Dear Parents and Carers of Mudgeeraba Special School Community,
We now know that all students will participate in a home based learning model from April 20 to help reduce the spread of COVID 19, and that Mudgeeraba Special School will remain open for students of essential workers and vulnerable students (determined by the school) only.
From the start of Term 2 until 22 May 2020 inclusive, all students will be learning from home, except for students in the following categories.
Children of essential workers on days when they are not able to be supervised at home and no other arrangements can be made. Essential worker means any worker who must continue to attend their workplace for essential business during this time.
Vulnerable children include children identified by schools or who:
• are currently receiving services from Child Safety, including children who are subject to a child protection order
• are subject to a youth justice order.
• Children in designated Indigenous communities.
Where the student is learning at home, the parent or carer is responsible for the student’s safety and wellbeing at home or elsewhere.
Advice regarding the model of learning for the remainder of Term 2, 2020 will be provided by the department by mid-May 2020.
What you need to do by Thursday 16th April 2020 at 5 pm:
1. If your child fits into one of the above categories and will be attending school, activate the email link in Schoolzine Newsletter forwarded today and reply by Thursday 16th April to advise the school if you meet the Essential Worker and advise only if your child is attending school.
2. Identify what days your child will be attending school each week according to your essential work requirements.
3. If your child meets the criteria as outlined above and is attending school and receives transport assistance, you must contact Metro bus company by Thursday 16 April and let them know your child is attending school and on what days.
4. School support will look different during this time. As per end of term we will not be engaging in off campus learning or engaging with onsite services eg school visits, therapists services etc.
5. Each week we will review, and will ask parents to advise the school if they require their child to be supervised at school during this period if circumstances have changed.
6. Please be prepared that you will be receiving a number of emails to access the teaching episode videos. Be aware we are exploring the most ideal cycle to support your community learning.
Prior to the holidays, teachers worked diligently to prepare your child’s learning@home resources and we are working in the background to undertake the release build for our You Tube Closed Channel. I will email a Parent Agreement for this online platform for community learning to activate your gmail access. We are ensuring the integrity of our staff’s work for our school’s access only. A resource package was either collected or posted to you on the final day of Term 1. This package is to compliment the daily release of activities on our community learning – Closed Youtube Channel.
As this learning is a new mode for us all we will explore in Week 1 further opportunities to support your community learning from home. This will require everyone working together and supporting the best outcomes for our students at a very difficult time. Please stay connected with your teacher, to our school and to one another. Teacher communication will be timetabled to ensure we are supporting Essential Worker family’s young people and home learning.
It might be important for you to contact your Local Area Coordinator for any NDIS supports that can be reviewed at this time.
Our Parent Agreement which will be forwarded will provide some suggested supports for home learning during this period:
1. To build wellbeing into your day with your child/children which will look different for each family. It may include establishing a simple daily routine (visual) to support the learning expectations, taking regular breaks including movement breaks, participating in some fun activities/games, being flexible, changing the environment e.g. taking the learning outside, and allowing personal time for yourself and your child to engage in activities of choice
2. To maintain morning and afternoon/evening routines with your child/children
3. To create a learning space for your child where possible and reduce the distractions which may impact learning, their behaviour, and increase anxiety. E.g. the amount of screen time including TV and access to commercial online games
4. To stay connected and maintain good communication channels with your family and friends and the school to help your child feel more emotionally safe during these uncertain times
Parents and carers supervising their children at home are not required to phone the school advising of this. The government has automatically adjusted its attendance recording guidelines and procedures during this 5 week period.
I would also like to remind all parents and carers that even if you classify as an essential worker, it is critical that your child does not attend school if they show any symptoms of illness. This has been clearly stated by the state government as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID 19.
Sincere thanks again for your ongoing support by adapting to the changes and challenges in front of all of us right now on a daily basis - it certainly is greatly appreciated in order to ensure the wellbeing of students, staff and community.
Regards at this unprecedented time,
