While still recommended, face masks are not required in any school settings. Any students, staff or visitors who wish to continue to wear a mask may do so.
We ask that students continue to arrive at school from the usual time of 8.45am. All students will return to a 3.30pm dismissal from tomorrow. Parents are welcome into the school grounds for drop off and pick up. Please maintain physical distancing.
Students and staff who are household contacts of a COVID-19 case are no longer required to quarantine. They can return to school as long as they undertake rapid antigen tests (RAT) 5 times within their 7-day period and wear face masks indoors if they are aged 8 and above.
If any household contact returns a positive RAT result during this period, they must isolate for 7 days and not attend school.
After unpacking the new Operations Guide with our staff, this week's eNews will update the community on other details as soon as possible, including visitor arrangements for entering school buildings.
Thanks for all your support.
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18 November 2021
Kathy, Jo and I attended a DET Principals briefing after school today.
We ask parents to please note the following:
A new School Operations Guide is on the way but may take some time. It will contain more details about other school-related requirements, including adjustments to Rapid Antigen Testing.
Whole school and year level events scheduled for the remainder of this term, such as Kinder - Prep Transition, Year 5 Student Leadership, Prep - Year 5 Transition, Year 6 - 7 Transition and Year 6 Graduation, will continue with any new or necessary adjustments in place. We will confirm final arrangements as soon as we can.
Essentially, until we receive the new Operations Guide, primary schools (including LPS) need to maintain our current arrangements. Hopefully, that Guide will contain some much-anticipated news!
Thanks again for your patience.
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5 August 2021
On the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer, the Victorian Government has announced a state-wide lockdown for Victoria to swiftly address the newly emerging COVID-19 cases, reducing and restricting movement in the community for seven days.
18 November 2021Principals were invited to a meeting this evening, in lieu of an upcoming Operations Guide. Key points are listed below, along with additional information for LPS families:
- From tomorrow, our staff will be working remotely, including office staff.
- Remote and flexible learning resumes Monday 9 August. Schools are not expected to have this program up and running tomorrow.
- At this stage, schools should return to on-site learning from Friday 13 August.
- Until then, on-site learning is only available under strict conditions for approved families, due to the threat posed by the COVID-19 Delta strain.
- School is only open to on-site students and OSHC during the Lockdown. Please do not enter or use the school grounds during this time. (Update: this applies to the hours of 7 am - 6 pm Monday to Friday).
LPS families are also advised:
- Each year level already has a 'spare' LFH page on our LFH website for students to use tomorrow, to provide a seamless transition to LFH.
- Webex Essential, Webex Plus and Specialists@Webex will resume on Monday 9 August.
- Teachers will send Webex invitations to parents tomorrow.
- We plan to upload LFH tasks, initially for next Monday - Wednesday, before Monday.
- Thanks to Jodie and Cynthia, all school forms were uploaded to our new Forms page (under the Community tab on our website) during Lockdown 5.0. If you need to apply for on-site learning going into next week, or borrow a device, please use the forms on that page. These will be updated as more information becomes known.
- We plan to distribute devices tomorrow, to families who submit forms by 10 am, in preparation for Monday's Webex.
Finally, we just can't keep LFH eNews down! Expect to see that reliable communicator back soon.
Stay home and stay safe; that is certainly the most important thing right now.
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15 July 2021
On the advice of the Chief Health Officer, Victoria will have a state-wide lockdown from 11:59 p.m. tonight until at least 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
There is strong concern about the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, and the apparent susceptibility of children.
Face masks must now be worn indoors and outdoors at all times (except at home) by anyone over the age of 12 years.
Principals had a ten minute briefing tonight, in lieu of an Operations Guide that we hope to see before Monday.
All schools will switch to remote learning from tomorrow, however, due to the short notice, Learning from Home will have a ‘modified format’.
The expectation for all schools is that some learning tasks are provided for Monday and Tuesday.
We are grateful to Laburnum teachers for their preparation of some ‘emergency’ LFH tasks and plan to publish these tomorrow, beginning with English and Mathematics. Our teachers will plan additional tasks tomorrow and, as usual, we will email parents when the LFH website is updated.
Children who attended school onsite during the last lockdown remain eligible for onsite supervision, as long as their parents must work in authorised roles and there is no other option whatsoever for care. We urge parents to carefully consider the necessity of onsite learning, due to the escalating COVID-19 risk. Please email the school at laburnum.ps@education.vic.gov.au this evening if you require onsite supervision during your working hours on Friday, Monday or Tuesday. OSHClub is available for those families only.
We have done this before. We can do it again. Let’s all do it with integrity, following the rules, so we can resume school soon.
Stay home and stay safe.
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12 July 2021
On the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer, restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne were brought into alignment with regional Victoria from 11.59pm Thursday 8 July 2021. There are some updates for schools:
Stay safe everyone.
