Month: October 2021

Hello everyone,

What a busy few weeks we have had a Beacy – with our staged returns of different year levels and Metro Melbourne coming out of lockdown.  I would like to thank you all for keeping up to date with all the communication we have had to put out.  Unfortunately we did have a positive case onsite and I thank everyone for their patience as we worked through the process of identifying, contacting primary close contacts and cleaning.  We empathise with our staff and students who are in quarantine; we are here to support them and looking forward to seeing them in the future. We wish the infected person a speedy recovery.

It did remind us that it is so important to get tested as soon as symptoms appear. The symptoms to watch out for are:

• fever
• chills or sweats
• cough
• sore throat
• shortness of breath
• runny nose
• loss or change in sense of smell or taste

Some people may also experience headache, muscle soreness, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

To assist us to communicate effectively with you, please make sure that we have your correct contact details, especially your email address and that you are registered to the Parent Sentral app and receiving notifications.

Back to school

We have now had all our students spend some time onsite and Monday sees the return of all our students.  Our students have shown such resilience to deal with the constant changing.  All the staff were so excited to be able to spend some time with them over the past two weeks – in person.

I have thoroughly enjoyed greeting them on the gate in the morning, walking around the school hearing children’s voices and being out on yard duty seeing them play and socialise.  Whilst I am sure that the staged return is a nuisance for families with only some of their family at school, it has been nice to only have some year levels back to give them extra support in the classroom. 

On yard duty, you feel like you are able to get around to the few hundred students and have lots of conversations.  However, when doing yard duty with the Preps, I felt like their first day onsite at lunchtime, they spent the whole time running around the yard.

Congratulations Tyson Buckingham

Tyson will be taking on the role of Acting Assistant Principal.  Tyson has been working as part of the leadership team over the past couple of years and has been a great asset to our team.  Tyson leads our school with curriculum and Professional Learning Communities, as well as many more roles.  We are excited to see him in the new role and know he will have an impact on student learning at our school.

Tyson also welcomed a beautiful son.  Vinnie Buckingham arrived safely last term and a wonderful addition to the Buckingham family.  Tyson is now the proud father of three children and has a very busy household filled with lots of love, laughter and sleepless nights!

World Teachers’ Day

Mrs Amos is going to talk about this – but what a great opportunity to show appreciation.

Welcome Molly

We would like to welcome back Molly who will be the teacher of 6D as Hayley Dimitrakas will be commencing her maternity leave next week.  Hayley returned onsite with her grade, looking a bit different than when we last saw her onsite in term 3 – maybe some students through she was carrying a basketball under her jumper! We wish Hayley all the best for the safe arrival of her baby.

It is lovely to have Molly back.  Molly worked in grade 1A earlier this year.

School uniform

Just a reminder that as the UV rating is high, students are required to wear a wide-brimmed or legionnaire hat whilst outside.  Please ask your child if they have their hat.  The uniform shop does have them in stock and now that shops are open this weekend, it will certainly make it easy to buy one.

Thank you to the community with their support in students wearing face masks in grade 3 to 6 and we also have many students in junior grades wearing them as well.  We have learnt that we do need to name them as they are being removed when going outside and can sometimes be misplaced.  It is also recommended that your child keeps a spare mask in their bag – just in case they leave it at home or in the car.

Wellbeing

I would like to finish with mentioning that whilst things are changing, opening up and going back to some sort of normal, this can still present as anxious times for people.  Please check in with your mental health and please reach out if you are struggling.  Hopefully there are beautiful people in your life who can help you to be the best version of yourself.  If your wellbeing needs more support, please see your GP and discuss your feelings. We are also here if you need us.

On the school holidays, I spent a lot of my time going for walks and listening to podcasts. One of my favourites, that Tyson put me on to, is ‘The Imperfects Podcast – the Academy of Vulnerability’ – from the Resilience Project. One of my favourite episodes to listen to is Ben Crowe. He is a mindset coach and has worked with sports people such as Ash Barty and the Richmond Football club. If you are interested, I strongly recommended it to help with dealing what you can control in your life and your purpose.

I hope you are all in a good place and your family are enjoying (in your own way) the new freedoms that we have worked so hard for.  Whilst last weekend I did not do much (but certainly watched the World Cup Cricket to see Australia win!), it was nice that it was my choice and I had options.

Heidi Inglis

How exciting to be moving out of lockdown and having our children all back at school. It is so nice to greet them on the gate each day and visit their classrooms and have them back learning and playing together. Our students have shown great resilience and independence and we are very proud of them. Head over to our blogs if you would like to see some photos of the happy faces of our students back in their classrooms. Blog links can be found on the school website here.

Classes for 2022

It hardly feels like we have been at school in 2021 and already we are talking about 2022!

Our planning can only be done when we have accurate enrolment numbers, and therefore we appreciate early notification of people enrolling or exiting for 2022.

Often parents worry about how their children will cope in a new classroom with a new teacher and with new friends. From experience, we have found that our children are far more resilient than you think and actually revel in the opportunity presented in experiencing new things. The last two years have taught us only too well how resilient our children are!  Our teachers benefit from being moved around the school too. 

