START OF TERM 3

Advice to Parents and Students:
Cammeraygal High School Operation Wk 1 Tm 3

The Premier of NSW has encouraged families to keep children at home the first week of Term 3.
Cammeraygal High School remains open for students whose parents are engaged in essential services.

The following arrangements are in place to enable students to learn from home:

How will Cammeraygal High School facilitate Learning from Home?

• Timetabled lessons will proceed online and this will be the only platform of lesson delivery for all students, whether working from home or at school.  This is the cornerstone of our Continuity of Learning Plan.
• Students should be wearing their school uniform for all timetabled lessons.
• All classes have a Google Classroom which has already been established. Students are to use the Google classroom to complete their learning activities and communicate with their teachers.  Teachers may also use additional platforms such as Zoom but instructions for the use of these platforms will be initiated in the Google classroom during the timetabled lesson.  All of these platforms will be free for student use.  
• Teachers are unable to reply individually to emails, as their focus will be teaching via the online learning platform. Please note that lessons will be held according to our regular bell times (attached) and students should be in their Google classrooms during those times.
• Student questions regarding assessment and course content should be asked directly through the Google Classroom.  Comments and questions have been switched on in the Google classrooms to allow for this. Sentral messaging is not active during this time.  This is to streamline educational delivery and communication to one platform.
• Student check-ins will occur for students needing support or students not engaging in the google classroom.  Year advisor year group google classrooms will be available for students to seek support from their year advisor and request additional check-ins.
• Examination style (in-class tasks) will NOT be held onsite for this time. These tasks may proceed in an alternate format and students must ensure they understand the changes. All information about assessment tasks will be communicated by class teachers via Google classroom.
• Illness / Misadventure processes will apply in some limited circumstances. Factors solely related to Learning from Home are unlikely to constitute grounds for misadventure. Our Illness/Misadventure application form is available on the Sentral student and parent portal.  Students are reminded that upon completion, the illness / misadventure application, together with any relevant documentation, should be emailed to the relevant Head Teacher for processing.  The usual rules around illness/misadventure apply, although we are, until further notice, suspending the need for medical certificates for students who are ill. 
• Year 12 Trial HSC exams will be moved back by one week, to be in Week 4 and 5, as NESA has extended the deadline for HSC assessment marks.
• Learning Support structures will continue, albeit with adaptations. The Learning Support Team will be in touch with students requiring support to monitor their needs during this time.  Further information will be provided as it develops. Disability Provisions processes will have more limited application in Learning from Home, because there will be fewer examination-style tasks.
• Student wellbeing support structures will also be adapted by our Wellbeing Team.  Each year advisor has established a Google Classroom for their year group, the codes for which can be found at the end of this notice.  A year meeting will be held virtually at the beginning of sport time (Wednesday 1.00pm).
• Technology support is available. Please contact our Technical Support Office by emailing the school and marking your message to the attention of Mr Hollis.
• Official school communication will continue as normal via emails and Sentral daily notices for students.
• Parents can receive guardian summaries to monitor google classroom activity for their child.  Parents new to the school who have not already received an invitation for google classroom.

How can students make the most of Learning from Home?

Students must know their teacher’s Google Classroom code.  If your child does not know one of their Google Classroom codes, please email the school office with your child’s name, the class name and the teacher name and the code will be provided. Students are to:

• Organise their physical space at home. Make sure the space for learning is neat and tidy.
• Use their timetable to be organised and ready to learn at the timetabled time.  Students must log in to the Google Classroom at the scheduled time to submit work and interact with the teacher and their peers.
• Take the initiative with their learning – it is up to students to make this work as best as possible.
• Complete tasks with integrity and academic honesty. Students are to do their best work.
• Meet timelines, commitments and due dates. Students are to communicate proactively with their teachers if they cannot meet deadlines or require additional support.

How can parents help?

• Set clear and positive expectations that learning will continue at home.
• Please understand that Learning from Home cannot look the same as the regular learning process.
• Make sure you have access to the school timetable through Sentral. This is to ensure your child/ren are ready to learn at the scheduled time.
• Ensure that sleep patterns and morning routines are regular and structured.
• Manage your children’s phone/s during lesson times. Phones are a distraction and parents will need to help manage this, by considering steps such as physically placing phones away during timetabled lessons.
• Clarify exactly when assessment tasks are due and assist your child/ren with submission.
• Make changes to your home so that there is a clear and organised space for learning. A space/location for extended learning should be a public/family space, not in a bedroom.
• Parents should contact teachers via email channels only in exceptional circumstances.  As usual these emails must go through the school email.
• Please do not directly interact with Google Classroom (or other online platform), as this is a student learning space.
• In line with Health advice please encourage your child to take regular breaks for recess and lunch, encouraging some exercise.  However, please discourage them from socialising in the community and particularly from congregating at shops or public spaces, in line with advice from the Department of Health.

