27-Nov-2020
Dear Families
On Sunday, Victoria moved to the Last Step of the roadmap for reopening. The latest easing of restrictions means a further move towards COVID Normal for our community.
Moving to the Last Step is a cause for celebration and we are determined to maintain our discipline with hygiene standards, as well as the other measures that remain in place here at Edithvale Primary.
Operations Reminder
For the last few weeks of school, in line with DET guidelines, there will be no staggered start and finish times. All students will commence classes at 9:00am and finish at 3:30pm. Teachers will be on duty from 8:40am when the gates will be unlocked and students will be supervised in the yard before school starts. The exception to this will be the gate closest to the School Crossing along Edithvale Rd that will be open from 8:20 am so that students can access our FREE Breakfast Club that commences on Tuesday December 1.
At each of our school entry and exit points, staff will continue to support all students and visitors to undertake regular hand hygiene upon arrival. If you are coming on-site please use the hand sanitiser that will be available over the next few weeks.
To ensure consistency with physical distancing measures, students and families should not congregate at the school gate before or after school and are asked to maintain 1.5 metres between each other as far as is practicable at the start and end of the school day.
For parents needing to come on-site we respectfully ask that your stay is no longer than 15 minutes and that you use the hand sanitiser provided. Our gates will again be locked shortly after 9:00am and reopen at 3:15pm.
Our FREE Breakfast Club starts this Tuesday from 8:20am. All students are invited to start the day with a healthy breakfast (toast, cereal, fruit) in the STEM building. Students should enter through the gate by the school crossing on Edithvale Rd.
Classes in 2021 Today we finalised our class lists for 2021. Determining the composition of classes has been a comprehensive process. It has involved many hours of discussion between teachers and our overriding goal is to always achieve a balance of competencies across each class at each year level. The professional judgements of our teaching and support staff has ensured we have achieved our goal and we have developed classes that include a spread of academic abilities as well as a mixture of social skills and behavioural characteristics.
Please be assured that the complex process of determining next year’s classes is a major undertaking by our teachers and that we all want the best for each of our students. All students have at least ONE of their preferred learning buddies.
In 2021 our (approx. 440) students will be organised in these configurations:
Foundation students – LTC (current Year 2/4 building) 5 classrooms
Year 1’s in the Main brick building (current Prep rooms- 4 classrooms
Year 2’s in the current year 1 relocatable building – 4 classrooms
Year 3’s in the remodelled STEM building- 2 classrooms
Year 4’s and 5/6’s in the LC- 6 classrooms
Disability Inclusion Funding
The Victorian Government has announced that it is investing nearly $1.6 billion to transform funding and support for students with disability in Victorian government schools. This investment aims to make inclusive education part of everyday practice in all schools and classrooms and improve the achievement, participation and wellbeing outcomes for students with disability.
All schools will benefit from Disability Inclusion, which will provide a range of supports, tools, guidance and training to ensure schools can provide an inclusive environment for all members of their school community. The new approach will be rolled out over five years, beginning in 2021. For our school, the changed funding model commences in Term 4 next year.
It’s hard to believe, but on Tuesday we tick into December!
Have a great weekend. Stay strong and keep well.
James Whitla