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Dear Parents and Carers
I would like to thank you all for your ongoing support whilst undertaking learning from home options over recent weeks. Families and staff have at times been challenged and frustrated, but also we have seen incredible growth, resilience and courage demonstrated. Staff are positive and appreciative of how you have engaged with us and we thank you sincerely – we could not have done this without you!
The Premier has now announced that Primary Schools can return to onsite delivery of teaching and learning from the 25th of May. As of Friday the 22nd of May, our Canvas work platform will close. For students that are kept home beyond this return date, parents will support learning through resources such as the Learning from Home web portal on the DoE website.
As we continue to plan and prepare for students returning to school, we are also planning changes to how we will operate as a school in order to comply with health recommendations.
From Monday the 25th of May, students will return to their own classroom and work with their own teacher/s. Staffing is stable and consistent with where we left onsite delivery late last term. The only change will be Mrs Jemma Duncan has returned from Maternity leave and will be working alongside the 4/5 class for 2 days a week while Mrs Biffin is redeployed to another role in the school. Mrs Biffin will support Mrs Duncan to get started in the 4/5 classroom. This adjustment may be temporary, pending DoE decisions yet to be made.
We sincerely welcome back Mrs Duncan and are already so appreciative of her work with our online platform this term.
Physical Distancing in Schools during COVID 19
On Monday a letter from me was posted to all families. Health and hygiene at school is critical so we will continue to ensure additional safety measures are in place across our school. This letter outlines some specific information in regard to staggered start and finish times as well as different entry/exit points for all students. Your letter was personalised, and the information it contained is specific to your child.
While it is safe to send your child/ren to school, we still need adults to maintain a distance from other adults. We have adopted the Education Departments – ‘Stop, Drop and Go’ for all drop offs and pick ups. This means that wherever possible we ask adults to remain in cars, or stand outside their car, and not to gather together in groups. The school entry and exit points will not open until 8:30am of a morning and at the designated staggered finish time at the end of the day. Staff will meet students at the entry/exit points to support your child to enter the school. Please try to remain in your car and encourage students to walk to the staff member independently. Kinder students will be met at the main Kinder gate and supported by a Kinder staff member. Please support us with the staggered collection times of students at the end of the day. We will be assisting students to meet parents at their cars and planning for quick collection.
Students riding bikes/scooters will enter/exit from William Street and will be dismissed at 2:40pm. Students walking to school will enter/exit from Catherine Street and will be dismissed at 2:50pm. Bus students will be supported at the front office from 2:50pm. We have limited supervision available beyond pick up times, so we ask that students are picked up on time to ensure the process runs smoothly. If you are having difficulty with drop off and pick up arrangements, please call a member of Senior Staff to discuss. More information is available on the Department of Education website: www.education.tas.gov.au
We want to make school as safe as possible for everyone. Feel free to ask questions if you require further information. We will monitor the staggered drop off times for the week starting 25th of May and let families know by Friday the 29th of May if there are any changes starting from Monday the 1st of June. The pickup and exit points will be in place until the end of Term 2 at this stage. Students will be provided hand sanitiser on their entry to the classroom. Before school play will not be available for the first week back for students.
Throughout the day, parents are requested to limit entry to the school building and to contact the school by phone if possible. If you do need to access the school, please only enter via the front door and adhere to the physical distancing requirements whilst in the office area.
Staying Connected
We are aware that it will be more challenging than usual to stay connected with your child’s teacher when families are unable to be on site. To allow communication to occur we have the following systems in place:
- Stay connected with our school Facebook page and Schoolzine app as well as our fortnightly newsletters for school updates.
- Senior Staff can be contacted via phone during school hours.
- All class teachers will create 'Class Dojo' accounts to ensure you can stay directly connected with your child's teacher. The information for how to access this will be sent home with students on the 25th of May. If you have any messages to communicate with teachers, 'Class Dojo' is an effective, efficient way to do so.
We highly value staying connected with all families during these coming weeks and months. Please do not hesitate to make contact with school if you require support, clarification or need to discuss information specific to your child.
