In readiness for our return to School
In readiness for our return to School campus next week, parents will have received via email a Parent Information Booklet and a CareMonkey Permission Form detailing the many changes in the School’s procedure and processes. It will undoubtedly be a return to school like no other!
I am anticipating much excitement as girls reconnect with their peers and teachers but this will be entwined with a level of apprehension caused by new processes such as temperature checks upon arrival, a constant need for hand sanitising and new classroom protocols to ensure a safe environment for all. As indicated in my earlier correspondence, other than parents of ELC Children, the School campus will be restricted to staff and students only, unless by prior appointment. For young children in the ELC, parents are encouraged to talk to them about some of the new protocols outlined in the Handbooks. This will enable a level of calm understanding and ease of transition back to school.
Leading clinical psychologist, Andrew Fuller has outlined in his recent article, his seven priorities to help students make a successful journey back to school. I encourage parents and students to read these seven priorities. They are certainly relevant for all age groups.
Priority Number One – The Sleep Cycle
It is time for families to re-establish a more usual sleep cycle. What sets our sleep cycle most powerfully is ‘first light, first bite’. Students are encouraged to get up at the time you would need to on a typical school day and eat breakfast soon afterwards. If you can, go for a walk outside or at least, sit near a window. Getting your sleep cycle back into sync with the school and work day improves learning and mental health.
Priority Number Two – Can’t wait to see you
One of the main things that helps us all to transition back is knowing there is someone there who is wanting to see us. We all look forward to catching up with good people and having some fun. Reaching out and connecting with school friends, and specific teachers, sets this up.
Priority Number Three – Safe and Certain
We are all in the care of one another. There needs to be a clear understanding that we intend to keep everyone safe and well. We have planned as much as we can, for this outcome. This means it is essential we have a plan if someone feels unwell either physically or by feeling scared or apprehensive. These are the times when communities need to draw together to support everyone. During these times, ambiguity is our enemy and will increase anxiety. Clarity is our friend.
Priority Number Four – Restart the year
We are not looking at a resumption of the year. Most of us have had quite enough of 2020 already. What we are looking for is a fresh start. During the turbulence, priorities and lives have been re-structured. Social connections have changed. The orientation we need to do now is to form new connections, and to renew our attitude towards learning and success.
Limbering up for learning back in the classroom will involve rekindling friendships, warming up our curiosity and stretching our imaginations. Everyone will need a few practice runs before we feel we can safely regain our full stride.
Priority Number Five – Plan for success
Given that the shape of the year has changed more than any of us expected, planning for success is important. For senior students, the challenge is feeling that the year has got away from them and they feel they cannot succeed. Clearly this is not true. Firstly, all Senior students across the globe experienced the same setbacks. Secondly, there is plenty of time to succeed. Clear systems and plans will outdo grinding yourself into a frenzy or giving up.
Priority Number Six – Less really is more
It is understandable that some people will feel in a hurry to make up for the time and opportunities missed in the early part of the year. Cramming in as much as possible to make up for lost time is a compelling idea. It is also a certainty that if we do this, it won’t work.
Given the upheaval of past months, rushing too much or putting too much in place too early is a recipe for exhaustion, disenchantment and disengagement. While we are back in business, easy does it. Taking our time now to slowly rebuild a sense of success will pay off. Take it slow and make it fun! We have all had more misery than we need this year.
Priority Number Seven – Review
About five weeks after the resumption of school-based learning, we need to schedule time to review the process of re-integration. This needs to be an individual check-in of the pluses and the minuses of the experiences, what people feel has worked well (as well as what hasn’t), and a re-assessment of what we think is going to support us in the future. The results of this review will enable us to shift to the next phase of the year: transformation.
Good news for our Year 12 and Year 11 VCE Unit 3/4 students. The Premier and the Minister for Education have finally announced the timeline for the 2020 VCE Examinations. This is wonderful news for secondary school students right across the State, their families and teachers supporting our girls during this unprecedented global event.
Written exams will be conducted between 9 November and 2 December so that ATAR scores can be calculated. VCE and VCAL students will receive their results before the end of 2020. This announcement will give certainty to our VCE girls whose studies have been interrupted by the Coronavirus. I hope this information will support all of our families for the remainder of 2020. I can also confirm that Wednesday 9 September has been defined as the date for the General Achievement Test. Specific information on the VCE timetable will be provided before we start Term 3 so girls will have a bit longer to wait before they know the actual dates of their specific subject exams.
After the turbulent past few months, I look forward to seeing the Heyington Gates open for the girls to walk through once again, so that we can welcome them back to our beautiful School basking in the colours of Autumn. Once again, we will see the girls smiling and laughing, together, as we all begin a new journey.
