As I write my newsletter piece for this fortnight, I reflect on all of the students of Yeronga State School and how much I miss their everyday presence in our school. I would like to personally offer a big ‘shout out’ to the students of Yeronga State School, both those who have been learning@home and those who have been here at school. Your remarkable ability to adapt rapidly to new learning styles, as well as all of the current uncertainty in our world, has been remarkable and I commend you (and your parents) for being so resilient. I know that you have been missing your friends, your teachers and your school routine. We miss you and cannot wait to see you back at school soon!

LATEST COVID RESPONSE

The government have made an announcement, which will allow us to start to make plans for the gradual return to school of students. Please note the following important information:

-From Monday 11 May 2020, students in Prep and Year One will return to on-site learning

-Students in the following categories will also be able to attend school under the current

learning at home arrangements (i.e. accessing the learning@home materials with supervision):

• Children of essential workers when they are not able to be supervised at home and no other arrangements can be made. Essential worker means any worker who must continue to attend their workplace for essential business.
• Vulnerable children

-All other students in Year Two- Year Six will continue with learning at home arrangements at this time.

-If low transmission rates continue, students in Year Two- Year Six will return to school from Monday 25 May 2020. Confirmation of this further step will be made by Friday 15 May 2020.

-Classroom teachers will not responsible for providing an alternative home-based learning program for students in Prep and Year 1, where parents elect to keep these students at home. However, if parents of these children contact the school, their teacher may wish to discuss with them ways they can best support their child at home. Parents will be able to access the learning@home resources via the Education Queensland website.

ANZAC DAY

Unfortunately, in 2020 we were not be able to commemorate ANZAC Day in the same way that we normally do. I hope that families were able to enjoy our Yeronga State School ‘virtual’ ceremony and be involved in other ways, such as the RSL ‘Light up The Dawn’ ceremony. The poignant photos that students shared of the different ways that their families commemorated and honoured this day in 2020 were certainly moving. We look forward to commemorating ANZAC Day at Yeronga State School in 2021, as a significant part of our 150^th birthday celebrations.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

My gratitude and recognition go to the 2020 School Captain team, as they negotiate their way through this difficult time, as our school leaders. The Yeronga State School Captains and Vice Captains have been very creative in putting together their daily morning announcements remotely. It is commendable to see them each approach it in different ways, which are both engaging and inspiring for all the children. Gaining an insight into their hobbies and challenges has been motivating.

I would also like to congratulate the School Captains for the wonderful job they did with the Anzac Day ceremony this year. It was challenging to work remotely, however their ability to maintain traditions in a digital format was a credit to their commitment to the Yeronga State School community.

THANK YOU MRS COWIE

I would also like extend my sincere thanks to Mrs Debbie Cowie (our Head of Curriculum for Digital Technology) for a number of reasons. Firstly, Mrs Cowie put together the ‘virtual’ YSS ANZAC ceremony, which was presented in such a thoughtful and respectful way to represent the importance of this day for our school community.

Mrs Cowie has also been an ‘absolute rock’ for staff, parents and students during our move to online learning. She has negotiated the many challenges with endless grace and provided guidance to so many of us, at all times of the day and night. Thank you Debbie!

LOOKING AHEAD

I will continue to endeavour to keep our school community as up to date as possible over the coming weeks, as we work to return to school as “normal”. Take care of yourselves and your families.

Kate Paynter

Acting Principal