By Brendan Rees
There were smiles all-round as all students returned to the classroom for the first time in two months.
Government schools across Casey welcomed back students in Years 3 to 10 on Tuesday 9 June as part of the final step of returning to face-to-face teaching and learning.
At Cranbourne Primary School students were greeted by balloons as they poured through the gates – where school captains Dylan and Kyana also raised the Australian flag to mark the occasion.
Parents also had a new-found appreciation for teachers after juggling working from home in makeshift offices while setting up temporary classrooms.
Principals reported they had implemented a “smooth” stagger in drop-offs and pick-up times to reduce the number of adults around school grounds at any one time, as well as staggered break times to manage the number of students mixing across year levels.
Despite some “technical hiccups” involved in remote learning – which also proved to be a “strange environment” – principals say there had been “many positive comments” from parents, who were “very happy to hand their children back to us,” according to Narre Warren North Primary School principal Connie Vandervoort.
“It was wonderful to see all the children returning to school,” Ms Vandervoort said, as she and assistant principal Ben Zimmerle greeted the happy faces at the gates – with some of the younger children also having learned to cross a road on their own during their time away.
She also mused that many had physically grown with some of the grade 5/6 children are “now taller than I am”.
Over the past week, Ms Vandervoort said teachers had facilitated lessons based on student wellbeing including rebuilding relationships and students participating in discussions on their feelings on remote learning.
“As a school we are going to reflect on what was effective during the remote teaching and learning period and what could be continued on now that the students have returned to school,” Ms Vandervoort said. “We have started to ask parents and students for their feedback into this as well.”
Meanwhile, Fountain Gate Secondary College was also thrilled to welcome back its junior and middle school students for term two – who happily received a surprise cookie with the words ‘welcome back’ personalised on top.
“It was a great day, filled with the buzz and energy of students and teachers thrilled to see one another and we have enjoyed a seamless transition back to school for all students over the past two weeks,” principal Pete Hanratty said.
“Having some normality of routine and familiarity returning to the school environment has been wonderful and the college is immensely proud of its students and staff for their determination and resilience during remote learning.”
All schools will implement physical distancing measures for their staff, and school staff have been prioritised for voluntary coronavirus testing in the lead-up to the return to on-site schooling.
