Latest Update from the Principal
Friday 22 May: Update #17
I write to provide you with further information regarding the second phase of the staged return to school. This past fortnight has been a valuable opportunity for Year 11 and 12 students to re-engage with day-to-day schooling. They have certainly appeared to enjoy having the campus largely to themselves.
As of Monday, the College will resume schooling from where we left off almost two months ago. Having staff and students reunited again will be cause to celebrate. As I have mentioned previously, it is now evident that we are not returning to normal school operations as they were before school concluded. We have all learnt to be more adaptable over the past two months and we have learnt a great deal during the roll out of NC@home. The legacy of this period for the College will unfold over time.
What must occur in the immediate future is the operation of the school, including a large boarding house, while complying with the Government health directives. This will bring some challenges for all of us in the days, weeks and possibly months ahead.
I share with you below the details of school operations effective as of Monday 25 May 2020.
General Organisation
Attendance - The College’s Attendance Policy will apply as normal. However, it is acknowledged that some parents of Years 5 to 12 students may still wish to keep their sons home from school due to concerns about COVID-19; other student health concerns or they cannot return due restrictions for boarding families. This is an acceptable decision and your son won’t be marked as absent, rather that he is learning from home. Please be aware that this exemption from day-to-day schooling may not be extended into Term 3. If you do intend to keep your son/s at home at present please complete this form - Year 5 to 12 not returning 25 May form
If your son returns to school and becomes ill in the subsequent days, normal absentee communication processes apply. In that case, please email studentabsences@nudgee.qld.edu.au or ring the Absentee line - phone 3865 0536. Please note that the College’s Health Centre will be fully operational.
Uniform - College uniform, hair and grooming policies apply as normal. Full formal school uniform is to be worn by all students, including blazers to and from school and during PC class (at a minimum). Please refer to the College Policy/Standards.
Buses - All morning and afternoon school runs will operate in line with the regular school run schedules posted on the College website with the exception of the 5.00pm sports run which will not operate until further notice. The College will not be producing Term 2 bus passes, and so for fare payment, students will need to use the 10 trip paper tickets which are available for purchase from The Locker Room for $30.00. Students will also need to use their Student ID Cards to scan on the BusMinder system when boarding and disembarking.
Gatherings - In accordance with government guidelines the College will not be holding any assemblies, House assemblies, year level meetings, Masses, cheering practices or any large gatherings of the College community.
Tuckshop - The College Tuckshop will be fully operational and will apply social distancing guidelines as best as practicable. A staggered schedule for the student use of the tuckshop will be implemented.
Learning and Teaching
From Monday all lessons from Years 5 to 12 will resume. Teachers will deliver classes on campus as they appear on your son's timetable. The College is open and the primary mode of delivery is face-to-face teaching. Students are encouraged to attend school to complete learning and assessment. Day boys who choose to stay at home are advised to monitor their Google Drives for content and to check for homework posted in their Google Calendar. The College recognises there are boarding students who cannot attend due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please refer to the boarding section of this letter for details about provisions being made for this group.
Boarding
Queensland Health completed a site-specific inspection of our boarding facilities this week. They were very impressed with the standard and care we have taken in our boarding school. Unfortunately, however, we have been informed that our allowed capacity is 25% (as per the current AHPPC guidelines). Under these capped conditions, we are already at capacity and therefore, sadly, can not have any more boys return at this time.
Boarding staff are working with families to look at options they can take to facilitate their son’s return to Brisbane and attend as a day boy. Many local day and boarding families have already reached out to offer to host boarders otherwise unable to return. If you are able to assist we encourage you to make contact directly with a boarding family with whom your son may be friends. For those boarding families unable to return we will continue to support your son’s education with a modified online program. The details of this program are being finalised and will be sent over the weekend.
Co-curricular activities and GPS sport
Performing Arts
Arts activities and music ensembles will begin in Week 6 following the Queensland Government's Stage 1 restrictions. Groups larger than 10 may be split into smaller groups as long as space permits. Please continue to be in contact with coaches, conductors, and activity leaders using your usual means of communication. Individual music lessons will move back to a face-to-face format.
GPS Chess will follow the GPS guidelines and remain suspended until we reach Stage 2 (13 June). Therefore, there will be no formal coaching until that point. Recreational Chess will be allowed under the Stage 1 restrictions.
GPS Sport
The GPS association confirmed this week that GPS sport and activities would remain suspended until Queensland's restrictions ease to Stage 2 (13 June). The College will continue to comply with the GPS statement by NOT providing organised sport including formal training. In conjunction with advice from the Queensland Government’s - Roadmap to easing Queensland's restrictions (Stage 1) - the Activities Office will be offering some health and wellbeing activities via our recreational bootcamp, running and swimming programs.
Plans are currently in place to conduct Term 3 GPS competitions for Basketball, Chess, Football and Tennis beginning Week 1 and Rugby with a start date to be confirmed. The GPS Cross Country Championships will also go ahead in Term 3 with the date to be confirmed shortly. Further details regarding commencement of training, trials and holiday camps will be published in the coming weeks.
Other Information
What to do if your son is unwell
Please continue to ensure that your son remains at home if he is showing any sign of illness. The same protocols will apply as they did in Term 1 for any student on campus who is showing flu-like symptoms (fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, and/or shortness of breath) whilst at school. If your son becomes unwell at school he will be sent to the Health Centre and you will be contacted. The College Health Centre staff will make a decision as to whether the student should be sent home.
Social Distancing
While social distancing measures remain an important consideration for schools to reduce transmission and should occur where practicable, updated Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) advice issued on 24 April 2020 provides new guidance that social distancing (i.e. 4sqm per person in an enclosed space and 1.5m distancing otherwise) is not required for students during classroom activities.
Other social distancing measures for adults remain in place and staff and parents are encouraged to observe these by not congregating in areas inside or around the College. For example, it is important that parents not gather before or after school for drop off or pick up. It is important that adults continue to observe the national directions regarding physical distancing.
Parents/Caregivers coming on to campus
It is important also that we continue to limit the number of non-essential adults entering the College. If parents/caregivers need to come on campus, please assist by contacting the teacher or staff member prior to arrival.
Queensland Government Information Sheet
The Queensland Government Department of Education has provided an information sheet of frequently asked questions to assist parents/caregivers in understanding how Queensland State Schools will be implementing the transition back to school-based learning. This includes hygiene practices such as effective hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, and restricting visitors to the school. Please note that whilst the information sheet is specific to State schools, all Queensland schools are expected to follow the basic protocols.
COVIDSafe APP
We encourage all students and staff to download the COVIDSafe App. In the event of a student or staff member testing positive to the virus the information provided by this app will assist Queensland Health with the process of contact tracing and may help to lessen the disruption to learning and teaching caused by the spot closure.
Conclusion
In effect, Monday’s return to school marks the end of NC@home. In reality however, the learning (and I don’t mean simply textbook and academic learning) will live on. In us as individuals - parents, teachers, students. But also in Nudgee College as an institution. We have already commenced a project to capture the story of NC@home - the challenge, the opportunity, the adventure of the past two months at the College. We hope to be able to share that production with the community a little later in the year.
From where I stand, I sense that there will be a NC@home legacy that will shape the school’s culture. The nature of the legacy is hard to pinpoint right at this moment. But it is important that we do so because life moves so quickly and an important moment in time can be lost.
The legacy must be more than a ‘feelgood’ about what we achieved as a school community. The legacy may be for individuals. It may be for groups. It may be for the whole school. While it may not be apparent immediately it requires thought and reflection, now and over time. I would value your thoughts and reflections about your NC@home experience should you wish to share them with me.
Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal