Return to School Sep 2020

This advice is adapted from a blog  by Dr Tara Quinlivan and might be helpful if your child has concerns.

Basically you want to gradually expose your kids to all things school related. You can try:

• Start your normal morning routine before school starts;
• Start using language such as “when you go to school” rather than “if you go to school”;
• If they are used to you or your helper walking them into school remind them you will say goodbye at the gate and the new collection zone is outside Year 2 area and you will see them there at 12:20pm;
• Because you know what safety procedures we are implementing at KJS, discuss these a few times before school starts. For example, remember the 3M’s of Success: Meters matter, Masks matter and My clean hands matter to stay together.

We can also start to prime our children emotionally:

• Give emotions names. These can be names such as “sad”, “angry” or “worried”. But they can also be descriptive words such as “shakey”, “fuzzy”, “spiny”, “gurgley”, “heavy”. To describe my trip to the shops I might say: “I was so excited to go, but then when I got there I felt surprised and disappointed because it wasn’t the same. I felt a bit fuzzy the whole time, a bit wibbly wobbly and I was happy to come home. But it was also really fun to drive somewhere new and see the autumn trees, that bit felt warm and nice”.
• Check in with your child before school starts. Ask them what they’re looking forward to, what they think might be different, what they’re expecting. Validate any fears and correct any misconceptions.
• Problem solve with your child. If something is a particular worry, work with your child to help come up with a few solutions and include your child in this problem solving.
• Use your own feelings as a model. A conversation might go like this:

Adult: “We start back at KJS next week. How do you feel about that?”

Child: “I might feel a bit nervous.”

Adult: “When I started back at work, I felt a bit nervous about seeing people again.”

Child: “Like you were a bit nervous that they might have the cold, and you don’t know, and then you’ll get it?”

Adult: “Yep, exactly like that. But I’ve been thinking…I’ve thought of some stuff I can do that’ll make me safe.”

You can then talk about various safety things like masks, metres and my hand washing. Your child can then connect to actual strategies and will leave the conversation feeling less anxious.

• Stay calm ourselves.

This point will likely be the most difficult. Stay calm ourselves. To do this in a genuine way we need to focus on ourselves as parents. Think about what you’re going to need to help support your child back to school. All this thinking takes both emotional energy and time. Think about your own resources and what you can give. If you can, build in buffers to help yourself. Recruit helpers where you can, lighten your load for a week or two in other areas of your life. Plan your own respite, even if it’s just sympathetic friends who can listen to you, or training your own internal voice to be compassionate to yourself.

• Communicate with your school.

If there are specific challenges or concerns you need us to know about please reach out to your child’s teacher.

This page provides information to parents to support the Return to School (R2S) commencing 25 May 2020.  Parents are required to complete a declaration via the ESF App before children are permitted to enter the school. Parents should contact their child’s teacher if for some reason the child will not be returning to school on the recommencement date.

Each day the following needs to happen:

• Take your child’s temperature, if the temperature is over 37.5 your child cannot come to school. Record their temperature if below 37.5 and complete the ESF APP check;
• Ensure your child has a clearly named mask (preferably the name on outside of the mask for ease of identification. This may be in small print if you prefer for safety reasons) that they wear to school plus two additional named masks in a named mask holder;
• Your child needs specific stationary for in school learning, details are below;
• Your child needs packed food for a morning snack that does not require heating or any assistance from staff (opening containers/ packets etc). Make sure they can access all of their food and please send sufficient for the long morning at school;
• Your child will need a drink bottle, filled to start the day with water only;
• It is preferable their uniform is freshly laundered after their day at school and ready for the next day.

• Children will be seated in year groups on the bus and will be required to wear masks and stay in their designated seat at all times.
• Bus will not have 1 metre separation but bus mothers will make best use of available space on buses.
• Children will be met at the school gate by Mr O’Reilly and the welcoming team and will disembark and go straight to our 3M’s to Success mode.

• All children are met at the gate by our KJS Welcoming Team led by Mr O’Reilly.
• With the exception of Year 1 parents for their child’s first day at KJS, the only people permitted inside the school gate will be staff and bus mothers. Any other visits to the school will be by appointment only.
• All adults (staff and bus mothers) entering the school have their temperature taken and sign a health declaration.
• Social distancing, and masks apply at the gate for every person entering KJS.
• Children will be guided to the undercover temperature and symptom check station and once cleared they will move to class following the 1 metre separation guideline.
• Year 1 & 2 children will be directed to their class EA who will be visible from the temperature and symptom check station.
• Any children with a temperature on arrival at school will be escorted to the isolation area to be cared for by our Health Team. Parents will be contacted to collect their child immediately.

