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Term 1 Week 10(A)

Week 10 Starting 30 March 2020

Friday 03/04/19

Year 11 – Biology and English Assessment Tasks Year 10 – PASS Assessment Task Year 9 – Visual Arts Assessment Task

Term 1 Week 11(B)

Week 11 Starting 6 April 2020

Monday 06/04/20

Year 10 – IT Timber Assessment Task

Wednesday 08/04/20

Year 11 –Legal Studies Assessment Task

Thursday 09/04/20

Year 11 – Spanish Assessment Task Last Day of Term 1

Term 2 Week 1(A)

Week 1 Starting 27 April 2020

Monday 27/04/20

Staff Development Day

Tuesday 28/04/20

Year 9 – Interior Design and Decorating Assessment Task Term 2 resumes for students

Wednesday 29/04/20

Year 11 – Visual Arts Assessment Task

Friday 01/05/20

Year 10 – Commerce Assessment Task Year 8 – Visual Arts Assessment Task (8VA7, 8VA8, 8VA9)

Term 2 Week 2(B)

Week 2 Starting 4 May 2020

Monday 04/05/20

Year 12 – PVD Assessment Task Year 10 – Commerce Assessment Task Year 9 – IT- Building and Construction Assessment Task

Tuesday 05/05/20

Year 11 – Drama Assessment Task Year 8 – Visual Arts Assessment Task (8VA1, 8VA2, 8VA3, 8VA4, 8VA5, 8VA6)

Thursday 07/05/20

Year 10 – Visual Arts Assessment Task Year 9 – Visual Arts Assessment Task Year 7 – Visual Arts Assessment Task (VA4, VA5, VA6, VA7)

Friday 08/05/20

Year 12 – PDHPE Assessment Task Year 10 – Visual Arts Assessment Task Year 9 – Visual Arts Assessment Task; PDM Assessment Task Year 7 - Visual Arts Assessment Task (VA1, VA2,

VA3, VA8, VA9, VA10) , TAS Assessment Task

Term 2 Week 3(A)

Week 3 Starting 11 May 2020

Tuesday 12/05/20

Year 10 – Photography Assessment Task; PDHPE Assessment Task (10PDH4, 10PDH6)

Thursday 14/05/20

Year 11 – Economics Assessment Task Year 10 – PDHPE Assessment Task (10PDH1, 10PDH2, 10PDH3)

Friday 15/05/20

Year 10 – PDHPE Assessment Task (10PDH5)

Year 12 Purple Year 11 Olive Year 10 Blue Year 9 Red Year 8 Green Year 7 Orange

Thoughts from the

Principal

Transitioning to Online Learning

I wish to start by acknowledging the leadership and

professionalism of every teacher who is directing every

class, whether those students are at school or at home.

They are providing a calm, safe and normal

environment for students, despite our anxiety being

heightened by media coverage, seeing empty shelves in

local supermarket stores and the displacement of sport

and the arts activities.

We have done our best to respond to the decisions

made about Education in NSW. The situation has been

and is still constantly changing, and we will continue to

make well considered decisions based on current

information.

The majority of Figtree High School students are now

receiving distance education at home. As teachers we

are all thinking of all our Figtree students and miss

seeing them each day. We miss the human interaction

and the relationship that we usually share as well as the

mental stimulation we get through conversations.

For those who are still coming to school, we

acknowledge and thank their parents for their essential

work. We will be supporting these students with their

online work in hygienic classrooms and a welcoming

environment. Processes for learning - either at school

or home - will be fine-tuned even further this week as

teachers and students adapt to the new modes of online

learning.

SCHOOL NEWSLETTER Term 1 Week 10, 3 April 2020

Address: 2 Gibsons Road, Figtree NSW 2525 Phone: 02 4271 2787 Email: figtree-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Fax: 02 4271 6626

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Organisational details for tuition and also wellbeing

support are being communicated to students and

parents by email and on the school’s website.

Please check regularly.

Year 12 will be informed of the HSC arrangements as

soon as they are finalised. Rest assured, every HSC

student in the state is impacted so it will be a level

playing field. Also, your teachers are among the finest!

Meanwhile, my advice to you remains constant … that

is, to take your assessment tasks very seriously and do

your best.

We are looking forward to normal school resuming, but

in the interim we will continue to support our

community as it adjusts and changes to the present

challenges faced.

For the moment, I have some happy news of events that

occurred earlier in Term 1…….