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18 June 2021
School Arrangements from Friday 18 June
The Victorian Government has announced new arrangements for schools in Victoria from and including Friday 18 June.Today, we will use the same end of the day arrangements as yesterday, with teachers in the playground assisting children. However, parents can also choose to enter the school grounds at 3:30 pm to pick up their children.
From Monday, once families have had an opportunity to consider this new information, parents can come onsite for drop off and pick up. At that time, we will revert to our usual yard duty supervision.
Key changes or points:
There is an important new update on the health directions under which all schools will be required to operate. The use of Service Victoria QR codes for electronic record keeping is mandatory for all workplaces to enable the effective contact tracing of any COVID-19 cases. This now includes all education sector workplaces, including schools. This will continue into Term 3, until further notice.
QR code check ins are required to be used by:
QR code check ins are not required to be used by:
Using the QR code system does not replace the existing requirement to also sign in at the office (for a specific purpose).
Out of School Hours Care programs (OSHClub) are also subject to the new QR code requirement and must register for their own codes and enforce check ins for visitors at their sites. (OSHClub are working on this)
Finally, schools have the option of reintroducing staggered start and finish times. At LPS, we hope to avoid this. To maintain the 'normal' school day arrangements, we hope that parents/carers follow the requirements listed above. Most importantly, this means reducing the congregation of adults within the school grounds. In a large school like ours, pick up and drop off are our highest-risk times.
Thank you for your support and understanding of this important health direction.
Stay safe.
Kim
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27 May 2021 (2)
Another LPS Update:
Further to our earlier update, we have been informed that schools have a student-free day tomorrow (Friday) to fully prepare for remote learning next week. Our teachers met after school today, are well-organised and will continue their team planning online and remotely from tomorrow to support families during remote learning. Parents can expect further information and resources, to augment the packs already sent home today for Monday – Wednesday.
Although we are still awaiting official advice, school staff (like everyone else) must work from home if they can, to limit movement across the community. Please email the school with any important matters, as the phones are now unattended.
Late this afternoon, OSHClub has communicated to all their Victorian schools ‘that unfortunately due to short notice and staffing implications, we are unable to offer a full day care type for tomorrow’s State-wide pupil free day’. From Monday 31 May, OSHClub will offer Before and After school care for children of ‘Authorised Workers’ only, who have been approved to attend on-site.
Parents who have scheduled Student Support Group Meetings with Ms Braden or Mrs Verbi next week are advised that these will go ahead as planned, via Webex.
Apologies for drip-feeding this information. We look forward to any DET advice; however, given the rapidly changing landscape, we intend to remain alert and flexible!
Take care everyone, and stay tuned.
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27 May 2021
You may have heard the announcement today that Victoria will begin a seven-day Circuit-breaker Lockdown from 11:59 pm tonight.
Your child will today bring home a pack of materials for their next three days of learning, including paper-based hard copies. Tomorrow, teachers will begin making further arrangements for the days after that.
If your child is absent, you may be able to arrange for someone else to collect their pack today.
As you can imagine, we expect advice will be sent to schools and will update parents once that is received. Unfortunately, our office is extremely short-staffed today, so we ask for your patience, rather than phoning the school.
Thank you also to those who have been COVID-19 tested recently, and/or vaccinated, as well as those parents constantly wearing their masks; helping us all in our attempts to protect our community from this virus.
Stay safe.
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25 May 2021
You may be aware that the Chief Health Officer has introduced additional restrictions today as a result of recent confirmed COVID-19 cases in Melbourne. We have received preliminary advice this afternoon.
From 6 p.m. today, all adults (including those over 12 years of age) must wear a mask whilst inside the school grounds or buildings.
We expect further information. Until then, other current arrangements (see below) remain in place.
We will update parents as soon as we can. Any changes to Education Week outdoor activities will be advised by email.
Stay safe everyone.
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29 April 2021
Late yesterday, schools received an updated Operations Guide. There are some further adjustments, which reflect that Victoria remains in a State of Emergency.
Please read the following information, as schools continue to have specific guidelines to maintain the safety of students, parents and visitors.
Density quotients for schools:
School Events, Activities, Excursions and Camps:
There are updated, detailed guidelines for excursions and school events, which are partly reproduced below.
Importantly, the Parent Consent form for excursions and camps has been updated to advise parents/carers that, when required, schools will be providing excursion venues with contact details of students for contact-tracing purposes.
Finally, our thoughts are with our Indian families, and their relatives and friends overseas, as the COVID situation escalates tragically there.
Take care everyone.
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28 March 2021
School principals received a brief update from DET on Friday evening.
Families would be aware that the Victorian Government has further relaxed its COVIDSafe settings from 6pm on Friday 26 March 2021.
