Term 1 Week 10, 3 April 2020 - Figtree High School · Term 1 Week 10, 3 April 2020 Address: 2...
Transcript of Term 1 Week 10, 3 April 2020 - Figtree High School · Term 1 Week 10, 3 April 2020 Address: 2...
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Term 1 Week 10(A)
Week 10 Starting 30 March 2020
Friday 03/04/19
Year 11 – Biology and English Assessment Tasks Year 10 – PASS Assessment Task Year 9 – Visual Arts Assessment Task
Term 1 Week 11(B)
Week 11 Starting 6 April 2020
Monday 06/04/20
Year 10 – IT Timber Assessment Task
Wednesday 08/04/20
Year 11 –Legal Studies Assessment Task
Thursday 09/04/20
Year 11 – Spanish Assessment Task Last Day of Term 1
Term 2 Week 1(A)
Week 1 Starting 27 April 2020
Monday 27/04/20
Staff Development Day
Tuesday 28/04/20
Year 9 – Interior Design and Decorating Assessment Task Term 2 resumes for students
Wednesday 29/04/20
Year 11 – Visual Arts Assessment Task
Friday 01/05/20
Year 10 – Commerce Assessment Task Year 8 – Visual Arts Assessment Task (8VA7, 8VA8, 8VA9)
Term 2 Week 2(B)
Week 2 Starting 4 May 2020
Monday 04/05/20
Year 12 – PVD Assessment Task Year 10 – Commerce Assessment Task Year 9 – IT- Building and Construction Assessment Task
Tuesday 05/05/20
Year 11 – Drama Assessment Task Year 8 – Visual Arts Assessment Task (8VA1, 8VA2, 8VA3, 8VA4, 8VA5, 8VA6)
Thursday 07/05/20
Year 10 – Visual Arts Assessment Task Year 9 – Visual Arts Assessment Task Year 7 – Visual Arts Assessment Task (VA4, VA5, VA6, VA7)
Friday 08/05/20
Year 12 – PDHPE Assessment Task Year 10 – Visual Arts Assessment Task Year 9 – Visual Arts Assessment Task; PDM Assessment Task Year 7 - Visual Arts Assessment Task (VA1, VA2,
VA3, VA8, VA9, VA10) , TAS Assessment Task
Term 2 Week 3(A)
Week 3 Starting 11 May 2020
Tuesday 12/05/20
Year 10 – Photography Assessment Task; PDHPE Assessment Task (10PDH4, 10PDH6)
Thursday 14/05/20
Year 11 – Economics Assessment Task Year 10 – PDHPE Assessment Task (10PDH1, 10PDH2, 10PDH3)
Friday 15/05/20
Year 10 – PDHPE Assessment Task (10PDH5)
Year 12 Purple Year 11 Olive Year 10 Blue Year 9 Red Year 8 Green Year 7 Orange
Thoughts from the
Principal
Transitioning to Online Learning
I wish to start by acknowledging the leadership and
professionalism of every teacher who is directing every
class, whether those students are at school or at home.
They are providing a calm, safe and normal
environment for students, despite our anxiety being
heightened by media coverage, seeing empty shelves in
local supermarket stores and the displacement of sport
and the arts activities.
We have done our best to respond to the decisions
made about Education in NSW. The situation has been
and is still constantly changing, and we will continue to
make well considered decisions based on current
information.
The majority of Figtree High School students are now
receiving distance education at home. As teachers we
are all thinking of all our Figtree students and miss
seeing them each day. We miss the human interaction
and the relationship that we usually share as well as the
mental stimulation we get through conversations.
For those who are still coming to school, we
acknowledge and thank their parents for their essential
work. We will be supporting these students with their
online work in hygienic classrooms and a welcoming
environment. Processes for learning - either at school
or home - will be fine-tuned even further this week as
teachers and students adapt to the new modes of online
learning.