External Validation

On Thursday 19 March, Figtree High School participated

in external validation. The entire teaching staff had a

hand in deciding on our seven best projects and

practices for the purpose of the external validation (EV).

In preparation for this meeting, a significant body of

evidence was prepared, reviewed and annotated. All

evidence compiled for external validation was put

together by the whole school executive team (head

teachers, deputy principals and principal) as well as

three teachers.

This proved to be a powerful learning experience as

Figtree High School staff reported that the collaborative

discussion and resultant decision making - focusing on

our current school systems and practices – as well as the

expectations of the School Excellence Framework was

extremely valuable.

Staff also acknowledged that the process has brought to

the surface many practices that we can now use to

improve our learning, teaching and leading so as to

further provide Figtree High School students with the

best possible learning opportunities.

The whole school approach we took in both the

examination of evidence and in putting together the

external validation sets for submission has revealed

there are elements we need to improve upon, and

others that we can most certainly be proud of our work.

It was indeed reaffirming to have the EV panellists - an

experienced pairing of a Principal School Leader and

High School Principal - declare that our evidence sets

were among the strongest they have seen in their work

of assessing and evaluating school submissions.

The EV panellists also elevated six out of fourteen areas

of self-assessment to a higher level and further

championed the outstanding programs operating in the

school as well as the general work of teachers and

leaders in the everyday life of the school.

Most pleasing too, for me as Principal, was their

commentary around the happy vibe they felt was clearly

evident in the school, emanating from both students

and staff through their interactions.

'Try Year 7 for a Day’.

During Week 8, over 200 Year 6 students from across

our seven Community of Schools attended 2020 'Try

Year 7 for a Day’.

The Year 6 students participated in a range of engaging

and interactive lessons designed by Figtree High School

teachers to allow each student to get an idea of our

curriculum areas including food technology, woodwork,

STEM (science technology engineering maths), physical

education, geography, languages, history and science.

The Year 6 students showed interest and an exemplary

attitude on each of the days and were such a credit to

their primary schools. We look forward to them

choosing Figtree High School as their local school of

choice in 2021.

Yet again, I would like to say a very big thank you to the

Figtree Lions Club for their time and support in cooking

our Sausages Sizzles on each of these days.

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Master classes for 2020.

Stage 3 students from our Community of Schools (CoS),

with a talent or interest in a particular Key Learning

Area, were selected by their primary school to attend a

3 or 4 week Masterclass at Figtree High School on a

Wednesday afternoon in their area of expertise. These

classes are run by specialised Figtree High School

teachers and are supported by our current Figtree

students, who are such wonderful ambassadors for our

school.

So far this year we have already had Visual Arts and

Woodwork.

Visual Arts – Year 5 and 6 students from our CoS who

are passionate about Visual Arts, recently participated

in a three week masterclass.

They created large artworks inspired by Native

Australian birds and the artist Pete Cromer. Many

thanks to our brilliant Ms Cook for sharing her expertise.

Woodwork - Masterclass students began by completing

a safety test before they could effectively use the

required tools. After this, they measured and cut out

timber pieces to enable them to complete their project.

The aim was for all students to complete a pencil box to

take away and use back at their primary school.

Huge thanks to our talented Mr Solah for sharing his

expertise and leading our Stage 3 students.

Masterclasses will of course be discontinued in the

short term due to the current health concerns in the

community.

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Regional Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to all the students who represented

our school at the Regional Swimming Carnival held at

Dapto Pool on Tuesday 10 March.

We had a very strong team of representatives from

Figtree HS who competed at their very best in every

event they entered.

Jessica Buffett was again a force to be reckoned with,

swimming in eight events and smashing two records.

Jessica was crowned as age champion for the 17+ years.

Regan Smith also had a fantastic meet, competing in

seven events and placing in four.

Well done to all students who participated at this very

high level of swimming!!!

A special message to our students

It is very important that you are looking after yourselves

at this very difficult time.

Please be informed about what is happening in the

world, but not fixated on it.

Limit how much time you expose yourself to the

media.

Try and stay connected with your friends via email,

phone and social media. However, try and move

away from conversations about the virus.

Please use social media in appropriate ways.

Inappropriate conversations between Figtree

students will still be dealt with by the school.

Try and develop a new "normal routine", which

includes physical activity, school work and

connecting socially with family and friends.

Eat well to maintain energy levels and mood as well

as drink plenty of water.

