By Jessica Micallef
School is officially back in for Sunbury and Macedon Ranges students after nearly two months of home learning.
Grade prep, one and two pupils and high school students in years 11 and 12 are this week walking through their classroom doors after the state government earlier this month announced a gradual return to school, beginning May 26.
Salesian College Sunbury principal Mark Brockhus said the long awaited return to classroom learning would be met with mixed feelings among students.
“There will be quite a few students who miss the socialisation with friends and are relieved about coming back,” he said.
“And there’s quite a few kids who have enjoyed the remote learning experience and the lack of distraction.
“Plus, there will be a bit of anxiety because we’ve been away for so long.
“But our preference is that kids are back with us because it’s all about relationships, supporting kids and being together. It’s what we do best.”
About 400 year 11 and 12 students will return to the Sunbury college before the remaining 900 students in years 7, 8 and 9 come back on June 9.
Although Mr Brockhus said physical distancing was not necessary in the classroom, measures will be put in place in “high traffic areas” across the school including locker bays, the canteen and corridors.
“We will be making sure students are aware they can’t be all bunched up together like they used to be,” he said.
“Markers will be on the ground where kids can queue for the canteen.
“We will be having a limit to the total number of students inside the library.
“We will be vigilant with the way we manage pick up and drop off because we don’t want parents coming out of the car.”
Each staff member will be provided with their own four square metres of workspace and three separate tea rooms have been set up for staff.
Cleaning measures across the school will also be enhanced and outdoor restrictions will be implemented across the college.
“Our basketball courts are often busy so we are only allowing half the number of kids to be using that space at a time,” Mr Brockhus said.
“We want to be regularly cleaning throughout the day. It’s just for reassurance more than anything.”’
Mr Brockhus said the school’s home learning system had worked “almost flawlessly“ during what would have been a difficult and strange time for families.
“I have never had more positive feedback from families than I have during the last six weeks,“ he said.
We have learnt a lot over this period of time and the teachers are ready to embrace new teaching methods because of it.“