Should you have requests for 2022 they must be put in writing and submitted to the Office by November 12. Any requests based on sound educational reasons will be considered but this does not necessarily mean that they will, or can be accommodated. Our teaching staff always take into consideration friendship groups, social/emotional implications and educational reasons when placing students in classes. Requests for individual teachers or requests based on gender will not be considered.

In the near future the children will be asked to list a group of approximately five friends. It may prove useful for parents to discuss this with their children.

Only this year’s requests are considered therefore any requests need to be put in writing each year.

World Teachers’ Day

On Friday 29 October, it’s World Teachers’ Day. This is a chance to recognise the incredible contributions teachers make to our community and an opportunity for our community to say ‘thank you’.

On this day, we recognise the passion our teachers have, and how teaching has extended beyond the classroom to maintain connections through remote learning.
Feel free to let our teachers know you appreciate their resilience, leadership and adaptability throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

You and your children can get involved by sending a message of thanks to a teacher who is making, or has made, an impact.

Head to World Teachers Day for a range of resources to help you and your children celebrate World Teachers’ Day 2021, including ‘Thank You’ card templates.

Exciting Times Ahead

As we move back to on site learning for all year levels, I look forward to all of the exciting activities that we can experience together for the last few weeks of 2021. Our staff plan experiences with the best of intentions, but we all understand that things can change at the last minute. Luckily we have all become so adaptable to change. Hopefully all of our end of year activities can go on without a hitch. If they don’t, we know that that’s OK too. At least we are safe and experiencing more freedom nowadays. If nothing else, COVID has taught us to appreciate the little things as well as the big things.

Have a great week!

Beacy’s favourite dress up day has been rescheduled – PJ day! The SRC would like to invite students to come to school in their pyjamas to raise awareness and funds for Cerebral Palsy. Our chosen organisation is ‘Cerebral Palsy Education Centre’ in Glen Waverley. This organisation was chosen for the amazing work they do and the services they offer, particularly to some of our Beacy students and their families.

When: Wednesday, 10th November

You can make your donation via QKR (preferred method) or by bringing a gold coin on the day.

Thank you for your support,

Jacob & Mikayla

SRC Captains

Issue 7 is out now ready for collection from your teacher when you return onsite. Orders are due on Friday 19th November, please note only online orders can be accepted.

This is the final Book Club for the year and it’s a big bumper Christmas issue!

Patrick V, Matilda C, Izzy K, Willow V, Olivia H, Mac M, Sayumi A, Kupa C, Zaiden I, Lachlan M, Poppy C, Nate M, Dylan T, Eve C, Atia B, Jaide N, Elise B, Matthew G, Harper S, Isaac S, Ethan B, Austin B, Raafia A, Mika P, Ruby V, Grace M, Oscar Y, Olivia C, Luke M, Lachlan R, William W, Kura T, Blake H, Hunter F, Tyler M, Acacia W, Jesse C, Ash B, Tyler D, Chantelle F, Thai E, Jack B, Max B, Cameron V, Kai D, Cleo M, Abel J, Brody D, Cruz D, Noah D, Brooks T, Samuel C, Tilly T, Angel C, Sarah F, Kenzie D, Jasper S, Ava F, Andre S & Harry B.

We have loved seeing our Prep students return to onsite learning today and look forward to welcoming back the rest of our students in the coming weeks.  

There was an announcement made by the Premier on Sunday, which has caused changes to our staged return. This change only affects our grade 5/6 students. Please see table below for current return to school details.  

Staged Return to Onsite Learning 

Dates	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
18 – 22  Oct	Preps	Preps	Preps	Grade 1 & 2	Grade 1 & 2  Grade 5 & 6
25 – 29 Oct	Preps	Preps  Grade 3 & 4	Preps  Grade 3 & 4	Grade 1 & 2  Grade 5 & 6	Grade 1 & 2  Grade 5 & 6
1 – 5 Nov	Preps	Public holiday	Preps  Grade 3 & 4	Grade 1 & 2  Grade 5 & 6	Whole School

Please refer below to the Department of Education’s communication around the wearing of face masks in schools.  

Face Mask Directives 

As you know, students have commenced a Staged return to onsite learning as announced under the Roadmap. 

To support this, the Victorian Chief Health Officer has announced new rules around mask wearing to keep everyone at school safe.  

We know that returning to school will look a little different this time and it’s important that we support you and your children with effective ways to keep everyone safe and well. 

One of the most important and effective things we can do to help keep students in the classroom is to wear masks to help minimise COVID-19 transmission risk. 

When worn properly, masks can play an important role in reducing the transmission risks of Covid-19 that could happen from common activities in school. 

Students in Grade 3 and above 

* Face masks will be required for all school students in Grade 3 and above indoors including at Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) programs, unless a lawful exception applies. Face masks can be removed while outdoors at school for primary students. 

* Students in Grades 3 to 6 are required to wear face masks from 18 October 2021. All other students who are required to wear a face mask must continue to do so from the first day they return to onsite learning. 

* Face masks will be strongly recommended for Prep to Year 2 students. 