SCHOOL NEWSLETTER Term 1 Week 10, 3 April 2020
Address: 2 Gibsons Road, Figtree NSW 2525 Phone: 02 4271 2787 Email: [email protected] Fax: 02 4271 6626
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Organisational details for tuition and also wellbeing
support are being communicated to students and
parents by email and on the school’s website.
Please check regularly.
Year 12 will be informed of the HSC arrangements as
soon as they are finalised. Rest assured, every HSC
student in the state is impacted so it will be a level
playing field. Also, your teachers are among the finest!
Meanwhile, my advice to you remains constant … that
is, to take your assessment tasks very seriously and do
your best.
We are looking forward to normal school resuming, but
in the interim we will continue to support our
community as it adjusts and changes to the present
challenges faced.
For the moment, I have some happy news of events that
occurred earlier in Term 1…….
External Validation
On Thursday 19 March, Figtree High School participated
in external validation. The entire teaching staff had a
hand in deciding on our seven best projects and
practices for the purpose of the external validation (EV).
In preparation for this meeting, a significant body of
evidence was prepared, reviewed and annotated. All
evidence compiled for external validation was put
together by the whole school executive team (head
teachers, deputy principals and principal) as well as
three teachers.
This proved to be a powerful learning experience as
Figtree High School staff reported that the collaborative
discussion and resultant decision making - focusing on
our current school systems and practices – as well as the
expectations of the School Excellence Framework was
extremely valuable.
Staff also acknowledged that the process has brought to
the surface many practices that we can now use to
improve our learning, teaching and leading so as to
further provide Figtree High School students with the
best possible learning opportunities.
The whole school approach we took in both the
examination of evidence and in putting together the
external validation sets for submission has revealed
there are elements we need to improve upon, and
others that we can most certainly be proud of our work.
It was indeed reaffirming to have the EV panellists - an
experienced pairing of a Principal School Leader and
High School Principal - declare that our evidence sets
were among the strongest they have seen in their work
of assessing and evaluating school submissions.
The EV panellists also elevated six out of fourteen areas
of self-assessment to a higher level and further
championed the outstanding programs operating in the
school as well as the general work of teachers and
leaders in the everyday life of the school.
Most pleasing too, for me as Principal, was their
commentary around the happy vibe they felt was clearly
evident in the school, emanating from both students
and staff through their interactions.
'Try Year 7 for a Day’.
During Week 8, over 200 Year 6 students from across
our seven Community of Schools attended 2020 'Try
Year 7 for a Day’.
The Year 6 students participated in a range of engaging
and interactive lessons designed by Figtree High School
teachers to allow each student to get an idea of our
curriculum areas including food technology, woodwork,
STEM (science technology engineering maths), physical
education, geography, languages, history and science.
The Year 6 students showed interest and an exemplary
attitude on each of the days and were such a credit to
their primary schools. We look forward to them
choosing Figtree High School as their local school of
choice in 2021.
Yet again, I would like to say a very big thank you to the
Figtree Lions Club for their time and support in cooking
our Sausages Sizzles on each of these days.
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Master classes for 2020.
Stage 3 students from our Community of Schools (CoS),
with a talent or interest in a particular Key Learning
Area, were selected by their primary school to attend a
3 or 4 week Masterclass at Figtree High School on a
Wednesday afternoon in their area of expertise. These
classes are run by specialised Figtree High School
teachers and are supported by our current Figtree
students, who are such wonderful ambassadors for our
school.
So far this year we have already had Visual Arts and
Woodwork.
Visual Arts – Year 5 and 6 students from our CoS who
are passionate about Visual Arts, recently participated
in a three week masterclass.
They created large artworks inspired by Native
Australian birds and the artist Pete Cromer. Many
thanks to our brilliant Ms Cook for sharing her expertise.
Woodwork - Masterclass students began by completing
a safety test before they could effectively use the
required tools. After this, they measured and cut out
timber pieces to enable them to complete their project.
The aim was for all students to complete a pencil box to
take away and use back at their primary school.