Although there were changes made to visitors in the home, reduced mask wearing in some settings and updates to density limits in some settings, there are limited operational changes as yet for schools.
Unfortunately, the density limit of 1 person per 2 square metres continues to be applied to any school space or activity being attended by parents/carers and other visitors. The density limit applies to all persons in the space, including students.
Principals have been told to expect an updated Operations Guide sometime this week. We anticipate that may provide further clarity.
In the meantime, we appreciate parents, visitors and staff following the arrangements previously communicated (below).
Parents will be advised of further updates.
Thank you all for your support and patience.
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28 February 2021
As directed by the Victorian Chief Health Officer, this information updates previous advice to LPS families.
Although there are minimal changes to arrangements for Laburnum Primary School, please note the following, pending any further DET advice:
Any further updates will be emailed to parents.
Take care everyone and thank you for your ongoing support.
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17 February 2021
The Premier has this morning announced that schools will reopen tomorrow. Thank you so much to LPS families for your support, and to our staff for their incredible flexibility.
As we will remain on alert as a state until at least Friday 26 February, when the 14 day infection period is expected to conclude, please note the updated arrangements for LPS, pending any further DET advice:
Please return any completed work, as well as books or supplies that were sent home for these three days.
Parents will be emailed when there are further updates.
Take care everyone and see you soon!
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15 February 2021
We received updated information from DET late last night, which included the following information:
Schools should, to the extent possible, support continuity of learning from home. As we did last year, we will do all we can to support the wellbeing of all our students and to ensure that, as much as possible, learning continues over these three days.
This reflects the snap decision for a Circuit-breaker Lockdown and the expectation that students will return to school on Thursday.
Our teachers have sent home some essential supplies for these three days. Our LFH website contains learning tasks for Monday. The tasks for Tuesday and Wednesday will be uploaded as soon as they are ready. Thank you to our teachers for their efforts over the weekend.
Information that might be of assistance to you in talking to your child about COVID-19 is available. If you are concerned about your wellbeing or that of your child, please contact the school so we can talk with you about how we can best assist. Other sources of support include: Parent Line 13 22 89 and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
The Department has a range of options for you to continue to support your child in their learning, available at the Learning from Home webpage.
A web page with Learning from Home tips is available at: Support your child’s learning and this is available in more than 30 languages on Translated advice about learning from home.
Our LPS LFH for Parents page also includes some useful links.
Each family should regularly check the list of public exposure sites in Victoria (where a person with COVID-19 has attended), and if anyone in the family has attended a site at the times listed, follow the instructions given.
Parents are reminded that if you, your child, or a family member develops symptoms of COVID-19 you should get tested at a COVID-19 testing facility and stay home until all symptoms have ceased, even if the test is negative.
We do ask that any emails to Sentral teacher mailboxes wait until tomorrow, as our teachers are working remotely to prepare Learning Tasks for Tuesday and Wednesday. However, please do not hesitate to then contact your child’s teacher, or contact the school, if you have any concerns. Our office staff are also working remotely, so please use email.
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13 February 2021
Our teachers are ready to support your child’s learning from home on Monday - Wednesday this week, during the Stage 4 Circuit-breaker. DET has advised that this is currently different to the 2020 Remote Learning program, which will become apparent.
Parents should now have received an email with log-in and password information for our LFH website pages. You will need this to access learning resources next week for your child.
Teachers will meet Monday morning to prepare Monday’s learning tasks and we will email parents as soon as you can access these online.
Tuesday and Wednesday tasks will follow when they are completed.
We request that families return their Acceptable Use of Technologies Agreement as soon as possible. These can be emailed to laburnum.ps@education.vic.gov.au
Please use the Sentral teacher mailboxes after Monday if you need to contact teachers directly.
Parent Information sessions will proceed as planned on Tuesday and Thursday, via Webex.
Thanks for your support and patience over the next few days. Let’s all stay safe so we can welcome families back to school on Thursday.
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12 February 2021
The Victorian Government today announced new restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you can stay at home, you must.
In line with the directions issued from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, all Victorian schools will move to a period of remote and flexible provision from Monday 15 February to Wednesday 17 February inclusive.
The clear intention is that children should stay at home for these three days. As was the case in late 2020, only those students who meet Stage 4 COVID-19 guidelines will be eligible for onsite supervision. Families needing their children to attend should email the school, outlining their reasons for consideration, by midday tomorrow (Saturday).
At this stage, our teachers plan to provide learning materials via our website on Monday morning and we will send out an email alert when these are ready. Some resources were sent home today in school bags.
I expect to receive more information over the weekend and will update parents as necessary.
Take care and stay safe.
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4 February 2021
After the announcement last night about tightening restrictions due to a new COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne, this important update and reminder is conveyed to families. We have received preliminary advice overnight from DET.
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