01 Apr 2020
COVID – 19 UPDATE
Over the past few days we have only had about 25 of our 800 students attending school.
Thank you to our parents who have been able to follow the NSW Premier’s advice and keep their children at home. At this stage the school’s doors will remain open for those students whose parents are in the essential services.
As updated expert information comes to the Department, who are in constant liaison with NSW Health, we will keep you informed of any changes to school operations.
ONLINE LEARNING – THANK YOU TEACHERS, PARENTS & STUDENTS
A huge thank you to our teachers for their efforts in providing online learning avenues for our students.
Despite students not attending school, the online programs prepared by our teachers allow continuity of learning during these uncertain times.
Well done to our parents who have embraced the opportunity to be become ‘home teachers’, guiding their children through their online educational journey. I wonder how many of our parents will want to change careers and retrain as teachers after we return to normality. And finally, a huge thank you to our students who have been so adaptive in their ability to embrace online learning so quickly.
I would just like to emphasise that, at this time, when there are many stresses on our lives, it is important that we are all flexible and understand the need to support general wellbeing as well as academic learning.
It is important to remember that children are aware of the uncertainty in our world at the moment, and are likely to be feeling worried. Being out of normal routines can be very challenging, and children are likely to be upset about missing out on time with their friends. To add to this the challenge of being stuck at home for an extended time, and the demands of having parents and children all trying to manage working from home as best they can, the time is sure to bring some difficulties. We understand this and want you to know that nobody is expecting perfection at this time.
If your child is finding it challenging to complete work, or they are showing behaviours that you don’t usually see, please reach out to us. We don’t want your days to be filled with challenges or arguments around getting school work finished. We want to find ways to make this work for you, so that our children are happy and comfortable. Teachers are setting tasks for students that include different options for learning throughout the day, as well as options to promote relaxation and wellbeing. As always, we want to work as a team with you to ensure the best outcomes for your child. Please keep in touch so that we know how to best support you and your family.
As mentioned last week, I encourage you to access the Learning from Home resource, which provides practical advice to parents and carers on how to best create and support a productive learning environment at home:
ROLL MARKING PROCEDURES
Students who are learning from home will not be marked absent, and these days at home will not affect their overall attendance percentage. Students who are at home and are not participating in learning activities provided by the school will be marked as absent. Any students /families who are experiencing difficulty in completing assigned tasks at home are asked to contact their teacher via class Dojo.
If your child is sick and will not be completing learning from home, please send the teacher a message via Class Dojo. Thank you for your support and understanding during this difficult period.
CANTEEN
Unfortunately we have been advised by the Department of Education that all school canteen operations must cease. If you are sending your child/children to school, they will need to bring a packed lunch, afternoon tea and drinks in their drink bottle.
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Unfortunately due to the increased risk of COVID-19 we have had to cancel our after school activities for the remainder of Term 1. (Drawing classes, Taekwondo, Chinese Language, T3 Soccer Training, Chess and Coding)
All providers are looking at possible options to deliver lessons in an online format.
PARENT SURVEY
As we move toward the Term 1 vacation period, the Department’s Before and After School Care (BASC) team has committed to collecting and collating vital information regarding vacation care.
To support this process, we are asking that all families who require care for their child/children complete a survey regarding care arrangements for the upcoming holiday period.
The Department is working with vacation care providers to ensure that the needs of all families are met during the Term 1 holiday period.
Please complete the online survey to confirm your child/children’s care requirements, which can be found here: https://surveys.education.nsw.gov.au/s3/school-holiday-care
This link has also been sent to all families as a separate email.
COVID-19 SCHOOL COUNSELLOR SUPPORT
We understand that this is a challenging time for parents and children and would like to ensure that you feel supported. Please be assured that whether your children are working from home or are attending school, the school counselling service will remain operational. Our priority remains the health, wellbeing and happiness of the students at Carlingford Public School.
During this time if you are concerned about the wellbeing/learning of your child and would like to speak with the School Counsellor at Carlingford Public he can be contacted at the school within school hours (9.00am to 3.30pm).
The school Counsellor can be contacted by:
1. Sending an email marked ‘Confidential’ to the school email address:
carlingfor-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
This email will then be forwarded to the School Counsellor, and he will contact you via phone when possible.
2. Calling the school phone number: 9871 6983. Either your call will be transferred through to the School Counsellor, or a phone appointment will be arranged.
If you are experiencing an emergency and need immediate assistance, please dial 000.
3. If further support is needed during the COVID 19 pandemic,
please contact the agencies below.
You can also access online chat counselling at:
1. E-Headspace
Coronavirus and Anxiety
It is completely normal to be feeling worried in response to a threat like an illness. The Australian Psychological Society has also produced two helpful tip sheets. The first provides tips for coping with anxiety about coronavirus, and the second has advice about maintaining your wellbeing when in social isolation.
More information about Corona virus is also available through Kids Helpline.
It is important to develop a plan and structure for what your time at home could look like, a sample template with ideas is available here.
For information on Coronavirus, the National Coronavirus Helpline is 1800 020 080, and if you would require translating or interpreting services the number to call is 131 450.
Neil Hinton
Principal.