MPS Newsletter Term 3, Week 7 - 27 August 2021

Principal's Report

I would like to start this Newsletter with congratulations and thanks. You are all doing such an amazing job facilitating this Learning from Home phase. Well done! I continue to be amazed at the progress we make each and every single day as I hear stories of success and improvement. The majority of students are engaging in online learning via their google classroom or Dojo for Kindergarten. Some are working in books and working from our digital and non-digital packs. Each and every day, we are improving and doing our best. Well done!

I want to ensure you, that whatever you are doing, is in fact absolutely fantastic. Don't stress if you feel like you aren't getting much done. Now is not the time to race to be perfect. Now is the time to focus on ourselves and our family's wellbeing. Just remember, we are only an email away should you need us. 

On behalf of the staff, I want to thank you for your support. Your support is helping our staff get through a challenging time. We appreciate the kind words and the encouragement more than ever right now. Thank you!

COVID-Safe Level 4 Restrictions continue

Yesterday the Premier announced that stay-at-home orders for Regional NSW have been extended until Friday 10th September 2021. NSW Health and the Department of Education are very clear on the message to families and schools in our community. Parents and carers are strongly encouraged to keep their children at home in order to limit movement within our town and the spread of Covid 19 in our community. Our school will remain under Level 4 restrictions, Learning from Home for at least the next 2 weeks.

I also understand the premier has made an announcement today around a staged return to school. Once I receive updated communication for parents from the Department of Education I will provide you with this, but for now, we will definitely continue under Level 4 learning from home for the next two weeks whilst these Stay at Home Orders for regional NSW are in place.

In order to maintain the safety of our staff and abide by the stay-at-home orders for Regional NSW, our staff must work from home as well. Just like many of you, our teachers are currently working/teaching from home, as well as supporting their own children with learning from home. The school remains open for children of essential workers who have no other option. Please only send your child to school when you are actually going out to work and there is no other adult at home. We will continue to run with a skeletal staff at school while we remain on stay-at-home orders. We appreciate this is very difficult and we are here to help, so please let us know if we can be of any further assistance. 

Essential Worker Survey

In order to arrange appropriate supervision it is extremely important that the school has accurate information in advance about anticipated student numbers on site each day. If your child must attend school on any of the school days next week, please register their attendance by completing the following Google Form. https://forms.gle/MdaovSmQen1apfeT8

School Website Learning from Home Section

Did you know that one of our amazing teachers, the fabulous Kerri Sharp, has updated our School Website so that all Learning from Home Resources are in the one spot? Each week, we will update with your child's work for the week so you can keep up to date. Click on the link below to access the latest resources.

Are you taking breaks throughout the day?

It's really important that we take our breaks throughout the day, and whilst we are learning and working from home, this is important more than ever so that our homes don't become a place of stress. I have included a reminder for the maximum amount of learning time each day, but I wanted to use this as a reminder to make sure you are taking breaks for your own exercise and wellness. Remember to switch those screens off and enjoy the sun when and while we can.  I came across the image on the right on the Internet this week and thought it was highly relevant, and slightly amusing!

Email please, rather than phone

As mentioned earlier in the week in my Parent Q+A, it is our preference that if you need to get in touch with us whilst we are learning from home that you send us an email rather than ring. This is because we often have only 1, sometimes 0 office staff at the front desk as our staff are working from home. Our staff are monitoring the school email account and will ring you back immediately or organise the appropriate person to give you a call.

Our school email address is mudgee-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Do you still need technology?

If you are still in need of a Laptop or iPad to help facilitate at home learning, please send us an email to mudgee-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au and we will help source this for you as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your patience, we are doing our best to accommodate a number of families in need.

Department of Education - Learning From Home - Education Live

Every day at 10am, the Education Live team kick in with  fantastic virtual information sessions for children of all ages. It is well worth adding this to your daily routine as there is definitely some interesting topics as well as some familiar household names appearing. Happy viewing! The website link  is below and this also includes many other resources for Parents/Carers who are facilitating home learning. 

