Certificate (HSC) is going ahead in 2020, along with a commitment to providing clear and regular advice to the community about the HSC as the COVID-19 outbreak continues.

Following the meeting, Chair of the NESA Board Professor Peter Shergold said he had three important messages for HSC students:

We know you are worried. While we recognise we are facing an unprecedented situation, we want to assure you that you will be able to get a HSC certificate this year, and that the certificate will facilitate access to university, further education and employment, as it has for students over the past 50 years.

Keep learning, do your assessments as advised by your school, make progress on your major projects where you can and, most importantly, look after yourself, whether you are at school or at home. Reach out to family, friends and your teachers if you need to.

If you get sick, your school and NESA have provisions to ensure you are not disadvantaged.

The NESA COVID-19 Response Committee is aware of and will urgently provide advice on the following issues:

1. work placements for VET students

2. students working on a group drama, dance or music performance

3. students completing projects and major works.

At St Bishoy, our commitment to ongoing communication continues and again, should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call. We are here to assist your children, as well as you, during through this challenging time.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings and let’s stay positive and hopeful.

Yours in Christ

Michael Atteya

St Bishoy- Imagine

March 2020

Principal's Message

Principal's Message- Arabic

Important Dates

Awards

Year 11 Design and Technology

Primary Extra Curricular Activities

Year 7 TAS

Kindergarten Information Technology

Yr 11 Design and Technology Excursion

Harmony Day