Dear Parents/Caregivers
I thank you again for all your responses regarding whether your children will be attending school for the first 4 weeks of Term 2. With the current responses, so far there will be 30 children staying at home, 64 students attending school, and 26 students who we have not received responses for. Thank you to those parents for assisting us with planning by responding to the request for information.
Below is some information in line with other WA Catholic schools, with some information specific to Holy Rosary.
As you may be aware, Premier Mark McGowan announced Term Two arrangements for public schools in Western Australia on Friday 17 April. The following sets out Holy Rosary School’s arrangements for Term Two, which reflects the guiding principles of Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA):
- The health and safety of our students and staff remain our first priority.
- All students will continue to be provided with a quality Catholic education.
- Decisions regarding school education will continue to be informed by national and state-based health and education advice, and align with the National Principles for School Education.
THREE-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN – YEAR 6 STUDENTS
- From the start of Term Two on Wednesday 29th April, parents and caregivers may choose to keep their children at home to engage in flexible, remote learning, either online and/or via work packs. As has been the case since our school transitioned to flexible and remote learning in Term One, this approach particularly allows parents and caregivers who are engaged in essential services or are required to maintain employment to send their children to school if they are unable to care for them at home.
- Should parents and caregivers choose to send their children to school, these students will receive the same curriculum program as the children learning at home, delivered in the classroom environment.
- Please be aware that we will endeavour to ensure all our students, whether learning at home or at school, receive the same program and are not disadvantaged if they are learning at home or at school.
STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOL
- Parents and caregivers need to advise the school if your child will be attending school from Wednesday 29 April. This is necessary to ensure appropriate plans are in place to comply with the Department of Health’s physical distancing advice. It also ensures the school is able to make appropriate arrangements for student supervision while ensuring teaching and learning continues. Please reply to the texts sent to you if you have not already.
- Medically compromised students are asked to remain at home until they receive a medical clearance to attend school. Online learning and/or work packs will be provided to these students.
- Parents and caregivers are not permitted on school property other than to drop off or pick up their children, at which time they must not exit their vehicle.
- If parents and caregivers are walking their children to and from school, they should undertake their drop off or pick up at the back gate nearest to the basketball court.
- Students in Early Years will be escorted by an Early Years staff member to their classroom.
- Assemblies, excursions, interschool activities and school-based co-curricular activities will not recommence until advice is received from the Department of Health that it is safe to do so.
- There will be no lunch orders available from BP Colac for the first 4 weeks of term.
- CLEANING : The school will continue to ensure that environmental cleaning practices are in place, with a cleaner employed for extra hours throughout the day to disinfect toilets, playground and classroom surfaces at specific times throughout the school day.
- Students will be required to continue with the hygiene practices put in place in Term One and will need to follow the physical distancing measures that are needed to ensure the safety of all students and staff.
- Classes that normally share resources such as pencils etc. will have those materials divided between students and not shared.
- HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL BUS SERVICE : The private school town bus (White bus) will still be running, please email the school at admin@hrsderby.wa.edu.au as soon as possible if wish your child to be picked up.
I wish to reiterate that during this period, our staff will continue to ensure we best support our students’ learning from home, as well as those students who may be at school. We acknowledge that it will be important to maintain regular contact between the school and parents and caregivers.
At this difficult time, I wish to reassure every parent and caregiver that the ongoing enrolment of every child in our school is guaranteed. I encourage parents seeking financial support arrangements to discuss one of the following options, which are immediately available to all families with children in Catholic schools:
- The Centrelink Health Care Card Discount Scheme provides an automatic fee concession to the holders of eligible means-tested family concession cards. This discount applies to all year levels from Kindergarten to Year 12. Additional financial considerations are also available depending on each family’s circumstance.
- For parents and caregivers who do not qualify for the Health Care Card discount, but who are experiencing financial difficulties, arrangements can be made to provide immediate support to assist you with tuition costs.
Please do not hesitate to call me on 0409 533 651 or email me at Yvette.clifton@cewa.edu.au if you have any questions.
Yours sincerely
Yvette Clifton