Finally get enough sleep as this will keep you

energised and focused during this time.

Teachers will be providing you with advice on how to

organise your day and stay mentally healthy.

To parents and students, do not hesitate to contact the

school if you have any problems, questions or need

advice.

Take care,

Daniel Ovens

Principal

Expectation of the Week

WEEK 10: BE A LEARNER - Technology Use technology for learning

WEEK 11: BE SAFE - Wash your hands with soap and water regularly

WEEK 1: BE RESPECTFUL – Technology Communicate appropriately when

online

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Deputy Principal Report

Years 7 and 10

Wow how things have changed over the past three

weeks.

Year 7

Unfortunately we were unable to hold the Year 7 Meet

and Greet for students, parents, carers and teachers,

but are hoping that we will be able to conduct this later

in the year. Year 7 have all received information and

their codes to access the Online Learning Platform. At

Figtree High School this is via Moodle and Google

Classroom. Students are strongly encouraged to access

their Department of Education email accounts on a daily

basis as this is the only way that we can communicate

to students as a whole group.

Year 10

Currently Year 10 have a number of assessment tasks

due. Students must complete and submit these tasks

either online or submitted through the front office. As

per the assessment booklet students who do not submit

their task on time will be issued with an N warning.

Please remember that we are here to support your

child, and if there is an issue that does arise which

hinders their ability to submit a task please contact the

school as soon as possible. Teachers are still here to

support students with their learning and can be

contacted through the school email account. Various

emails have been sent to students to gauge a response

on how they are managing with the online learning. The

responses have given us great feedback to refine how

we are working in an online environment. Students are

encouraged to access their Department of Education

email accounts to gain information on wellbeing tips.

Keeping Connected

Across Australia and the world people are facing an

unprecedented situation as our health authorities and

governments act to manage the spread of COVID-19

(Coronavirus).

The Coronavirus pandemic comes as many Australians

are still feeling the impact of recent bushfires, floods

and drought. It’s very normal to not feel OK in

unsettling times such as these. Watching and listening

to media and social media coverage and commentary

can be confronting and confusing.

It is now even more important that we all promote a

sense of community, reach out and ask our friends,

family and colleagues, "Are you OK?".

Some people in your world might be feeling anxious,

worried about when things will return to normal, be

physically unwell or concerned about their health and

wellbeing. We encourage you to use this time to pick

up the phone, video call, SMS or post online to check in

with your family and friends.

If you are concerned about someone, trust your gut and

ask “Are you OK?”. Listen with an open mind to what

they have to say and ask them what you can do to help.

In the current circumstances, there might be limits on

what you can do but you can definitely be a listening ear

and a (virtual) shoulder to lean on.

(an excerpt ‘Staying connected is more important than ever

from R U OK)

Please keep safe – we are missing your smiling faces.

Remember to wash hands with soap and water, and

keep social distancing.

Jemma Lawson

Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal Report

Years 8 and 12

Year 12 - The HSC is going ahead

I would like to personally thank all of our Year 12

students for their patience, humility and the trust they

have placed in the staff at Figtree High School, as we

have transitioned to online learning. It is pleasing to say

that all Year 12 students have engaged in their online

learning, either through Google Classroom or Moodle.

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Unfortunately, the 2020 Figtree High School Mid-

Course Examinations scheduled for this month will no

longer occur in the planned format in the Auditorium.

The cancellation means faculties and class teachers will

now work with each class to make arrangements for

these tasks to be completed, through their online

learning platforms.

We have fielded many great questions from our Year 12

students about what their learning will look like going

forward. As this pandemic is an unprecedented event,

we won’t always have firm answers. The NSW

Education Standards Authority (NESA) Board confirmed

on the 24th March that the HSC is going ahead in 2020.

Following this meeting, NESA’s advice for all Year 12

students is to:

Keep learning, do your assessments, and make

progress on your major projects.

Look after yourself, whether you are at school or at

home.

Reach out to family, friends and your teachers if

you need to.

On 2 April, NESA announced that the mandatory group

performance for HSC Drama has been cancelled, and

other performance examinations will be modified

where they breach mandatory social distancing

regulations. The next NESA COVID-19 Board meeting

will examine the impact and resulting actions regarding

courses with major works, such as Visual Arts, IT-

Timber, English Extension 2 and Society and Culture.

