26-Nov-2021
Dear Families
The school’s Christmas tree has arrived and now takes pride of place outside the office and the sight and smell of it signals the end of the school year is nigh. It is an exciting and busy time of the year and we have plenty of activities and events planned to help our students enjoy their final 15 days of school.
The possibility of a school closure is very real. In conversation with Principals at other schools, and families I know impacted by a sudden school closure, I know that it is frustrating and that communication to families and staff can come at strange hours of the day or night. I wish to assure you that if we do have a confirmed case at school, that we will be guided and directed by the Department of Education processes and procedures and get information to you as soon as we possibly can.
If any school has had a possible exposure to COVID-19, a standard process is followed to reduce the risk of any community transmission. In primary schools, Primary Close Contacts (PCC) are likely to be limited to those in the same class as the confirmed COVID-19 case. However, this will depend on the level of compliance with face-mask requirements and how many classes might have mixed.
We will commence a process of identifying contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19 at school; contacts will no longer be contacted by the Department of Health with quarantine requirements. If your child is identified as a contact we will contact you directly.
Contacts will be required to complete a standard (PCR) test within 24 hours from when they are identified by the school as a contact.
If the PCR test returns a negative result, the student can immediately return to school, with evidence of the negative result provided to the school.
It is strongly recommended that contacts complete five days of rapid antigen tests in the morning before they attend school. Schools no longer need to report confirmed positive cases of school community members, if those school community members were not onsite in the 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
And finally, It remains important to make sure unwell children stay at home until their symptoms resolve and seek medical assistance as required.
Transition
Next week we will hold transition sessions aimed at launching successfully into the new year. EVERY student we have has been placed with at least one of their preferred learning buddies/friends and after an exhaustive process, the classes are finalised. They are balanced and have been assembled carefully and methodically using teacher professional judgements and their knowledge of each individual student. They are made with the best interests of our students and our school.
TeamKids have another amazing SUMMER Holiday program planned!
- Learn new skills and make new friends
- Qualified and REMARKABLE Educators
- Digital detox with our no screens policy
- Delicious and nutritious morning and afternoon snack
- CCS approved care
Head to teamkids.com.au to secure your spot!
Thank you – Mr. Luke McMaster
Today marks the end of the journey for Luke McMaster at Edithvale Primary. Since his appointment 7 years ago, Luke has been a tireless and dedicated member of our school community as both an exceptional teacher and as an incredibly supportive Assistant principal. Luke’s humour, creativity and focus on student wellbeing and learning have been invaluable in our quest to create a culture of respect, determination and kindness.
Luke will be missed by staff and students alike and we wish him all the best in his next adventure at Rosebud Primary
School.
Timetable changes from Monday November 29
A gentle reminder that over the remaining 2 and a half weeks of the school year, ALL classes will be running to the same schedule that we hope to run in 2022. This means that as of Monday November 29 ALL classes will commence at 9:00 am and conclude at 3:30 pm.
To help us support students to continue to grow and learn, we will be maximising our teaching opportunities by having a slightly longer (30 minute) learning block to start the day – with recess now at 11:30. This morning session, starting at 9:00am will continue to be punctuated by brain breaks and snack breaks as needed. Our teachers have noticed the positive effect that this extended learning time has had over the last few weeks and we’re eager to keep this learning momentum into the new year.
There will be a whole school recess break for 30 minutes before resuming classes (2 x 50-minute blocks). Lunch will
be one hour long, and we will finish the day with 1 more session before dismissal at 3:30 pm.
Tip of the Week –
This from Headspace Learn How to Handle Tough Times to Help Your Headspace | headspace
There’s no doubt about it – life can be really hard sometimes. From relationship issues, to work and study stress, to
simply feeling low – we all go through stressful and emotional periods.
When this happens, our coping strategies kick in – things we’ve learnt over time to help us cope. Some people use
helpful ways of coping – like journaling, meditation or talking with family or friends. But for many of us, the strategies we turn to can actually leave us feeling worse.
When we go through tough times, it’s important to put healthy habits in place – to give ourselves a better chance of coping with life’s challenges.
Having a plan for how you can best look after ourselves in times of stress is one important habit, but it’s not the only one. Things like exercise, and eating well, are also important for good mental health.
Take care and have a wonderful weekend
James Whitla
