As of Monday 16 August schools will commence learning from home to minimise the spread of COVID - 19, as per the media release from the NSW Department of Education. We are now classified as a school operating with level 4 restrictions. Parents and carers must keep children – across primary and secondary school – at home unless they need to be at school. Please remain up to date with all the changes by accessing the advice for families link below.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families
We thank you in supporting the tough decisions that we have to make and the directives we are obligated to follow. Our concern is always for the wellbeing of our students, staff and greater community.
Principals will be provided with regular updates from the NSW Department of Education and NSW Health. We will continue to keep parents updated via our Facebook feed and school email system.
In preparation for learning from home our staff have developed work for our students to access whilst they are not able to attend face to face lessons. Booklets and activity packs to support learning for Years K – 12 will be provided to all students via mail or pick up from the front of the school on Monday. In addition to this, all students from Years 2 – 12 will receive an email via their student email address with access to their class work through the Google Classroom platform. Students in Kindergarten and Year 1 have access to their learning materials through SeeSaw.
Online learning activities to support each stage group and subject as well as advice for parents and carers to support learning at home can be found at the following links:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/learning-from-home/learning-at-home
You can also assist your child by making sure they know their Department of Education log-on details and know how to check their emails.
Communications with your classroom teacher will be available via email with Years K-6 utilising the SeeSaw platform for additional means of communication. If you have not signed up for SeeSaw we strongly encourage you do. Phone call requests if required may be made via email in which the teacher will contact you via the number provided to the school.
While at school, masks or face coverings are required in all indoor settings for all students in Year 7 and above. Masks have been provided to the secondary department and will be available on entry to the school if for some reason students do not have access to a mask.
Some exemptions apply:
· Staff are not required to wear a mask or face covering where it may affect the ability of a student or students to hear or engage with them, such as where students are hard of hearing.
· Staff and students are not required to wear a mask where they are alone in an office or classroom.
· Masks or face coverings are not required to be worn by a staff member or student who has a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, that makes wearing a mask unsuitable. For example, if they have a skin condition, an intellectual disability, autism or trauma, they are not required to wear a mask. Refer to Face mask rules on the NSW Government websiteExternal link.
For more information, refer to Masks and face coverings.
Masks remain mandatory on public transport. This applies to students aged 13 years and over, and staff when travelling to and from school and during school excursions by public transport or by chartered or private transport services.
Canteen facilities will be unavailable, and all students will be required to bring their recess and lunch.
A skeleton staff will be available for the supervision of students who must be in attendance. Both students learning from home and at school will be completing the same work.
Our HSC students will receive their usual lesson via their online learning platform and be in regular communication with their teacher. It is expected that all students in Stage 6 will follow and complete their usual timetabled lessons each day.
Our TAFE students should access their courses virtually. Please check your emails and stay in communication with your teacher. If you are having difficulty, please contact Mrs Gasson who can provide you with some assistance.
From Monday, laptops will be available from the school to assist students who do not have access to their online learning platforms. Please contact the school on Monday to organise for the loaning of this device.
I thank you for your ongoing support of the school and our Bingara community. These decisions have not been made to cause alarm but rather play our part in the implementation of reasonable steps to protect our most vulnerable members of the community.
Mrs Brooke Wall | Principal
Learning From Home at BCS
Learning From Home Time Table