NESA also announced that HSC students studying VET

courses are no longer required to complete the

mandatory Work Placement requirements. Further

information will be distributed as soon as information is

received. Year 12 students who are aiming to achieve

an ATAR were emailed their UAC PIN on 1 April by the

Universities Admission Centre. This is needed to apply

for university in 2021. It is important to remind our

students not to worry as many people are working

behind the scenes to ensure that no senior student at

Figtree High School is educationally disadvantaged.

Year 8

The last few weeks have seen a transition to a digital

learning environment. Our Google Classrooms and

Moodle sites have been set up to assist teaching and

learning between teachers and students. I have seen

some fantastic examples of online learning in Year 8

classes, including excellent questions from students

which demonstrates their high levels of online

engagement, teacher instructional videos and high

quality student work. Please feel free to email the

school if you feel any additional support is needed for

your child/s online learning, technology accessibility or

wellbeing concerns — our teachers, year advisers,

learning and support team and school counsellors are

available to support student learning. Lastly, it is

important that students, when learning from home,

take regular breaks between online lessons, eat well,

get plenty of sleep, and maintain a physically active

lifestyle and a positive mental wellbeing during these

uncertain times.

Peter Hewitt

Deputy Principal (relieving)

Deputy Principal Report

Years 9 and 11

Year 9

Congratulations to Year 9 for their awesome effort with

the huge jump into Learning from Home. Students are

reminded that they should be following their normal

school timetable when engaging with their learning

from home, which means logging by at 8:40am,

checking their email and then being ready for their

period 1 lesson in their online platform. Class teachers

have been posting details about Year 9 semester 1

assessment tasks in the google classroom or Moodle

platform. Students need to ensure that they are

engaging in both classwork and assessment work, with

course work and assessment tasks needing to be

submitted online, or if working on paper, submitted to

the school office.

Year 11

The past few weeks have been very busy for Year 11,

with a number of assessment tasks needing to be

submitted. Some courses have postponed assessment

tasks until next term, or modified the task so that it can

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be completed at home and submitted electronically.

Students need to ensure that they meet the required

submission date for assessment tasks. Any tasks

submitted late, without appropriate documentation for

illness/misadventure will result in the student being

awarded a mark of zero. Students who do not submit

an assessment task, or who are not engaging in course

work, place themselves at risk on an N Warning letter

for not meeting the requirements of the course.

The online learning environment provides the

opportunity for students to develop their self-discipline

and self-regulation skills for learning. Students should

be following their normal school timetable, this includes

students who are studying TAFE courses. Students need

to be regularly communicating with their class teachers

through their online learning platform, email or through

phone contact with the school.

Deputy Principal Daily Check-in

Deputy Principal team email our students on a daily

basis, usually first thing in the morning. This provides a

daily reminder to our students that we are available to

them and while we can’t physically see each other, we

are only an email or phone call away. We have also

taken the opportunity to seek feedback from our

students about their experience with learning from

home. Students have been provided with information

related to managing their wellbeing, and supporting

themselves in a remote learning environment.

Some key resources from headspace have been

provided to students regarding their wellbeing. These

have been included in this newsletter. We have also

provided students with some information about self-

care and strategies for coping during this time of

‘Learning from Home’ and ‘staying at home’.

Student feedback has been insightful and highly valued.

This feedback has been used to identify key staff to

support specific students, and also assisted our teaching

staff to work in this environment of remote learning.

Our students reported a strong level of enjoyment of

remote learning in the first few days

But the level of enjoyment shifted backwards slightly at

the end of the week, as students reported feeling a

sense of disconnection from their friends and teachers.

Our teachers are currently further developing their skills

with the use of video conferencing software, supported

by the Department of Education, and this will assist with

the learning process as teachers begin to engage with

live video conferencing lessons.

It has been great to see the value that students place on

their family and friends when asked about the things in

life that they are grateful for. It is important that during

challenging times, that we do take the time to practice

gratitude, as it can shift out focus away for the hard

times, and focus on the things that we are grateful for.

The Positive Psychology website provides ideas for

practicing gratitude, including a gratitude journal.

https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-journal/

Ellie Donovan

Deputy Principal

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Mathematics Faculty

Report

Earlier in the term when the Mathematics faculty was

told Week 9 was our turn to write the faculty report for

the newsletter, we started brainstorming all the great

programs, events and information upcoming this term

and beyond. 2020 was moving along so well and with

such clarity. Planning was underway for the

Mathematics Competition and Years 7 & 8 Enrichment

program (both of which will now not run in 2020).