• When seated, children will sit at shared desks with appropriate separation. Our Return to School plan was approved by the EDB with flexibility for our group tables and seating, with appropriate distancing and with the addition of our perspex desktop dividers to further enhance safety. Children will face the front for teacher instruction.
• Extended collaborative learning allows children the opportunity to move during the day without compromising our ‘metres matter’ expectation.
• In our shared learning areas children will be supported to follow our 3M’s for Success.
• Hand washing / sanitizing will occur hourly, before and after eating, on the return from the toilet, and when moving in and out of the learning area.
• Learning area resources will be cleaned and sanitized daily
• Children will have library sessions and will be able to borrow and return books via the KJS book quarantine system. Additionally, the school has a sterilizer which will be used to enhance the hygiene of books
• Books that the children read during their library session will be quarantined
• Children will be able to bring home daily readers from school once we have certainty of a safe system
• Any timetable changes will be communicated by teachers in a timely manner.

Some families may still wish to borrow a device so that their child/ children can join the class zooms each afternoon. If this is the case for your family you will need to complete the application forms.

Year 1-2

https://forms.gle/GqHbBWjbzRNBoeyw9

Year 3-6

https://forms.gle/zdgLF9Zg6dmsT3TX8

• To maximize wellbeing and safety for all staff and students, our children, once in school, will spend most of their learning time in their ‘class and year bubble’. They will move to the toilet individually and will have their own class movement area during the day.
• Our ‘Read and Feed’ approach will ensure children are seated face to back, not talking while they have their snack as they listen to a class story.
• Children will wash their hands before and after eating.

• Movement to and from specialist classes will be closely monitored with children supported to follow our 3M’s to Success.
• We have a socially distanced system of movement on the stairs.
• Staff will be on duty to monitor safe movement at key times throughout the day.
• Posters will remind children of our 3M’s expectations.

      Physical Education:

• Students will have Physical Education classes every week during their ‘in school’ time.
• The KJS gym, outdoor areas and dance studios will be available for PE. These spaces will allow us to maintain social distancing.
• The playground and outdoor areas will be used where conditions permit.
• Where children do move to another area of the school for PE, they will be fully supervised and be supported to follow our 3M’s to Success in their movement.
• PE will focus on individual health and skill-related fitness activities.
• In PE our 3M’s to Success will continue. Children will wear masks where appropriate. Our PE team is very mindful of health and safety, and will carefully monitor student wellbeing and where social distancing and the activity allows, children may lower their mask when taking part in moderate or vigorous physical activity.
• Equipment that is used will be sanitized to meet EDB guidelines.
• All students will sanitize their hands upon entry into the PE learning spaces before the lesson and will also sanitize their hands upon return to the classroom.
• Children will have their water bottles to ensure appropriate hydration.

      Music:

• Students will have Music classes every week during their ‘in school’ time.
• Children will have the opportunity to sing and move in classes in addition to specialist provision.
• Appropriate instruments (non wind instruments) will be used to support music skill development with instruments sanitized daily.
• All students will sanitize their hands upon entry into the Music learning spaces before the lesson and will also sanitize their hands upon return to the classroom.
• In order to maintain social distancing between students, we will provide markings on the floor of our classrooms and music studios.

   Chinese:

• Chinese lessons will be in school for the majority of classes when we return to school. In the small number of cases where a Chinese lesson is in the afternoon the lesson will be via live Zoom.
• Seesaw tasks and activities will be discontinued with the re-introduction of our regular Chinese language learning timetable.
• Updated timetables will be communicated to parents with associated Zoom links.
• Pathway group learning will recommence with the return to school

Year 1 and 2

• Year 1 and 2 students will have access to the stationery they need to start the year at school. These resources will be sanitized each day. Children do not need to bring their own stationery or pencil cases to school.

Year 3

• Pencil case labeled with child’s name;
• 3 writing pencils;
• A pencil sharpener;
• A small pack of coloured pencils;
• UHU Glue stick.

Year 4-6

• Pencil case labeled with child’s name;
• 3 writing pencils;
• A pencil sharpener;
• A small packet of coloured pencils;
• UHU glue stick;
• 1 highlighter;
• A ruler (10-30cm);
• 2 pens (black or blue ink).