Huge thanks to our talented Mr Solah for sharing his
expertise and leading our Stage 3 students.
Masterclasses will of course be discontinued in the
short term due to the current health concerns in the
community.
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Regional Swimming Carnival
Congratulations to all the students who represented
our school at the Regional Swimming Carnival held at
Dapto Pool on Tuesday 10 March.
We had a very strong team of representatives from
Figtree HS who competed at their very best in every
event they entered.
Jessica Buffett was again a force to be reckoned with,
swimming in eight events and smashing two records.
Jessica was crowned as age champion for the 17+ years.
Regan Smith also had a fantastic meet, competing in
seven events and placing in four.
Well done to all students who participated at this very
high level of swimming!!!
A special message to our students
It is very important that you are looking after yourselves
at this very difficult time.
Please be informed about what is happening in the
world, but not fixated on it.
Limit how much time you expose yourself to the
media.
Try and stay connected with your friends via email,
phone and social media. However, try and move
away from conversations about the virus.
Please use social media in appropriate ways.
Inappropriate conversations between Figtree
students will still be dealt with by the school.
Try and develop a new "normal routine", which
includes physical activity, school work and
connecting socially with family and friends.
Eat well to maintain energy levels and mood as well
as drink plenty of water.
Finally get enough sleep as this will keep you
energised and focused during this time.
Teachers will be providing you with advice on how to
organise your day and stay mentally healthy.
To parents and students, do not hesitate to contact the
school if you have any problems, questions or need
advice.
Take care,
Daniel Ovens
Principal
Expectation of the Week
WEEK 10: BE A LEARNER - Technology Use technology for learning
WEEK 11: BE SAFE - Wash your hands with soap and water regularly
WEEK 1: BE RESPECTFUL – Technology Communicate appropriately when
online
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Deputy Principal Report
Years 7 and 10
Wow how things have changed over the past three
weeks.
Year 7
Unfortunately we were unable to hold the Year 7 Meet
and Greet for students, parents, carers and teachers,
but are hoping that we will be able to conduct this later
in the year. Year 7 have all received information and
their codes to access the Online Learning Platform. At
Figtree High School this is via Moodle and Google
Classroom. Students are strongly encouraged to access
their Department of Education email accounts on a daily
basis as this is the only way that we can communicate
to students as a whole group.
Year 10
Currently Year 10 have a number of assessment tasks
due. Students must complete and submit these tasks
either online or submitted through the front office. As
per the assessment booklet students who do not submit
their task on time will be issued with an N warning.
Please remember that we are here to support your
child, and if there is an issue that does arise which
hinders their ability to submit a task please contact the
school as soon as possible. Teachers are still here to
support students with their learning and can be
contacted through the school email account. Various
emails have been sent to students to gauge a response
on how they are managing with the online learning. The
responses have given us great feedback to refine how
we are working in an online environment. Students are
encouraged to access their Department of Education
email accounts to gain information on wellbeing tips.
Keeping Connected
Across Australia and the world people are facing an
unprecedented situation as our health authorities and
governments act to manage the spread of COVID-19
(Coronavirus).
The Coronavirus pandemic comes as many Australians
are still feeling the impact of recent bushfires, floods
and drought. It’s very normal to not feel OK in
unsettling times such as these. Watching and listening
to media and social media coverage and commentary
can be confronting and confusing.
It is now even more important that we all promote a
sense of community, reach out and ask our friends,
family and colleagues, "Are you OK?".
Some people in your world might be feeling anxious,
worried about when things will return to normal, be
physically unwell or concerned about their health and
wellbeing. We encourage you to use this time to pick
up the phone, video call, SMS or post online to check in
with your family and friends.
If you are concerned about someone, trust your gut and
ask “Are you OK?”. Listen with an open mind to what
they have to say and ask them what you can do to help.
In the current circumstances, there might be limits on
what you can do but you can definitely be a listening ear
and a (virtual) shoulder to lean on.