Assessment Schedules for all courses 7-12 had been

sent home and students were well under way in

developing Learning Logs for their upcoming in-class

assessments.

It was even outstanding to see a record number of

students attending Homework Centre weekly for

support. Teachers were so excited to see students using

the time to fill in learning gaps and extending their

knowledge. I want to take this opportunity to thank all

the teachers who gave up their time to assist. Weekly,

we had over 25 students attend with at least four

teachers coming down and donating their time, many of

whom were called at the last minute and were more

than happy to help.

Year 7 2021 Expo Night was held earlier this term. Even

though the weather was overcast there was such a

great turnout by parents and prospective students. It

was great to be able to showcase the many aspect we

are delivering and looking to move into over the coming

years.

Now, here we are in Week 9 and the landscape of

Figtree High School has changed so vastly. All those

plans have halted as we move into online learning.

Mathematics lessons have moved into either Moodle or

Google Classroom based on the teacher’s preference.

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Your child should have received class codes and/or

other information relating to accessing the class work.

https://web1.figtree-

h.schools.nsw.edu.au/moodle/

Accessed via the student portal

https://student.det.nsw.edu.au

There is also a Google Classroom app available

via the App Store (Apple) or Play Store

(Android)

All work will be delivered in line with current timetable

structures. If a Math’s lesson is scheduled for that day,

work will be uploaded to the online learning platform

prior to that lesson for completion. Can I ask that you

make sure your child has accessed the relevant platform

and is working towards completing the assigned work.

As I finish up, I just want to say thank you for your

patience and support while we transition to these new

services. It has required much learning on the go from

teachers and students alike and as we begin to

understand the finer capabilities of the systems learning

and support will improve.

Please stay safe and look after yourself and loved ones.

Dinesh Dodhy

Head Teacher Mathematics

REGIONAL SWIMMING

On 10 March, 11 swimmers competed in the Regional

Swimming Carnival at Dapto Pool. Jessica Buffett was

once again on fire. She swam in eight events – 400m

freestyle and came 2nd, the 100m butterfly and came

1st, 100m freestyle and came 3rd, the 200m and came

1st, 100m breaststroke and came 1st, 50m freestyle and

came 3rd, 100m backstroke and came 2nd and the

200m freestyle and came 3rd. She also broke two

records, the 100m butterfly and the 200IM. To top off

a spectacular meet Jessica was Age Champion for the

17+ years.

Regan Smith also had a fantastic meet. He swam in

seven events. In the 400m freestyle he came 2nd, 100m

butterfly he came 1st, 100m backstroke he came 1st

and the 200m freestyle came 3rd.

Madison Newman also demonstrated her strengths in

the pool. She swam in five events and was placed 2nd

in the 100m butterfly, 3rd in the 200m IM, 2nd in the

100m breaststroke and 3rd in the 200m freestyle.

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Congratulations to our Open Girls Medley relay team

who came 3rd. The team included Mia Parker, Madison

Newman, Jessica Buffett and Abbey Morgan.

Well done also to Marlee Giatris-Nelson, Alyssa Parks,

Nadine Kellermann, Alice Coleman and Kirsten Owen

who also competed at this carnival. Overall Figtree High

School came ninth out of 28 schools.

Accessing the School Counselling Service

The School Counselling Service at Figtree High School provides psychological support to students, staff and parents regarding the wellbeing and learning of students. The service we offer is voluntary and confidential.

Referrals to the School Counselling Service are made by parents or self-referral by the student. Students may also be referred, with the student’s agreement, via a member of staff such as a Year Advisor or Deputy Principal.

During the current period where many students are learning from home, we are putting in place processes to ensure that students continue to have access to the School Counselling Service.

Communication with parents If you have concerns regarding the mental health and wellbeing of your child, and would like to make a referral to the School Counselling Service, you can communicate with the school counsellor/school psychologist via email or phone during school hours. Please be aware that emails will only be monitored during school hours, if you have a more immediate concern you may wish to access an online or telephone service (see below), or in an emergency call 000. We will call you during school hours to discuss your concerns. Communication with students Once a referral is in place, the school counsellor/school psychologist may communicate with your child during this period by email, phone or video call. A set time may be allocated to communicate with your child. If we are unable to contact your child during that set time we will send an email offering to reschedule. If we have safety concerns regarding your child, we will contact you and or share our concerns with the Deputy Principal responsible for your child’s year group, as per NSW Department of Education guidelines. Online counselling and support for students and parents The following services provide information and support via the internet or phone: NSW Mental Health Line -1800 011 511 Lifeline- 13 11 14 Parent Line- 1300 1300 52 http://www.parentline.org.au/ Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800 https://kidshelpline.com.au/

eHeadspace - 1800 650 https://headspace.org.au/eheadspace/ Reachout https://au.reachout.com/