• Each class will have toilet passes to manage the number of children in the toilet at any one time.
• Children will be reminded of our “My clean hands Matter”, approach of hand washing and drying via posters, and reminders from staff and Nurse Charlotte.
• Year 1 and 2 children will be carefully monitored while transitioning to and from the toilet.
• Toilets will be cleaned regularly throughout the day and comprehensively cleaned at the end of the day.
• Paper towels will be provided for hand drying.

Children will be able to fill drink bottles at school. However, all drinking fountains are closed.

Morning Snack

• Children will eat their morning snack in their learning area during our “Read and Feed” times. During these snack times children will be seated facing the teacher, eating in silence as they listen to a class story. Children will wash hands before eating and sanitize after eating.

Movement/ outdoor relax time

• Children will transition with staff to a movement area designated for their class and will have 10-15 minute movement time in these spaces each day.
• They will move and play in their class groups and will be supported to follow our ‘3M’s to Success’.

• Children will be supervised as they move around the school and will use our flexible socially distanced system while moving on the stairs.
• Staff will be allocated different areas around the school to monitor movement.
• Movement will be limited to specific purposes and times.
• Any child who is asked to move around the school for health reasons (i.e they need to see the nurse) will be escorted by staff.
• All on-site staff will be on hand to assist with transitions around the school.

• Bus children will be released from their class in groups as their buses are ready.
• Children will be supervised as they move to their bus waiting areas and will observe our 3M’s to Success as they wait.
• Walkers will leave school after the bus children have been dismissed and will meet their parents/ helpers in the designated area outside the Year 2 block (directly up the stairs from the front gate). Any person collecting a child will be required to wear a mask for collection and must not have any symptoms associated with Covid19 .
• Parents and helpers are not permitted beyond the designated boundary area when collecting children.
• Senior Leadership Team members will monitor key areas at the start and end of the day.
• School will finish at 12:10pm. Adults are to be ready to collect children at approximately 12:20pm. The exact time will be confirmed as end of day routines are established in the first few weeks of school when all 900 children are in attendance.

• During the distance learning afternoon, teachers will continue to provide learning engagements for children via a live zoom.
• Teachers will provide a link to the zoom for live learning. There will not be lesson content on the class website as the content will be managed and taught by the teacher only via the live zoom.
• For children to access the KJS curriculum they will need to be in school in the morning and online in the afternoon. The school will not be making additional provision for those families who choose not to have their child in attendance. As always, we will support families where a child is unwell and unable to attend by ensuring the child has opportunity to ‘catch up’ on their return to school
• Where families need the school devices for the home learning afternoon the child will need to safely transport the device back and forth each day and ensure the device is charged in the evening. If a device is misplaced or damaged, the family is liable for repairs or replacement.

The school curriculum will be provided via in school attendance from 8:10-12:10 and a live zoom between 2:15 and 3:00pm. If parents make a choice not to send their child to school  in the morning, the child will miss instruction and there will not be an online alternative. The live zoom is available to all students regardless of location.

• School and learning is onsite only in the mornings (8:10am-12:10pm)
• Distance learning will be provided via live zoom every afternoon 2:15-3:00pm

• What if a child has symptoms? If your child has a temperature before school, do not send them to school. If a child presents with any symptoms at school, our Health team will take over and will contact the child’s family for them to come and collect the child. Please note that temperature or respiratory symptoms does not mean a child has Covid-19. Accordingly, the school will not be contacting or advising anyone other than the child’s parents.

How will you keep children safe while having their home provided snack at school?

Parents are required to only send snacks children can manage without any adult support. Children will sit in their seat facing the front, in silence and will be listening to a class story, Additionally, children will follow our 3M’s to Success with appropriate hand cleaning before and after eating, appropriately distanced and will also have further protection with our desk top dividers, similair to what most restaurants have.

Will children always be sitting at their tables in their chairs?

• No, teachers have ample space and have planned methodically to enable children to move in their learning area safely. Accordingly, children will have a variety of locations they can sit, stand and learn following our 3M’s and be safe at school. Children are able to sit on the floor and a variety of other spaces as they have done in the past.

Will children be using drinking fountains?

• No, children will be able to fill bottles from the drink bottle filling apparatus but cannot use the drinking fountains (these are switched off).

Will I be allowed to come into the school with my child?

• We will maintain contact with you through our current systems of email. Parents who walk their children to school will leave their child with our team at the gate. Parents and helpers will not be permitted inside the school gates in the morning and only permitted into the designated waiting area at the end of the day. The only exception will be Year 1 children’s parents on their first day at school where parents will be able to come into the grounds to farewell their child as they leave for class (more details to follow for Y1 families).

