Welcome back all LPS students - at once!                             1 November 2021

At last we have all levels at school on the same day! The last term or so has seemed very long; even though we did LFH for eight months in 2020. Thank you so much to all our parents and staff for their support of every LPS student during Learning from Home 6.0.

This will hopefully be one of our final LFH eNews publications, as we plan to resume LPS eNews next week. We will continue to use LFH eNews for any important updates prior to next Thursday 11 November.

The new DET Operations Guide, effective from today, maintains the emphasis on safety and risk management. Although restrictions have been eased in the wider community, they are far from 'normal' in schools, as none of our students are vaccinated.

As always, schools are reminded to consider their own contexts when making the safest possible decisions. In a large school like LPS, this creates some challenges that we have carefully considered. Key points in the latest DET advice include the need to:

• Limit public access to schools.
• Stagger start and finish times and breaks, reducing the mixing of student cohorts and staff. 
• Maintain mask-wearing for students and staff.
• Maintain an emphasis on ventilation to maximise air flow in learning spaces and offices. Please ensure your child wears or brings layers of clothing, because windows and doors will be open and the use of any mechanical ventilation is limited. 

All these points above have been previously advised in LFH eNews. In addition, there are some updates.

Vaccination requirements for visitors to school facilities (including parents)

Any visitor or volunteers performing work in schools (including parent helpers and other operators such as incursion providers and private music teachers) are required to either have had their first dose by the 18 October, or have a booking to receive a first dose by 25 October, or be fully vaccinated by 29 November (unless a medical exemption applies) to attend on-site. 

Parents who intend to assist at school in any voluntary capacity (including excursions) will need to be fully vaccinated and share their vaccination status with the school. 

Due to all the factors listed above, we will maintain our current pick up and drop off arrangements until further notice. Students with A - L surnames will continue to be dismissed at 3:15 pm, and M - Z surnames at 3:30 pm.

There have been large numbers of schools closed over the last two weeks and we are extremely keen to avoid anyone having to isolate for 14 days at home, if we possibly can.

We are also asking students to wear their masks when leaving school at the end of the day, as they try to locate their siblings in other cohorts in the playground.

Of course, it goes without saying that unwell children should stay home and get tested, no matter how mild their symptoms are.

Camps, excursions, and incursions for Victorian schools can resume, with additional COVIDSafe requirements. We will plan on these taking place from Term 1 next year.

As density quotients still apply to indoor spaces, along with compulsory vaccination for visitors, whole-school assemblies cannot resume yet. We will work through the limited options for Graduation, as we did successfully last year.

Transition from Kinder to Prep and Year 6 - 7 can occur, with COVIDSafe arrangements.

The COVIDSafe Plan continues to apply to all schools, addressing key health and safety risks. Thanks to Year 5F students, Isabella and Zoe T, and ShNaajh and Lucy, for sharing their safety posters. There will be more Year 5 posters on display around the school as students consider what they can do. 

In the meantime, students are enjoying playing in their cohort bubbles. It's great to have the whole school on-site again today.

Final reminders:

Requests for 2022 class placements: 

Many factors are taken into account when placing students in class groups for the following year. If parents have a particular request, these should be made in writing by email to laburnum.ps@education.vic.gov.au or by hard copy, and addressed to the Principal (not your child’s teacher). They must be received by this Friday 5 November. These are then considered along with those of other families, teachers and students.

As in previous years, please do not ask for specific teachers for 2022 as these requests will not be considered. We also respectfully request that your requests are reasonable; one or two requests per child are manageable as we try to juggle competing and often conflicting priorities.

Due to the complex process involved, late requests cannot be accepted.

Leaving LPS?
We have almost finalised our 2022 staffing, which correlates with student enrolments. If your child is leaving the school at the end of this year (except for Year 6 students of course), have you let us know?  If not, please call or email our office as soon as possible.

Take care everyone.

Kim