Term 2 | Week 3 | 13 May 2020
“Happy the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9
From The Principal
Happy Mother's Day to all our Mums! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed some quality time and special treatment from your family.
It has been great welcoming back Year 12 and Kindergarten this week as the first stage of our transition to face to face learning plan. As all students return, the staff are taking them through a number of additional health, hygiene and social distancing measures to ensure that we all remain safe and healthy. As each group returns in the next two weeks, we will work through the same process to ensure a common message and successful implementation of the health and safety measures.
I ask all families to support the College by following the transition timeline that has been developed. I understand that families are very keen to get students back to school but we need to ensure that this is done in a safe manner and a well managed way. All of the good work that has been done right across Australia to contain the spread of Covid-19 could quickly be undone, if we do not take the right precautions as we start to return to a more regular routine of daily living. This includes ensuring we manage students properly as they return to the College site and embed good health and hygiene practices in their routine. I thank you for your patience and support with this matter. Supervision for the children of essential workers continues, but a reminder that this is only supervision and students will continue to learn online with very limited support until June 1.
Families of the Early Learning Centre are also operating on an alternative timetable for the month of May. Days have been allocated to the Dolphins and Whales groups to reduce the number of children in the Centre at any time. This also enables us to support the health and safety of both children and staff during this transition time.
To support social distancing and reduce the risk of infection we have asked that parents do not enter the site unless dropping off or picking up children from the ELC. Parents are reminded to practice social distancing while waiting to collect children in the afternoon and not congregate at the front of the College at either pick up point. Once students are collected, parents should return to their cars and leave the property immediately. A reminder also that the College Office remains a ‘virtual office’ and enquiries can be made by phone or email.
Mr Robert Tobias
Principal
Off The Deputy's Desk
It has been wonderful to see Year 12 students return to face to face learning this week along with our Kindergarten students. The rebuilding of academic routines and developing a very quick academic focus will be of primary importance for all of our students upon return. However, just as important will be the wellbeing check-ins that PC teachers will undertake in the Secondary and that Classroom teachers will do in the Primary. We can’t just press a button and say all systems go as some of our students will need additional emotional support given that we all respond in different ways to the news cycle and the world around us. Our staff will certainly be there to support our students as they return to face to face learning over the next few weeks.
As online learning will continue for a few more weeks, it is still important for our students to demonstrate a diligent approach to their learning and engage with the materials provided in an enthusiastic manner. Whilst I appreciate that this has been a disrupted time for everybody, online learning doesn’t mean doing nothing, sleeping in and then staying up late cramming work in because your time wasn’t managed earlier in the day. This is where we still need parents to ensure that their children are up, breakfasted and ready for school so that the important routine of being businesslike is maintained as we transition back to face to face learning. Similarly, due assessments must be completed and late items will not be given special consideration unless appropriate documentation is provided along with a completed form. We need to keep academic integrity alive and well whilst we are in this transition phase as we move from online to face to face learning.
The College Calendar has recently been updated to reflect all the cancellations of functions, events, sporting carnivals etc. It looks quite bare at present but hopefully as restrictions continue to ease and the path back to pre COVID normality becomes clearer, then we will be able to commence returning extra curricular activities to the College’s educational program. However, all schools are very much in the same boat at present and we just need to ride the waves of uncertainty in the hope that better times are not far away when we can offer a full suite of musical, sporting and cultural activities to our students.
Finally, I hope that all of our Mums had a wonderful Mother’s Day. It certainly felt different than to past years but hopefully your children still found a way for your day to be special. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see my Mum as her retirement village was not allowing visitors but we FaceTimed.
Mr Darren Parks
Deputy Principal
Term 2 Week 4
Monday 18 May
Year 11 returns to face to face classes
Year 12 face to face classes
Kindergarten A face to face classes Monday and Tuesday
Years 1-10 Brockington and Purcival students face to face learning Monday and Tuesday
Years 1-10 Smith and Walker and Kindergarten B learning online
Wednesday 20 May
All students K-10 learning online
Thursday 21 May
Years 1-10 Smith and Walker students face to face Thursday and Friday
Kindergarten B face to face learning Thursday and Friday
Years 1-10 Brockington and Purcival students learning online Monday and Tuesday
Term 2 Week 5
Monday 25 May
Year 11 and Year 12 face to face learning
Kindergarten A face to face learning Monday and Tuesday
Years 1-10 Brockington and Purcival students face to face learning
Years 1-10 Smith and Walker and Kindergarten B learning online
Wednesday 27 May
All students K-10 learning online
Thursday 28 May
Years 1-10 Smith and Walker students face to face learning Thursday and Friday
Kindergarten B face to face learning Thursday and Friday
Years 1-10 Brockington and Purcival students learning online Thursday and Friday
Chaplain's Chat
And we’re back!
Sort of.
It is so very good to hear the sounds of the students back in and around the school - it is as it should be. Mind you, it is no easy thing to begin the process of the return to school. In some ways the return to school is like the beginning of the year, it’s been a while since we have all been together and usually we come back to school with stories of holiday escapades big and small. It is not like that this time. Students and staff alike have some hesitation and uncertainty about returning to school.
Students are worried that their teachers will be unhappy with the work they have (or have not) done; staff are concerned to discover where the next stepping off point will be in their students' learning. Everyone is concerned about whether we are doing the right things.
In this sense, it is nothing like the beginning of a new school year, or even a new term. I suspect we need to keep this foremost in our minds, particularly with our expectations of staff and students and what will be achieved this term.