Our preference is that parents contact teachers via 'Class Dojo', or to call the school and teachers will return your call when available to do so. Please do not contact teachers directly via personal Facebook pages or Messenger. We also ask that staff are not contacted outside of the hours 8:00am-5:00pm. Teachers have been asked to respond to messages in work hours only, so please be patient if you do not receive an immediate answer.
We recognise that plans will change over the coming week and we ask for your patience and flexibility as this occurs.
Sickness
Any student who has cold or flu like symptoms including a raised temperature will not be allowed to attend school. In the past, students presenting with small coughs and sniffles have been allowed to stay at school, however there are now strict guidelines not permitting any staff, parent, visitor or student access to the site if they show any cold or flu like symptoms. If you are contacted to collect your child from school because they are unwell, we ask you do so as quickly as possible.
If you child needs to be absent from school for sickness, please contact Maree in the office and let her know.
Reminders
- If you have a take home pack and work to return to school, please return these in an envelope in your child's bag when your child comes back to school.
- If you borrowed a device from the school (computer, ipad), please return these to school on Monday the 25th with your child (or alternatively call the office to arrange drop off of devices).
- Toys/Equipment are not to come to school with children (including soft toys, footballs etc).
- We also ask that for the remainder of the term, students do not re-enter the school site (playgrounds) after hours as this will allow all outdoor structures and equipment to be sanitised.
- No LIL until further notice.
- No Library or Home Reader borrowing until further notice.
- ‘Grab and Go Breakfast Packs’ will be available on Tuesday and Friday of the first week back (reviewed weekly - updated).
- Students are not to bring food or cakes to share until we are advised otherwise.
- Canteen and icy pole sales will not occur in Term 2.
- Volunteer and Parent Help Programs will not resume until further notice.
- Banking will not occur until otherwise advised.
- No assemblies until further notice.
- School Association AGM – date to be decided in coming weeks.
As Students return to School
As always, we will have high expectations of our students in regard to following our school values and behaviour non-negotiables. Our RRR (Behaviour Support Process) is very clear. All families will be communicated with via letter or phone call if their child is exited from the playground or classroom for not following our identified behaviour rules and expectations. We expect all members of our school community to be Kind, Respectful and Safe. Our non-negotiables are:
- No swearing
- No hurting others with our bodies
- No hurting others with our words or gestures
- Being respectful (of ourselves, our teachers, our peers, our environment and our uniform)
If a student breeches one of our non-negotiable rules they will have a period of time out of the classroom or playground completing a restorative session/s with Senior Staff (this is called a RRR). If your child take part in a RRR conference, families will be notified via letter. All letters must be signed and returned to school to acknowledge they have been received and read. If a student continues to breech the non-negotiables, families will be asked to attend a meeting to complete an ‘Individual Behaviour Plan’ with your child, child’s teacher and Senior Staff. This is a formal process and we aim to be open and transparent with families in regard to behaviour and ask for your support to maintain high expectations in this regard. Families were incredible in their support of this process during Term 1. Our aim is to work with you to better support your child and help them alleviate hurdles and have them reach success in learning and play.
Further, we have very high expectations of students in uniform. If you require support to ensure your child is in full school uniform, please contact Senior Staff and clothing support/uniform assistance may be able to help. Hats do not need to be worn in Term 2. We do ask that families remind students that plain grey or white socks are to be worn and brands should not be displayed on socks.
Wellbeing Team
We are really looking forward to starting our onsite teaching and learning delivery to students again from the 25th. A wellbeing Support Team (of staff from school) have been identified to support all students and families with their transition back to school. If you, or your child require any additional support over the coming weeks, please do not hesitate to contact the school and we will have a person ring you back as soon as possible.
We have a new and different ‘normal’ for now. Again, don’t hesitate to contact me at any time if you or your child have questions or require some support to help us navigate this ‘new and different’ way of working together. I continue to be thankful for the incredible Longford community and how you have supported each other and the school during the pandemic. I ask that you continue to find innovative ways to stay connected to each other and our school as we move into the second part of Term 2 together.
Feedback
When the time is right, and we have all found our feet again, we will reach out and ask for some feedback around the things we have learnt from the new way of working. What you enjoyed, disliked, what you hope we keep and continue to do, and if we ever need to learn from home again in the future, what you would like school to know first! Stay posted!