(an excerpt ‘Staying connected is more important than ever
from R U OK)
Please keep safe – we are missing your smiling faces.
Remember to wash hands with soap and water, and
keep social distancing.
Jemma Lawson
Deputy Principal
Deputy Principal Report
Years 8 and 12
Year 12 - The HSC is going ahead
I would like to personally thank all of our Year 12
students for their patience, humility and the trust they
have placed in the staff at Figtree High School, as we
have transitioned to online learning. It is pleasing to say
that all Year 12 students have engaged in their online
learning, either through Google Classroom or Moodle.
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Unfortunately, the 2020 Figtree High School Mid-
Course Examinations scheduled for this month will no
longer occur in the planned format in the Auditorium.
The cancellation means faculties and class teachers will
now work with each class to make arrangements for
these tasks to be completed, through their online
learning platforms.
We have fielded many great questions from our Year 12
students about what their learning will look like going
forward. As this pandemic is an unprecedented event,
we won’t always have firm answers. The NSW
Education Standards Authority (NESA) Board confirmed
on the 24th March that the HSC is going ahead in 2020.
Following this meeting, NESA’s advice for all Year 12
students is to:
Keep learning, do your assessments, and make
progress on your major projects.
Look after yourself, whether you are at school or at
home.
Reach out to family, friends and your teachers if
you need to.
On 2 April, NESA announced that the mandatory group
performance for HSC Drama has been cancelled, and
other performance examinations will be modified
where they breach mandatory social distancing
regulations. The next NESA COVID-19 Board meeting
will examine the impact and resulting actions regarding
courses with major works, such as Visual Arts, IT-
Timber, English Extension 2 and Society and Culture.
NESA also announced that HSC students studying VET
courses are no longer required to complete the
mandatory Work Placement requirements. Further
information will be distributed as soon as information is
received. Year 12 students who are aiming to achieve
an ATAR were emailed their UAC PIN on 1 April by the
Universities Admission Centre. This is needed to apply
for university in 2021. It is important to remind our
students not to worry as many people are working
behind the scenes to ensure that no senior student at
Figtree High School is educationally disadvantaged.
Year 8
The last few weeks have seen a transition to a digital
learning environment. Our Google Classrooms and
Moodle sites have been set up to assist teaching and
learning between teachers and students. I have seen
some fantastic examples of online learning in Year 8
classes, including excellent questions from students
which demonstrates their high levels of online
engagement, teacher instructional videos and high
quality student work. Please feel free to email the
school if you feel any additional support is needed for
your child/s online learning, technology accessibility or
wellbeing concerns — our teachers, year advisers,
learning and support team and school counsellors are
available to support student learning. Lastly, it is
important that students, when learning from home,
take regular breaks between online lessons, eat well,
get plenty of sleep, and maintain a physically active
lifestyle and a positive mental wellbeing during these
uncertain times.
Peter Hewitt
Deputy Principal (relieving)
Deputy Principal Report
Years 9 and 11
Year 9
Congratulations to Year 9 for their awesome effort with
the huge jump into Learning from Home. Students are
reminded that they should be following their normal
school timetable when engaging with their learning
from home, which means logging by at 8:40am,
checking their email and then being ready for their
period 1 lesson in their online platform. Class teachers
have been posting details about Year 9 semester 1
assessment tasks in the google classroom or Moodle
platform. Students need to ensure that they are
engaging in both classwork and assessment work, with
course work and assessment tasks needing to be
submitted online, or if working on paper, submitted to
the school office.
Year 11
The past few weeks have been very busy for Year 11,
with a number of assessment tasks needing to be
submitted. Some courses have postponed assessment
tasks until next term, or modified the task so that it can
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be completed at home and submitted electronically.
Students need to ensure that they meet the required
submission date for assessment tasks. Any tasks
submitted late, without appropriate documentation for
illness/misadventure will result in the student being
awarded a mark of zero. Students who do not submit
an assessment task, or who are not engaging in course
work, place themselves at risk on an N Warning letter
for not meeting the requirements of the course.
