IMPORTANT: Term 2 Communication

Cana Catholic Primary School has a commitment to the care, safety and wellbeing of all children.

Dear Parents and Carers,

When we started 2020, if I were to fast forward in my mind to this point of the year, Holy Week, never would we have dreamt of where things stand. It is quite surreal to be approaching Easter and know that we all will be celebrating the Easter events so differently. Not being able to attend Mass, not breaking bread with our family and community and not sharing in the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So much of what has been our normal experience is changing at the moment and I hope that you as families of the Cana community are coping with this significant upheaval.

We are endeavouring to do the best we can for our students and their families and our teachers who also have families to consider.

On Tuesday (7th of April) morning, all Victorian schools were directed by the Australian Government to transition to remote and flexible learning arrangements for Term 2. In order to slow the spread of coronavirus, it is recommended that all children who can learn at home must learn from home. Schools are able to make exceptions for children of parents who cannot work from home.

LEARNING AT CANA – INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

Flexible Distance Learning – learning from home

 

Week 1 & 2 (beginning 15th April) Learning Grids

  • Flexible distance learning will look different in every home.
  • Parents or carers are responsible for students’ general safety at home or elsewhere.
  • Not all learning needs to be completed on a computer or an iPad.
  • The first two weeks of learning is a home Learning Grid. Students have a variety of learning opportunities to choose and complete. They do not necessarily involve using ICT.
  • We are recommending that parents implement a learning timetable, similar to a normal school day, so children are able to focus and complete tasks with a learning mindset. E.g. 9-10 literacy activity from the learning grid 10-11 mathematics etc. Don’t forget to schedule eating/play times.
  • The home Learning Grid will be on the Cana website under the Learning and Teaching tab titled ‘Learning Grids’ as of the afternoon of Tuesday, 14th April.
  • Throughout the two weeks, teachers will periodically check in with the children regarding their learning during this time.
  • The Learning Grid provides consolidation of learning and therefore can be completed independently with adult supervision.
  • The learning grids have been designed in the interim as we further prepare to move to remote learning.

 

Week 3 (beginning 27th April) and Beyond- Google Classroom

  • After the first two weeks of using the Learning Grid, remote learning will be accessible through the Google Classroom platform. The instructions for families to access Google Classroom will be communicated in week 2.
  • Students can use many electronic devices to access their learning. E.g. a computer, iPad or tablet.
  • During this time, rest assured that regular communication between home and school will remain a high priority to support the learning and wellbeing of each child.
  • These changes that have been imposed on us will require a positive partnership between home and school.

Learning at School (For parents/carers who are ESSENTIAL WORKERS!)

  • Students will attend school in their normal school uniform each day.
  • The day will begin at 9am and conclude at 3pm each day. Pick up from the front gate must be prompt at 3.00pm.
  • Parents/Guardians will not be able to access the school yard in compliance with the social distancing requirements. You will need to wait patiently outside the front gate till 3.00pm, ensuring you observe social distancing expectations (1.5 – 2 metres) away from each other.
  • The school doors will open at 8.50am and all children onsite will be learning in the Hall. This learning environment will be consistent with the social distancing measures.
  • ALL Students must be dropped off at the front gate.
  • Each child and staff member will have their temperature checked twice daily and hand sanitizer will be dispensed at the front gate. Children will be asked to wash their hands throughout the day. Please remember personal hand towel and drink bottle.
  • Students will be provided with their own desk.
  • The learning program delivered on site will be the same as the learning program delivered to students undertaking remote learning from their homes. 
  • Students learning onsite will be supervised by non-classroom staff members.
  • Please be aware that your child will not be supervised by their classroom teacher as teachers will be working remotely as recommended by CECV following the guidelines of physical distancing.
  • Students will be able to play outside during breaks but will not be able to play on the playground or yellow area.
  • Students wanting to play with sports equipment will be required to bring it from home and play with it independently.
  • Students who are unwell will be required to stay home from school. Parent of any child showing flu like symptoms will be called immediately and asked to pick up their child.
  • We will continue to practise social distancing in the classrooms and in the yard and will continue to practise good handwashing and cough-sneeze hygiene.

For both remote and onsite learning the CECV recommends following the daily minimum guidelines:

For students in Prep to Year 2:

  • Literacy activities that take a total of about 45-60 minutes
  • Numeracy activities of around 30-45 minutes
  • Additional learning areas, play based learning and physical activity of about 30-45 minutes.

For students in Years 3 to 6:

  • Literacy: 45-60 minutes
  • Numeracy activities: 30-45 minutes
  • Physical activities: 30 minutes
  • Additional learning areas: 90 minutes

Once again, I would like to thank you for your support and patience during this very difficult time. It is a time when we need to support each other where we can spread kindness not fear throughout our community.

I would like to sincerely thank the leadership team at Cana. Lina, Michelle, Liz, Aiden and admin staff, who dedicated time in their school holidays so we could work together to implement the changes recommended by the Victorian Government and CECV at short notice. Also, I would like to thank the classroom teachers who also during the school holidays collected valuable information from parents via emails to help with the preparation for the beginning of Term 2.

In this news event you will also find attached:

  • A brochure for strategies and assistance for dealing with mental health due to the Coronavirus. 
  • A social story about remote learning and what it is about. Parents we encourage you to read this with your child/ren everyday leading up to the beginning of Term 2 and continue reading it to ensure our children understand the unprecedented circumstances we are encountering in education at the moment. 
  • Mass times and streaming links for our Parish masses

I hope you all find the information you need in this letter. If you have any questions please email me at principal@canahillside.catholic.edu.au.

 

I will continue to pray for you all over the Easter break.

Stay well, stay safe and God bless each family.

Carmen Blatti,

 

Principal

Cana Catholic Parish Primary School Hillside

Mental Health Brochure Remote Learning Social Story

STREAMING AND TV IN OUR PARISH

Live streaming times of the liturgies in Holy Week from our Parish are:

Holy Thursday 7.00pm

Good Friday 3.00pm

Easter Vigil 7.00pm

They remain available after those times.

 

We will continue to live stream Sunday Mass each weekend after Easter from our Parish starting on Saturdays at 5.00pm and able to be accessed at any time after that.

 

Use  SHEPARISH on YouTube and Facebook

 

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FROM ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL

 

Holy Week-Easter ceremonies from St Patrick’s Cathedral will be available on free-to-air TV on Channel 31 –

Holy Thursday (7.30pm)

Good Friday (3pm)

Easter Vigil (Saturday 7.30pm)

Easter Sunday (11am

Note that Channel 31 is often listed as Chanel 44 on digital televisions.

 

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AND:

MASS CAN BE VIEWED ON:

 

Channel 10 – Mass for You at Home at 6.00am every Sunday

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online at

 

http://bit.ly/MassOnDemand

(continuous daily from Lavender Bay Parish, Sydney)

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online at

 

https://melbournecatholic.org.au/Mass

(from St Patrick’s Cathedral Melbourne at 1pm onwards  weekdays, 11am onwards on Sunday)

 

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