Dear Community,
Can I start by saying how fantastic it is to have the majority of our students back with us. It became apparent quite quickly towards the end of last term that a school is not a school without them and that schools are genuinely a happier and more positive place with their smiling faces around!
I want to thank you all for your support in what has been one of the most unusual starts to a school term we have ever seen. Together, we have been able to make the best of this situation and prioritise both your children’s safety and continuity of learning.
Yesterday, the State Government announced changes to education based on a review of current arrangements and updated health advice.
As of Monday, 18 May 2020 all students are expected to attend school, except for those students medically referred to learn from home.
This means students are either:
- at school;
- have a medical referral to learn from home; or
- recorded as absent if they do not attend.
Over the last three weeks we have seen over 90% of our students return to school, which has been fantastic. There are only a handful who are still learning from home this week.
Current health advice states that schools remain safe for staff and students and should remain open. We want to make sure all children get the best education possible, which is why attending school is so important. We are here to make sure all children are learning and there’s no doubt, schools are the best place for them to learn.
For parents with medical advice that their child should not attend school, we will work with you in partnership with the School of Special Educational Needs: Medical and Mental Health to support your child’s learning from home. If you feel your child is in this category, please do not hesitate to contact me and we will work together on next steps.
If your child does not attend school without a medical reason, they will be marked as absent and will no longer be provided a learning program.
The extra cleaning and hygiene practices implemented at the start of Term 2 will continue and as part of the social distancing measures, we continue to ask parents/carers to drop children at the school gate and not enter the school grounds.
The State Government will continue to make decisions based on the best health advice. Thank you for your continued support as we move forward.
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me via phone or email and I will do my best to answer them.
As we now have close to all of our students back, below are a list of things to remember as we move forward through Term 2
- Parents are still not permitted on school site and are required to drop their children at one of the external gates/ entry points.
- If you do need to come in to the school for an unavoidable reason, please do so via the front office. Where possible, please call first to let us know or make an appointment.
- Students need to leave school grounds quickly after school closes - Covid restrictions are still in place and the school site, including the basketball court, oval and playgrounds are out of bound after 3pm. This is a government regulation.
- Riding bikes/scooters etc on school grounds before and after school is not allowed.
- Now that students are again playing outside at recess and lunchtime, please ensure they bring a hat to wear. The school does have a no hat, no play policy. Hats can be purchased online through the uniform shop email address - scarboroughprimarypcuniform@gmail.com.
- Please ensure your child brings a drink bottle to school as water fountains are still out of action
- Students are now able to borrow library books so please ensure they return any they may have at home and that they bring a library bag on the appropriate day.
Take care and stay safe and continue to think of others, as is the Scarborough community spirit.
Sarah Dawson
Principal
