Dear Primary Parents and Caregivers,
The following information is designed to provide further detail to our Principal and Assistant Principal’s messages from earlier this week.
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your cooperation, support and encouragement as we have navigated through these days of remote learning, and now into the transition to the reintroduction of classes on-site for the remainder of this term. Your ongoing involvement, care and feedback is always appreciated and welcomed, and for this, we are most grateful. To re-iterate Steve Tidey’s observation, God has certainly enabled a rediscovery of our ability to adapt and create new ways of teaching and learning in ways that we may never have experienced had the chaos of the past months not occurred. In all of this, however, I believe that we are doing well.
To ensure the best student outcomes, we know that face-to-face contact between students and teachers is vital. Each of our BCC students are loved, valued and cared for, and we want them to be able to engage with their teachers on-site as soon as safely possible.
Our plan is for Primary School students to re-establish regular contact in class and Stage groups with their teachers at school through a phased return to onsite learning from next week, Monday 11 May (Week 3).
Over the coming weeks, student attendance will increase from a class/Stage group onsite ONE day a week (Weeks 3 & 4), two groups here TWO days a week (Weeks 5 & 6), and then, as health advice shows improved outcomes, the College intends to transition to full attendance for the final four weeks of term (Wks 7-10), with students following their normal school timetable. Please also be advised that there will be provision for students of essential workers and those who are unable to be supervised at home as there has been in Weeks 1 and 2. Please note: Winter Uniform is expected, with Winter Sports uniform worn on rostered days for your child’s class.
Further to this, we will continue with recommended hygiene and advised control measures in place. Of course, students with increased health risks may keep learning from home. The details regarding this phased approach is in the table below and an overview is available using this link https://bcc.nsw.edu.au/covid-19/back-to-school
I would ask parents to be aware that this plan is subject to change due to government directives, health advice and local circumstances.
Finally, for Drop Off and Pick Up upon return to school, we ask that in reference to the Principal’s request, Primary parents adhere to the following more specific guidelines:
Beginners:
Drop Off:
Parents to walk their child to the gate outside Beginners (carpark side) and wait at the gate for Miss G. Parents are asked to not enter through the gate. From there, Miss G will escort children to Beginners as they arrive.
Pick Up:
Pick Up time, parents are to collect their child promptly outside the gate (carpark side). Miss G and Mrs. McNamara will be waiting with children with their belongings. Parents are asked to not enter through the gate, and remain at a safe distance from other parents.
If parents have older children attending school on the same day as a Beginners child, they are to collect their Beginners child ‘first’ and then drive over to the Pick Up zone for Primary students. Older siblings should not be sent to Beginners to collect their younger siblings.
Kindergarten:
Drop Off:
All parents are asked to remain in their vehicles at all times. Student Leaders or College staff members will be on hand from 8.20am, to assist young children from cars and to guide them to their classrooms as needed. If a Kindergarten child has an older sibling, they may escort their brother or sister to the classroom. For reluctant Kindergarten students without an older sibling refusing to walk with a leader or College staff member, leaders will seek the classroom teacher/call for assistance.
Pick Up:
Parents of Kindergarten students whose children are not going to OSHC or catching buses, are asked to pick up their child at 2.40pm from the Pick Up area. Parents are asked NOT to get out of the car. A College staff member will escort each child to their parent’s car.
Stages 1-3:
Drop Off:
All parents are asked to remain in their vehicles at all times. Student Leaders or College staff members will be on hand from 8.20am, to assist young children from cars and to guide them to their classrooms as needed. If a child has an older sibling, they may escort their brother or sister to the classroom.
Pick Up:
Parents of Stage 1 to Stage 3 students whose children are not going to OOSH or catching buses, are asked to pick up their child at 2.50pm from the Pick-Up area. If a child has an older sibling, they may collect their younger brother or sister from classrooms, and escort their brother or sister to the Pick Up area. Parents are asked NOT to get out of the car. College staff will direct children to their parent’s car.
We all look forward to welcoming our students back over the course of the next few weeks as they transition to more face-to-face teaching.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, or would simply like to touch base.
Kind regards
Mrs Leoni McNeill
Head of Primary School