30 Mar 2020
😀 Shoalhaven High School is here to understand, help and listen during these difficult times. We will work together for our students and their families. 😀
Dear Parents and Carers,
There is a lot of anxiety at the moment, not only in relation to the COVID-19 health crisis, but also concerning the demands of adapting to online/remote learning for our students. Our teachers followed an alternative timetable last week trying to do their best to provide quality, meaningful work for their students and we know that this very different way of learning can be stressful for parents and students.
Our preferred option for students to access their learning material is via Google Classroom. We are very aware that some students may not have access to appropriate technology and devices for this to occur. If you are in a situation where technology access is restricted we have ensured hard copies of the work are available. This work can be requested by notifying the front office.
We are also aware that students are becoming fatigued by the amount of screen time required to complete the assigned work or are having difficulties with uploading, downloading or submitting tasks. We encourage our students to take regular breaks, exercise, drink plenty of water and take time away from their devices during this time.
This letter is to try and communicate to our parents/carers and students that we do NOT want you to be adding to your stress and anxiety by worrying over the technology, due dates, the difficulty of the work or whether a task has been submitted correctly. Please contact the school if you are experiencing difficulties and continue to do your best in these unprecedented circumstances.
We have provided school work via Google Classroom so that there is some semblance of normality and so that students can still have access to learning opportunities and communication with their teachers. The last thing we want is for the work we are providing to cause even further angst.
Students working in part time jobs or undertaking essential/important roles in families and the community. Students will not be penalised if they are unable to do their school work during the day. We know that some of our students will have to go to jobs or support others. We understand that these are difficult times for families and a school child may be an important source of income for a family. My very strong message is for these students to do what is right for your family in the current situation. Work at this point in time for some families is more important, learning can occur at any time and with remote learning we can be flexible in our delivery and completion of learning tasks. We just require the task to be completed and submitted in a reasonable time frame. It is more important that our students feel safe, secure, cared for and reassured that this too will pass.
Please know that every staff member is acutely aware of how this crisis must be impacting on students and families, and we want them to know that there will always be someone there from Shoalhaven High School to support them in whichever way we can during these challenging times.
Every Year Adviser has created a Google Classroom for the whole cohort so that they can check in with their students each day just to let them know someone is there to help if they need it. Please encourage your children to access their Cohort Google Classroom for their own well-being and to maintain contact with their Year Adviser.
For the remainder of this term, Shoalhaven High School will have limited staff on site to supervise students. A roster has been developed enabling staff to deliver lessons remotely. Please, if you or your child have any questions for our staff, contact the front office and we will be in contact with the staff members to provide an answer or help in any way to resolve your concerns.
We appreciate our school community’s overwhelming support as we work through this together. It is so reassuring for our students that their parents/carers have shown a great interest and engagement in ensuring our students have continuity in their learning as we all deal with the unprecedented situation that we now face.
Yours in Education,
Damian Rees
Principal