Dear Primary Families and Caregivers,

At Belmont Christian College, we are committed to supporting all of our students and families. We strive to fulfill the needs of all students in all areas of their learning and wellbeing.

Facing remote learning again and having experienced it last year, we recognise that many students love and thrive on learning from home. However, the reality is that some may not respond as positively in the home learning environment and so we would like to help facilitate this for both students and parents.

To assist in supporting all students’ learning and motivation in a healthy and balanced way, we are offering an additional, ‘optional’ program called ‘Wellbeing Wednesday’ which will start on Wednesday, 18th August, 2021.

The program aims to fulfil each child’s academic needs, as well allow them to enjoy their daily undertakings in unique, creative, thought-provoking, wholesome and active ways.

In accordance with the ‘Primary School Remote Learning Guide’ that was emailed to parents last week, teachers will upload school work each day. The platforms used are Seesaw or Google Classroom in Primary and classwork delivery remains as per the guide.

‘Wellbeing Wednesday’ provides the option of a less demanding work expectation and output for students on that particular day. This will be guided by parents at home. It should be clearly understood that the day’s schoolwork will always be provided by teachers to students and parents on a daily basis. Parents may choose to continue with this daily pattern, or take advantage of Wellbeing Wednesday at times that suit the family.

Please note that important assessment tasks will not be set on Wellbeing Wednesday. These will be uploaded on other school days as per the classroom teacher’s guidelines.

Students who attend school may bring their own activities such as art, craft, board games etc. as well as being provided with school resources. Students will be fully guided and supported by teachers.

Further, we are acutely aware that there is a concerning amount of screen time that children are now exposed to, and we would like to help reduce this time where we can.

Here are some ideas/options from which students may choose. Parents and children may like to select a variety of these different options depending on what suits each one’s fancy for the day:

1. Write grandparents or relatives an ‘I love you’ letter
2. Read the Bible and write a personal devotion that means something to you and or your loved ones
3. Play outside – skip, kick a ball, run laps around the garden – skipping, hopping, jumping then take your pulse after each lap and write the readings down. Do the same thing on another day and compare the readings and talk about why they may be different
4. Collect leaves or stones or shells and make a collage
5. Doodle/colour in – mindful colouring books?
6. Read a book of interest/choice
7. Cook with mum or dad – make pizza for lunch?
8. Journal – write and draw about everything they are grateful for (at least five things); pray about these things and thank God
9. Sketch a scene sitting in a chair in the garden and post it to a friend with a letter
10. Do a small job around the house that you wouldn’t normally do (pick out of the hat – created by parent) eg. clean out the cutlery drawer
11. Sew or create
12. Just simply play with toys/Lego
13. Puzzles
14. Draw a cartoon strip about what they did on the weekend
15. Video family or siblings singing a song together, or ask parents to video
16. Create a play or write a song
17. Learn to use chopsticks to pick up small items
18. Draw a picture for a sibling or parent to colour in
19. Write a speech about what they are grateful for and try to memorise it (record and send to teachers or friends).
20. Play schools with dolls/toys and teach them how to add and subtract (parent to video) – send to teacher
21. Count the number of items in the living room or bedroom or garden beginning with the first letter of their name, and write these in a list
22. Pull out five weeds from the garden, including the roots!
23. Water the garden!
24. Dress up in a fun outfit/character, take a photo and ask classmates to guess who they are – competition with classmates
25. Make up a one-minute dance & video it
26. Blindfold a family member and do a taste test (using 3-4 different ‘safe’ foods)
27. Read a devotion to a family member and talk about it
28. Make a fancy collar for your family pet
29. Make a cubby – inside or out
30. Draw your family pet doing their favourite thing – send it to your teacher and friends with a written explanation
31. Play with your pet with their favourite toys
32. Do your mum’s makeup!
33. Join a paper plane challenge (your teachers can provide details)
34. Read a book and ask a parent to video you reading. Playback and repeat to see if you can make improvements to your expression and enunciation
35. Make a mud pie & decorate it (outside!)
36. Rearrange your bedroom (or talk to your teacher about the classroom!)
37. Create a Merit Award Certificate for a member of your family and present it to them in your own special way
38. Free choice (approved by parents or teachers!)

As always, teachers are available for contact throughout Monday to Friday within the usual College hours.

I trust that this helps Primary families during this time of remote learning. Please know that you are in our prayers daily, and we are here to support you however we are able.

Kind regards

___________________________
Leoni McNeill
Head of Primary

Belmont Christian College
Phone: (02) 49228300
Email: college@bcc.nsw.edu.au
Web: www.bcc.nsw.edu.au
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Street: 65 John Fisher Road, Belmont NSW 2280
Post: PO Box 492, Belmont NSW 2280