What if I, as a parent, need to come into school (e.g. purchase uniform)?

• Please contact the PTA office to make an appointment.

How will you ensure social distancing for my child?

• We will support, encourage, and model appropriate social distancing at school and use our 3M’s to Success to create a positive and consistent message regarding masks, metres, and ‘my clean hands’. You can support the school by using these messages at home as well.

What happens if my child gets hungry, it is a long morning?

• Please ensure your child has a substantial and healthy breakfast;
• Please pack plenty of food for snack that your child can access easily and does not require heating or any adult assistance to access.

Where will the children be eating?

• Snack time will be in the classroom seated at their desk, facing the teacher, listening to a story with hands cleaned before and after eating

Who will they be with: whole class or other classes?

• We are trying to minimize unnecessary contact throughout the school day. Other than bus times, your child will remain in his/her year group bubble for most of the day.

Will they have specialist lessons?

• Yes! The team are really looking forward to reengaging face to face with your children for PE, Music and Chinese.

Where will they have specialist lessons? Will this just be my child’s class?

• In our amazing KJS specialist learning areas.

How will the toilets be supervised?

• Due to safeguarding, children are not supervised within the actual toilets.
• Procedures are in place that limits the number of children permitted to go to the toilet at any time. This will support the social distancing.
• Children will be reminded of the 3M’s, reminded to keep their mask on, and also to lower the toilet seat before flushing.
• As well as washing their hands, they will use a sanitizer back in the classroom.
• EDB provided posters and our 3M’s to Success posters will also prompt students about appropriate behaviors in the toilet

Will there be checks that children are washing their hands properly?

• We will remind children of the 3M’s to Success and will ensure regular washing/hand sanitising.

How are you ensuring quality learning takes place within the guidelines?

• Our teachers will be undertaking ⅘’s of the day in school with the remaining ⅕ via live zoom at home. We are as close as we can get to ‘normal’ school at this time and are confident that in the time we have with children they will be engaged in quality teaching and learning at KJS.

How do we minimize the risk?

• Successful return to school is reliant on effective safeguarding practices at school (3M’s of Success, temperature check on entry, monitoring throughout the day) and on parents ensuring they check their child’s temperature each day, making sure they are symptom-free and recording their daily temperature via the ESF App.

What will transition back to school look like for my child?

• Please see the table at the top of this page. Each year group will utilise developmentally appropriate strategies to ensure your child has a positive and successful transition. Communication is key so please contact your child’s teacher if you have any concerns.

Will resources be cleaned throughout the day?

• In accordance with EDB guidelines, manipulative resources and equipment will be cleaned daily.
• To minimize cross-contamination, children will have their own pencil case with essential resources contained therein.

What do break times /playtimes look like?

• Not like they were pre-COVID-19! Each class will be allocated an area in the school to have a break in e.g. playground, gym, library. This will be a “movement’ break with less vigorous activities than usual. Social distancing will be expected and children will be fully monitored.

Will my child see their friends and be able to play with them?

• In our spacious shared learning spaces, children will see their friends from other classes. However, break times will remain class specific so at this time they are less likely to have interaction time with their friends from other classes.

Uniform: Will children wear their PE uniforms on a particular day?

• Yes and this will be communicated by class teachers.

PE class: My concern is the health risk of doing PE class while kids are wearing masks, especially in such hot weather.

• In PE, our 3M’s to Success will continue. Children will wear masks where appropriate. Our PE team is very mindful of health and safety, and will carefully monitor student wellbeing and where social distancing and the activity allows. Children may lower their mask when taking part in moderate or vigorous physical activity.

What happens if a child becomes sick during the day?

• If a child presents with a temperature or respiratory symptoms, they will be escorted to our isolation room and cared for by our nurse until their parent arrives to collect them.

What have you done to reduce risk at break times?

• Multiple approaches: Our 3M’s for success, zoned areas for each class group, supervision for every class, staggered break times and selected equipment and activities to support movement and social distancing.

Where can we collect our children from at the end of the day?

• Only from our ‘collection zone’ by 12:20pm.

How will the school enhance natural ventilation?

• In addition to a well maintained air conditioning system, each learning area has ceiling fans that will be used to enhance clean air circulation.

What happens when it rains?

• Our temperature checking station is fully undercover as is our end of the day collection area (but parents will need their umbrellas!). We already have contingency plans for during the day when it rains and these will continue to be followed.