LEARNING FROM HOME: ADVICE FOR PARENTS AND CARERS

We are aware that the experience of learning from home is new for everyone, students, teachers and our parents and carers. We have put together the following information to assist you as we work in a new and different way.

Key considerations:

Parent responsibilities during remote learning Provide support for your children by:

• establishing routines and expectations • defining a space for your child to work in • monitoring communications from teachers • beginning and ending each day with a check-in • taking an active role in helping your children process their learning • encouraging physical activity and/or exercise at home • checking in with your child regularly to help them manage stress • monitoring how much time your child is spending online • keeping your children social, but set rules around their social media interactions.

Student responsibilities during remote learning Students should:

• establish and/or follow a daily routine for learning • identify a safe, comfortable, quiet space in their home where they can work effectively and successfully • regularly monitor digital platforms and communication such as google classroom, Moodle and school email

to check for messages, learning activities and feedback from teachers • complete tasks with integrity and academic honesty, doing their best work • do their best to meet timelines, commitments, and due dates • communicate proactively with their teachers if they cannot meet deadlines or require additional support • collaborate and support their classmates in their learning • comply with the Department’s Student use of digital devices and online services policy • seek out and communicate with school staff as different needs arise.

Establishing routines and expectations Students should follow their school timetable. This will include regular breaks for activity, eating and drinking. In the activity breaks, it is important that students get up and move around.

Setting up a learning environment Try to create a quiet and comfortable learning space. Your child may have a regular place for doing homework under normal circumstances, but this space may not be suitable for working in for an extended period of time.

A space/location for extended learning should be a public/family space, not in a bedroom. It should be a place that can be quiet at times and have a strong wireless internet signal, if possible. Ideally, it should be a space where you or another adult can monitor your child’s learning.

Communicating

Communicating with your child We encourage you to start and finish each day with a simple check-in by asking questions about the learning activities that your child is going to or has engaged in during the day. Asking questions about their learning can allow your child to process the instructions they have received from their teachers, the learning they have engaged in and help them organise themselves and set learning priorities.

Communicating with the school You and your child can communicate with the school via email or phone during school hours if you need further information about the learning for your child.

Communicating with teachers Teachers may be communicating with your child during this period using email or communicating within a learning management system like Google Classroom. Teachers may allocate set times where students can chat with them online. It is important for you and your child to remember that teachers will be communicating with more than 100 other families and that your communications should be meaningful and short. You may also need to remind your child to be patient when waiting for support or feedback.

Using technology

Purchasing new software or devices It is strongly advised that parents do not purchase software from third-party providers. Students already have a wide range of software available and these have been specifically chosen to provide your child with the support they need. See our school website for details about how to access software

Accessing digital learning platforms To support your child in using online and digital resources as part of their remote learning they will need to know their Department of Education log on details. If your child needs assistance, they should contact the school.

Managing Screen Time While the platform for providing students with learning activities is online, this does not mean that students should be spending all day on their screens. It is important that students have a break from their screens throughout the day, and also find time to be active and get their body moving.

Managing behaviour Even though your child is at home they still need to comply with their schools' behaviour management policy. You can refer to the following:

• Student Discipline in Government Schools Policy • Behaviour code for students • Bullying of Students - Prevention and Response Policy • Student use of digital devices and online services

Collaboration, group work and peer feedback during remote learning will require students to communicate online and work together in digital spaces. The expectations of your child and their behaviour will be the same as in a face to face lesson.

Digital citizenship We recommend that you take the time to explore issues of digital citizenship and online safety and then discuss these with your child. It is important that during this period of remote learning that we maintain safe and responsible use of information and communication technologies. This includes appropriate use of digital platforms, privacy and information protection, respectful communication and how to deal with online issues.

Frequently asked questions for Parents and Carers

1. What will happen to the HSC this year? On 25 March, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Board confirmed on that the Higher School

Certificate (HSC) is going ahead in 2020. Click here for more information.

