Hi everyone,
I don’t think any of us thought we’d be in this surreal situation when we started the school year in January. This health pandemic and its flow on economic effect is something we will remember for the rest of our lives.
For most of our parent/carer community, home schooling has become a reality (for better or worse!) and juggling that with working from home is not without its challenges. For others, our essential workers across a number of industries, we thank you for your unwavering support to the broader community at large. Without you our society could not function.
Included in that is our wonderful teacher contingent, at SCPS and elsewhere. Your support for those students who need to attend school, sometimes meaning your own children must still attend, is selfless and appreciated. I think for all of us who are attempting to teach from home, it has furthered upped your superhuman status to deal with our children everyday en masse! Respect!
As a P&C Exec we wanted to keep communications open to you and try and support you in any way we can during this challenging time. Facebook has been a wonderful resource for finding online and offline activities to help keep contained kids occupied, so we’re going to share a few below. Also some ideas of how to stay connected which is so important for all our mental health.
Stay healthy, stay socially distant, stay at home where possible, be supportive, check in on your neighbours, family and friends. We’re all in this together xx
Online Learning
There’s a plethora of information and free online activities out there – If you’re in the P&C Facebook Group, you’ll see new ones posted all the time. There is also a great Facebook Resource Group that has new activities posted regularly too – https://www.facebook.com/groups/539427890014675/
Here are just a few to get you started today though…
- David Walliams releases 30 of his books for free
- More books for free on Audible
https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
- A huge list of activities and sites
- Always look towards our wonderful Grow your mind Programme
- PE with Joe for kids has taken off around the world!
Offline Activities
- Rainbows and Teddy Bears Hunt
There are many families who are participating in the Rainbows and Teddy Bears Hunt. While out having a walk in your neighbourhood with those in your isolation bubble, look for rainbows on the footpath and teddy bears in the windows to brighten your day 😊
- Baking with Kids
Staying in Touch
- Daily FaceTime/Video Call with a loved one, friend during Crunch & Sip, Recess and/or Lunchtime for 5-10 minutes
- Daily Post in Class Facebook or WhatsApp group of a happy activity or an enjoyable moment, everyone to add theirs
- Friends Chain Story – One child writes the first chapter or sentence, then passes it along via email or Facebook to next friend for the next instalment and keep it going…
- Play a board game at lunchtime with friends via video call
- Zoom session Easter Hat Parade with class or friends
Looking Out for our Local Small Businesses
At the beginning of the year we asked SCPS Small Business Owners to register via the Class Lists, so we could work on ways during 2020 to help promote within our community. Now, more than ever, has this become so very important. We’re working on ways to further highlight these wonderful businesses, so please, if you are a local business owner and didn’t register, send us an email scps.pandc@gmail.com with your name, business name and website. We’ll be in touch soon with more info.
OOSH & Vacation Care
Important Message from Jack Roach, Director of SCPS OOSH
Dear families,
Last night the executive committee of the South Coogee Children’s Services convened to discuss the attendance of children at our Service. We have decided we will reduce services but remain open ONLY for the children of parents who work in essential services.
The decision has been made that all term-time and Vacation Care incursions and excursions will be cancelled for the foreseeable Future. The centre plans to run in-house days for the entirety of Autumn Vacation Care and fees will be reduced accordingly. Once again, Vacation Care will only be open for the children of parents who work in essential services.
We kindly ask all those parents who work in non-essential services to keep your children at home. This will help reduce the spread and reduce the risk of infection for the children and their parents working in essential services.
If you notify the centre (or have already notified the centre) that your child will not be attending OOSH for the foreseeable future, you will not be charged any fees! Your child’s spot will also be reserved for you, and accessible to you once these attendance limitations are removed.
If you are an essential services worker and do intend to continue sending your child to OOSH, please notify the centre of this as soon as possible.
As I said yesterday, the centre is doing everything it can to continue to provide the best care available. We will keep you posted on any changes or new pieces of information as they come to light.
I thank you all for your ongoing patience in regard to this delicate and ever-changing matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly at sc-oosh-director@sccs.nsw.edu.au or on 9344 8463.
Jack Roach – Director, South Coogee Children’s Services.
Next P&C Meeting
Our next P&C Meeting is scheduled for Week 3 of Term 2 – Wednesday 13th May at 7pm in the library. We will keep you posted as to whether this will be going ahead.
Until next time,
Your P&C
South Coogee Public School Parents and Community 