The online learning environment provides the
opportunity for students to develop their self-discipline
and self-regulation skills for learning. Students should
be following their normal school timetable, this includes
students who are studying TAFE courses. Students need
to be regularly communicating with their class teachers
through their online learning platform, email or through
phone contact with the school.
Deputy Principal Daily Check-in
Deputy Principal team email our students on a daily
basis, usually first thing in the morning. This provides a
daily reminder to our students that we are available to
them and while we can’t physically see each other, we
are only an email or phone call away. We have also
taken the opportunity to seek feedback from our
students about their experience with learning from
home. Students have been provided with information
related to managing their wellbeing, and supporting
themselves in a remote learning environment.
Some key resources from headspace have been
provided to students regarding their wellbeing. These
have been included in this newsletter. We have also
provided students with some information about self-
care and strategies for coping during this time of
‘Learning from Home’ and ‘staying at home’.
Student feedback has been insightful and highly valued.
This feedback has been used to identify key staff to
support specific students, and also assisted our teaching
staff to work in this environment of remote learning.
Our students reported a strong level of enjoyment of
remote learning in the first few days
But the level of enjoyment shifted backwards slightly at
the end of the week, as students reported feeling a
sense of disconnection from their friends and teachers.
Our teachers are currently further developing their skills
with the use of video conferencing software, supported
by the Department of Education, and this will assist with
the learning process as teachers begin to engage with
live video conferencing lessons.
It has been great to see the value that students place on
their family and friends when asked about the things in
life that they are grateful for. It is important that during
challenging times, that we do take the time to practice
gratitude, as it can shift out focus away for the hard
times, and focus on the things that we are grateful for.
The Positive Psychology website provides ideas for
practicing gratitude, including a gratitude journal.
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-journal/
Ellie Donovan
Deputy Principal
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Mathematics Faculty
Report
Earlier in the term when the Mathematics faculty was
told Week 9 was our turn to write the faculty report for
the newsletter, we started brainstorming all the great
programs, events and information upcoming this term
and beyond. 2020 was moving along so well and with
such clarity. Planning was underway for the
Mathematics Competition and Years 7 & 8 Enrichment
program (both of which will now not run in 2020).
Assessment Schedules for all courses 7-12 had been
sent home and students were well under way in
developing Learning Logs for their upcoming in-class
assessments.
It was even outstanding to see a record number of
students attending Homework Centre weekly for
support. Teachers were so excited to see students using
the time to fill in learning gaps and extending their
knowledge. I want to take this opportunity to thank all
the teachers who gave up their time to assist. Weekly,
we had over 25 students attend with at least four
teachers coming down and donating their time, many of
whom were called at the last minute and were more
than happy to help.
Year 7 2021 Expo Night was held earlier this term. Even
though the weather was overcast there was such a
great turnout by parents and prospective students. It
was great to be able to showcase the many aspect we
are delivering and looking to move into over the coming
years.
Now, here we are in Week 9 and the landscape of
Figtree High School has changed so vastly. All those
plans have halted as we move into online learning.
Mathematics lessons have moved into either Moodle or
Google Classroom based on the teacher’s preference.
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Your child should have received class codes and/or
other information relating to accessing the class work.
https://web1.figtree-
h.schools.nsw.edu.au/moodle/
Accessed via the student portal
https://student.det.nsw.edu.au
There is also a Google Classroom app available
via the App Store (Apple) or Play Store
(Android)
All work will be delivered in line with current timetable
structures. If a Math’s lesson is scheduled for that day,
work will be uploaded to the online learning platform
prior to that lesson for completion. Can I ask that you
make sure your child has accessed the relevant platform
and is working towards completing the assigned work.
As I finish up, I just want to say thank you for your
patience and support while we transition to these new
services. It has required much learning on the go from
teachers and students alike and as we begin to
understand the finer capabilities of the systems learning
and support will improve.
Please stay safe and look after yourself and loved ones.
