First and foremost, thank you to the Monty South community for your patience with us while we have worked through this unique and challenging time. It is something none of us as teachers or parents have had to face before, but together, we know we can get through this.
Staff have worked hard during the last two weeks to ensure our students will be well supported if our school has to commence online learning at the start of Term 2, which at this stage, we believe it will. It is better to prepare for that outcome.
We also want to remind parents that for the remainder of this week, not to be too concerned about setting up online learning or home school environments just yet. Premier, Daniel Andrews suggested we look at it as bringing the school holidays forward by a few days, and you should too. We also recognise each family has to get through this time the best way they can, so if you need to give the children a few school activities and structure, particularly if you’re having to work from home yourself, then by all means, do so. Just don’t ask too much of the children at this early stage – this is new to all of us and anxiety will be high.
From next week, pull back even more and let the kids have their school holidays as intended, though we know for most of you, that won’t look at all like you may have planned with cancelled holidays, catch ups, outings and play dates. If you need to, relax the rules slightly for your children these school holidays. They won’t fall behind and once formal learning commences in whatever form that is, we will work hard with classes and individuals to get things back on track as best we can.
With the likelihood we will commence online learning next term, each year level will set a program for the students that aligns with their curriculum requirements. They will develop a timetable of activities to assist you at home. Each area will use Seesaw to have a daily check in and to make the students aware of the tasks they are required to do. There will also be explicit teaching lessons for the students to watch. They will be required to upload some of their work to Seesaw.
The following are the platforms/programs teachers will be loading their work on. We have also included the 2020 iPads Apps list.
As you can see, some year levels are wanting to connect live with your child using Skype or FaceTime and others using a program called Zoom. In year levels where they are using Zoom could all parents please download the Zoom app (Cloud Meetings) on their child’s iPads or you can download it on a laptop with a camera. You may be prompted to sign up so you will need an email address for this. The program will work on an iPad app or on the internet, using a browser such as Google Chrome or Safari. The Zoom app will allow the students to have a video conference with their teacher and possibly other students in their class. The teachers will send a link or a Meeting ID and Password via email or on Seesaw to inform you or your child when the Zoom conference will be on so they can join.
Prep
- Seesaw
- Messages on Seesaw – daily video to check in
- Codes
- Explicit teaching
- Tasks/activities
- Mathletics – tasks set
- Sunshine Classic – tasks set
- Students need access to an iPad
- Books sent home
- Contact students through Skype – video conference each week
Year 1
- Seesaw
- Messages on Seesaw – daily video to check in
- Codes
- Explicit teaching
- Tasks/activities
- Mathletics – tasks set
- Sunshine Classic – tasks set
- Students need access to an iPad
- Books sent home
- Weekly contact to check in through Facetime or phone call
Year 2
- Seesaw
- Messages on Seesaw – daily video to check in
- Codes
- Explicit teaching
- Tasks/activities
- Mathletics – tasks set
- Sunshine Classic – tasks set
- Students need access to an iPad
- Books sent home
- Weekly contact to check in through Zoom
Year 3
- Seesaw
- Messages on Seesaw – daily video to check in
- Codes
- Explicit teaching
- Tasks/activities
- Essential Numeracy
- Mathletics
- RazKids
- Zoom – student/group conferencing platform
- Students need access to an iPad
- Books sent home
- Weekly contact to check in through Zoom
Ruler, measuring tape, grey leads, eraser, coloured pencils will be needed
Year 4
- Seesaw
- Padlet
- Essential numeracy / Literacy
- iPad
- Writing book, inquiry book, Writer’s Notebook, maths grid book
- Call students once per week through Zoom
Year 5
- Seesaw – daily check in
- Padlet
- Essential Numeracy / Literacy
- Mathletics
- Apps such as Spelling City
- iPad
- Call students once per week through Zoom
- Students have taken home their book boxes
Year 6
- Seesaw – daily check in, video calls with explicit lessons
- Essential Numeracy / Literacy
- Set up Padlet for Q & A
- Zoom for touching base
Specialists
Each of the specialist areas will be setting tasks on Seesaw at the beginning of each week.
Leanne Sheean
Principal