Dear Parents/Carers,
Good afternoon! Happy Friday…
It was hard to accept the extension of lockdown earlier in the week, but we do the best with the news and continue to offer the most flexible options we can to cater for the vast array of families in our community. The introduction of live teaching has been well received and videoing these sessions means that families who find it difficult to access them during the day still have access to the content.
With a combination of class meeting, live teaching, one to one and small groups, tutoring and support sessions; shortly introducing awesome extension groups across the school, coupled with our Learn from Home packages, teaching videos, Let’s Get Physical grid and STEAM grid options, the program is growing and becoming very comprehensive. I feel very proud of the team at Parkhill, as ever they are going over and above to meet the needs of the children in their class.
If you require on-site supervision you must apply for this by emailing or calling me as per the letter issued on Thursday. Every time we have an extension to the lockdown arrangement and week by week, families should communicate their on-site needs with us. On-site provision is limited and families must fit into one of the following categories:
Children where both parents and/or carers are considered authorised workers who cannot work from home, work for an essential provider and where no other supervision arrangements can be made;
Where there are two parents/carers, both must be essential workers, working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.
For single parents/carers, the essential worker must be working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.
Children experiencing vulnerability, including:
in out-of-home care
deemed vulnerable by a government agency, funded family or family violence service, and assessed as requiring education and care outside the family home
identified by a school or early childhood service as vulnerable, (including via referral from a government agency, or funded family or family violence service, homeless or youth justice service or mental health or other health service)
where a parent/carer indicates that a student with a disability is vulnerable because they cannot learn from home, and/or informs the school the student is vulnerable due to family stress, the school must provide on-site supervision for that student. This may apply to students enrolled in specialist schools and students with a disability enrolled in mainstream schools.
On a personal note I would like to thank everyone in our community for your support. Support in the recent lockdowns, during last year's journey with CoVID and throughout the last few years of my principalship.
I have made the very hard decision to bring my family leave forward by one week. With the nature of remote learning and my own health I can no longer commit to on-site supervision. David Wells will be on-site from Monday with a four day transition period before my official leave begins on Friday 20th August.
The School Captains will be interviewing Mr Wells as a means of introducing him to the community. Sadly, we will not be in a position to host the planned morning tea.
David will in time host online assemblies, etc. once he has had time to find his feet. I feel certain that you will all do everything you can to welcome him to the community. Further communication will be sent out on Monday formally introducing David, including his contact details.
If you have any questions or queries in the meantime please do let me know.
SWIMMING:
Helen at Huntingtower has provided us with additional dates toward the end of term for us to be able to complete the program - information will follow. We are very happy that, although broken, we are able to offer the swimming program in 2021.
Reminders:
Three-Way Conferences are running next week on Tuesday and Wednesday - information can be found below. Please book a time to meet with your class teacher. These meetings will be held online.
