Today's Specialists@Webex sessions were well-attended, although we had technical issues in one session. This was apparently due to an accident that has affected the NBN. Thankfully, these issues are rare and we're a resilient community by now!

Specialist teachers will also be working with some individual students next week as part of our online Intervention program. Webex invitations will be sent to those students' families by the weekend.

Schools received a DET update today, with few changes other than a return to written applications for on-site attendance. The new form reflects the gravity of the current COVID-19 situation, and we have a responsibility to follow the rules and intentions of the new guidelines. If you wish to apply for consideration for on-site attendance, please return this form to the school email address ASAP.

In a rapidly-changing environment where we receive little or no notice of decisions, our teachers are planning LFH in three day blocks. When we upload the next Learning from Home pages, we'll include a 'spare' page for next Wednesday, just in case the lockdown continues. Please factor this into your LFH home schedule next week. Thanks to our teachers, who are planning in short bursts for both LFH and a possible return to school, which are two different programs.

We have been distributing some school computers to families who needed these. As our technician returned to work today to prepare some devices for borrowing, please fill in this form and return to school email if you need to borrow a device.

Parents are advised that we have received an important message from Epic! We know our students have loved using this resource and are disappointed that we cannot do anything about reduced access to this U.S. resource:

We wanted to let you know that Epic Free—which offers students up to 2 hours of after-school reading a week—will be ending on July 22. At that time, those with Epic Free accounts will transition to Epic Basic accounts, which gives them access to 1 book a day, every day. This change will not impact students’ access to Epic School during regular school hours.

When the pandemic closed schools last year, we introduced Epic Free to make our library available to students at home for free. It’s been a privilege to help inspire reading, discovery and connection during an unprecedented time.

Please consider this in your child's use of online resources after 22 July. If your child is doing LFH outside of school hours, please prioritise the use of Epic! for learning tasks. Teachers will continue to provide our other Reading resources for recreational reading, a great way for your child to spend some of their time.

Finally, please check the list of DHHS Public Exposure Sites regularly. As sites in Blackburn and Box Hill areas, as well as transport routes, were added over the last few days, please make sure you are aware of these.

Stay safe everyone,

Kim