Back to School Plan – Ending

The back to school plan finished at 6pm Friday March 4, 2022. This means that some our structures and process will return to ‘COVID normal’.

• From 6pm Friday March 4, 2022:
  • masks will no longer be required (although supported for those choosing to wear one) in Queensland schools
  • school assemblies, camps and excursions will be permitted
  • restrictions on parents, carers and visitors to schools will be eased

The school day has returned to the finish time of 3.15pm with the staggered end to the school day ceasing. The gates will no longer be manned by staff. Please ensure that your chlid/ren know the afternoon routine and where you will meet them if they are being picked up. Should you need to collect your child/ren early from school, please attend the office first, before approaching your child. You will need to sign your child out on the iPad and collect your child from the classroom. This procedure is necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all school personnel.

Unwell children

Essential to the success of these measures is that if your child is unwell or displaying any COVID-19 symptoms, they must not attend school. I cannot emphasise this message strongly enough – it is critical to keeping our school community safe. Your child, if they have COVID-19 symptoms, can visit your local Queensland health testing clinic and will be given priority access to a free RAT.

Workforce Planning – Combining Classes

https://alt-qed.qed.qld.gov.au/covid-19/Documents/back-to-school-plan.pdf

In line with the COVID guidelines for schools, we have a plan in place to ensure the continuity of learning for all students and to minimise the disruption to student learning as much as possible. There will be times that we will need to combine same year level classes. We will try to limit this as much as possible; however, there will be circumstances where this will have to occur. We appreciate your understanding and support during these times.

Cybersafety in Queensland Schools  - TikTok

https://www.qld.gov.au/education/schools/health/cybersafety/cybersafety-qss

We have had incidents this year that has involved students accessing TikTok and posting inappropriate videos of and about other students in our school. Although this platform is being accessed from home, the material is directly related to our school and its students and it has caused issues that have affected the good order and management of our school. Please be prepared for a phone call home to discuss support strategies that you can give at home if your child is one of the students that are involved in these TikTok incidents.

TikTok is an app for users age 13 and over and there are age-gating measures at signup. TikTok has a 12+ App Store rating, which enables parents to simply block it from their child’s phone, using device-based parental controls.

The Department of Education supports every child and young person in Queensland state schools to learn and engage safely in the digital world. With the rise of technology and increasing access for young people, Online Safety in Queensland State Schools (PDF, 3.8MB) document provides guidance on how the department responds and supports schools, students, parents and the community, in keeping young people safe online.

Parent Volunteer Mandatory Training

All volunteers at Calliope State School are required to attend a mandatory training workshop before they are able to assist in our classrooms, tuckshop or for school events.

Our first 2022 session will be held on Friday morning, March 11 from 10 – 11am, after our first on-site parade for 2022.

Please register your attendance by emailing admin@calliopess.eq.edu.au or calling our school office on 49758333.

Please also note that all volunteers need to be vaccinated and will check-in through the school office.

Stop, Drop and Go

https://www.facebook.com/CalliopeStateSchool/videos/464651811146265

Reminder: The safety of our students is a priority at Calliope State School; please be patient when using Stop, Drop and Go. Please do not park in the Stop, Drop & Go Zones at any time as this congests the flow of traffic and blocks access to the kerb. The concrete centre island outside of the school is not a parking area or a Stop, Drop and Go Zone. Please do not use the concrete centre island as an area to drop off your children.

Some key points to remember:

• Stay in your car and leave the car running so that you can move forward (this maintains a steady flow of traffic).
• Keep left while queuing for Stop, Drop & Go.
• Children must enter and exit cars from the kerb side only.
• Give way when exiting the drop zone.

• In the afternoon, delay your arrival to minimise traffic congestion.
• If your child is not yet at Stop, Drop & Go, drive slowly through the carpark and turn right just before the exit to re-join the queue.

Bullying No Way!

Calliope State School will be celebrating Bullying No Way; the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence on Friday March 18, 2022. On this day the staff and students are invited to wear orange and the students will be participating in classroom activities to develop their knowledge and understanding about preventing bullying and violence.

Staff of the Week Leadership Award – Suzanne Betzien

For consistently demonstrating the Calliope State School vision and supporting the leadership team to implement the Annual Implementation Plan, particularly Strategy 2. Suzanne works together with the Student Learning and Wellbeing Team and the Leadership Team to proactively support student wellbeing and engagement in classrooms. The fact that she makes herself available for teachers and students at all times throughout the day does not go unnoticed and is very much appreciated. Thank you!

Staff Member of the Week Peer Award – Laura Williams

You are a vibrant, energetic breath of fresh air for students! Your fabulous differentiation strategies and flexibility allows effective engagement for all year levels. You are a positive rainbow when teachers can’t see the blue sky. You are the sunshine in everybody’s day! You are rockin’ this arts gig!

FINAL THOUGHT

Regards,

Coralie Ditchmen

Acting Principal