2. What if I need to contact a Deputy Principal, Year Advisor or Head Teacher? Please contact the school via the school email (figtree-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 needs a textbook or other hard-copy resource? The school site remains open. If your child needs to access resources from the school, students are to email

their classroom teacher first, or alternatively email your request to the school (ATTN: Subject Head Teacher)

so we can have the correct resources ready for your child to collect from the front office.

4. What if my child finds the work too difficult? The online platform is the “classroom” - students are encouraged to ask questions and ask for assistance

through this platform.

5. What if my child needs additional support / modifications to access learning? Classroom teachers will build-in adjustments as per usual teaching practice. The Learning and Support team

can be accessed by emailing the school with ATTN: Learning Support

6. What if my child needs extension work? The online platform is the “classroom” - students are encouraged to write questions and ask for assistance

through this platform.

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 their online learning platform.

8. What if my child is studying 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? At Figtree High School we are mainly using Google Classroom and Moodle. Your child has received

information from the school about the platform being used and how to access it.

10. Will the canteen be open? No. The canteen will be closed in line with Department of Education advice to create social distancing.

11. Will school bus services continue to operate? At present, the bus services will operate as normal.

12. What about extra-curricular activities? All extra-curricular activities have been cancelled until further notice. There are no exceptions to this.

It can feel stressful and overwhelming during an event like the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and we can all be affected differently. You might feel overwhelmed by the information, conversations and the increased levels of stress in your community. It can be hard to know what information to trust especially in a situation where things are changing so quickly. It can be helpful to keep up-to-date but it’s also okay to switch off from the 24 hour media cycle if this is getting too much.

During this time some things in your life may be affected by attempts to contain the spread of the virus. You may have been looking forward to a gig or a trip that’s been cancelled. You may be affected by school, uni or your workplace temporarily closing. Or you may have a loved one who is directly affected by the virus.

It’s important to find the right level or type of support for you. And keep in mind that the type of support you may need can change as time passes. For many people staying connected to family and friends/loved ones is important.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

how to cope with stress related to COVID-19

Version 1 – 20 March 2020headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation is funded by the Australian Government of Health

Tips to maintain a healthy headspace during this time

Be mindful of exposure to information through stories, traditional and social media. It can be helpful to take a break from the 24-hour news cycle

Do things that make you feel safe and connected, and be with those who are helpful to your wellbeing

Engage in activities that promote a sense of calm and feeling grounded (use of alcohol and other drugs can be counterproductive with this)

Our 7 tips for a healthy headspace demonstrate simple and effective things that can help people to create and maintain a healthy headspace, irrespective of whether they have been affected by COVID-19 or not

It can help to talk with a trusted adult if it all feels a bit much.

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Please noteThe latest medical information is changing on a daily basis. If you suspect you are at risk, or would simply like to understand COVID-19 more, please visit the Department of Health’s website.

health.gov.au

Common reactionsFear and anxietyAt this time you might experience feelings of fear or anxiety. You might be worried about the virus and how it might affect you, your loved ones or your life.

Anger, frustration and confusionIt can be difficult to understand what to do in these situations because of the volume of different information available. This might feel confusing and frustrating, this is normal. Events like these can reduce the things we normally do in our days and that can seem unfair. This might make you feel frustrated or angry.

Sadness If you’ve been asked to stay at home or stop your normal activities you might feel disconnected from important people or things in your life. This might make you feel sad or bored.

DenialWhen bad things are happening, some people might prefer not to think about them at all. This might be helpful to start with, but our feelings can catch us by surprise later on. It’s OK to distract yourself, but also find some time to think about what is happening and how you’re going.

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If you start to notice that you are experiencing these things, it is important to remember that these are normal reactions to a not normal time. During this time it is important as best as possible to keep engaged with the activities that support your wellbeing. You might need to get creative in how you continue to do them.

When should I get help?If you ever feel unable to cope because of overwhelming or intense emotions, or if you have any thoughts of harming yourself, then ask for help immediately.

National 24/7 crisis services• Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au

• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

• beyondblue: 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au

Additional youth support services • headspace: visit headspace.org.au for eheadspace or more information

• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au

• ReachOut: reachout.com

• SANE Australia: 1800 187 263 or sane.org

Talk with a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, school counsellor or find out if there is a headspace centre near you.

Speak to your local doctor or General Practitioner (GP) and help make a plan for your recovery. Or you can search for a health service and GP on healthdirect.