Welcome to Week 6! It was so wonderful to have all of the students back at school and make those connections again. I spent time in each classroom throughout the week and saw lots of great discussions and learning taking place - it was also a real joy to see our playground full of excited students again, even with the awful weather at the beginning of the week.
Start and Finish Times
Our morning procedures have been going beautifully, which is excellent - lots of independent young people striding into school by themselves! After a few hiccups, our afternoon pickups seem to be going smoothly now.
Please make sure that your child knows in the morning whether they are being collected by you on foot, being picked up by car in the pick-up zone, catching a bus or going to WEMOOSH.
Just a reminder to not hang around in front of the canteen or at the front gate while waiting for your child to come out of class. Please wait under the main COLA outside the library and remain at least 1.5m from other adults, including staff.
If you need to talk to the teacher at the front gate or on car duty, please also be respectful in maintaining the 1.5m distance and in the way that you approach them. Sadly we did have a very small number of instances last week where some parents/carers spoke inappropriately to the staff outside the school. I understand that it may have been frustrating as the procedure took some time to get right, but it's important to remember that this is all new to us too, and we are all trying to do the best that we can to make sure our children get home safely. If you have any concerns, please make a time to speak with me.
Bugs and germs
In addition to COVID-19, please be aware that there appears to be a vomiting bug circulating at the moment. If your child is unwell with an upset tummy, keep an eye on them. If your child becomes ill at school, please come and get them straight away. We are all continuing to practice excellent personal hygiene so I'm hopeful that it will be out of MEPS soon. And don't forget that if your child is unwell with any upper respiratory symptoms - cough, cold, runny nose, sore throat - please keep them at home and get tested where appropriate. Thank you :)
School Reports
Semester 1 reports will look different from our usual reports, due to the changes in learning as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. While there are general guidelines that all schools need to follow, the format of reports and the timeline in which they are sent home will be configured according to each school's context.
What will MEPS reports look like?
Our reports will contain the following:
- English comment
- Maths comment
- Other Key Learning Areas comment
- Future directions/general comment
- Attitudes to Learning scale
In addition, we're including a self-assessment comment from the student. Parents/carers are also welcome to add a comment in, however this isn't compulsory.
Please note that there will be no A-E achievement scale in the Semester 1 reports.
When will MEPS reports go home?
All students will receive their report by the end of Week 2, Term 3, for learning up to the end of Week 10, Term 2.
We will also be conducting 3-Way Conferences with the teacher, students and parent/carers present - this could be face-to-face, but may be on Zoom depending on the Department of Education requirements in terms of physical distancing.
You'll receive an invitation to book a 3-Way Conference time at the beginning of Term 3.
Our Semester 2 reports will go back to their usual format.
This is a wonderful opportunity for growth and looking at our students' future goals - I know that while it is been a hard few months for everyone, there's also been a great surge in building resilience, perseverance, lots of creativity and maintaining a positive mindset.
I hope your week is brilliant!
Take care and stay safe,
Robyn Christie
Super Proud Principal