Dinesh Dodhy
Head Teacher Mathematics
REGIONAL SWIMMING
On 10 March, 11 swimmers competed in the Regional
Swimming Carnival at Dapto Pool. Jessica Buffett was
once again on fire. She swam in eight events – 400m
freestyle and came 2nd, the 100m butterfly and came
1st, 100m freestyle and came 3rd, the 200m and came
1st, 100m breaststroke and came 1st, 50m freestyle and
came 3rd, 100m backstroke and came 2nd and the
200m freestyle and came 3rd. She also broke two
records, the 100m butterfly and the 200IM. To top off
a spectacular meet Jessica was Age Champion for the
17+ years.
Regan Smith also had a fantastic meet. He swam in
seven events. In the 400m freestyle he came 2nd, 100m
butterfly he came 1st, 100m backstroke he came 1st
and the 200m freestyle came 3rd.
Madison Newman also demonstrated her strengths in
the pool. She swam in five events and was placed 2nd
in the 100m butterfly, 3rd in the 200m IM, 2nd in the
100m breaststroke and 3rd in the 200m freestyle.
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Congratulations to our Open Girls Medley relay team
who came 3rd. The team included Mia Parker, Madison
Newman, Jessica Buffett and Abbey Morgan.
Well done also to Marlee Giatris-Nelson, Alyssa Parks,
Nadine Kellermann, Alice Coleman and Kirsten Owen
who also competed at this carnival. Overall Figtree High
School came ninth out of 28 schools.
Accessing the School Counselling Service
The School Counselling Service at Figtree High School provides psychological support to students, staff and parents regarding the wellbeing and learning of students. The service we offer is voluntary and confidential.
Referrals to the School Counselling Service are made by parents or self-referral by the student. Students may also be referred, with the student’s agreement, via a member of staff such as a Year Advisor or Deputy Principal.
During the current period where many students are learning from home, we are putting in place processes to ensure that students continue to have access to the School Counselling Service.
Communication with parents If you have concerns regarding the mental health and wellbeing of your child, and would like to make a referral to the School Counselling Service, you can communicate with the school counsellor/school psychologist via email or phone during school hours. Please be aware that emails will only be monitored during school hours, if you have a more immediate concern you may wish to access an online or telephone service (see below), or in an emergency call 000. We will call you during school hours to discuss your concerns. Communication with students Once a referral is in place, the school counsellor/school psychologist may communicate with your child during this period by email, phone or video call. A set time may be allocated to communicate with your child. If we are unable to contact your child during that set time we will send an email offering to reschedule. If we have safety concerns regarding your child, we will contact you and or share our concerns with the Deputy Principal responsible for your child’s year group, as per NSW Department of Education guidelines. Online counselling and support for students and parents The following services provide information and support via the internet or phone: NSW Mental Health Line -1800 011 511 Lifeline- 13 11 14 Parent Line- 1300 1300 52 http://www.parentline.org.au/ Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800 https://kidshelpline.com.au/
eHeadspace - 1800 650 https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/ Reachout https://au.reachout.com/
LEARNING FROM HOME: ADVICE FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
We are aware that the experience of learning from home is new for everyone, students, teachers and our parents and carers. We have put together the following information to assist you as we work in a new and different way.
Key considerations:
Parent responsibilities during remote learning Provide support for your children by:
• establishing routines and expectations • defining a space for your child to work in • monitoring communications from teachers • beginning and ending each day with a check-in • taking an active role in helping your children process their learning • encouraging physical activity and/or exercise at home • checking in with your child regularly to help them manage stress • monitoring how much time your child is spending online • keeping your children social, but set rules around their social media interactions.
Student responsibilities during remote learning Students should:
• establish and/or follow a daily routine for learning • identify a safe, comfortable, quiet space in their home where they can work effectively and successfully • regularly monitor digital platforms and communication such as google classroom, Moodle and school email
to check for messages, learning activities and feedback from teachers • complete tasks with integrity and academic honesty, doing their best work • do their best to meet timelines, commitments, and due dates • communicate proactively with their teachers if they cannot meet deadlines or require additional support • collaborate and support their classmates in their learning • comply with the Department’s Student use of digital devices and online services policy • seek out and communicate with school staff as different needs arise.