Important Dates to Remember

• Monday 30 August: P&C Meeting 6pm
• Wednesday 1 September: Indigineous Literacy Day https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/indigenous-literacy-day
• Wednesday 1 September: Maggie Dent Parent Webinar 4pm - 5:15pm
• Monday 6 - Friday 10 September: School Adminstration and Support Staff Appreciation Week
• Thursday 9 September: R U OK Day

Once again, thank you for support. Try your best, be kind and all will be fine!

Mr Carters
Principal

Students of the Weeks

Congratulations to these students who have been recognised as "Student of the Week" over the last fortnight. Please join us in ackowledging their efforts and contribution.

Week 8 Learning Packs + Paper Pick Up Times

All learning packages for Week 8 can be accessed on the website: https://mudgee-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/2021-learning-from-home.html

Once again, we have a paper pack available, however, please be assured this is exactly the same as the work on the links above. Therefore, if you have bad internet connection/limited devices and need to work in paper form you can use the links and complete work in your own book or on scrap paper, etc.

Never the less, work can be collected on Monday 30 August. Exactly the same time and pick up details as last week. Please refer to the timetable and locations for pick up.

Here are the details which we ask you to follow:

· Refer to the timetable to find your surname. This will be matched to a time and the locations on Perry Street, however, Support Unit families are on Denison Street.

· All work will be on a table outside the fence and pick up will be completely contactless.· You will need to park your car and go to the table to pick up your children/s work

· Only one person at the table at a time. Please line up and social distance whilst doing so. When it is your turn at the table, please sanitise your hands, and then collect the learning pack appropriate for your children.

· Each location will have work for all stages. A staff member will be on the other side of the fence for questions, but they are not allowed to have any contact with you or the learning packs. Once you have your child’s work, please return to your car and do not congregate and chat with other parents.

· Note: All Support Unit Student Work is to be collected from a table near the bus shed/support unit on Denison Street between 10am and 11am.·

If you are unable to attend this pick up please try and use the work off the website as organising staff to supervise pickups is difficult when we have minimal people onsite. Please do your best to make your pick up time – or send us an email to mudgee-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au if we can be of any further assistance.

Library News

Book Week - Although Book Week was a little different this year, it did not stop the members of MPS from celebrating all things Books! I am loving seeing all the photos being sent through of students reading at home, as well as the great dress ups of those who were able to. I will share some of these fabulous photos next week. For now, click on the video below to see some of our staff with their favourite book!

Book Club - Issue 6 Online orders are open!  This is an ONLINE ONLY Issue and any item ordered from Issue 6 can be delivered directly to your home. Click on the Book Club Link below, ordering closes September 3rd. 

PRC - Congratulations to the 80 students who have finished their PRC! There is only 1 week to go, so if you are almost finished, now is the time! 

Book Fair - Sadly we have had to postpone our annual Book Fair for the time being, although we are hopeful that it will still happen. Watch this space!

Stay safe and Happy Reading!

Mrs Siobhan Vitnell - Teacher Librarian

P&C Meeting This Monday 30 August

Our next P&C Meeting is on this Monday at 6pm via Zoom. Rather than give two updates on the day, I will move my Community Catch Up/Q&A to combine with my regular principal's report. Whilst I know 6pm can be a busy time for families, if you have a spare moment, please try and jump on so you can hear the latest. It's a great opportunity to listen and work together to achieve what we can for all students and families in our school. You need to register in advance and you can do so by scanning the QR Code or clicking the link below these images.

Maggie Dent Webinar: Parenting in a Pandemic Wednesday 1 September

The NSW Primary Principal's Association has facilitated an opportunity for school communities to listen to the wonderful Maggie Dent. Mudgee Public School has sorted the registration fee out and it's now open for all parents. There will be resources available after the webinar. 

https://nsweducation.zoom.us/j/68784865493?pwd=MDR4dTdqR1Vpekx4K3hvcWNaWXgyQT09

Zoom Guide for Parents

As you would be aware, many of our teachers are beginning to use Zoom to help keep students connected. See these helpful images below which includes a guide for parents, as well as some dos and dont's. Hopefully this helps make the Zoom experience successful.

Happy Zooming