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Thousands of Melbourne prep kids returned to school on Monday morning after a 74-day break, as part of a phased return to face-to-face instruction that has been accelerated to account for Victoria’s rapidly increasing vaccination rate.
Schools were also given updated instructions on how to deal with proven COVID-19 cases in their communities, with close contacts who had been double-vaccinated no longer being obliged to isolate for 14 days.
Secondary pupils who are primary close contacts and have received two jabs, on the other hand, will be allowed to return to class after a day six test.
The Department of Education and Training informed schools on Monday that primary school kids and unvaccinated students must isolate for 14 days.
According to the department, whether or not to limit close encounters to those in a student’s class or year level will be determined by the amount of compliance with face masks and the degree of mixing among pupils.
Preppies will have their own playgrounds and school hallways for the first three days of this week, before returning to remote learning on Thursday to make room for year 1 and 2 students.
All pupils at St Margaret Mary’s, a tiny Catholic primary school in Brunswick, will be advised to wear masks to school this week, according to Claire White, the acting administrator. The school has sought for a $25,000 grant from the state government to erect shade sails for outdoor learning areas.
Staff at the school were aware, according to Ms White, that pupils’ experiences with remote and flexible learning were not uniform. Teachers would encourage them in re-establishing habits and friendships by using a cooperative learning method.
“Every child has a different experience learning remotely, so when they return, our instructors will seek to identify and meet their individual needs,” she said. “We know that children learn best with their instructors and friends, so returning to school will be a boost to their wellness.”
Sumayya Chawla, a Melbourne mother, was relieved to return her six-year-old son, Osmaan, to school.
“All weekend, my son has been ecstatic. He’s been preparing what he’ll do with his friends during his free time,” she explained.
“When he first awoke, he was ecstatic and chirpy, and he was back to his old self. It’s reassuring to know that. He was fine with online learning in general, but the last three weeks have been really difficult for both him and us.
“Having him back, and seeing him so happy, is obviously a relief for us.”
The Department of Education and Training declared 43 schools closed on Monday morning, but many more, mainly in the non-government sector, elected to continue with remote learning to avoid exposure.
On ABC Radio on Monday morning, Premier Daniel Andrews was asked about the government’s efforts to make schools safer. He stated that air purifiers were being given to schools, and that classroom doors and windows were being opened to allow for better airflow.
“Our teachers – and don’t forget the crucial support staff – they take COVID safety extremely seriously, and I’m certain that every school across the state will be doing everything we can to be COVID-safe,” Mr Andrews said.
51,000 air purifiers have been ordered by the government for use in schools. The first 2000 have been sent to 39 schools in Melbourne’s north and west COVID-19 hotspots.
Schools and families would also need to help youngsters make psychological changes to return to school after a lengthy leave, according to Associate Professor Kathleen Tait of Macquarie University’s School of Education.
She predicted that many kids would be nervous about returning to school, and that others will show signs of school refusal.
“One form of school attendance difficulty that is frequently related with absence from school is school refusal,” stated Associate Professor Tait.
“It might be tough to treat once it has taken hold.”
Encouragement and reinforcement would be required to re-establish simple routines and social habits that had been lost, such as getting dressed in a uniform in the morning or waiting your turn to offer a question.
“Routine is soothing, but other children have been home-schooled, which is a very different experience.”
