School’s high-tech prep for closure as MP calls for sense

A federal MP has called for a “sensible middle ground” on school attendance while a prominent bayside school prepares its teachers to take classes to the internet should schools be forced to close due to COVID—19.

MP Andrew Laming says children in long daycare and junior school struggle to keep safe social distancing.

FEDERAL member Andrew Laming (Bowman) has called for a “sensible middle ground” on school attendance during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Mr Laming, who chairs the nation’s Education, Employment and Training Committee, said selected closures should be happening now.

“This is not just about the science; there is also the art of continuing activities that comply with social distancing,” Mr Laming said.

“At this point, children under 10 are less likely to maintain sensible distancing.

“This is especially so in childcare.

“Children under 10 years of age, who can stay at home because a carer is present, should do so.

“This would lead to higher care ratios in childcare and the early school years, which actually makes those places safer as well.”

Mr Laming said sensible amendments would allow students in their teens to continue schooling for now, although he said schools were ready to close if asked to do so.

“Having schools open one day and shut the next is coarse public policy,” he said.

“One option is to bring school holidays forward two weeks.”

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Redlands-based Sheldon College principal Lyn Bishop said schools played a critical role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of both staff and students.

“At Sheldon College our senior management team continues to monitor the situation across our entire college operations from Kindergarten through to Year 12, incorporating long day care and outside school hours care.

Dr Lyn Bishop. Picture: Sheldon College

“Health and hygiene measures continue to be heavily emphasised across the entire campus with students and staff being reminded of the need for washing hands several times a day, the availability of hand sanitizers places around the college and the correct protocols for sneezing and coughing.

“Day-to-day operations continue to be based around directives from both the government and Queensland Health and parents are being kept duly updated on any matters arising.

“Parents are being advised to keep their child at home if they are unwell.”

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She said travel restrictions were also being regularly communicated to both staff and parents.

“In the event of a school closure for either a short or extended period of time, we have developed a business continuity plan in conjunction with our academic teams which will see modified academic programs being delivered virtually to students through our LMS (Learning Management System),” Dr Bishop said.

“This process will enable interaction between staff and students in a virtual classroom, including lesson notes, links to videos, worked examples, PowerPoint presentations and forum discussions.

Sheldon College teachers are preparing to teach online should their school be forced to close due to coronavirus. Picture: Jono Searle

“Students will also be able to engage with a number of purposeful digital learning tools.”

She said mass gatherings including whole-school assemblies, local and inter-state excursions, the school’s ANZAC Day ceremony, holiday workshops, open days, school camps and various inter-school sporting activities had been postponed, pending further development and advice for authorities.

“In the interim our task as educators is to continue to provide a safe, secure and loving learning environment for all our students.”

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