Dear Parents/Carers,

Firstly, a huge thank you to all our families- you have our care and support as we navigate remote learning together. Particular thanks to those in our community who are essential workers and are keeping systems in place for all of us, we are grateful for your communication to us around attendance for your children. If you are an essential worker and your circumstances and attendance days change please email Lisa at the front office to let us know.

(office.stmichaelsps@cg.catholic.edu.au)

Due to the severity and ease of transmission of the Delta Strain, Catholic Education have advised us to have minimal staff on-site. Staff are meeting online daily regarding supporting families and I encourage you to email your teacher directly if you are struggling with access to sites, devices, or log-ins. I also want to acknowledge the stress caused by broken links on Compass, I have been in touch with the CE Tech team who have identified that this is an issue across schools. They are working to resolve this issue.

Our primary platform for remote learning is our St Michael’s Remote Learning Website. This is the first point of contact for the daily learning plan. Currently the staff are updating families around MS Teams and checking access and support with families. The information for this week is a simple pack with a variety of learning options, next week there will be more detailed learning in line with our current Curriculum. Please do not feel pressured around remote learning, we understand that every family is different, and we will support you in whatever capacity you can operate in the online space. We are trying to find a balance between offering tasks that are engaging and child-friendly but can also offer challenge. Please follow these steps to access remote learning via this website:

1. Visit this link and look at your child’s daily learning plan. (https://sites.google.com/cg.catholic.edu.au/remotelearningkaleenstmichaels/home)
2. Open MS Teams and check the calendar for your child’s daily check-in time as well as their small group session. Children on Personalised Plans will also have a Classroom Support check-in.
3. Complete learning tasks and upload to Seesaw (K-4) or Google classrooms (5,6).

As a school community we have been directed to use Teams as our daily check-in for students. In the past, teachers used Zoom or met with individual students over the week for one-on-one sessions. The Child Protection mandates issued to us by CE have advised that this is not to occur. As a result, staff are setting up small groups via MS Teams, to check in together over the week. We are conscious that we need to provide opportunities for your children to see their friends and teachers and share their learning. At any time, your child is on a call it is important an adult is in the room with them. Bridgette McCann, our Learning Support Teacher has also been organising check- ins for students on Personalised Plans as we want to ensure everyone has the support they need. If your child requires additional support, please contact their classroom teacher.

Due to meeting Covid- requirements, our front office is not staffed on a full-time basis. If you have enquiries regarding remote learning, please contact your child’s classroom teacher directly via email. For other enquiries, or if for any reason you need access to enter the school premises please email Lisa at the front office (office.stmichaelsps@cg.catholic.edu.au)

We have also received a few questions regarding types of contacts regarding covid-19 and isolation. For information on what each type of contact is (close, casual, secondary etc.) and what your obligations are, please use this link. (https://www.covid19.act.gov.au/stay-safe-and-healthy/quarantine-and-isolation/types-of-contacts).

You may have questions around school fees. I am aware that some families may be under financial stress, I will let you know when I have any updates from CE regarding support for fee payments.

I thank parents/carers for their ongoing support throughout these unprecedented times. Our staff and our leadership team are wholeheartedly committed to providing the best learning experience and support for your children. I want to express that this is a very difficult situation for our community, and we send our thoughts of hope and peace as people of harmony to you all.

Please stay connected and stay safe.

Many Blessings,

Judy Egan