The Victorian Government has announced a staged return to onsite learning in Term 4 (beginning next week), with all students planned to return onsite by Friday 5 November (subject to final public health advice).

Until the return of all students onsite, schools will operate both onsite and remote and flexible learning.

This means there are changes to our Yarra@Home program including the specialist subjects (Art, P.E, Science and Japanese) no longer scheduled online. So, I take this opportunity to applaud the efforts of Justine, Meghann, Jo and Lauren and their creativity as they delivered fun and engaging practical sessions. I do know Justine’s Kitchen Garden cooking class was a hit with some families and I think she’d do well with her own cooking show don’t you think?!

COVIDSafe Protocols at Yarra

To ensure everyone’s health and safety at Yarra Primary School we will observe the following protocols and procedures:

Stay home when unwell – Students and staff attending onsite must be well, with no cold-like symptoms.

Practise good hygiene- Hand hygiene remains one of the critical measures to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Students will be regularly reminded to wash their hands throughout the day. Hand hygiene facilities will be well stocked, visible, and easily accessible.

Hand sanitiser will be accessible in every occupied room, particularly where access to running water and soap is not readily available.

Yarra Primary will maintain a regular cleaning routine throughout the day and keep surfaces clean and disinfect after use.

Face masks - All students, staff and visitors to the school must wear a face mask (excepting students in Years Prep to 2 when it is strongly recommended). We ask that students bring their own labelled masks (we will have disposable masks available for students that forget from time to time).

Ventilation- At Yarra we will promote outdoor air ventilation. This includes keeping windows and doors open where possible and air conditioners not programmed on ‘recirculate’. Further, we will move activities outdoors where possible, weather permitting.

In addition, we will manage risk of transmission by:

• Ensuring physical distancing where practical (1.5m).
• Adapt, modify, or defer higher-risk activities.
• Limit school access to outside visitors where possible.
• Reduce mixing between classes and groups.
• Clean and disinfect appropriately if a staff member or student has been unwell at school.

 Furthermore, we will integrate these messages into everyday learning and practice, through role-modelling and formal and informal learning opportunities.

As information and advice is communicated or changed by the Department of Education, I will keep the community regularly and routinely updated via Compass and the newsletter.

Yarra@Home Highlights

I am continually impressed with the breadth of Yarra’s online learning program. These past two weeks I have participated in the Fit Fam Workouts and loved seeing parents joining in; listened to the wisdom of Shaun Tan as he shared his craft and enjoyed an excursion to the gallery and the zoo! The whole school Friday sessions have been so engaging too. The artwork produced by the students last week was phenomenal. This Friday the students are taking over and leading the sessions! This culminates in a whole school (student-led) assembly. Well done Yarra for keeping up the creativity and love of learning during this challenging time in history.

Upcoming School Review

In November and December Yarra Primary has a school review to measure its performance against the 2018-2021 Strategic Plan as well as develop a new four-year plan for school improvement. During this review an independent assessor will review the school’s performance against goals and targets and set new goals for 2022-2025. We look forward to this process to celebrate our collective achievements as well as explore opportunities to make our school even better. I view the improvement cycle as continuous and know the great gains the school has made (despite COVID) will lead to further exciting and fulfilling challenges. There will be opportunities for parents and students to participate in this process and I encourage you to share your perspectives.

Looking forward,

Saraid

I am pleased to announce that our very own Benji from Prep won the Heide Museum Maquette Challenge for the Under 18 category, with his wonderful sculpture of Jellybean the Koala! It takes a lot of bravery to submit your art for judging in a competition, so I would also like to commend Xavier S and Quinn S for also featuring in the challenge. I am very proud of the wonderful work the students have continued to make even in remote schooling.

I would also like to thank over 100 families for joining me in the National Gallery of Victoria Virtual Excursions, and the amazing tour we had on the Australian Impressionist paintings. I was so pleased with the wonderful turnout of students, your insightful questions and your enthusiasm for the paintings and the stories behind them.  Well done students of Yarra! Congratulations and I will see you in the Art room soon!

Justine  Moore

Visual Arts Teacher

Well done to the families who have participated in our weekly Fit Fam workouts during the month of October.

It’s wonderful to see students, parents, siblings, grandparents and pets coming together to keep active during lockdown.

Some benefits of regular exercise include-

• Improved fitness
• Increased concentration
• Building a stronger heart, bones and muscles
• Healthy growth and development
• Improved confidence and self esteem
• Lowering stress
• Improved sleep patterns

Congratulations to the Tojo & Clarke families for being our weekly winners and receiving Rebel Sport Vouchers for their efforts.

We still have more vouchers to give out to families in future workouts.

There will be 2 more Fit Fam workout over the coming weeks.

The dates/times will be:

• Friday 22^nd October 8am
• Friday 29^th October 8am

Hope to see you at the workouts!

Links for sessions will be on the Yarra@home page.

Last breaths

As the sea washes off my sacred village it also washes all my hope with it.. I stand motionless over my drowned village watching all my adored one’s bodies bob up on top of the ocean. Then I thought, should I reap my own soul to be with my amazing mates? It must be a better life than  being frozen on top of a lighthouse and that’s not a lie.  As I stand, I ponder on the question: was there anything I could do to be the saviour of my country? Then out of pure spite for myself I leap into the frozen waters below;  my last breaths more solid than my average breaths; my heart beating faster than ever before. Then all went silent.

Written by Ben M 3/4C