The ground has shifted for everyone during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and more than ever, we will need to view each other with compassion and charity.
More than ever, we will need to measure our words, being mindful and thoughtful, as that somewhat clichéd poster says – we have no idea what someone else is going through. Most certainly, we do not! There are very few families who remain untouched by this time of upheaval, from work falling through, families in places around the world that are feeling the pinch far more than we are, income concerns and of course, the strangeness of learning remotely, and teaching remotely too I might add.
We should expect that there will be nervous, teary kids, (and parents and teachers), we should expect some ‘acting out’. If we expect it, we can plan for it, and bring our best game – our compassionate game.
That is who we are here at EAC, that is one of our key values and at this time, this will be our strength.
In the many meetings, emails and conversations the teachers have had in preparation for your children to come back, one teacher shared this comment from Brad Johnson and it has not left my mind as a way forward for all of us:
Relationships before rigor, grace before grades, patience before programs, love before lessons.
If we can all think in this way, we can be a part of the long-term solution; we can head off some of the issues before they even arise. Indeed, we can be the team our students, our children need us to be.
As we move into Term Two, and potentially the rest of the year – it will not be the same. Somethings will fall by the wayside, but the important things will not.
Can I urge you to be patient, supportive and encouraging of students and staff alike as we work together to find what our new normal will be like.
There is potential for great new things to emerge – but first we many need to farewell the old ‘normal’ to make way for the new.
Peace
Rev Sal
Secondary News
Tips to support your child returning to school
Returning to school may lead to many different feelings for parents and students. Just as we all have quickly adapted to home learning and being socially disconnected, will need to adapt to returning to school and the structure which comes with this.
Below are a few tips to support your child as they prepare for school next week.
- Be positive and enthusiastic: The school has implemented a range of safety and hygiene processes to support students returning to school. All secondary students have also attended a PC lesson on these structures and a video has been created and shared about these procedures.
- Be organised: All secondary students have received an alternative timetable for Weeks 4 and 5. They will need to bring their books for these lessons. Help them to find their books, bag and school uniform so they are prepared for their first day.
- Get up early: Home learning has meant students have not had to get up as early for school. Spend this week getting up earlier so that next week is not as big a culture shock.
- Encourage communication with teachers: Encourage your child to speak to their teachers if they have not completed all the set tasks or have fallen behind in tasks.
- Ask questions: encourage your child to ask questions or raise any concerns that they have about returning to school. If you do not know the answers, feel free to contact the school to clarify responses.
- Support your child through this change: all children cope with change in different ways. You as a parent will know the best way to support your child. Know that the school staff are here to help you and your child as we transition back to classes.
Mrs Amanda Middleton
Director of Secondary School
Primary News
There were certainly some excited little faces at the gates this week as our Kindergarten students (and teachers!) returned to the College. Yes, it was hard for the Kindy students to resist hugging their teacher as they entered the gate, but I can assure you our therapy dog Amber was well patted on both Monday and Thursday morning.
As you would be aware, Years 1-6 will be returning to school during Week 4 with Brockington and Purcival students attending on Monday and Tuesday and Smith and Walker students attending on Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays will continue to be a catch-up day with the majority of our students learning from home. Home Learning will continue to be provided on the days the students are not rostered to attend school, until Week 6, when all students will attend for the entire week and our formal home learning program will cease.
I would like to remind our Primary families that Primary drop off and pick up will be at the parent pick-up area at the northern end of the College. We understand that with little ones you may need to park your vehicle and bring or collect your child at the gate; however, we just ask that you practise social distancing during these exchanges as you would at the supermarket.
If you need to collect your child early from the College at any time during the school day, please phone the College Office and we will ensure your child is walked to a prearranged collection point.
I echo my colleagues’ thoughts and thank you, the parents, for the tremendous way that you embraced the challenges and opportunities that the home learning program has offered over the past few months. It will certainly be a time in our lives we will often reflect on and I hope, as I’ve heard from many families, that this time also provided your family extra time to connect and grow as a family unit.
Mr Wayne Cross
Director of Primary School
Careers Expo
CONNECT Northern Rivers wishes to advise that there is a free Virtual Careers Expo for Year 10 – 12 Students, Teachers and Parents being held online from 27 May.
The event is providing information and resources such as webinars and subject specific strategies for supporting students in HSC studies during the Covid-19 crisis.
Follow this link for further information and registration:
Canteen
Purchases from the canteen can only be made by pre-ordering.All orders must be received at the canteen before 9.30am.The canteen will operate Monday to Friday.NO counter service will be provided.
The revised menu is below for your information and is also available on the College website.
All orders must be received at the canteen before 9.30am.
Please place the money in a paper bag of sufficient size to fit all of the lunch items.
If you are ordering a drink with your lunch please provide two (2) bags. Please write the information on the LOWER half of the bag. If money is short we will substitute items to the value received.
REMEMBER, if ordering RECESS, you must have a separate recess bag.
RECESS: Name, Teacher, PC Class, Recess Order
John Smith, Mr Falvey, 3A
Recess
Cheesymite Scroll
Pack Sultanas, Small
LUNCH BAG 1: Name, Teacher, PC Class, Lunch Order
John Smith, Mr Falvey, 3A,
Lunch
1 Snack Pie
LUNCH BAG 2: Name, Teacher, PC Class, Drink Order
John Smith, Mr Falvey, 3A,
Lunch
1 Orange Juice
Any change required will be placed in the bag for return with the lunch order.
Christine Hall
Canteen Coodinator