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Armidale Secondary College

Armidale Secondary College

Our Future. Our Learning.

Telephone02 6776 7400

Emailarmidale-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Update: Learning from Home

Learning from Home

Dear Parents & Carers

Advice to Parents and Students: Proposed Plan as at Tuesday 24 March 2020

 

The Premier of NSW has encouraged families to keep children at home for the remainder of Term 1. However, Armidale Secondary College remains open for students whose parents are engaged in essential services.

The following arrangements are in place to support students, whether they are learning at school, or from home:

 

Daily Organisation

• Students who are at school, will attend CREW classes each morning in their regular classrooms. A message will be conveyed each morning to students and staff to indicate where students will work that day. Students will proceed from CREW to their Year’s designated area. The areas will be determined by the daily numbers of attendees and the capacity of each location. Outdoor spaces will be used as/if the need arises. Distancing guidelines will be followed.

 

Attendance and Roll Marking

• Rolls will be marked each period by supervising teachers. Texts for absent students will not be sent for the remainder of the term.

• Absences resulting from parents following the Premier’s announcement will not impact negatively on a student’s overall attendance.

 

How will ‘Learning from Home’ be facilitated?

• All classes have an option for an online learning platform. The preferred platform is Google Classroom. Where online learning is not possible, hardcopies of work packages will be available from the school Gym between the hours of 9am and 11am or via mail upon request. These packages need only to be collected once per week. There will not be a staff member in attendance within the gym, but desks will be clearly labelled, indicating the year group.

• For those children who receive specialized Learning Support, packages will be available, albeit with adaptations.

• Counselling support structures, adapted by our wellbeing team, will be available to all students and will be communicated as soon as possible.

· Our capacity to provide laptops is limited and prioritised to Stage 6 students.

· Communication with the school is best done via the school email (mailto:armidale-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au

 

How can students make the most of Learning from Home?

Students must know their teacher’s Google Classroom code. Students must check their Department of Education emails for this information.

Students are to:

• Organise a physical space at home which is conducive to effective study.

• Use the suggested timetable on the website to organise their day.

• Take the initiative with their learning, it is important to establish good routines.

• Complete tasks to the best of their ability and keep a portfolio of completed work.

• Students are to communicate proactively with their teachers via Google Classroom if they have any queries.

 

How can parents help?

• Set clear and positive expectations that learning will continue at home.

• Please understand that Learning from Home cannot look the same as the regular learning process.

• Encourage good sleep patterns and encourage regular and structured schedules.

• If possible, provide a clear and organised space for learning. A space/location for extended learning should be a public/family space, not in a bedroom.

• Please do not directly interact with Google Classroom (or other online platform), as this is a student learning space.

 

What is the Department of Education doing to assist with Learning from Home?

• The Department’s Learning from Home website has many resources. Parents are welcome to access these resources to assist the learning from home. The Department will provide updates on future developments which we will share through email. There is a section containing useful parent advice within this website.

• A one-page document titled Remote Learning Guidelines for Students and Parents provides useful tips.

 

What if my child needs to come to school?

• The Premier of NSW has strongly encouraged families to keep children at home. The school remains operational for the children of people deemed to be in an essential service.

• Social distancing guidelines will be strictly applied. This means students attending school will NOT experience a regular school day. Playground areas will be limited and students may be assigned to a particular area.

• Students must bring their own food and water bottle. The canteen is closed and bubblers are not available.

• Extra-curricular activities will not take place, and the site will close at 3.25pm.

 

FAQs

1. What will happen to the HSC this year?

NESA is meeting today (Tuesday 24 March) to discuss the ongoing learning of senior students, particularly in the context of the HSC.

2. What if I need to contact a Deputy Principal or Head Teacher?

Please contact the school via the school email (Armidale-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au) and state in the subject line the person’s name, or role that you wish to contact (eg, ATTN: Deputy Principal Stage 4).

5. What if my child needs additional support / modifications to access learning?

Classroom teachers will build-in adjustments as per usual practice. The Learning and Support teacher will set -up a classroom for existing learning and support students.

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 I need to speak with a Year Adviser?

Year Advisers are accessible via email.

10. What if my child does a subject with practical work?

Teachers are investigating all options in regard to practical work. We understand that there will changes and adjustments as we navigate Learning from Home and teachers will provide more advice about practical work as it becomes available.

11. Will every subject/teacher be using the same online platform?

Google Classroom is our existing platform. Existing Google Classrooms will continue to operate. Students will be advised of access codes for new Google Classrooms through their school email address, which should be checked regularly. Your child will receive information from their teachers about the platform being used and how to access it.

12. Will the canteen be open?

No. The canteen will be closed in line with Department of Education advice to create social distancing.

13. Will school bus services continue to operate?

At present, the bus services will operate as normal.

14. What about extra-curricular activities?

All extra-curricular activities have been cancelled until further notice. There are no exceptions to this.

We appreciate the significant current global challenge and are here to support our students to the best of our resources and ability within the constraints and directions of state and federal government. Working with your child to schedule and adhere to focused learning times for their academic tasks in achieving their goals, is important. Please do not underestimate the value however of sharing your knowledge and experiences with your child. Have fun in playing board games, teaching them how to change a tyre, or perhaps bake a cheesecake. There is no doubt that day to day the scenario is changing, and I earnestly encourage parents/carers to be the constant in your child’s life. We are here to support you and your child, with their learning.

Yours sincerely

Carolyn Lasker

Principal