Establishing routines and expectations Students should follow their school timetable. This will include regular breaks for activity, eating and drinking. In the activity breaks, it is important that students get up and move around.
Setting up a learning environment Try to create a quiet and comfortable learning space. Your child may have a regular place for doing homework under normal circumstances, but this space may not be suitable for working in for an extended period of time.
A space/location for extended learning should be a public/family space, not in a bedroom. It should be a place that can be quiet at times and have a strong wireless internet signal, if possible. Ideally, it should be a space where you or another adult can monitor your child’s learning.
Communicating
Communicating with your child We encourage you to start and finish each day with a simple check-in by asking questions about the learning activities that your child is going to or has engaged in during the day. Asking questions about their learning can allow your child to process the instructions they have received from their teachers, the learning they have engaged in and help them organise themselves and set learning priorities.
Communicating with the school You and your child can communicate with the school via email or phone during school hours if you need further information about the learning for your child.
Communicating with teachers Teachers may be communicating with your child during this period using email or communicating within a learning management system like Google Classroom. Teachers may allocate set times where students can chat with them online. It is important for you and your child to remember that teachers will be communicating with more than 100 other families and that your communications should be meaningful and short. You may also need to remind your child to be patient when waiting for support or feedback.
Using technology
Purchasing new software or devices It is strongly advised that parents do not purchase software from third-party providers. Students already have a wide range of software available and these have been specifically chosen to provide your child with the support they need. See our school website for details about how to access software
Accessing digital learning platforms To support your child in using online and digital resources as part of their remote learning they will need to know their Department of Education log on details. If your child needs assistance, they should contact the school.
Managing Screen Time While the platform for providing students with learning activities is online, this does not mean that students should be spending all day on their screens. It is important that students have a break from their screens throughout the day, and also find time to be active and get their body moving.
Managing behaviour Even though your child is at home they still need to comply with their schools' behaviour management policy. You can refer to the following:
• Student Discipline in Government Schools Policy • Behaviour code for students • Bullying of Students - Prevention and Response Policy • Student use of digital devices and online services
Collaboration, group work and peer feedback during remote learning will require students to communicate online and work together in digital spaces. The expectations of your child and their behaviour will be the same as in a face to face lesson.
Digital citizenship We recommend that you take the time to explore issues of digital citizenship and online safety and then discuss these with your child. It is important that during this period of remote learning that we maintain safe and responsible use of information and communication technologies. This includes appropriate use of digital platforms, privacy and information protection, respectful communication and how to deal with online issues.
Frequently asked questions for Parents and Carers
1. What will happen to the HSC this year? On 25 March, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Board confirmed on that the Higher School
Certificate (HSC) is going ahead in 2020. Click here for more information.
2. What if I need to contact a Deputy Principal, Year Advisor or Head Teacher? Please contact the school via the school email ([email protected]) and state in the subject
line the person’s name, or role that you wish to contact (eg, ATTN: Deputy Principal Year 7).
3. What if my child needs a textbook or other hard-copy resource? The school site remains open. If your child needs to access resources from the school, students are to email
their classroom teacher first, or alternatively email your request to the school (ATTN: Subject Head Teacher)
so we can have the correct resources ready for your child to collect from the front office.
4. What if my child finds the work too difficult? The online platform is the “classroom” - students are encouraged to ask questions and ask for assistance
through this platform.
5. What if my child needs additional support / modifications to access learning? Classroom teachers will build-in adjustments as per usual teaching practice. The Learning and Support team
can be accessed by emailing the school with ATTN: Learning Support
6. What if my child needs extension work? The online platform is the “classroom” - students are encouraged to write questions and ask for assistance
through this platform.