* For students with a disability, parents and carers should speak to the child’s doctor or regular health professional about the best methods to encourage mask wearing.  

* Students with a medical condition or disability that make wearing a face covering unsuitable are not required to wear a mask. 

* Face masks are required for students in Year 3 to Year 6 unless an exception applies. Exceptions include students with a physical or mental disability where their disability means it would not be suitable. Parent/carers of a student/s who meet the criteria for an exception must provide their approval in writing for their child/ren to not wear a mask to the school. 

We will try to maximise outdoor learning where possible and offer more recreation and breaks wherever practicable to further support students. 

We have seen through remote learning that friendships are important. We can work together to remind students that wearing masks means they can see their friends and be at school together more often. We also protect our friends and keep them safe. 

We encourage you to discuss wearing masks with your children to keep kids in the classroom and minimise COVID-19 transmission risk. The Raising Children Network has resources that can help you with having conversations with your children about wearing masks. 

These new changes to wearing masks will come into effect when students return to staged onsite learning from 18 October 2021 in regional and metropolitan schools. 

Thank you for your ongoing support in the implementation of these important steps that enable us to return to onsite learning. We look forward to welcoming your children back into the classroom. 

Dear Parents/Carers, 

We hope you and your family are well and looking forward to students returning to on-site learning.  As a school we have read the Operational Guide from the Department of Education and consider our school setting and determined how it will work at Beaconsfield Primary School.  Please grab a cuppa and read the information below and become familiar with the expectations for students and families.  We have also recorded a video – if you prefer to listen than read.  Both pieces of information are the same. 

https://youtu.be/8_C9ruturE4

Here are the days your child will be expected on-site for a normal school day until everyone is planned to returned on Friday 5^th November. If these dates change, we will let you know.  When your child is not attending school on-site, they will continue to have remote learning via Seesaw, Zoom and learning packs. 

Dates	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
18 to 22 Oct	Preps	Preps	Preps	Gr 1 & 2	Gr 1 & 2
25 to 29 Oct	Preps	Preps Gr 3 & 4	Preps Gr 3 & 4	Gr 1 & 2 Gr 5 & 6	Gr 1 & 2 Gr 5 & 6
1 to 5 Nov	Preps	Public holiday	Preps Gr 3 & 4	Gr 1 & 2 Gr 5 & 6	Whole school

This is what the school will do to ensure the safety of our students, staff and community: 

• Staff only attend school when well. 
• Ensuring covid-safe practices by encouraging physically distancing, supporting wearing face mask and providing hygiene products. 
• Maximise ventilation in classrooms and working outside where practical. 
• Reducing the mixing of cohorts of students. 
• Reducing the congestion of adults and students at the beginning and end of the school day with two dismissal times for students. 
• Providing a virtual office – encouraging parents to email or phone.  Staff on the gates at the beginning of the day will be available to collect anything for the office such as notes and medication.   

We ask the following of parents/carers and hope for your support to ensure the safety of our community: 

• Only send your child to school when they are well.  If your child displays any symptoms, they are to stay at home.  We encourage you to get tested.  If you wish your child to attend school with symptoms due to prolonged conditions, such as asthma and hayfever, please consult your doctor and provide the school with a letter of clearance. 
• If your child becomes ill during a school day, we ask that you come and collect them when we call. 
• Please contact the school when someone who has been on-site has tested positive to COVID-19. 
• No adults are to enter the buildings.  If you require any of our staff, we ask that you ring or email and we will contact you.  
• When dropping off your child, we would prefer students walking into the school grounds by themselves.  Classroom doors are opened from 8:45am and we have staff on the gates.  If your child requires you to come on-site in the morning, we ask that you wear your face masks, do not enter any buildings, take them to their classroom and leave the school grounds immediately. 
• Students will be dismissed at the end of the day at two times to reduce the number of people on footpaths, exiting gates and using the school crossing: 

o   3:15pm – Morgan and Rankin students 

o   3:30pm – Lohan and Cooper students and students attending OSHClub. 

We are asking all families to write in their child’s diary the time they are to be dismissed and the gate they will be exiting – Kiss’n’Go (Mrs Amos), Lyle ave (Mr B) or Princes Hwy (Mrs Inglis).  If your child is in Morgan or Rankin but you cannot get to school until 3:30pm due to work commitments, then write 3:30pm. 

We prefer that you wait outside of the school grounds and encourage your child to walk to you.  Please do not congregate around exit gates – maybe stand on the other side of the road, under a certain tree.  We also suggest that you stay in the same place every day. 

We also suggest that siblings meet their brother and sister at the gate or meeting spot, rather than collecting them from the classroom.  We found last year they would often get lost or confused. 

If you are going to enter the school grounds to collect your child, we ask: 

·       For 3:15pm dismissal – enter at 3:10pm and leave straight away after collecting your child/ren 

·       For 3:30pm dismissal – enter at 3:25pm.  Please allow the parents/carers from the earlier dismissal to have exited prior to your entry. 

We are looking forward to returning to on-site learning and hope that these practices will ensure the safety of the whole community and will allow us to keep our school open.