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Primary School

 

 

Updated on 19 May 2020

A message from Meryl Zuerrer, Primary School Principal

The past week at school has afforded the time for children to reconnect with their peers and teachers. Having the opportunity to express fears and anxiety about the impact of the coronavirus and to learn about and practice the safety measures in place, has provided both students and teachers with reassurance of their safety. The students also reflected on their home learning experiences and provided teachers with insights that will inform continued planning for the learning ahead.  

Building on the success of this phasing-in period, and after review with the leadership team, we feel prepared and ready to welcome our all Primary School students back to school on Monday 25 May 2020. We have striven to maintain as many of the procedures and routines from the past 10 days as possible, to avoid confusion and to provide consistency for families. Please see the summary below.

NO CHANGES TO CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR:

  • Morning drop off
  • Lunch routines
  • Social distance guidelines for adults and children
  • Illness procedures
  • Library procedures
  • Outdoor learning schedule
  • German timetable and staffing structure

SOME CHANGES TO CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR:

  • Dismissal: EY1 dismissal is now at 3:05pm. All other grades remain the same as they are currently.
  • Class Groupings: Classes are now in full groups, however they may not mix with other classes in the grade.
  • At-Home Learning: This will continue to be provided for students that are unable to attend school. All homerooms will post planning on Monday morning each week. Students at home will be supported with a teacher assigned to the online learning for the grade. Students at home will also be invited to join the ‘in-school’ students via live stream at times throughout the week. The class teacher continues to be available to students and parents via email or Schoology
  • PE, Art and Music specialist lessons: Students will have the opportunity to engage with these subjects as part of the extended Outdoor Learning programme. There will be no live online lessons provided for these subjects.  PE kit will not be required for the remainder of the year.
  • Grade 4 and Grade 5 Instrument lessons: As we continue to avoid mixing students between classes, the Instrumental teachers will create online lessons for the students to access after-school. They will provide feedback on the learning submitted to them and continue to be available to students and parents via email or Schoology.

Physical distancing

Adults and children are requested to respect the 2m distance rule. Naturally, this is quite a challenge in the Primary School as teachers aim to physically distance themselves from students. This measure will change the dynamics in the classroom and therefore may impact our approach to teaching and learning. Approaches that require close proximity, for example one-on-one conferencing of student work or small group instructions by the teacher will present a challenge, although I am sure teachers find creative ways to support students.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

The new drop off and pick up arrangements regarding the traffic flow and car parking will remain. 

  • Students should arrive on campus between 8.30am and 9.00am.
  • In the morning, the basketball court is a drop off zone only. Please use the other parking areas should you need to walk your child to the drop off zone. No parents are permitted in classrooms, and students will be guided to their classrooms by staff.
  • Parents who need to assist children should park in the car park and walk children to the marked drop off zone in front of Wettinger House, or for EY1 to the Old School House.
  • Students who arrive late must go to the front office to sign in.
  • In the afternoons, the basketball court will be closed to cars, as it will be a pick up point. Please be conscious of physical distancing as you wait for your child.
  • Teachers will bring their class to the top of the steps (EY1 - Gr 2) or the field (Gr 3 - Gr 5) for dismissal at the following times:

Grade

Pickup Time

EY1

3:05pm

EY2

3:05pm

KG

3:10pm

Gr 1 & Gr 3

3:15pm

Gr 2

3:20pm

Gr 4 & Gr 5 

3:25pm

 

The campus is closed to all students and parents at 3:30pm. You are required to leave the campus at the earliest opportunity.