Executive Director's Update to Principals #54: COVID Update - 20 Aug 2021

Holy One,
filling the universe.
We take to heart your words “Do not be afraid,”
and your promise “I will be with you always.”
We commit ourselves to take fresh courage in facing whatever comes in our lives.
May our prayers for courage light a candle of hope across the world. May this light empower us to commit ourselves to living with trust into our uncertain future.
Amen

COVID Update

A case of COVID in Shepparton has been announced today, which has the potential to lead to a regional lockdown in the coming days. Premier Daniel Andrews was not prepared to rule this out in this afternoon’s press conference. 

Given this uncertainty, we advise schools to take a proactive approach today in preparation for the possibility that remote learning is required early next week. The following advice is provided: 

• Schools should be flexible in their arrangements to ensure continuity of learning, which can include digital learning platforms and/or the provision of learning materials.
   
• Where necessary, students should be provided with access to digital devices to enable access to learning programs being provided by the school.
   
• Schools will need to continue to provide on-site supervision for students in the following categories:
  • Children whose parents are considered essential workers as listed, cannot work from home and where no other supervision arrangements can be made
  • Vulnerable children, including children in out-of-home care, children deemed by Child Protection and/or Family Services to be at risk of harm and children identified by the school as vulnerable (including via referral from a family violence agency, homelessness or youth justice service or mental health or other health service).
  • Where a parent/carer indicates that a student with a disability is vulnerable because they cannot learn from home, and/or informs the school the student is vulnerable due to family stress, the school must provide on-site supervision for that student. This may apply to students enrolled in specialist schools and students with a disability enrolled in mainstream schools.
    

We will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend and provide an update to schools if there are any developments. 

We are very grateful for all of the work schools are doing to provide continuity of learning for students under these continually stressful and exceptional circumstances.  

The HIVE Remote Learning Resources

Remote learning resources can be accessed on The HIVE homepage and in the top site menu for teachers to use as required.

Updated School Operations Guide

If a regional lockdown eventuates, we would anticipate that an updated version of the School Operations Guide will be issued in due course. We will circulate this when it becomes available. 

Next COVID Update