Protocols for Remote Learning

• Students are reminded that appropriate communication must be maintained at all times, including language and courtesy with peers and teachers.  High behavioural expectations in the digital environment will be maintained with our usual disciplinary structure applying if these are breached.
• Students may at times be involved in video conferencing meetings where a group of students will all utilise front-facing cameras on their laptops to interact.  Students are to wear their school uniform.  If a student is not dressed appropriately they will be removed from the video conference.
• Teachers will not conduct live video sessions with only one student.

What if my child needs to come to school?

• The Premier of NSW has strongly encouraged families to keep children at home. If this is not possible, our site will be open with staff present to supervise students’ online learning.
• Social distancing guidelines will be strictly applied. This means students attending school will NOT experience a regular school day. It is highly likely that outdoor spaces may need to be used for students undertaking online lessons. Students will need to prepare for this - ie, dress warmly on cold days. Playground areas will be limited and students assigned to a particular area.
• If students must be at school they must bring a fully charged laptop and headphones.
• Students must bring their own food. The canteen is closed.
• The libraries on both campuses will be closed.
• Seniors who attend school must be on site for the whole day.  They cannot sign in and out.
• Sport will not take place.
• Extra-curricular activities will not take place, and the site will close at 3.30pm.

FAQs

1. What if my child needs a textbook or other hard-copy resource?

The school site remains open. If you need to access resources from the school, please email your request to the relevant Head Teacher first so we can have the correct resources ready for you to collect from Reception.

2. What if I need to contact a Deputy Principal or Head Teacher?

Please contact the school via the school email (cammeraygal-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au) and state in the subject line the person’s name, or role that you wish to contact (eg, ATTN: Deputy Principal Year 7).

3. What if my child finds the work too difficult?

The Google Classroom is the “classroom” - students are encouraged to ask questions and ask for assistance through this platform.

4. What if my child needs additional support / modifications to access learning?

Classroom teachers will build-in adjustments as per usual practice. The Learning and Support teacher will set -up a classroom for all learning and support students so that additional assistance is provided.

5. What if I need to speak with a Year Advisor?

Year Advisors are accessible via email.

6. How can I access the Teacher Librarians for support with research?

Teacher Librarians can be accessed via email.

7. What if there is “group work” in the subject my child studies?

Teachers will determine the nature of this task and alternatives may be considered. Students should communicate with classroom teachers through the Google Classroom.

8. What if my child does a subject with practical work?

Teachers are investigating all options in regard to practical work. We understand that there will be changes and adjustments as we navigate Learning from Home and teachers will provide more advice about practical work as it becomes available.

9. Will every subject / teacher be using the same online platform?

Yes, every class will have a Google Classroom.  Some classes will then use other platforms as well, but the links will always be in Google Classroom.

10. Will the canteen be open?

No. The canteen will be closed in line with Department of Education advice to create social distancing.

11. What about extra-curricular activities?

All extra-curricular activities have been cancelled until further notice, including P&C organised activities. There are no exceptions to this.

12. What about SRE?

SRE has been cancelled until further notice.

13. What if my child misses an online lesson?

They should access the Google Classroom workspace and go through the materials and discussion that has taken place, and contact their teacher through the Google Classroom to explain their situation.

14. When will students be able to ask their teacher for support?

During the normal timetabled lesson on the Google Classroom.  Students may comment on the Classroom stream at other times with questions, but teachers may or may not be able to respond to these before the next timetabled lesson.

15.  What will happen with assessment?

Assessment tasks will be modified and adjusted to allow for electronic submission via Google Classroom for each subject and feedback and results will also be delivered electronically.  We encourage you to monitor these submissions for your child.  If tasks are not submitted on time our normal procedures will apply – teachers will contact you by phone to alert you and N-warning letters may be issued.

16. How will I know my child is learning?

In our Continuity of Learning Plan, teachers will acquire evidence of your child’s learning through their engagement with the google classroom, submission of classwork in Google Classroom in conjunction with formal assessment tasks. This will be used to inform teacher assessment of your child’s progress and reporting. ​