Support Staff Week
On Monday we acknowledged the amazing work our support staff do with a morning tea. Thank you to our Teacher Assistants, Office Team, EFA’s and our support team including Chaplain, Speech Pathologist, Psychologist, Social Worker and School Nurse. We appreciate you all and everything you do.
Continue to take care and stay safe,
Carolyn Sutton
Principal
Breakfast Grab and Go bags will be available from Tuesday. It is a little challenging for us to know who may need breakfast at the moment as students are reporting straight to their classrooms before school. Please don’t hesitate to contact the school if you would like breakfast packs made up for your children and these will be delivered to them directly. Any questions – please ask!
Happy Reading!
Mrs Biffin
Hoodies
Our Grade 6 Leavers Hoodies are in the school office ready to be collected at a cost of $40. For easy collection please send cash with your child to school or phone the office to make other arrangements.
Welcome to Cressy District High School
These links are provided to give you some information to help your decision making about Year 7 next year. We believe CDHS is an excellent option and encourage you to consider the many benefits of our school.
If you would like more information, have queries or prefer to speak to someone personally we invite you to contact our school.
Please click below to view our Prospectus for 2021.
Video link: https://youtu.be/JqdWFfV7xeg
2021 Prospectus Link: https://www.paperturn-view.com/cressy-district-high-school/cdhs-prospectus-2021?pid=OTE91239
To request more information: http://bit.ly/CDHS2021
Great Australian Cross Country Challenge
Primary School Sports Tasmania is kindly paying for students of their association schools to participate in the Great Australian Cross Country (GACC). Parents are required to register their child if they wish to be involved, you do require a code.
As we are still unsure of the road ahead we would be encouraging students to register and participate in this event.
The PROMO CODE is TASSIEXC
Please head to https://gaccc.com.au/ for further details.
https://gaccc.com.au/?fbclid=IwAR14Qz8rZzsgCkV46KXv_uaPiEe-3gP4yUti_xtEFz2zVK79QFk1H4e0APQ
What is GACCC?
The Great Australian Cross Country Challenge is a 'virtual race' meaning you still go for a run (or walk), but you can choose where and when. It can be outside, on a treadmill, you can do it with your family or friends (within social distancing guidelines of course!).
The Specifics
Cost: Longford is a registered school you will just need to enter the PROMO CODE supplied by the school.
When: You can start running and recording your results from May 15th – August 31st. Race as many times as you like, submitting your best results.
Where: On any surface you like – sand, grass, footpath, roadside, back yard, treadmill etc. (when choosing where, make sure you discuss this with an adult that is caring for you).
How does it work?
Register: To register for GACCC head to gaccc.com.au. When completing your registration, add the PROMO CODE supplied by your school.
Run/Walk: Run, walk, roll or stroll your way through your age division distance, using your mobile phone or watch to track your distance and time.
Record: Visit the Results Hub at gaccc.com.au to upload your results and see where you are coming in your region, state and around Australia.
The staff of Longford Primary would like to thank the Members of Longford Rotary for your kind gift acknowledging each of us as essential workers. Your ongoing support of Longford Primary is always appreciated.
2020
Term 1 |
Tuesday 4th February Professional Learning/Student Free Day Wednesday 5th February to Thursday 9th April Thursday 9th April Moderation Day/Student Free Day Easter: Friday 10th April to Monday 13th April |
Term 2 |
Monday 27th April to Friday 3rd July |
Term 3 |
Monday 20th July to Friday 25th September Monday 20th July Professional Learning/Student Free Day |
Term 4 |
Monday 12th October to Thursday 17th December Friday 30th October Professional Learning/Student Free Day |
The Breastscreen Tasmania bus is visiting Longford, refer to the attached flyer for more information.
Leadership Staff
Principal | Mrs Carolyn Sutton |
AST | Miss Jacinta Doran |
AST | Mrs Jen Copeland |
AST | Mrs Mel Biffin |
Support Staff
Chaplain | Mrs Bec Cameron | Tuesday, Friday |
Psychologist | Mrs Allison Maloney | Tuesday |
School Nurse | Miss Chanelle McCormack | Alternate Wednesday/Friday |
Social Worker | Mrs Shelley Lawes | Thursday |
Speech Pathologist | Miss Carla Dinale | Monday, Tuesday |