Principal’s Update – 21 August 2021: Return to Remote Learning

Today the Victorian Government announced that Victoria would enter a state-wide lockdown from 1.00pm, Saturday 21 August. At this stage, the restrictions will be maintained until Thursday 2 September 2021. We will continue to communicate if changes occur and will confirm any return to onsite learning when we receive confirmation from authorities.

Monday 23 August is a pupil-free day. The day will provide staff with the opportunity to prepare for the extended lockdown and allow the College to prepare for the other new restrictions.  The restriction for students and staff onsite has changed.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE ON SITE

Remote and flexible learning is applicable to all students except those in the following categories:

Category A

Children where both parents and or carers are considered authorised workers who cannot work from home, work for an essential provider and where no other supervision arrangements can be made:

• Where there are two parents/carers, both must be essential workers, working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.
• For single parents/ carers, the essential worker must be working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for on-site provision.

Category B

Children experiencing vulnerability, including:

• in out-of-home care
• deemed vulnerable by a government agency, funded family or family violence service, and assessed as requiring education and care outside the family home
• identified by a school or early childhood service as vulnerable, (including via referral from a government agency, or funded family or family violence service, homeless or youth justice service or mental health or other health service).
• Where a parent/carer indicates that a student with a disability is vulnerable because they cannot learn from home, and/or informs the school the student is vulnerable due to family stress, the school must provide onsite supervision for that student.

Those approved students will be completing the remote learning program in the Sister Aloysius Martyn Arts Centre at Coolock, commencing Tuesday 24 August from 8.45am. The updated application process will be provided to families on Monday. Buses will still be operating for those students.

REMOTE LEARNING

Remote learning will commence on Tuesday 24 August 2021. For the remote learning days next week, students will follow their normal timetable and should refer to SIMON for links to class materials and Google Meet links.

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has advised that the General Assessment Test (GAT) is currently scheduled for Thursday 9 September 2021. We will receive further public health advice about safety requirements for conducting the GAT. At this point there are no changes to the VCE Exam schedule.

If your child/ren does not have their required learning resources at home, we ask that you await further advice from the College. There will be more detail provided outlining the process for accessing the College in the near future.

All staff will require permits to attend the workplace and there will be no unauthorised visitors.

Our main concern continues to be the safety and wellbeing of all members of our school community and the continued learning for our students. Please remember to follow health advice and check Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) COVID information and get tested if you have any symptoms.

Kind regards

Brian Turner, Principal