Incursions, excursions, credits & more                                      19 August 2021 

Updated School Operations Guide

We looked forward to more joy in these DET publications; alas, not in the latest Guide!  The most important points for families, whilst we are still in Remote Learning, include:

• The On-site Attendance form has been updated to reflect stricter conditions, including the necessity for schools to collect some parents' Authorised Workers Permits again, if they are applying for on-site attendance. Please note that the form needs to be completed weekly, by 9 am each Friday please, to organise staffing for the following week.
  
  
• As expected, in metropolitan Melbourne, school playgrounds remain open only for students approved for on-site supervision.
  
  
• School facilities, including playgrounds, are now unavailable for community use, at any time.

Unfortunately now, only the Janet St gate is open during school hours for on-site students and no access to the school is permitted for students, families or the public at any time. Signage has been installed. Please convey this information to older siblings.

We have resisted this closure throughout previous lockdowns. However, this is now a reality for LPS, and all schools, due to health and safety imperatives. Let's hope this necessity is short-lived.

eSmart Digital Licence  

Exciting news! LPS Year 6 students complete the eSmart Digital Licence program each year. As a long-established eSmart school, Laburnum Primary School has been offered free access for all students to take part in the new Junior and Senior School eSmart Digital Licence program during 2021. This normally costs $10 per student. 

Teachers will facilitate this program in classrooms during terms 3 and 4. It has never been so important for students to learn about the importance of being safe online, particularly with the increased use of devices and technology.

For further information about eSmart's Digital Licence, visit https://www.esmart.org.au/ We look forward to feedback on this program before deciding whether to continue it throughout the school in 2022.

As Year 6 families had paid for eSmart in their Essential Items for 2021, those students have had $10 credited  to their family account.

Our office staff have completed allocation of most Family Credits to accounts, where excursions or events have been cancelled. These include:

• Year 2 Swimming
• Prep - Year 5 Life Education
• Years 3 - 6 House Athletics 
• Year 3 Edendale Farm
• Year 4 Maranoa Gardens 
• Year 6 eSmart

As suggested at the Year 4 Camp meeting, and supported by 100% of parents at the meeting, some Year 4 credited funds have been allocated to an Aboriginal Cultural Experience at this camp. School Council has also approved this addition to the camp activities.

The Year 6 Camp, which has been rescheduled, has not been credited, nor has Year 6 Winter Sports at this stage.

Unfortunately, it is now clear that Years 1 and 3 Swimming can not proceed, based on the extension of Lockdown restrictions and the advice of the Chief Health Officer. We have received an email from Just Swimming, indicating that, as they cannot meet the density limit restrictions, 'it will be very unlikely that we will be able to offer swimming lessons before the end of this term'. They have suggested that we cancel swimming for this year. Families who have paid for Term 3 swimming will have this amount credited.

As a result of this information, we will not be publishing September Prep Swimming details to Sentral, unless there is a COVID miracle!

After only recently celebrating the resumption of excursions and incursions, we realise this is disappointing. As the circumstances are completely beyond our control, we thank parents for your understanding.

Family Statements will be redistributed soon, so that parents can see these credits. Many thanks to our office staff for working through these time-consuming credit allocations.

Interrelate Parent Session – Year 5 and 6 Parents

During Term 4, students in Years 5 and 6 will take part in the Interrelate program, ‘Moving into the Teen Years’ (formerly known as Sex Education). There will be a Parent Information Session held on Monday 25^th October at 7pm. This will be an online session for parents and carers only please, and will provide details on what is covered in the student sessions.

Further details will follow closer to the time, but for now, save the date!

Year 5 and 6 families may choose to allocate some credited funds to Interrelate. We will provide this option when details are published on Sentral closer to the date.

Time for Gratitude? 

With such bleak news around us, it's been great to see our teachers continuing focused Wellbeing LFH tasks to support students. You might have noticed the tasks about help-seeking, Mindfulness and Gratitude, which are simple and effective booster strategies for mental health.

Could you make time in your family's day to ask the simple question, "What are you grateful for today?"

We're thankful for:

• seeing those smiling student faces on Webex each day;
• having such dependable, caring staff who can take Webex sessions so professionally, no matter what's happening in the next room!
• the support all parents are providing to their children through this crisis, and not just academically. This looks different in every home, and that's perfectly fine!

We're also reminded that we should also be focusing even a small part of our day on self-care, to maintain our own health and wellbeing and lift our capacity to care for others. With this beautiful sunshine, there are so many possibilities...

Stay safe everyone.

Kim