Nervous southeast Queensland schools prepare to return to homeschooling
As the coronavirus crisis deepens in the state’s southeast, shutting two schools and a series of businesses, Queensland education institutions are preparing for a return to homeschooling students if lockdown returns.
Education
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QUEENSLAND schools are on edge, closely watching the new COVID-19 cases in the southeast and are prepared to move to homeschooling if there is another lockdown.
It follows the state’s first new cases of COVID-19 outside of quarantine, of which shut two schools and several businesses after three confirmed cases on Wednesday.
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Independent Schools Queensland Executive Director David Robertson said schools are closely monitoring the current COVID-19 situation in Queensland’s southeast and following the latest health advice.
“Independent schools showed how quickly they were able to switch to home and remote learning when the state went into lockdown earlier in the year,” he said.
“They did it very successfully, which was a welcome reassurance for families at a time of high anxiety.
“Armed now with that experience and time to refine their approaches based on student, teacher and parent feedback, independent schools are well prepared to respond to any future COVID-19 learning scenarios.”
Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE), which has 144 schools, has continued to refine its online learning capabilities while school has returned to normal attendance, a statement said.
BCE has been offering professional development for teachers in recent weeks and working with Microsoft to further refine online learning.
“We would offer a similar approach to online learning should that be required again at any stage.”
Independent and Catholic schools have been preparing for homeschooling after classes resumed face-to-face learning in Term 2, in a second wave and shut down schools.
Brisbane Grammar Schools Headmaster Anthony Micallef said the school was prepared for an COVID-19 enforced lockdown.
“The school has detailed, tested and well-documented response plans for a range of COVID-19 scenarios, enabling us to manage a range of situations from an immediate short-term closure to extended, longer-term home-based learning scenarios,” he said.
He said a team of staff with key portfolios have been meeting weekly since the start of the initial Queensland lockdown to monitor the safety and wellbeing of staff and students and plan responses to possible scenarios.
“These plans are aligned with current Queensland Health directives, are compliant with the School’s risk management framework and are ready for immediate implementation.”
While Brisbane Girls Grammar School Principal Jacinda Euler said the school was keeping across the health advice and “maintaining a state of preparedness” in case of any future closure.
“The School is well prepared with technology infrastructure and procedures now established and tested,” she said.
“Teachers are experienced in adapting their lessons for remote learning and our student care staff have developed resources to support students and parents to navigate the challenges of remote learning.”
Nudgee College Principal Peter Fullagar said the school was continuing to monitor the evolving pandemic, and has the infrastructure and processes in place to move to remote classrooms should it be required.
While St Margaret’s Principal Ros Curtis said if online learning was to occur again the experience would be further optimised by lessons learned and increased confidence of staff and students in using these new technologies.
“Parents have praised the school and been grateful for the high quality of the online learning experience the school was able to provide and we believe will have every confidence in the school to continue a high quality educational experience online if the necessity arose again,” she said.
Stuartholme Principal Kristen Sharpe said should the school need to resume learning at home they were ready with “STU@HOME” 2.0.
“The only modification we would make to our model would be to include e-ssemblies,” she said.
Clayfield College head of primary Audrey Fellows said the school had taken the time to reflect on the first remote learning period and have considered feedback from families and the capacity of the school.
The college’s principal Dr Andrew Cousins said after the huge success of the schools’ remote model “Clayfield Connect”, our staff will continue to deliver home learning at the high level it was presented in Term 2.
Prince of Peace Lutheran College Head of Senior Campus, Ms Michelle Nisbet they were exploring opportunities for innovation to be ready for future challenges.
“We are likely to be better prepared for a second iteration, because we could see it coming.”
Churchie Headmaster Dr Alan Campbell said since the welcomed return to on-campus learning in May, Churchie has remained vigilant with our operating processes and proactive in our communication to staff, students and parents.