Students in country Victoria return to classrooms after more than two months of remote learning
Students in country Victoria are returning to their classrooms on Monday after more than two months of remote learning. There will be some changes to ensure safety, but the return has been labelled a “significant step forward”.
Education
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More than 142,000 country students are returning to school as their city counterparts are urged to start getting ready now for their classroom comeback.
Prep to Grade 6 pupils in regional areas will on Monday return to physical classes, with those in country P-12 schools to follow on Thursday.
It ends more than two months of learning from home.
Teachers will wear masks when they’re not taking lessons and schools are staggering start times to avoid kids congregating.
All regional pupils will be back at school by October 12, along with primary-level and VCE students in Melbourne.
Education Minister James Merlino said the return of regional primary school students to the classroom was “a significant step forward”.
“I want to thank all school staff, parents and carers, and our students for the work everyone has done during this challenging period,” he said.
“Whether schools are teaching face-to-face or remotely, our focus for Term 4 is on making sure that every student is supported.”
Torquay Coast Primary School principal Darren Roskosch will welcome back 350 students and has 15 new enrolments in a nod to “a bit of an exodus” from Melbourne.
Students will arrive in five-minute intervals, with hand sanitiser at the ready and teachers in masks when they’re not instructing classes.
Mr Roskosch said the school would first focus on student wellbeing, helping pupils readjust to being surrounded by their peers.
“Our children are coming back to a very good, happy place,” Mr Roskosch said.
Monash University psychologist Emily Berger said the families of Melbourne students could start getting ready by going back to school routines, re-establishing sleep times and talking with children about the positives of going back to school.
“Some kids will have trouble adjusting back to school routines and expectations, particularly because children’s concentration and emotional and behavioural control may have reduced over the lockdown period,’’ Dr Berger said
“Parents need to show confidence that returning to school is the right step and this will increase children’s level of confidence that they can cope at school.”
Torquay mum-of-two Kelsey Jamieson said daughter Pia, 8, and son Jye, 6, were “really excited to just play again”.
“Jye keeps asking if he’s going into Grade 2 — they’re not quire sure,” she said.
And while the kids are thrilled, she said husband Danny Monk, who has been home working and helping the kids with remote learning, would look forward to the day just as much.
“He’s very excited to have the house to himself,” she said.
Metropolitan Year 7-10 pupils are still waiting for a return date.
All VCE pupils sit the General Achievement Test on Wednesday.
KIDS RETURN TO KINDERGARTEN
Under stringent new protocols parents are to drop off their children and immediately leave as kids return to kindergartens across the state on Monday.
Volunteers are not allowed while food sharing and group singing will be banned.
But kids won’t be temperature tested and staff won’t have to wear masks, according to Education Department guidelines.
Carey Grammar principal Jonathan Walter said he was delighted to see the children returning.
“The whole community is looking forward to reconnecting over the course of the next few weeks,” he said. “We are looking forward to supporting our students in their transition back to school.”
The return to kinder follows the mass resumption of childcare centres and family daycare last week.
Kinder students at those centres returned at the same time but sessional and stand-alone kinders had to wait before opening for Term 4.
Guardian Childcare & Education Lemon Tree centre manager Lily Donaldson said it was “so wonderful to have everyone back”.
“The kids were skipping through the door, they were so excited. We expected tears, but all we got were tears of joy,” she said.
Community Child Care Association executive director Julie Price said families were overjoyed to be back in the centres.
She said there was “some concerns about a small number of families that may have to cut back or cancel their enrolment if they have lost their job or had their hours or pay cut”.
“At present it’s hard to assess the size of this impact as families work out how much child care they can afford,” Ms Price said.
Parents do not need to adhere to the 5km rule and children enrolled in more than one service can attend both.
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