Dr Carmel McGrath

Pupil Free Day Update

This week staff have been preparing online materials and setting up systems of operating for next term’s curriculum delivery.  Although we are unsure what term two will look like for all Education Queensland schools, we are making preparations for the possibility of schools remaining closed at the beginning of term.

If this is the case, our school may remain open for children whose parents are essential workers.  This is defined as workers who are required in their workplace and cannot work at home.  It is important that only students of these essential workers attend school.  If you are at all able to work or study at home or have another child carer at home, your child should be at home.

By keeping the attendance number of students minimal, we are better able to adhere to social isolation process, allowing the majority of our staff to work from home and care for their own families. In this possible scenario, a minimum number of staff will be at school to supervise students. 

If you are an essential worker and intend to send your child if this scenario became term two reality, please let us know by email to Principal@newfarmss.eq.edu.au  giving details of your employer and workplace.

Term 2 Events and Activities

Just a reminder that all annual special events and activities are cancelled for our first 5 weeks of term 2.  Once school resumes as normal, we will review the schedule of activities and notify you of changes and amendments.  Cancelled events include  ANZAC Day ceremony, City Cluster Leaders’ Project, High Achievers program, Year 2 Newstead House excursion, Yr 3 Looking at Living Incursion, Year 6 Canberra excurions (alternative planned), Cross Country (new date may be considered), Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN, Year 5 My Natural Hazards Incursions and Year 4 What a Load of Rubbish Incursion.

Holidays

I wish all families a very safe and healthy holiday.  It may be a holiday like no other, but I know that we can all be very inventive in creating some family fun within our homes and while still adhering to our social distancing guidelines.  I look forward to keeping in touch with you all and will update you on any changes to school operating procedures as I know more. 

Kay Bradley

If we do move onto learning from home next term, these frequently asked questions and answers should provide extra clarification.

Can I continue to send my child to school?

Yes, if you are an essential worker and are unable to work from home. The list of essential includes workers in the following areas:

• Food – production, distribution and retail
• Health – in addition to medical staff, this includes the manufacture, distribution and retail of health and hygiene products
• Emergency services – police, ambulance and fire services
• Schools
• Utilities – electricity, communications, water, sewerage and garbage
• Public transport.

Any parent requiring to send their child to school should send an email to Principal@newfarmss.eq.edu.au outlining their work and the name of their employer. This information will allow us to plan staffing for the students who need to be at school.

How much school work should I expect my child to do at home?

You will have to work out what best suits your family circumstances e.g. number of children at home, number of devices and your own well-being.  Although all curriculum areas are important, Maths, English, Science, Humanities (history and geography) and Digital Technology are the priority areas.

How do I get feedback from my child’s teacher?

Teachers will provide feedback to your child, in written or audio form. Teachers will respond to emails within 48 hours.

What arrangements are being made for feedback, to parents, on student progress?

All teachers will send home an interim report via email in week two, based on term one assessment.

I’ve received suggested activities for music, P.E. and Chinese.  I don’t feel confident supporting my child with these activities.  What should I do?

All our teachers are working from home and will provide you with some work that will continue your child’s learning.  Please contact the teacher for clarification and help if you feel unsure about the curriculum area.

I’m having technology problems and can’t access the curriculum content.  Who should I contact?

In the first instance, please contact your child’s class teacher.  If they can’t help, your issue will be sent to Mr Fenton our STEAM coach.  If your issue is linked to OneNote, or our curriculum resources, we may be able to help, otherwise you may need to contact your internet service provider.

I would rather my child did not use online learning resources, can the teacher supply hard copies of the learning materials?

This is a time that technology will be a great learning tool.  Teachers will be sending the content of lessons via OneNote.  You are able to adapt these tasks so that they can be done without the technology e.g. Mathletics lesson on multiplying single digits can be adapted to a paper and pencil task.

My child is finding the content too easy or too hard.  What differentiation is available?

Teachers are aware of the range of abilities within their class.  Each task will have differentiation attached so that you can help your child choose what suits them best.  In addition, teachers will be communicating regularly with our Inclusion team to provide differentiation for students receiving substantial or extensive support at school.

Each year level will also set a special interest project that students can access.  This will provide some extension for students requiring extra challenge.

The additional five Pupil Free days this week, are intended as an early holiday for students and no formal curriculum work is expected during this time.  Teachers are utilising these days preparing for the possibility of school closure in term two.  Any parents who wish to continue with learning, can use learning@home a website, accessible via the Queensland Education website.  It provides a range of activities to support students to continue their learning, as well as general advice and links to a range of high-quality public learning sites. 

We hope that you will take this time and the Easter holidays to relax and recuperate from a very stressful term.  The same advice is being given to all our staff. As such, teachers will not be answering emails during the holiday, but will be ready to continue with your child’s learning on Monday the 20th of April.    

This Thursday, 2 April, the school hall will be open for you to collect learning materials for your children. If your child’s classroom teacher has already supplied you with learning materials you do not have to visit the school.

For those families who do not have access to an adequate device an iPad will be supplied to you. Loan agreements will be prepared for signing on the day.

We will stagger the collection throughout the day to ensure a limited number of people are in the hall at any one time. Due to social distancing, parents must leave the school as soon as they have collected the learning materials. Please refer to the schedule below.

Thursday 2 April collection times

If you are unable to collect the materials at the allocated time, please visit the school between 3pm and 4pm. Also, if you have more than one child in the school, we will bundle the learning materials with the youngest child’s materials.

Finally, if you feel that your circumstances have changed since you provided information about the devices you have home, please email forms@newfarmss.eq.edu.au with a request for a school iPad. During these uncertain times, you can be assured that the staff at New Farm State School are here to support you.

At times of change, ‘What to Do’ Stories are an excellent way to explain changes to children. This strategy is another example of how we are an Autism Friendly School. These stories were developed originally from work with students with autism, but they are great for everyone! Attached is a ‘What to Do Story for Learning at Home’. Please read this with your student/s if we move to an on line learning platform next term. You will note that the story uses terms like ‘may’ rather than definites like ‘will’. This is to allow for the possibility of further change. You might have other aspects of your child’s life that could benefit from a What to Do Story. I encourage our parents to give it a go e.g. making your bed, helping out, doing the dishes etc.

Prep 2020

Chinese Lion Dance

Harmony Day

Possum naming competition

We would like to thank our sponsors for their continuing support for 2020.