Covid, flu outbreaks pushing Victorian schools to breaking point

Year 12s missed vital assessments while camps and activities were axed as a “double jeopardy” of outbreaks sweeps our schools.

Schools battling the “double jeopardy” of hundreds of cases of Covid and the flu are reaching breaking point as teacher shortages rise and student anxiety grows.

Camps, information nights, concerts and activities are being cancelled, formals are turning into superspreader events and half of the year 12s at some schools are missing vital assessments.

Frustrated parents are sending Covid-positive kids to school and with the flu, with schools forced to reiterate their policy of not handing out painkillers to students.

One Melbourne state high school has 100 active Covid cases this week among students and at least the same number of flu cases.

Another school in Taylors Lakes needed 35 casual relief teachers in just one day, forcing the Education Department to reassure schools that they will step in and fund any additional teachers they need.

Henry Grossek, principal of Berwick Lodge Primary, said the impact of illness was “really starting to hit” and the things were “close to critical”.

“Parents are getting stressed and kids are anxious. The vulnerable ones are suffering the most and we were seeing social and emotional issues from the staff shortages and disruptions,” he said.

Berwick Lodge Primary School principal Henry Grossek said parents were sending sick kids to school.

He said parents were sending sick kids to school. “The vast majority do the right thing but there are a few cases where parents have sent positive-tested Covid children to school and they are sending sick kids as well dosed up on Panadol who feel unwell by 10am.

“We are doing our best and still have a smile on our face.”

Joanne Wastle, principal of Glen Waverley Secondary College, said kids are “hardened by the last two years and glad to be at school”.

The school cancelled their year eight camp amid Covid fears and VCE students are also impacted, she said.

“Half the kids were away from a SAC (school assessed coursework) recently due to illness which is significant and some classes are being run with one third of kids away,” Ms Wastle said.

Maria Karvouni, principal of Auburn High School said nearly one-third of year seven to nine students have been away due to illness.

“Teachers are adjusting assessments to enable students to complete the work,” she said.

Another source told the Herald Sun teachers at one primary school in Melbourne’s outer southeast were “exhausted” and at breaking point trying to manage overflowing classrooms without interim support.

Melbourne schools are at breaking point. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Andrew Fuller, a clinical psychologist from education support network Skodel, said messaging from schools was critical because students were feeling anxious and “fatalistic” about a proposed return to remote learning.

Mr Fuller said secondary school students were bearing the brunt of the infection spike.

“They’re quite anxious, and that anxiety is often expressed as absolute exhaustion. They are struggling with their ability to cope because they’ve been so disconnected.”

Malcolm Elliott, president of the Australian Primary Principals’ Association said the “double jeopardy of Covid and the flu was a very serious concern.

“In some schools there is no staff for anything after hours and concerts and information nights are being cancelled,” he said.

Andrew Dalgleish, president of the Victorian Principals’ Association, said “more and more teachers are out and it’s impossible to find all the CRT teachers we need”.

But he said people were optimistic and focused on the best care for the kids.

Australian Education Union president Meredith Peace said the additional workloads were having an impact on staff when managing challenging behaviour, among other roles.

She said schools “need more flexibility to manage the pressures they confront, and the department cannot expect schools to operate as usual”.

Originally published as Covid, flu outbreaks pushing Victorian schools to breaking point