Term 3 and 4 Arrangements

We have mixed feelings about the latest guidelines for the return to face to face teaching. We are excited that our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students will return to their classrooms from Monday the 12^th of October. However, we are also disappointed that we are waiting to hear when our Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 students will be able return to face to face teaching. Our teachers remain committed to supporting all of their students, in the classroom and when delivering the remote learning program. The Year 3-6 teachers are working together to explore ways to keep their students motivated throughout the extended remote learning period.

The details about the easing of the restrictions that I provided on Monday can be found here:

Feedback on Remote Learning Program

There were 65 responses to our latest feedback survey.

The following percentages indicate what is working well for your child/children:

Here are some examples of the way that you are motivating your children:

• Having regular breaks, if it seems that learning is not going to be a positive experience that day we abandon it and come back to it another day
• Rewards systems
• Break up the day with craft and inquiry based projects
• Going for walks and having time to play outside
• Following a structure and routine of the day
• Make sure that there is a distinction between school activities and home activities
• Using checklists and well-organised folders with tabs for different subjects
• Focus on one subject a day
• Completing all of the school work in the morning
• Talking through the weekly planner together and asking my child to take responsibility for which tasks they will be complete during the day
• Asking friends or grandparents to help my child with learning tasks via WebEx.

Parent Teacher Meetings

We are looking forward to tomorrow’s parent teacher meetings so that you can discuss your child’s progress and their learning goals for the remainder of the year. Your child is welcome to attend these meetings so that they can contribute to the discussion. Please remember that these meetings are being held in teachers’ WebEx meeting rooms.

Recording Absences during Remote Learning

The Department of Education is monitoring student attendance throughout remote and flexible learning and we are expected to record attendance and absences in a similar way as we do when students are attending school in the classroom. Your child will be marked as being present on any day that they attend a morning check in or check out, or a live lesson or small group conference. They will be marked absent if the teacher does not see them at all on any given day. Please approve any recorded absences on Compass in the usual way.

Prep 2021 Transition Program

We held our first 2021 Prep Transition Information Session last night via WebEx. At this stage, the transition program will be held remotely until such time that our new Prep students can visit classrooms. Thank you to Sophie Herbert for leading the transition program and for her flexibility in this interesting year. Please contact Karen at ivanhoe.east.ps@education.vic.gov.au if you are yet to enrol your child who is starting in Prep next year.

2021 Planning

Please advise us as soon as possible if you know your child will not be attending Ivanhoe East Primary School next year. This information will assist us with our planning for 2021.

Justine Mackey