This update on Whole School Events is also available as a printable letter (PDF), which can be downloaded here.
Dear all,
I hope that this letter finds you well and warm.
COVID-19 has thrown a variety of challenges and, interestingly, opportunities our way this year.
One such challenge is how we ensure that whole school events can occur and still meet the COVID-19 restrictions. Many schools continue to discourage and restrict families from entering school grounds and classrooms to ensure that COVID-19 restrictions are being followed. Sports Days, assemblies and special events are being held as parent and family free events.
Currently we are finding that the physical distancing requirements are not being met by a number of parents and families at drop off and pick up times. This means that it would be logistically and practically impossible to ensure that these restrictions are met at events. Thus, parents and family members will not be able to attend upcoming events including the Fun Run, Assemblies, Porties Got Talent, French Day and others.
We have a strategy that will support us meeting the needs of students, families and staff while ensuring we meet the physical distancing and capacity restrictions in place.
I’ve been working with our IT specialist, Scott, and we have purchased a ‘flash’ new camera that we can use to record and/or live stream events so that families can still participate remotely. We are trialling it on Wednesday this week for the assembly. We will film it and then once we have viewed it, and determined if any editing is required, we will upload it to our closed YouTube channel. This channel will only be accessible to our families. Students who do not have permissions for publicity, photos or filming will not be included in the footage.
A huge positive is that those families who are never able to attend events will be able to watch them at a convenient time in the warmth and comfort of their own homes. Parents who work away or live interstate will be able to remotely participate. Grandma can come over for dinner and watch the event with their grandchildren (YAY!). My belief is that this will make our events more accessible to more families.
However, we all look forward to the time when we can all gather for whole school events such as the Fun Runs, Assemblies, Porties Got Talent, French Day and more. Until then we can share our events with you in a new and more accessible way. We will be able to offer both options, face to face / remote, once restrictions are lifted and the threat of contracting COVID-19 has diminished. This is a great opportunity for us to share more of our learning with more of our families.
Thank you for your ongoing flexibility and support with the changes that keep coming our way.
Kind Regards,
Marie Wright
Principal