7. What if there is “group work” in the subject my child studies? Teachers will determine the nature of this task and alternatives may be considered. Students should
communicate with classroom teachers through their online learning platform.
8. What if my child is studying a subject with practical work? Teachers are investigating all options in regard to practical work. We understand that there will be changes
and adjustments as we navigate Learning from Home and teachers will provide more advice about practical
work as it becomes available.
9. Will every subject/teacher be using the same online platform? At Figtree High School we are mainly using Google Classroom and Moodle. Your child has received
information from the school about the platform being used and how to access it.
10. Will the canteen be open? No. The canteen will be closed in line with Department of Education advice to create social distancing.
11. Will school bus services continue to operate? At present, the bus services will operate as normal.
12. What about extra-curricular activities? All extra-curricular activities have been cancelled until further notice. There are no exceptions to this.
It can feel stressful and overwhelming during an event like the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and we can all be affected differently. You might feel overwhelmed by the information, conversations and the increased levels of stress in your community. It can be hard to know what information to trust especially in a situation where things are changing so quickly. It can be helpful to keep up-to-date but it’s also okay to switch off from the 24 hour media cycle if this is getting too much.
During this time some things in your life may be affected by attempts to contain the spread of the virus. You may have been looking forward to a gig or a trip that’s been cancelled. You may be affected by school, uni or your workplace temporarily closing. Or you may have a loved one who is directly affected by the virus.
It’s important to find the right level or type of support for you. And keep in mind that the type of support you may need can change as time passes. For many people staying connected to family and friends/loved ones is important.
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
how to cope with stress related to COVID-19
Version 1 – 20 March 2020headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation is funded by the Australian Government of Health
Tips to maintain a healthy headspace during this time
Be mindful of exposure to information through stories, traditional and social media. It can be helpful to take a break from the 24-hour news cycle
Do things that make you feel safe and connected, and be with those who are helpful to your wellbeing
Engage in activities that promote a sense of calm and feeling grounded (use of alcohol and other drugs can be counterproductive with this)
Our 7 tips for a healthy headspace demonstrate simple and effective things that can help people to create and maintain a healthy headspace, irrespective of whether they have been affected by COVID-19 or not
It can help to talk with a trusted adult if it all feels a bit much.
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Please noteThe latest medical information is changing on a daily basis. If you suspect you are at risk, or would simply like to understand COVID-19 more, please visit the Department of Health’s website.
health.gov.au
Common reactionsFear and anxietyAt this time you might experience feelings of fear or anxiety. You might be worried about the virus and how it might affect you, your loved ones or your life.
Anger, frustration and confusionIt can be difficult to understand what to do in these situations because of the volume of different information available. This might feel confusing and frustrating, this is normal. Events like these can reduce the things we normally do in our days and that can seem unfair. This might make you feel frustrated or angry.
Sadness If you’ve been asked to stay at home or stop your normal activities you might feel disconnected from important people or things in your life. This might make you feel sad or bored.
DenialWhen bad things are happening, some people might prefer not to think about them at all. This might be helpful to start with, but our feelings can catch us by surprise later on. It’s OK to distract yourself, but also find some time to think about what is happening and how you’re going.
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If you start to notice that you are experiencing these things, it is important to remember that these are normal reactions to a not normal time. During this time it is important as best as possible to keep engaged with the activities that support your wellbeing. You might need to get creative in how you continue to do them.
When should I get help?If you ever feel unable to cope because of overwhelming or intense emotions, or if you have any thoughts of harming yourself, then ask for help immediately.
National 24/7 crisis services• Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au
• beyondblue: 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au
Additional youth support services • headspace: visit headspace.org.au for eheadspace or more information
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
• ReachOut: reachout.com
• SANE Australia: 1800 187 263 or sane.org
Talk with a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, school counsellor or find out if there is a headspace centre near you.
Speak to your local doctor or General Practitioner (GP) and help make a plan for your recovery. Or you can search for a health service and GP on healthdirect.