Sick school reality: Half the kids are missing, principal is teaching prep

It’s 8.30am at Lyndhurst Primary School, and there’s a scramble to fill staff vacancies.“It’s not just COVID, there’s the flu and colds. Because of lockdown, their resistance to diseases is down, and there is just exhaustion, to be honest,” Lyndhurst principal Greg Lacey said.

The Education Department’s policy is for schools to stay open. Students are given rapid antigen tests to take home weekly, there are air purifiers in most classrooms, but students are no longer required to wear masks. School captain Aishy Badesha said it was good to be back at school but that she was nervous about students spreading COVID-19.“It was kind of tricky. It slowed down the learning for people. I felt I had to catch up on my maths. I wasn’t learning by myself as well as with my teacher. It was hard. Learning new things was hard.”

It’s a similar story across Victoria. Miner’s Rest Primary School principal Dale Power, who is juggling nearly 30 to 40 per cent of staff absences in his Ballarat school, said it was a huge challenge: “You never know what will arise on a day-to-day basis.”He said staff were being flexible, “turning up almost daily not fully sure of what they’ll be doing ... but you can only sustain that to a certain point”.Lacey said he had a job position closing on Friday with only one applicant.

“Things haven’t been normal,” she said. ”I’ve been waiting patiently for things to get back to normal, [but] now the flu is on top of COVID. It makes it hard.”“The change is really difficult. Some people are coping with it, others not really.”Setayesh said students were checking in on each other through the Messenger Kids app, having “brain breaks” from class and engaging in wellbeing programs.

mediasnax The blue surgical masks do not provide protection against the current Covid variants. The children need to wear N95/P2 masks indoors as advised by VictorianCHO. Korean KN95 masks are good for smaller faces. The principal could also role model mask use - if he doesn’t want covid

Yet watch the media spank schools and teachers if NAPLAN and PISA data show us in a poor light. Don’t. You. Dare. 😡

I warned JamesMerlinoMP there would be terrible school outbreaks of Covid19 on January 14. But it's 100% face to face or bust! No regard for children with vulnerable family not eligible for highly rationed oral antivirals, or current epidemiology! Masks not required! Useless.

We have all been left waiting and needing. Nothing is simple any longer.. Our lives have altered to an unrecognizable change. And we better adapt. Those that aren't, are the Angry ppl we observe out. All that was asked was, wear a mask. Now we must live with Covid & Flu & +

Hey... But we all WANTED, NEEDED to be out.. Unmasked and freeeeeeee. These are the affect.. Isn't it that old saying cause and effect!!

You’re still running these stories when the peak was months ago? Surely it was worse in February? It definitely was up here

*living with a Covid*

Education Education Latest News, Education Education Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Scientology-linked school in Melbourne says it’s MontessoriA Scientology-linked primary school in Melbourne’s outer east has rebranded itself, erasing any public acknowledgment of the controversial religion while still using teaching methods developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Weird AF I'm а nudе mоdеl, rаtе mу рhоtоs Religion and education is an oxymoron.
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »

Schools of rock: why music education should be mandatory for kidsResearch shows that music engagement in the early years and onwards helps make people more active, more engaged and more creative. auspol Ok stealing my tweets again what did I say a few days ago ? How about some basic economic and financial education
Source: FinancialReview - 🏆 2. / 90 Read more »

Student numbers decline at Moreland’s public high schoolsICYMI: Families in Melbourne’s north are increasingly rejecting their local public schools in favour of private secondary schools, saying public high schools in their area are below-par. Because the federal government pays significantly more per student in the private system. Public schools are being left behind. Interesting that you want to talk about it now after the election; no media wanted to discuss serious underfunding of public schools a few weeks ago. The gentrification of Brunswick is complete MarieColemanAO ICYMI Think you'll find they're mostly called state schools or government schools in Vic Not public schools
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »